News & Announcements
Central Arkansas Library System Celebrates 100 Years of Service to the Community
Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) will celebrate its 100th anniversary on February 2, 2010. The system will mark this historic milestone with projects, programs and events throughout the year.
The anniversary celebration kicked off with the publication of a calendar featuring photos of each of CALS's twelve branches and significant dates in the system's history. These calendars were distributed in the branches.
From Carnegie to Cyberspace: A Centennial Celebration of the Central Arkansas Library System will be published by Butler Center books in late summer. The book will be a combination of the history of the library system and a celebration of the progress it has made over the last 100 years. It will feature information about the people who built the system from the original Carnegie library into one of the largest systems in the mid-South, the history of the branches, and the successes and growth of the system.
One distinguishing characteristic of the Main Library building is the parapet engraved with authors' names. Those names were voted on by library patrons during the renovation of the Fones warehouse as the new site for the Main Library. In observance of our 100th anniversary, a second vote will be held to select author names to be stenciled on the remodeled 5th floor walls of the Main Library.
The J.N. Heiskell Distinguished Lecture honors the Arkansas Gazette's editor, who published the newspaper for more than seventy years and served on the library board of trustees for more than sixty years. Nick Basbanes, "who has become the leading authority of books about books" will present the Heiskell Lecture on October 14, at 6:30 p.m. in the Main Library's Darragh Center.
CALS has been a longstanding supporter and promoter of Arkansas art. In honor of our anniversary, several art projects are planned. A painting of each branch and a piece of public art to be displayed outside at the Main Library will be commissioned.
CALS began as the Little Rock Public Library in 1910. The original library structure was constructed using an $88,100 grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The Little Rock site was one of four libraries the Carnegie Corporation funded in Arkansas. Many pieces of furniture from Little Rock's first Public Library are still used in CALS buildings today. Tables from the Carnegie Library are in use in the Main Library and in the Cox Creative Center. Original shelving from the first library is currently in use at River Market Books & Gifts, the library’s used book store. Four stone columns were part of the original Carnegie Library but were removed and considered scrap when the library moved to its second location. The columns had been in the possession of a patron until CALS director Bobby Roberts located and brought them back to be part of the library landscape.
During the past century, CALS has added branches and services, and the libraries have evolved to meet the demands of patrons. Innovations such as the bookmobile service that began in 1938 gave way to branch libraries, interlibrary loan, and online access to information. Today’s libraries no longer simply offer books, but a plethora of materials including CDs, DVDs, online databases, and much more. CALS strives to be on the cutting-edge of technology, whether it be adding free Internet and wireless Internet access to offering downloadable audiobooks and e-books. Director Bobby Roberts states, "The one thing that has remained constant through our history is our commitment to our patrons. All library materials are free and everyone is welcome."
Events will be held at each of CALS's twelve branches throughout the year. For more information contact Susan Hill Gele at 918-3086.