Thank You for Celebrating the Main Library Grand Reopening / An Invitation to Rediscover CALS

Scroll down to photo gallery for a look at the new Main Library.

Dear Friends and Supporters,

What an incredible weekend at the Central Arkansas Library System! On Saturday, October 4, we officially and ceremoniously reopened the doors to our newly reimagined Main Library. It was a celebration unlike any we have had at CALS. Almost 6,000 visitors joined us to explore the transformed space, attend author sessions during the Six Bridges Book Festival, and experience firsthand what a library designed for the future looks like. As CALS Board President Karama Neal said to kick off the festivities, the library is warm and welcoming. You could feel the energy and anticipation as we turned the page to our next chapter. This transformation isn’t just about a building—it’s about the countless opportunities ahead.

This renovation is a testament to CALS’s commitment to strengthening community. The Main Library has always been a place where people come together to learn, connect, and create — and now, it’s even better equipped to serve Central Arkansas in new and exciting ways.

If you missed it, I understand. It was a gorgeous day and there were lots of other exciting things going on in our city — Harvestfest and the Turkish Food Festival to name two.

The good news is that even though the carnival rides and stilt walkers have gone, the energy surrounding our new spaces remains.

Come see for yourself: enjoy the rooftop views, perfect a recipe in our teaching kitchen, bring your kids to storytime in the enhanced Joann and Garth Martin Children’s Center, record in our podcast and production studios, or have your group gather in one of the new meeting rooms on the 5th floor and admire great views of the city. You can also just come in and have lunch at Boulevard Bread Co. and stay a while in the bright spaces on the ground floor. Whatever your interest, the Main Library is open and ready to welcome you. Come visit us in the heart of downtown at Library Square and explore.

Whether you’re a longtime patron or a first-time visitor, I hope you’ll stop by soon. Take a tour, attend a program, grab a coffee, and see how your library continues to grow with you.

Thank you to everyone who supported this project and celebrated with us. The Main Library is once again the place to be — and we can’t wait to see you here.

With appreciation,

Nate Coulter
Executive Director
Central Arkansas Library System

PS: If you want to join us in urging the City Board to support CALS’s efforts to improve the vacant public lot across the street from our renovated library in ways that will underscore the vision of the reimagined Main, please look at our modest plan for this space at cals.org/lawn-proposal. This is a practical proposal, consistent with the overall development of the entire 30 Crossing area, and it won’t require any city funding.

 

Photo Gallery

 

 

Watch Video

Opening remarks from CALS Board of Directors President Karama Neal, CALS Executive Director Nate Coulter, and Mayor Frank Scott Jr., courtesy of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.