Las Vegas, NV, United States, Feb. 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The West Las Vegas Library has served as a community anchor to the Historic Westside for 50 years. Today, the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District announced that the West Las Library’s role in the community is expanding with a new 41,178 square-foot, state-of-the-art branch. A groundbreaking celebration was held on Feb. 27, 2024, at 1861 N. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, the location of the new library, which is slated to open in Fall 2025.
Like the previous two Historic Westside library branches that opened before it – the original on “D” Street in 1973 and the current location on West Lake Mead Boulevard in 1989 – this new building will be a place where our children, grandchildren, and generations to come will enjoy story times, arts events, live performances, after-school tutoring, and STEAM activities. To meet the needs of this culturally diverse community, the new West Las Vegas Library is more than doubling its current size. This dramatic expansion will enable the Library District to provide more robust educational resources, materials, and programs for literacy, learning, and heritage-based celebrations. Construction is scheduled to begin in March 2024.
“Library services are associated with rising levels of literacy, school readiness, academic achievement, job skills training, enhanced social connections, civic engagement, and community cohesion,” said Kelvin Watson, executive director of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. “This new library has been a Library District goal for many years, and we are extremely proud to have achieved this milestone.”
“This state-of-the-art library is being constructed with zero tax increases to the public, which is a result of sound fiscal planning and the accumulation of reserves over time,” Watson said. “This new library branch will be funded responsibly, ensuring community benefits without placing additional financial strain on our residents.”
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn G. Goodman and Ward 5 Councilman Cedric Crear have both been tireless supporters of the Library District’s plans to re-locate and expand the West Las Vegas Library.
“The Library District is investing in our community’s future by building this beautiful, new West Las Vegas Library,” Goodman said. “This new facility provides residents with literacy and job skills training, access to new technologies, and a place to discover interests that they never knew they had.”
“This is an exciting time on the Historic Westside as we continue to break ground on new projects that will positively impact this community and the entire city of Las Vegas,” Crear said. “This library is another example of delivering on the promise of the HUNDRED Plan in Action to benefit Ward 5.”
Goodman and Crear were among the guests who spoke at the West Las Vegas Library groundbreaking ceremony, which also included the following local elected officials, community members, and Library District executives, including: a representative from Senator Jacky Rosen’s office; Senator Steven Horsford; Clark County Commissioner William McCurdy; Latin Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Peter Guzman; UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield; UNLV Oral History Research Center Director Claytee D. White; Las Vegas-Clark County Library District Board of Trustees Chairman Nathaniel Waugh; and Las Vegas-Clark County Library District Executive Director Kelvin Watson.
Over the past decade, the Library District has been planning this larger library branch to serve the growing population of families and seniors on the Westside. The existing branch, located on West Lake Mead Boulevard, was constructed in 1989, on land that continues to be owned by the City of Las Vegas. However, its modest size and lack of parking eventually limited the number of programs and services that the library could offer.
To understand current and future demographic needs of the Las Vegas Valley, the Library District conducted a study spanning 2017-2018, which formed the blueprint for its long-term Facilities Master Plan. The Historic Westside stood out as a top priority for additional library services and funds were incrementally earmarked for future branch design and construction. At the same time, a search began to locate a parcel of land that would be close to public transportation and allow for a 41,178-square-foot building with ample parking, which the current location lacks.
The solution was to relocate the West Las Vegas Library to a 5.25-acre parcel of undeveloped land on Martin Luther King Boulevard, which the city provided. This mutually beneficial transaction allows for a dramatic expansion of the West Las Vegas Library, including convenient parking, and it returns the existing building to the city for future community use.
For more information about the West Las Vegas Library, including architectural renderings of the new West Las Vegas Library, the history of the library branch in the community and more, visit https://legacy.lvccld.org/WestLVLibrary/.
West Las Vegas Library Groundbreaking
FACT SHEET
New Location: 1861 N. Martin Luther King Blvd., Las Vegas 89106
- Approximately 1 mile from the current library location
- New building site is within approximately 3 miles of 14 public and private schools -- 8 elementary schools, 2 middle schools and 4 high schools
Current Location – 951 W. Lake Mead, opened Jan. 2, 1989
Original Location – 1402 N. D Street, opened Dec. 2, 1973
Groundbreaking: February 27, 2024
Construction Start: March 2024
Opening: Fall 2025
Estimated Cost: $40 million
Size: Two-story including 41,178-square-foot building on 5.25 acres
Building Features:
- Modern Minimalist Architecture
- Dramatic Windows for Natural Light
- Exterior LED Video Wall
- 2nd Story Outdoor Deck
- Increased On-Site Parking
- Outdoor Event Plaza
- Four Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
- Art Gallery & Cultural Programs
- Book Drop
- Curbside Pickup
- Bookstore
- Event Center
- Podcast Room
- Study Rooms
- Adult Learning Program
- Business Incubator
- Computers
- Creation Labs
- Digital Memories Preservation Lab
- Multimedia Lab
- Educational Resource Center
- K-12 Homework Help
- Event & Meeting Room Rentals
- Scanners, Copiers, and Fax Machines
- Teen Zone
- Free WiFi
Project Team: KME Associates Architects; Moody Nolan;
CORE, CMAR
Programming Highlights
K-12 Educational Support & Digital Literacy Training
Digital literacy is the key component to reading, learning, higher education, and career success in our economy. The new West Las Vegas Library will provide:
- Free services for reading and literacy at all skill levels
- Early childhood development, school readiness, K-12 academic support, and out-of-school learning
- Business development, career and employment training
- Access to computers, WiFi, digital instruction, English language & citizenship instruction, digital media production
Career Advancement & Small Business Development
- Seven-day-per-week services will be provided by the Library District’s Adult Learning Program. As in other Library District branches, the program will feature training and employment resources using the library’s classrooms, computer labs, study rooms, and FREE WiFi to help teens through adults develop new skills for 21st Century jobs.
- Our Adult Learning Program offers language skills, high school diploma programs, resume writing, plus small-business development, and support through our community partners.
About Las Vegas-Clark County Library District
The award-winning Las Vegas-Clark County Library District is an independent taxing entity that serves a diverse community across 8,000 square miles. Through its 25 branches and website, the Library District offers a collection of 3.2 million items, including books, movies, music (including streaming and downloadable), online resources, and free programs for all ages. The Library District is a vibrant and vital member of the community offering limitless learning; business and career advancement; government and social services support; and best of all, a place where customers find a sense of culture and community. For more information, and to support Library District programs, please visit TheLibraryDistrict.org.
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