News and Updates from Arkansas Libraries

The Arkansas Right to Read Project was founded on a simple belief that is enshrined in the Arkansas Constitution: the free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of the invaluable rights of man. That belief does not end at the prison gate. The Arkansas Department of Corrections’ recent decision to ban or severely restrict reading materials for incarcerated people ignores that constitutional right and moves our state in the wrong direction. This policy is out of step with Arkansas values, best practices, and scientific evidence.

Sign the petition today urging the Board of Corrections to reconsider.

In partnership with the Arkansas Library Association, Arkansas Right to Read Project announces the launch of the Arkansas Intellectual Freedom Helpline. This confidential tool serves to connect Arkansas librarians facing censorship and First Amendment challenges with trained volunteers who can provide support and assist with navigating difficult circumstances. 

The recent law dissolving the previous State Library Board, SB536, provides Arkansas’s Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders with the responsibility to appoint a new slate of board members who will continue to uphold their duty to protect these precious constitutional rights of Arkansans. The integrity of public service demands that these appointed Board Members not succumb to political pressure to censor books, restrict access, or exert undue control over local library operations. 

Naturally, libraries have a role in supporting entrepreneurs in their communities, whether a small start-up or a successful business poised for further success. And as always, libraries don’t just note the date of the event on their calendars; they wholeheartedly support it in myriad ways, including the following.

Although their original purpose was simply to offer an assortment of books (back when the United States’ oldest public library opened its doors in 1743!), public libraries have evolved to meet the general needs of the communities they serve. This includes free internet access, makerspaces to embrace creativity, and even resources to access social services through partnerships with local and federal organizations.

For those of us who love libraries, it’s no surprise that they make our lives better. But thanks to a groundbreaking new study from the New York Public Library (NYPL), we now have the data to prove it. In collaboration with the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, NYPL surveyed nearly 2,000 patrons to explore how libraries impact well-being.

Local history museum. Entertainment center. Information resource hub and workspace. Cultural gateway.

Libraries nationwide are ALL of these and more, thanks to dedicated teams of highly qualified librarians and staff who are leading the way as community ambassadors.

A new poll conducted by the EveryLibrary Institute shows that Arkansas voters overwhelmingly oppose Senate Bill 536 (SB536), a bill now under consideration by the Arkansas State House that would dismantle the Arkansas State Library, eliminate its oversight board, and impose burdensome new mandates on local libraries without providing any additional funding. Voters across the state made it clear that they value their libraries, trust local decision-making, and want to keep politics out of public library governance.

Calls for banning books have increased in recent years, with libraries and schools across the country facing challenges from people demanding materials be removed from their shelves. It’s become a hot-button issue that has politicians arguing over the appropriateness of books on specific subjects.

Arkansas Right to Read Project, pending legal review, supports newly filed Arkansas bill HB1977 from Representative Bentley and Senator Clark.