Central Arkansas Library System receives largest-ever $500,000 grant

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Central Arkansas Library System has received its largest-ever grant of $500,000.

Officials said the grant from the Mellon Foundation would support the library’s Memory Lab, the Encyclopedia of Arkansas and the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies.

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The Memory Lab is at the Roberts Library of Arkansas History & Arts. Patrons use it to digitize family memories, such as photos, videos and audio cassettes.

Library officials said the grant will permit Memory Lab expansion, including hiring a full-time coordinator, updating the schedule to include Saturday hours, adding media formats that can be digitized and creating micro labs at neighborhood CALS branches.

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CALS regional manager Joe Hudak is excited about the planned memory lab expansion.

“I am excited about the opportunity to bring memory labs to our branches both within Little Rock and in our two-county service area,” Hudak said. “Local and family history is important, especially for people who are not always included in traditional histories.”

Hudak added that the lab expansion would help the library reach patrons, promote Arkansas history and provide a community service.

Officials said the grant funds the salary of Encylopedia of Arkansas staff and would also fund website upgrades for digital collections from the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies.

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A CALS spokesperson said this was the first Mellon Foundation grant in Arkansas since 2016.

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