Mission & History

  • Our Mission

    We connect people. We nurture potential. We grow community. We are CALS.

  • Our Vision

    A community where people feel heard, supported, and connected.

  • Our Core Values

    • We provide access to all
    • We believe in the freedom to know
    • We respect diverse perspectives
    • We cultivate collaboration and innovation
    • We provide open and respectful spaces
    • We carefully steward shared resources
    • We offer exceptional service

  • Our Strategic Goals

    • Raising awareness to ensure the sustainability of the library services our community loves, we invite community members to connect more deeply with our services and processes.
    • Building lasting relationships with our community to ensure all of our community members feel they have a place at the library, we commit to community relationships and partnerships that are authentic and meaningful.
    • Combating loneliness and isolation for those often overlooked to ensure our most vulnerable community members are not alone, we will prioritize programs and services that take best advantage of the trust our community has in the library.
    • Organizational excellence to ensure that our staff and service provide exceptional service, we will commit time and resources to professional development.

For a more detailed look at the 2025-2030 CALS Strategic Plan, please visit the following links.

From Carnegie to Cyberspace

If you would like to learn more about the history of the Central Arkansas Library System, check out From Carnegie to Cyberspace: 100 years at the Central Arkansas Library System, by Shirley Schuette and Nathania Sawyer. Detailing public library efforts from the earliest private lending libraries to today’s 15-branch system, From Carnegie to Cyberspace is the story of how one small public library grew into a major regional system and how its libraries evolved to meet the demands of changing technology and a growing population.

The book also explores the personalities that have helped shape CALS – from Mary Maud Pugsley, its first librarian, to Vera Snook, who “angered every mayor since she had been in Little Rock,” to Dr. Bobby Roberts, who has led the system since 1989 through a period of unprecedented growth.

You may also purchase a copy from Butler Center Books.

From Carnegie To Cyberspace book cover