Twenty-first century libraries are powerful, ever-evolving places. In fact, the definition of a “library” has undergone a digital revolution in the past 20 years. Where else can students gain free, hands-on access to 3D printers, music and sound production, sewing and fashion design, robotics, virtual reality, and even DJ labs to learn how Steve Aoki makes his magic happen?
Adults, too, would barely recognize us from two decades ago, and with every year that passes, we introduce innovative programs, services and technology that are available to all. Adults will find career and small-business services such as computer training, language skills, high school diploma programs, and résumé writing, plus small-business planning and support through our Adult Learning Program, and our One-Stop Career Centers and Employ NV Small Business Center in partnership with Workforce Connections.
The revolution that technology has brought to humankind is mirrored in our libraries, with transformative experiences for all ages. We have become the new community center in our neighborhoods, where people meet for friendship, learning, to exchange ideas and follow their dreams. It is in this spirit that we are in the midst of celebrating National Library Week, to recognize our dedicated library staff for bring the entertaining, the educational and the unexpected to our customers every day.
We believe free access to technology for all would transform America’s educational system. The lack of this access, known as the digital divide, severely impacts low-income households and those who lose their jobs during economic downturns, such as the pandemic.
Libraries provide access, discovery and delivery of digital resources, at no cost. Throughout the pandemic, the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District continued to serve the public, bridging the digital divide with curbside pickup, access to computer labs for all ages, and free Wi-Fi in our buildings and parking lots. Because we are open 24/7 at LVCCLD.org, our online downloads and streaming activity have soared for movies, music, TV shows, magazines, newspapers, books and audiobooks. On our website, users can also find hundreds of digital resources to learn a language, prep for exams, obtain homework help, master a new job skill, write a résumé or a small business plan, learn a craft, and discover new interests and hobbies they never knew fascinated them. And all that’s needed is a free library card, which can be obtained online at
legacy.lvccld.org/ecard/language.cfm.
With only a brief closure for deep cleaning, we kept our doors open and ramped up such services as educational support, skills training, job fairs, after-school tutoring and nutrition for children K-12, legal advice workshops in partnership with Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, plus vaccinations and COVID-19 testing clinics.
I am also thrilled to say that we have brought back in-person programming, including live music events, dance, theater, art openings, storytimes, magic shows, lectures and much more to our performance spaces. And remember, everything is free.
But our work is just getting started. There is so much more that we must do to educate, entertain, inspire and uplift all Clark County residents. We must find new and innovative funding streams, forge public and private partnerships, and continue advocating for diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and intellectual freedom for the communities we serve. In the past year, we have combined our resources with other public entities that enhance our mutual services to the public. Some examples include:
• Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC): We recently partnered with the RTC on a program that enables bus riders to gain instant access to our online digital resources using free Wi-Fi on board more than 400 buses. Many of these riders and their children may have never set foot in a library before, and are discovering our materials and services for the first time. So far in 2022, this program has been recognized for its innovation by three national library trade groups. Since the program launched in September 2021, nearly 8,000 bus riders have signed up for instant digital access to library materials.
• Clark County School District (CCSD): We are also partners in education. We provide CCSD’s 320,000 students with direct access to our digital materials for kids and teens through the school district’s portal. During my tenure as director of the Broward County Libraries in Florida, I implemented a program like this and we saw a 58% increase in usage when the pandemic struck. We are also working with the College of Southern Nevada to bring college classes to our library branches, through a pilot program going on now, plus free tutoring through a partnership with the UNLV and the federally funded America Reads/America Counts Program.
• Teen Tech Centers: Tech skills training for 21st-century jobs must start early, and the Library District Foundation is making this happen for area youths. Through generous partnerships with Cox, NV Energy, Best Buy and Switch, the foundation has built dedicated teen tech spaces that offer hands-on training in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM). These include DJ labs, makerspaces including sewing classes, robotics, music and sound production, virtual reality headsets, 3D printers, podcasting, coding camps and so much more. These spaces let teens dive deeply into technologies that bridge the digital divide and accelerate their progress toward lucrative careers and employment.
These are just a few examples of how libraries are creating revolutionary change in our neighborhoods, providing residents with a place to explore possibilities, discover new interests and meet new friends, no matter what age.
In my role, I feel a great responsibility to pursue this transformative change, overseeing the Library District’s 25 branches, served by 600-plus employees and spanning 8,000 square miles across Clark County. These include large urban branches such as the Sahara West, Summerlin, Centennial Hills, Mesquite and Laughlin Libraries; medium-sized branches such as the Spring Valley, West Las Vegas and Enterprise Libraries; and rural branches, including the Good Springs, Moapa Valley and Mount Charleston Libraries.
Libraries are now and will continue to play an essential role in championing equal access to knowledge and opportunity for all, and I invite everyone to join us on this evolving and life-changing direction for our community. We offer many opportunities for those who would like to volunteer their time, donate books, magazines, CDs and DVDs, make a financial donation or even become a member of our expert staff. Contact us at [email protected] to find out how you can make a difference.
Kelvin Watson is executive director of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District.