Statement on Reconstitution of the State Library Board

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. 

For generations, the State Library Board has played a vital role in guiding and supporting library services across Arkansas. The Board’s mission has always been nonpartisan, focusing on upholding the values outlined in Article 2, Section 6 of the Arkansas Constitution, which guarantees that “every person may freely speak, write, and publish his sentiments on all subjects.” This right to free expression includes the right to read freely, access diverse viewpoints, and make personal decisions about what to borrow, learn, or explore in one’s local library.  

We call on Governor Sanders to use her authority to wisely and conscientiously reconstitute the State Library Board. New appointments should be based on a demonstrated commitment to the public good: ensuring library services meet community needs, promoting literacy and learning for people of all ages, and protecting the constitutional right of all Arkansans to read without interference. The Board should reflect the diversity of our state, include professional or public service experience, and remain firmly committed to the principle that libraries are for everyone.

We urge the Governor to resist attempts to turn the Board into an instrument of political culture wars. Recent polling conducted by the EveryLibrary Institute in April 2025 found that 66% of Arkansas voters opposed SB536, the legislation that eliminated the State Library Board. More than half of those polled said they were strongly opposed. Arkansas voters support public libraries and do not want them controlled by politics. These are not partisan views. These are shared values across the state, across political lines. Voters want libraries that are responsive to local needs, free from ideological interference, and supported by qualified, community-focused leadership.

We extend our gratitude to the outgoing Board members who firmly defended the right to read and resisted calls to impose political tests on literature and communities. Their service embodies the best of what libraries signify in a democratic society: respect for individual rights, equal access for all, and a belief in the transformative power of knowledge.  

The Arkansas Right to Read Project will continue to monitor the appointments process closely. We urge Governor Sanders to restore public trust by naming appointees who will uphold the Constitution, center community needs, and protect every Arkansan’s right to read.