News & Announcements

Get upcoming catalog and event news with “Off the Shelf”

CALS continues to work toward our mission of being the Library Rewritten, and with that brings change and evolution. You might remember a time pre-pandemic when event calendars were available in a printed format. Once branches shut down, those documents were offered digitally. And at the end of last year, we questioned if that was really the best solution.


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It’s Six Bridges time!

We are excited to announce this year’s presenters and schedule for the Six Bridges Book Festival. Lots to look forward to this year with CALS and Six Bridges! For a full list of presenters click here.


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Thank you from the Six Bridges Book Festival team

Thanks to all authors, presenters, committee chairs and members, volunteers, sponsors, partners, donors, moderators, interpreters, staff members, schools, students, and patrons for making the Festival such a success!

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In Case You Missed It

Did you miss the conversation with Ayana Gray? Unable to attend the session with Mary Roach? Fear not! Most of the 2021 Six Bridges Book Festival sessions are or will be available to watch or re-watch on our YouTube channel. If the session you’re interested in isn’t there right now, it will be later this week.


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Experience the Best Part of 2020 All Over Again

Can’t wait until October, check out the highlights and panels you might have missed from the 2020 Six Bridges Book Festival. One of the (few) perks of having a virtual event is that everything was recorded for posterity, and you can experience it again and again. Check out a variety of sessions, including authors of both local and national acclaim,


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Speaker Series Explores Wizardry, Ghosts, and the Creation of a Culture

Six Bridges Book Festival welcomes C. M. Waggoner, author of The Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry; Nell Irvin Painter, author of Creating Black Americans; and Kevin Brockmeier, author of The Ghost Variations, for a series of author talks this spring. These virtual events are free and open to the public,


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Registration is open for the 17th Annual Six Bridges Book Festival

Book lovers from around the state and beyond can register for Central Arkansas Library System’s (CALS) Six Bridges Book Festival held October 8-18. The library system’s annual festival brings thousands of attendees together each year to participate in a variety of book talks, workshops, and live poetry events. The festival is virtual this year with most sessions taking place live via Zoom.


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2020 Six Bridges Book Festival Postponed

Due to concerns regarding the COVID-19, CALS has made the decision to postpone the Fest until the fall. We hope all will understand. CALS is currently closed until at least May 11, with all public programs suspended at least through May 9.

We had a terrific event planned for April, and we certainly thank everyone for their work.


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Six Bridges Book Festival Brings New Vision for Annual Festival

CALS presents a stellar line-up for the seventeenth annual celebration of the written word

Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) presents the seventeenth annual Six Bridges Book Festival, April 23-26. More than 60 award-winning and best-selling authors, including some whose work has been adapted for the big and small screen, will discuss wide-ranging topics and genres from comedy to thrillers,


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