All Las Vegas-Clark County Library District branches will be closed on Saturday, December 24 and Sunday, December 25 for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. They will reopen at their usual times on Monday, December 26.
Libraries Closed for Thanksgiving Day and Family Day
All Las Vegas-Clark County Library District branches will be closed on Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25 for Thanksgiving Day and Family Day. They will reopen at their usual times on Monday, November 28.
Libraries Closed for Veterans Day
All Las Vegas-Clark County Library District branches will be closed on Friday, November 11 for Veterans Day. They will reopen at their usual times on Monday, November 14.
Libraries Closed for Nevada Day
All Las Vegas-Clark County Library District branches will be closed on Friday, October 28 for Nevada Day. They will reopen at their usual times on Monday, October 31.
Libraries Closed for Staff Day
All Las Vegas-Clark County Library District branches will be closed on Monday, October 10 for Staff Day. They will reopen at their usual times on Tuesday, October 11.
Love Your Library? Tell A Friend! September 2016
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month and a great time to introduce your friends, family and neighbors to the many benefits of a library card. Encourage them to sign up for one during September, or if they already have a library card, Like Us on Facebook, and they will be automatically entered for a chance to win a VIP package for four to the Nevada Ballet Theatre’s production of The Sleeping Beauty on October 22 or 23, or The Nutcracker on December 21 or 22.
In addition, library customers who already have an up-to-date library card will receive special savings to Nevada Ballet Theatre’s entire season of extraordinary performances at the Smith Center, with $10 off admission on great seats from $59 and higher (plus box office fees). This includes The Sleeping Beauty on October 22 and 23; select value dates for that favorite holiday tradition The Nutcracker on December 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23 or 24; Swan Lake on February 25 and 26; and Peter Pan on May 13 and 14.
Simply enter or mention the code: NBTLIB to receive your discount when you order your tickets in person; by phone at 702.749.2000; or online through www.nevadaballet.org. For general information about Nevada Ballet Theatre and subscription packages, visit their website or call 702.243.2623.
Getting a free library card is easy! Just visit any LVCCLD branch to fill out an application or apply online at www.lvccld.org. All you need is a picture I.D. and proof of your current Nevada address.
Your library is here to help you with limitless learning; business and career advancement; government and social services support; and best of all, a place where you will find a sense of culture and community. So, tell your friends, family and neighbors to meet you at the library…they will thank you for it!
Featured September Programs at the Library
The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District will offer a variety of programs throughout the month of September. Highlights of the month include:
Medicare Information Sessions
Thursday, September 1 at 2 p.m.
Enterprise Library | 25 E. Shelbourne Ave. | 702.507.3760
Tuesday, September 13 at 2 p.m.
Rainbow Library | 3150 N. Buffalo Dr. | 702.507.3710
Monday, September 26 22 at 3 p.m.
Clark County Library | 1401 E. Flamingo Rd. | 702.507.3458
Join us as a representative from Nevada State Health Insurance Assistance Program provides unbiased information and answers questions about Medicare, Prescription D and other plans, deductibles and co-pays, how to file a claim and more. Free.
Las Vegas Stories: Played Out on the Strip
Thursday, September 1 at 7 p.m.
Clark County Library | 1401 E. Flamingo Rd. | 702.507.3459
From 1940 to 1989, nearly every hotel on the Strip employed a full-time band or orchestra. In 1989, the musician’s union went on strike and many musicians in Vegas found themselves unemployed. Join us as Janis L. McKay traces factors of the strike and the rise and fall of the casino band. Co-sponsored by University of Nevada Press. Free.
Centennial Hills Back to School Blowout Book Sale
Centennial Hills Library | 6711 N. Buffalo Dr. | 702.507.6107
Friday, September 2 at 10 a.m.
Hundreds of adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction books, videos, and music CDs will be available for purchase. Funds raised will benefit the library. Free.
An Afternoon with Mr. Shakespeare
Saturday, September 3 at 3 p.m.
