Long-awaited NLV library opens

Angela Soo

Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2001 | 10:48 a.m.

The North Las Vegas Library District today opened a new satellite branch near San Mateo Street as it studies plans for a new, full-service facility.

"It was a longtime coming," Anita Laruy, North Las Vegas library district director, said. "It's a service that's needed deeply in the neighborhood."

The new 4,000-square-foot satellite library at 4528 W. Craig Road includes two Internet computers in addition to two library catalog computers, which link to the Clark County Library District's database. About 10,000 books will be available at the new facility.

Plans for a full-service, 41,000-square-foot North Las Vegas library are still being considered on a 4 1/2 lot on Alexandria Avenue and Martin Luther King Boulevard. The district completed the architectural designs but needs $6 million dollars to build the new facility. Funding sources and an estimated completion date have not been determined.

The new branch was possible because the owner of the property, Stan Wasserkrug of Intercapital Development, waived rent for six months rent and paid for some building improvements, including an outside sign.

"It was my way of giving back to the community," Wasserkrug said. "We need a type of place where a whole family can go to and enjoy the same things without staring in front of a television all day."

Joe Turchiano, an area resident who brought his 5-year-old son, Christopher, anticipated the opening of the neighborhood branch.

"I used to have to drive to the Rainbow or West Las Vegas libraries before this library opened," Turchiano, who is also a first-grade teacher at Lee Antonello Elementary School, said. "Now, I only have to drive less than a mile."

Nancy Ledeboer, deputy director for the county library district, says the community will be well-served by the new satellite branch.

"Putting a library where people go for other things is convenient and practical," Ledeboer said. "People who didn't intend on going into the library may decide to check it out once they see its there."

Operating hours for the new satellite branch are Wednesday and Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The library will be closed Sunday through Tuesday.