News & Announcements

CALS receives $500,000 from the Mellon Foundation

Grant will support the library’s Memory Lab, Encyclopedia of Arkansas, and Butler Center for Arkansas Studies

Little Rock, AR – The Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) Foundation is honored to have received a grant of $500,000 from the Mellon Foundation’s Public Knowledge program.

The grant – one of the largest in CALS’s history – will build capacity for the library’s Memory Lab,


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CALS Presents ‘American Evangelicals’ Author on May 9

Little Rock, AR – The Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) welcomes critically acclaimed author Tim Alberta with his book, The Kingdom, the Power, and The Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism on Thursday, May 9, at CALS Ron Robinson Theater, 100 River Market Ave. The program will begin at 6:30 p.m.,


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Williams Grand Reopening Brings Several Celebrations This Spring

Little Rock, AR – The Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) is planning several celebrations for the grand reopening of the Sue Cowan Williams Library, 1800 Chester St. There will be three events: a ticketed “Family Dinner Night,” a ceremonial ribbon cutting, and a Neighborhood Block Party. Information about the celebrations can be found at cals.org/williams-grand-reopening.


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NEA Big Read Brings Together Book Clubs, Stories, and Writers in Central Arkansas

Little Rock, AR – The Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) welcomes critically acclaimed author Tommy Orange as part of its 2024 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read celebration. The Big Read series of events kick off March 8 and conclude in May, with Orange scheduled to appear at CALS Ron Robinson Theater, 100 River Market Ave.,


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CALS Used Book Sale Returns at New Location

Little Rock, AR – The Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) has announced the details for the spring CALS Used Book Sale. The Used Book Sale will take place March 7-9 at the Port Industrial Hub, 7773 Sloane Dr., where CALS administration offices are located. Used books will be priced $1 for paperbacks and $2 for hardbacks.


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Crowd Gathered for Wall-Breaking Ceremony at CALS Main Library

Little Rock, AR – This morning, the Central Arkansas Library System hosted a ceremonial wall-breaking event for the flagship Main Library. Key members of CALS staff, project leads from Polk Stanley Wilcox, WER Architects, Stocks-Mann Architects, and CDI Contractors, as well as Mayor Frank Scott, Jr., and a large group of patrons and guests gathered to view the empty library one last time.


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Free Legal Information is Available with “Lawyers in the Library”

Little Rock, AR – The Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) and the Center for Arkansas Legal Services have once again teamed up to offer Lawyers in the Library. This free series of events provides the opportunity to hear from lawyers on several topics at no cost to the attendees.

“We are delighted to continue our collaboration with the Central Arkansas Library System,


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Main Library Wall Breaking Scheduled

Join the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) for an exciting “Wall Breaking” Ceremony. Witness the unveiling of the final renderings, hear announcements from key individuals – including details about the library cafe, and experience a final viewing of the vacant structure before demolition.

Who: CALS leadership and project leads from Polk Stanley Wilcox,


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