Summerlin Library | 1771 Inner Circle Dr. | 702.507.3866
Led by Dan Decker, founder of the Shakespeare Institute of Nevada, this interactive afternoon will begin with a discussion of the life and times of William Shakespeare followed by a voluntary opportunity for audience members to read various Shakespeare pieces aloud under the guidance of Decker. Free.
Are You Smarter than a Scam Artist? Senior Medicare Patrol
Tuesday, September 6 at 3 p.m.
Summerlin Library | 1771 Inner Circle Dr. | 702.507.3866
Did you know approximately $60 billion is wasted every year due to fraud, errors, and abuse in the Medicare system? Nevada Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) is part of a nationwide program that began in 1997 to combat this problem and they will be informing Medicare beneficiaries, their caregivers, and family members on how to protect their identities and detect and report fraud. Free.
Savvy Seniors Scam Prevention Series: Cemetery & Funeral Fraud
Wednesday, September 7 at 11 a.m.
Clark County Library | 1401 E. Flamingo Rd. | 702.507.3458
Back by popular demand, the Better Business Bureau reveals the latest in cemetery and funeral fraud schemes. Where can you go to find out if a funeral home is legitimate? Is it better to buy a plot now rather than wait for when you need it? Can a funeral or cemetery contract be changed without your consent or acknowledgment? Are not-for-profit cemeteries any more trustworthy than for-profit cemeteries? Free.
Something Scottish
Saturday, September 10 at 10 a.m.
Whitney Library | 5175 E. Tropicana Ave. | 702.507.4017
Join us for the 16th annual Something Scottish festival featuring live performances, a Wee Bairns Corner where there will be various children activities, numerous Scottish clan representation, Scottish food for purchase and more. Co-sponsored by Saint Andrews Society of Southern Nevada. Free.
Math for Moms and Dads—or Anyone Helping Kids with Math!
Monday, September 12 at 4 p.m.
Las Vegas Library | 833 Las Vegas Boulevard No. | 702.507.3512
Bill Hanlon, author, presenter and educational consultant, shows parents easy ways to teach their own children basic arithmetic. Using humor and proven techniques, Hanlon gives parents the tools, knowledge and confidence to help kids succeed at math. Free.
Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater – Family & Children’s Performance Series
Friday, September 16 at 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, September 17 at 2 p.m.
West Las Vegas Library | 951 W. Lake Mead Blvd. | 702.507.3989
Join us as the Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater’s second company LVCDT2 performs PHIB, Pajama Party, and select excerpts from Alice Down the Rabbit Hole, along with open arts dialog exchange and participation. Free.
Play Date: Kindie Rock for Youngsters
Wednesday, September 21 at 10:30 a.m.
Centennial Hills Library | 6711 N. Buffalo Dr. | 702.507.6114
Wednesday, September 21 at 4 p.m.
Clark County Library | 1401 E. Flamingo Rd. | 702.507.3436
Thursday, September 22 at 11 a.m.
Windmill Library | 7060 W. Windmill Ln. | 702.507.6041
Thursday, September 22 at 4 p.m.
Summerlin Library | 1771 Inner Circle Dr. | 702.507.3865
Join the party as the award-winning band Play Date performs their infectious melodies and empowering lyrics that will entertain the entire family. Free.
Uncensored Voices: Celebrating Your Freedom to Read
Tuesday, September 27 at 7 p.m.
Clark County Library | 1401 E. Flamingo Rd. | 702.507.3459
Fight censorship and celebrate your freedom to read during Banned Books Week, September 25 – October 1. Every year, there are hundreds of attempts to remove books from the shelves of bookstores, libraries, and schools. Join us as Las Vegas Review-Journal Political Columnist Steve Sebelius and a panel of educators and experts discuss the current state of censorship in Nevada. Cockroach Theatre will present staged readings of challenged and banned books. A reception will follow the reading. Co-sponsored by the ACLU of Nevada, UNLV Libraries Curriculum Materials Library, and Cockroach Theatre. Free.
In the Blood: A Staged Reading
Friday, September 30 at 7:30 p.m.
