Library workers the superheroes of pandemic response in North Las Vegas

Ask Sonja Grace what her job title is and she jokingly responds with “Superwoman.”

But she may not be wrong.

Before a pandemic shook the globe, Grace was a library assistant at Aliante Library in North Las Vegas. She still retains the job title officially, but her duties in the past year have extended far beyond what she signed up for.

That’s because Grace is one of nine North Las Vegas Library District workers who took on any job that was needed to help the city and the region respond to the public health crisis.

“Yeah, travel to the future, they’ll say, ‘What did you do during the pandemic?’ ” Grace said. “At least we can say we helped all these families and businesses stay afloat and stay alive.”

The pandemic response team was made up of four workers from Alexander Library and four from Aliante Library, plus Aliante’s branch manager, Shelly Alexander.

The first few weeks of the health crisis were spent helping Three Square food bank, Alexander said. Library employees then went on to connect with businesses to encourage them to apply for loans.

Her team educated businesses on what they needed to do to reopen. Employees were also sent to the Southern Nevada Health District to help with contact tracing, and at the end of the summer, they started helping with business and housing grants.

“Everyone has different stories and you were there to just listen to them and hear them cry on the other line,” Grace said. “It kind of touched your heart.”

More recently, library staff has helped with scheduling vaccination appointments.

The city said it’s work that, combined with running a “virtual library” during a pandemic, led to the North Las Vegas Library District being a finalist for the Institute of Museum and Library Services national medal, which recognizes museums and libraries that demonstrate excellence in service. The North Las Vegas Library District is the only institution in the state to be nominated, the city said.

Alexander said most of her team members who worked on the pandemic response were with the library for less than a year. She said the outbreak of the virus showed her how adaptable her team is.

“Not everybody can change, you know, just like this,” she said, snapping her fingers. “And they were able to really pick things up, and so I know when we go back to being just a regular library, they’re going to be fine.”

A flexible response

Assistant City Manager Alfredo Melesio Jr. said the decision to assign library staff to other tasks was rooted in the city’s “general philosophy of responsive government.” He said those employees have been able to adapt to almost everything the city has asked them to do.

“I have to tell you, I am just so thankful and appreciative,” he said.

City Manager Ryann Juden said library workers deployed to help Three Square food bank within days of the pandemic hitting. Their effort represents an example of good government, he said.

“I think for me, this team, their being flexible, allowed us to quickly staff and support all kinds of different COVID relief priorities during this past year,” he said.

Jasmine Haynes, a library assistant who also works at Aliante Library, said workers still get emails thanking them for their help.

“It’s like we were a lifeline for our residents, and that’s awesome,” Haynes said.

North Las Vegas libraries are offering curbside service but remain closed to the public. Haynes said workers are now partially operating a library and partially working on a vaccination program for homebound residents that began this week.

“So, it’s like we’re working both sides of the fence, but it’s not stressful because it’s like, it’s a job that needs to be done, it’s my duty to do it, and it’s a rewarding duty,” she said.

Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.