Public Libraries

An effort to fire all Arkansas State Library Board members is nearing final approval in the legislature. Senate Bill 640 advanced in a committee meeting Monday. The bill would task the governor to re-appoint all seven board members who oversee libraries in the state.

Little Rock Public Radio reporter Josie Lenora walks us through last week's legislation that were halted or forced to pivot.

Senate Bill 640 would require the governor to appoint an all-new board.

A bill to abolish the Arkansas State Library and the state library board has failed in the legislature. After roughly two hours of debate, members of the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee rejected Senate Bill 536.

A bill to abolish the Arkansas State Library and the State Library Board cleared an initial hurdle in the legislature yesterday. Senate Bill 536 would transfer the duties of both entities to the state Department of Education.

Little Rock Public Radio's Josie Lenora takes us through another busy week at the Arkansas legislature.

A bill loosening the job requirements for regional library system leaders gained final legislative approval yesterday. Members of the House voted 60 to 26 to send Senate Bill 181 to Gov. Sarah Sanders for a signature.

A bill that would change the educational requirements for state librarians cleared its first hurdle on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Republican State Sen. Dan Sullivan is the bill’s sponsor. SB181 removes the requirement for Arkansas library directors to have a master's degree from a graduate school of library science accredited by the American Library Association.

A new tool is designed to give health providers and insurers a deeper look at mental health in Arkansas. On today's show, we hear that the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement has a new Arkansas Acute Behavioral Events Dashboard. Also, a winter storm has area meteorologists working overtime, including Walmart’s in-house meteorologist. Plus, water resource groups are thinking about drinking water for a northwest Arkansas that has one million people.

A bill to give the Arkansas Department of Education oversight over the state’s libraries and public television network cleared another hurdle yesterday. Josie Lenora with Little Rock Public Radio has more.