Clark County Library | 1401 E. Flamingo Rd. | 702.507.3459
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter provided the basis for Suzan-Lori Parks’ play, In the Blood. Centered around a group of African-American characters forced to live on the street through catastrophic circumstances. The play was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2000. Following the reading, artists will continue the conversation with the Buzzz, an interactive discussion between the cast and crew and the audience. Co-sponsored by A Public Fit. Free.
See the press release below for more featured programs, or see all Library District programs here.
Libraries Closed for Labor Day
All Las Vegas-Clark County Library District branches will be closed on Monday, September 5 for Labor Day. They will reopen at their usual times on Tuesday, September 6.
2016 Spark! Poetry Writing & Recitation Competition
Clark County high school students in grades 9 – 12 are invited to submit original poems for the Vegas Valley Book Festival 2016 Spark! Poetry Writing & Recitation Competition by Sept. 30. Modeled after the national Poetry Out Loud competition and the Scholastic Writing competition, high school students will have the opportunity to recite their own poetry during the Vegas Valley Book Festival Saturday, Oct. 15. The first-place prize is $300. The second-place winner will receive $200 and the third-place prize is $100.
Students will be asked to present three original poems to be judged by a panel consisting of poets, authors, educators and other community members. Panelists will use scoring guidelines to assign numerical values to the evaluation criteria.
There will be three presentation rounds in a tent at the Historic Fifth Street School, 401 S. Fourth St., from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 15. Students who registered for Spark! between now and Sept. 30 will be eligible to present one poem in the first round. The top six students will present a second poem in the second round. The top three students will present a third poem in the third round to determine first, second and third place. Scores will be cumulative. Student poets must present the poems they submitted on their registration form.
This program is supported by public funding for the arts through the Nevada Arts Council, a division of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Vegas Valley Book Festival, Nevada Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities. For competition details, guidelines, and a registration form, go online to http://www.VegasValleyBookFestival.org/spark/. For further information, contact Arts Learning Coordinator Maryjane Dorofachuk, Nevada Arts Council, at 702-486-3738 or mdorofachuk@nevadaculture.org.
About the Vegas Valley Book Festival
This uniquely Las Vegas event is produced through a collaboration of local public sector and nonprofit partners who work each year to enrich and expand the city’s cultural life by hosting great writers, thinkers and imagineers.
Now in its 15th year, the Vegas Valley Book Festival is free and open to the public, thanks to support from its producing partners: city of Las Vegas; Las Vegas-Clark County Library District; Las Vegas-Clark County Library District Foundation, Inc.; the Las Vegas Chapter of AIGA, the professional organization for design; the Las Vegas Review-Journal; Nevada Humanities; the Beverly Rogers, Carol C. Harter Black Mountain Institute at UNLV; and Vegas PBS.
A hotel room reservation block is available for festival goers at the Las Vegas Golden Nugget Hotel now through mid-September. Volunteers also are needed for the festival; an application form is required. For information on hotel reservations, volunteering, author appearances, and much more, please go online to VegasValleyBookFestival.org/. Keep up with festival news on Twitter #VVBF, Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest, or call 702-229-5902 with questions.
2016 Vegas Valley Book Festival Celebrates 15th Anniversary
The largest literary event in Nevada, the Vegas Valley Book Festival, marks its 15th anniversary Saturday, Oct. 15, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with multiple stages that showcase the brilliance of imagination and the written word.
Celebrity authors across genres, ages, and cultural backgrounds will share their work and creative processes starting at 10 a.m.at the Historic Fifth Street School, located at 401 S. Fourth St. Then at 6 p.m., the Festival’s After-Dark event moves to the Inspire Theater, located on the corner of historic Fremont Street at 107 Las Vegas Blvd. South, for an evening of libations, a mind-opening talk with MacArthur Genius Award recipient Katherine Boo, and lively conversations into the night.
All Vegas Valley Book Festival events are free and open to the public. This year’s festival offers a rare opportunity to meet and mingle with best-selling authors, a Latin GRAMMY Award winner, an acclaimed comic strip creator, children’s book authors and illustrators, anime and historical characters, and other creatives. Attendees will enjoy books signings, readings, workshops, vendor exhibits, and other special programs. Local food trucks also will be on hand to provide fuel for inquisitive minds.
