Arkansas State Library is a

special library A special library is a library that provides specialized information resources on a particular subject, serves a specialized and limited clientele, and delivers specialized services to that clientele. Special libraries include corporate librari ...

that operates as a state agency under the

Arkansas Department of Education Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...

within Arkansas state government. It provides information resources for state agencies,

legislators A legislator (also known as a deputy or lawmaker) is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are often elected by the people of the state. Legislatures may be supra-national (for ex ...

and legislative staffs. In addition, the Arkansas State Library provides guidance and support for the development of local public libraries and library services. Finally, the ASL provides resources, services, and leadership for the educational, informational and cultural needs of Arkansas citizens.

History

The

Arkansas General Assembly The General Assembly of Arkansas is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The legislature is a bicameral body composed of the upper house Arkansas Senate with 35 members, and the lower Arkansas House of Representatives with 100 ...

created the Arkansas Library Commission in 1935. Funding began in 1937. The commission operated from headquarters in

Little Rock ( The "Little Rock") , government_type = Council-manager , leader_title = Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_party = D , leader_title2 = Council , leader_name2 ...

. It loaned collections of books via postal mail, advised on

acquisitions Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are business transactions in which the ownership of companies, other business organizations, or their operating units are transferred to or consolidated with another company or business organization. As an aspect ...

, and gave grants to new or expanding libraries. In 1979, the legislature replaced the commission with the newly established Arkansas State Library.

General public

The Arkansas State Library offers various programs and services for the general public, including Arkansas Center for the Book, Bookreporter.com, Document Collection, Information about the Arkansas General Assembly (Legislators & Committees/Meetings & Events/Acts & Bill Status), Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped; Information Services such as reference assistance and Ask a Librarian, Library Card registration, Online Catalog, assistance with Patents and Trademarks as the only Patent and Trademark Resource Center (in association with the United States Patent and Trademark Office) in Arkansas, Resource Assistance In Seeking Employment (R.A.I.S.E), social media (Facebook, Twitter); Newsletter, Public Library Directory, Summer Reading Program, and the Traveler Online Database Program.

Librarians and trustees

The ASL provides librarians and library trustees with numerous services, such as the Arkansas Center for the Book, Bibilostat Collect and Bibliostat Connect Log-in, Federal & State Documents, E-rate Assistance for Public Libraries, Grant Information, ILL, and the Library for the Blind and Print Disabled.

State government employees and legislators

State government employees and legislators have access to the State Library's online databases, reference assistance, federal and state documents; and may benefit from using Inter-library Loan, Library for the Blind and Print Disabled, and overall information services.

Teachers and students

Many services are offered for teachers and students, including America's Story from America's Library (

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

for Kids), Arkansas Center for the Book, Arkansas Department of Education, Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids (K-2;3-5;9-12; Parents & Teachers), Book Awards & Reading Lists, and Letters about Literature.

Library for the Blind and Print Disabled

The Arkansas Regional Library for the Blind and Print Disabled is part of the Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) network and the Arkansas State Library. Arkansas citizens unable to use regular print material may borrow popular books and magazines in recorded or Braille format free of charge.

Reference and online resources

Information Services (formerly known as State Library Services) at the Arkansas State Library was established in 1979 to help provide reference services, access to printed and/or electronic materials and to online information including social media along with work-related Interlibrary Loan services to state agencies and the state legislature. The State Library is part of a network of libraries (Patent and Trademark Resource Centers) throughout the United States that provides free patent and trademark information. The State Library also provides free library cards for use by the citizens of Arkansas.

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1979 establishments in Arkansas Buildings and structures in Little Rock, Arkansas Education in Little Rock, Arkansas Government agencies established in 1979 Libraries established in 1979 Organizations based in Little Rock, Arkansas State agencies of Arkansas State libraries of the United States Tourist attractions in Little Rock, Arkansas Public libraries in Arkansas