Despite Minor Setbacks Renovation Continues in Earnest

Construction continues ahead of schedule. The room pictured here is almost complete! This is the table where it all happens -- the meetings -- the plans -- discussion beween library administration contractor, subcontractors, engineers, architects ... This week we had a few minor setbacks, a clogged sewer line, some new RFI's and change orders, and some vandalism to the exterior of the property. This is to be expected during renovations, and steps have been taken to ensure that this doesn't happen again. So far fortune is with us. We have hired professionals to deal with the problems, including a structural engineer who is coming up with a solution for a wall that we are removing. Work continues! Even this morning, the contractor was hard at work, and it's a Saturday. We measured for the service desk Friday, and installed a new metal bookdrop -- with a lock that had to be completed dissasembled and cleaned. It is working now, and people are able to return books to this 3rd box.

Construction Time!

Construction officially began January 19th, 2009. The contractor's first task was to remove the old circulation desk in the rotunda area. Here is a photo of the area without the desk.

I was there -- I witnessed the demolition and removal. We wore masks due to all the fine gypsum dust in the air.

Returning Your Books

On December 24th, 2008 Las Vegas Clark County Library District closed the Green Valley Library and locked these bookdrops. On the 2nd of January, 2009 the Henderson District Public Library opened the bookdrops for book returns. Returning books when there are two library districts with different records management systems can be a tricky thing. While the book drops are open now, it is important to check your books before dropping them in these return drops. Here is what you need to know:

• If the books are stamped Henderson District Public Libraries and they are dropped in the drops pictured here they will be returned on your library account daily.
• If the books are stamped Las Vegas Clark County Library District and they are dropped in the drops pictured here they may not post to your account for several weeks.

Why is this? It's sort of complicated, but to make a long story short -- there is limited courier service from the Las Vegas Library District to any Henderson District Public Library, meaning that there is slow transfer of materials from one district to the other. The Henderson District Public Libraries courier truck goes to the main Las Vegas Library once a week with materials belonging to the Las Vegas Clark County Library District. Once these books arrive they are returned and Las Vegas library accounts are updated. From time to time this results in overdue fines posting to library cards held by Las Vegas library patrons.

Because of this reason the Henderson Libraries strongly discourages the returns of Las Vegas Clark County materials to these book drops.

Bottom line is: if you have books marked Las Vegas Clark County Library District please save yourself some trouble and return them to a Las Vegas Clark County Library Location. The closest libraries in the county district are:

Enterprise Library, Whitney Library or the Flamingo Library.

Computer Lab

One of the changes that you will see in the new Green Valley Library is a 30 workstation computer lab. This lab will be located in the Sunset Room, which was used as a meeting room, but will now be used for free public Internet access and computer instruction sessions on a variety of topics. This is a picture of the empty Sunset Room where the computer lab will eventually be located.

Moving Day!

January 13th was moving day at the Green Valley Library. There was quite a bit of shelving and old furniture that we moved out of the building and put into storage for use at other libraries. Part of the plan is to open the building up and make it seem less crowded.

The Old Desk

Pictured here is the old circulation desk in the central rotunda of the Green Valley Library. For more than 20 years this desk was the first thing people saw when they walked into the library. But not anymore. We're going to open this rotunda space up, put in some comfortable reading couches, a used bookstore, and give it a light and airy feel. The beautiful stained glass will be ever present in this library.

Bookmobile Visits the Green Valley Library

The bookmobile is one of first services offered to the patrons of the Green Valley Library during building renovations. Beginning January 13th, the Henderson District Bookmobile, fondly known as Mel began regular service to the library. That's a picture of the new branch manager, Stephen Platt, standing in front the bookmobile. There are a number of things that you can do on the bookmobile. Register your county library card with the Henderson District. You'll need to do that at some point. Why not visit the bookmobile and get it out of the way? Other things that you will find on the bookmobile are movies, tax forms, popular fiction, children's and teen books.

The bookmobile schedule of visits is as follows:

Tuesday, January 13th -- 9-11 a.m.

Thursday, January 15th -- 2-4 p.m.

Saturday, January 17th -- 9 - 3 p.m.

Tuesday, January 20th -- 9 - 11 a.m.

Thursday, January 22nd -- 2-4 p.m.

Saturday, January 24th -- 9 - 3 p.m.

Tuesday, January 27th -- 9 - 11 a.m.

Thursday, January 29th -- 2 - 4 p.m.

Saturday, January 31st -- 9 - 3 p.m.

Tuesday, February 3rd -- 9 - 3 p.m.

Thursday, February 5th -- 2 - 4 p.m.

Saturday, February 7th -- 9 - 3 p.m.

Tuesday, February 10th -- 9 - 11 a.m.

Thursday, February 12th -- 2 - 4 p.m.

Saturday, February 14th -- 9 - 3 p.m.

Tuesday, February 17th -- 9 -11 a.m.

Thursday, February 19th -- 2 - 4 p.m.

Saturday, February 21st -- 9 - 3 p.m.

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Green Valley Library Closed for Remodeling

On December 23rd, 2008, the Clark County Library District closed the Green Valley Library Branch. The building was handed over to the Henderson District Public Library District for remodeling and renovation. The library keys were handed over on the 2nd of January to library representatives of the Henderson Library District. This blog will keep you updated with the progress of the renovations, and library services at 2797 N. Green Valley Parkway as the Henderson District Public Library makes changes and brings new services to the Green Valley Library. Yes, it's a sad sight anytime there is a closed sign in front of a library, BUT we're making some great changes, and we think you'll be pleased.