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Volunteers Contribute More Than 42,000 Hours to Henderson Libraries

Henderson Libraries couldn’t operate its six locations and numerous activities without the help of volunteers who contributed more than 42,145 hours during the fiscal year 2010 (July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010).

The Friends of the Henderson Libraries and individual volunteers contributed 31,338 of the total hours, but other Henderson and Las Vegas Valley groups also have given their time to the libraries. The Clark County School District provided 53 hours at the Malcolm Library branch, and teen volunteers accounted for 4,068 volunteer hours while AARP Tax Assistance volunteered 968 hours. At the Heritage Park Library, volunteers recruited by the City of Henderson contributed 2,754 hours; Nevada State College students volunteered 592 hours and Opportunity Village contributed 32 hours. Miscellaneous groups and individuals accounted for another 2,340 hours.

“The work of our volunteers directly impacts our patrons’ library experience,” said Tom Fay, executive director for Henderson Libraries. “I can’t thank our volunteers enough for all they do to support our mission of cultivating a literate community.”

The library district’s work to maximize volunteer hours for the benefit of patrons is just another example of the many efforts Henderson Libraries has taken to pool its resources and make the most of its budget. For example, the hours equate to the time of 20 full-time staff members; if each volunteer was a paid employee making $12 an hour, the cost to the library district would be $498,216 – nearly one fifth of the cost of the entire new Gibson Library.

Established in 1943 as a single library in Downtown Henderson, Henderson Libraries operates six locations throughout Henderson. Henderson Libraries cooperates with other public libraries in Southern Nevada, the Nevada System of Higher Education, the Clark County School District and all other libraries around the state to provide quality service for Nevada’s residents.

For additional information on this event or Henderson Libraries and its many services and resources, visit www.mypubliclibrary.com or call 702-492-6581.