501-918-3025
calsfoundation@cals.org
calsfoundation@cals.org
Top 10 Things to Do in May
May is often referred to as the bridge between spring and summer, and at CALS, we’re taking advantage of that and heading outside. Whether you take advantage of the water view at Maumelle Library or watch the birds (and squirrels) at Fletcher Library, there’s beauty around our branches. Grab a book or an item from our “Library of Things,” and enjoy the outside of our libraries before the summer heat is in full swing.
- Sounds in the Stacks with Bluesboy Jag – It’s not always quiet time at the library. Sounds in the Stacks pairs local musical artists with the serene setting of the library to create intimate concerts while you browse the shelves. Join us on May 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Thompson Library for blues guitars and vocals by Bluesboy Jag. Event details here.
- Welcome back Williams! After a six-month closure for renovations, the Williams Library is new, improved, and ready for you. Join us for a Block Party (May 4, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.), with music, face painting, food, tours, and activities. Can’t make it to the party? Just plan to stop by and check out all the new changes, including the community kitchen, dedicated teen area, and podcasting room. Event details here.
- Enjoy a Tuesday – Did you know that traditionally new books are released on a Tuesday? You can read tons of articles that argue the why, some citing the New York Times Bestsellers List measuring from Tuesday through Monday. Regardless, it gives us something to look forward to. This month grab Colm Tóibín’s, Long Island (5/7/2024), the sequel to his wonderful novel, Brooklyn.
- Get Footloose at Ron Robinson Theater – It’s prom season, and we’re celebrating with the most epic prom movie ever – Footloose. Watch it on the big screen Friday, May 10, at 7 p.m. Buy tickets at ronrobinsontheater.org. here
- Interested in beekeeping? Come to the Children’s Library and learn all about it. Check out the indoor (and outdoor – with a guide) hive and see if you can spot the queen. New all-ages beekeeping classes will help the beginner (2nd Thursday of the month) and advanced (4th Thursday of the month). Event details for beginners here and advanced here.
- Print Making with Perrion Hurd – On Saturday, May 11, drop by the Rock It! Lab at Library Square between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. where you can make and take your own print. Perrion Hurd is an illustrator, painter, muralist, and printmaker working in Little Rock. Event details here. Check out all the art happenings around the system all month long. Find them here.
- Manga anyone? Gou Tanabe’s manga adaptation of H. P. Lovecraft’s The Hound & Other Stories comes highly recommended and promises to be “super creepy.” Make sure to check out all his adaptations. Find his work here.
- Attend a life-changing author talk – The Big Read has taken over CALS and there are so many events coming up, including a free talk on Thursday, May 16 with Tommy Orange, award-winning author of There, There and Wandering Stars. Orange also has shorter pieces featured in Never Whistle at Night, Wilderness Tales: Forty Stories of the North American Wild, The Decameron Project: 29 New Stories from the Pandemic, and Fourteen Days: A Literary Project of the Author Guild of America. Check out all the events and find out more about The Big Read at cals.org/NEA-big-read-2024. Register for his event here. Check out his books here.
- Check out a fishing pole – Whether you’re looking for bass, bluegill or walleye, May is the perfect time to grab a pole and explore the Natural State. Check out a fishing pole here.
- Grab a cookbook to elevate your Memorial Day barbecue – Whether you’re loading the grill with burgers, ribs, chicken, or veggies, these books will make sure your plates are picture-perfect. Cookbook reading list here.
