The West Las Vegas Library celebrated its 50th anniversary on Wednesday night with a ’70s-themed bash. The library first opened in 1973 as a small storefront building on D Street. It moved to its current location near Martin Luther King and Lake Mead boulevards in 1988. The library has been a vital part of the community, providing a safe and welcoming space for residents to learn, grow, and connect. The library’s 50th anniversary celebration included food, music, trivia, and photo opportunities for those who showed up in ’70s attire.
Branch manager Lenika Coleman described the celebration as a “special moment.” She said, “For me, it’s like going full circle,” adding that she grew up in the predominantly Black neighborhood and would visit the branch throughout her childhood. “It’s just been a great spot and a great safe space for youth to come to.”
The library is also a welcoming space for adults, who visit the branch to use its computer lab and a wide-array of resources, such as employment aid. Coleman noted during a phone interview early Wednesday, “It’s just been part of the neighborhood.”
The first library opened in Dec. 2, 1973, following an effort spearheaded by community advocates, including prominent activist Ruby Duncan. “The first library established on the Historic Westside was located in a mere storefront on D Street to serve the families of African American Hoover Dam migrant workers,” library officials wrote on its website. “The concept of a library in the predominately black neighborhood was unheard of.”
The library moved to 951 W. Lake Mead Blvd. in 1988, expanding a few years later to include a performing arts theater. The facility turned 50 in December. But instead of celebrating its half-century earlier, district officials in February hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the state-of-the-art facility opening nearby in the fall of 2025, tentatively, Coleman noted. That library — designed to be more than double the size of the current branch — will be located at 1861 N. Martin Luther King Blvd.
