Library District Executive Director Kelvin Watson Wins Award for Innovative Leadership

Library District Executive Director Kelvin Watson Wins Award for Innovative Leadership

Creating a future of equity, diversity, and inclusion through innovation and technology

Kelvin Watson believes in the transformative power of libraries for the communities that they serve, and this is the vision that he brings to his role as the new Executive Director of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. 

Who might imagine creating a library in the midst of a busy, major airport hub or in local parks; using Amazon Echo devices to welcome immigrants and help them learn English in their native language; pairing those re-entering the community after incarceration with librarian-mentors to help them secure employment and educational opportunities; incorporating pop-up libraries into coffee shops, healthcare facilities, and city buildings? 

Watson imagined and brought to reality these and many other unique ideas during his tenure as Director of Broward County Libraries in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was this revolutionary thinking that led to him being named the 2021 winner of the Margaret E. Monroe Award for Adult Library Services. The award recognizes those who have made major contribution services for adults through exceptional leadership, creative and innovative concepts, measurable effectiveness and their influence on the industry as a whole. The award illuminates the new thinking that he brings to Nevada’s largest library system, and the goals that he will pursue. 

Said Watson: “The library has always represented a community gathering place, and we remain that in spite of the challenges the pandemic has presented. But, we are so much more than a physical space of books on shelves. The library is a state of mind, a hologram of possibilities, and key community influencer.”