The children’s side of the Vegas Valley Book Festival features live music, crafts, performances, special bilingual entertainment, bookmaking and presentations from renowned authors and illustrators of children’s books. Adult and young-adult fare include a mix of workshops, panels and author presentations on a wide variety of genres, including fiction, non-fiction, romance, LGBTQ, mystery, thriller, crime, suspense, humor, history, comic/graphic novels, banned books, poetry and more.
Also featured will be “Treasured Lands,” the moving pictorial history of the National Park Service Centennial. Written and photographed by QT Luong, the book takes an in-depth look at 100 years of public lands heritage, which he will expand upon in both a lecture and a breath-taking photo exhibit in the Fifth Street School gallery.
From heritage to hilarity, the line-up for the 2016 Vegas Valley Book Festival is genius. Literally! Highlights of this year’s talent and happenings include:
- Katherine Boo – Recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service and the MacArthur Fellowship (also known as the “Genius Grant”) for her investigative reporting of people in poverty – will reveal the world of Mumbai’s “undercity,” which was the inspiration for her book, “Behind the Beautiful Forevers.”
- Craig Johnson – Fans of TV’s popular “Longmire” series will meet this New York Times best-selling author, the creator of the original Walt Longmire mysteries and many other novels, short stories and plays. Johnson will share the inspiration behind the sheriff of Wyoming’s Absaroka County and his travels through the dark underbelly of the “new” wild West.
- Stacy Schiff – Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “Cleopatra,” a No. 1 best-seller that was translated into 30 languages, unpacks her newly released psychological thriller, “The Witches: Salem, 1692.” David McCullough declared the book – also a best-seller – “brilliant from start to finish.”
- Frank Shankwitz – The co-founder of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the co-author of “Once Upon a Wish,” Frank will share the inspiring story of his quest to provide that one shining moment of joy to young patients with life-threatening medical conditions.
- Mister G – The 2015 Latin GRAMMY Award winner for Best Children’s Album, “Mister G” (Ben Gundersheimer), has an international following in the music world of kids and families. The Washington Post called him a “kid-friendly, bilingual rock star” and People magazine dubbed him “irresistible.”
- Stephen Savage – Acclaimed author and illustrator of many children’s books, including “Where’s Walrus,” named “Best Book of the Year” by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews and others.
- Stephan Pastis – Creator of “Pearls Before Swine,” the acclaimed comic strip, and author of “Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made.”
- Megan McDonald – Beloved children’s author and creator of several popular series, including the award-winning “Judy Moody” and “Stink” series; and the “Sisters Club.” She also is a contributor to the American Girl stories.
The Festival also supports two special projects that engage local students; stay tuned for more details:
- Spark! – A teen poetry-writing/performance project with cash prizes (entries accepted through Sept. 30)
- Author Visits to Schools Oct. 14 – Last year, festival authors made visits to 18 local schools. Times and locations to be announced.
About the Vegas Valley Book Festival
This uniquely Las Vegas event is produced through a collaboration of local public sector and nonprofit partners who work each year to enrich and expand the city’s cultural life by hosting great writers, thinkers and imagineers.
Now in its 15th year, the Vegas Valley Book Festival is free and open to the public, thanks to support from its producing partners: city of Las Vegas; Las Vegas-Clark County Library District; Las Vegas-Clark County Library District Foundation, Inc.; the Las Vegas Chapter of AIGA, the professional organization for design; the Las Vegas Review-Journal; Nevada Humanities; the Beverly Rogers, Carol C. Harter Black Mountain Institute at UNLV; and Vegas PBS.
A hotel room reservation block is available for festival goers at the Las Vegas Golden Nugget Hotel now through mid-September. Volunteers also are needed for the festival; an application form is required. For information on hotel reservations, volunteering, author appearances, and much more, please go online to VegasValleyBookFestival.org/. Keep up with festival news on Twitter #VVBF, Facebook, Google+, and Pinterest, or call 702-229-5902 with questions.
Las Vegas-Clark County Library District News 