CALS Roberts Library

02/13/2026

2nd Friday Art Night (2FAN)
February 13, 5:00-8:00 p.m.
CALS Roberts Library, 401 President Clinton Ave.

Opening in the Underground Gallery: Arkansas Women to Watch 2026: Words Become Matter. This is the latest exhibition in the Women to Watch series organized by the Arkansas Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts (ACNMWA) for the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC, the only major museum worldwide solely dedicated to championing women through the arts. This exhibition (on view through April 18) will feature artists’ books—pressed, painted, and/or folded—from three nationally recognized Arkansas artists.

Join poet and community artist Toni Garcia-Butler (he/they) for a zine-making party. Through facilitation, Garcia-Butler encourages self-empowerment through DIY publishing, personal narrative, and creative joy. Come learn how to make your own zine, or just gain inspiration from viewing previous creators’ zines. All are welcome to join in on the fun—supplies provided and maybe a few freebies as well!

At our monthly 2FAN event, attendees will be greeted with local artists selling their work, art demonstrations, social knitting, a craft table, a DJ or performer playing music, and light refreshments and libations. Stop by each second Friday to chat with local artists, shop locally from Arkansas makers, take in some music, and sip wine with friends!

Arkansas artists will be selling paintings, jewelry, greeting cards, ornaments, clothing, photography, totes, prints, purses, treats, chocolates, pottery, wood, magnets, stickers, and more. You never know what unique gift you will find!

PLUS: 2nd Friday Knit Night (part of 2FAN). Bring your WIP (work in progress) and hang out for an evening of social knitting. Don’t know how to knit? We’ll teach you. Supplies provided.

Made possible by generous funding from the CALS Foundation and the Windgate Foundation.

The event is free to attend, and parking is free with validation in the library lot/deck (as space is available). Street parking is free after 6:00 p.m.

02/12/2026

🖌Celebrate art, culture, and creativity with two powerful exhibits at CALS!

At CALS Main Library, From the Vault: A Survey of the CALS Art Collection honors Black History Month with a portrait of Toni Morrison by Loni Harshaw and works by Black artists in the CALS collection.

At CALS Roberts Library, Arkansas Women to Watch 2026: Words Become Matter showcases artists’ books by K. Nelson Harper, Acadia Kandora, and Rebecca Resinski—one of whom will represent Arkansas at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in 2027.

Two exhibits. Two locations. Don’t miss them!

02/12/2026

We are sorry to have to cancel this event. Keep an eye out for a new date!

Unfortunately, we had to cancel tonight’s program due to unforeseen circumstances. However — we will announce a rescheduled date ASAP! Stay tuned for updates and hope to see you next time!

02/12/2026

TOMORROW! Be Mighty is cooking from the CALS collection once again! This time, we're featuring a title from the Roberts Library's collection: Eliza Ashley's cookbook, Thirty Years at the Mansion. Eliza Jane Ashley spent over thirty years as the cook in the Arkansas Governor's Mansion. Her 1985 cookbook, containing decades of recipes, stories, and photographs, gained national attention.

Join us at the Williams Library on Thursday, February 12th, at 6pm. We'll cook one of her recipes, learn about her life (and Black foodways in Arkansas), and even play some trivia!

Registration is strongly encouraged but not required. There will be free samples from the cooking demonstration. Available while supplies last.

Sign up here! ⬇️
https://events.cals.org/event/15747052

02/10/2026

New Blog Post!

"The Telephone Book"

https://robertslibrary.org/blog/the-telephone-book/

02/07/2026

Black Family Expo
Don't miss this vibrant celebration kicking off Black History Month at CALS Main Library Saturday, February 7 starting at 11AM.
We will have:
✅ Rock It Lab Marketplace
✅ Family and Art Exhibitions
✅ Art demo with Perrion Hurd and Craft Corner with Shannon
✅ Family Storytelling and Oral Histories
✅ Tasting Tradition with Be Mighty Little Rock
✅ CALS Cruiser and Library Square Books Pop-Up Sale
✅ DIY Memory Lab | Photo Booth
This event is free to attend and open to everyone. See you Saturday!

02/06/2026

2nd Friday Art Night (2FAN)
February 13, 5:00-8:00 p.m.
CALS Roberts Library, 401 President Clinton Ave.

Opening in the Underground Gallery: Arkansas Women to Watch 2026: Words Become Matter. This is the latest exhibition in the Women to Watch series organized by the Arkansas Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts (ACNMWA) for the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC, the only major museum worldwide solely dedicated to championing women through the arts. This exhibition (on view through April 18) will feature artists’ books—pressed, painted, and/or folded—from three nationally recognized Arkansas artists.

Join poet and community artist Toni Garcia-Butler (he/they) for a zine-making party. Through facilitation, Garcia-Butler encourages self-empowerment through DIY publishing, personal narrative, and creative joy. Come learn how to make your own zine, or just gain inspiration from viewing previous creators’ zines. All are welcome to join in on the fun—supplies provided and maybe a few freebies as well!

At our monthly 2FAN event, attendees will be greeted with local artists selling their work, art demonstrations, social knitting, a craft table, a DJ or performer playing music, and light refreshments and libations. Stop by each second Friday to chat with local artists, shop locally from Arkansas makers, take in some music, and sip wine with friends!

Arkansas artists will be selling paintings, jewelry, greeting cards, ornaments, clothing, photography, totes, prints, purses, treats, chocolates, pottery, wood, magnets, stickers, and more. You never know what unique gift you will find!

PLUS: 2nd Friday Knit Night (part of 2FAN). Bring your WIP (work in progress) and hang out for an evening of social knitting. Don’t know how to knit? We’ll teach you. Supplies provided.

Made possible by generous funding from the CALS Foundation and the Windgate Foundation.

The event is free to attend, and parking is free with validation in the library lot/deck (as space is available). Street parking is free after 6:00 p.m.

For more information about all downtown 2FAN activities, visit the 2nd Friday Art Night page. For any questions or concerns, please contact Shannon Holmes at sholmes@cals.org or 501-320-5792.

02/03/2026

New Blog Post!

"Best Pancakes at the Worst Restaurant"

https://robertslibrary.org/blog/best-pancakes-at-the-worst-restaurant/

02/02/2026

Tuesday, February 17, 2026
5:30 - 7:00 PM
UA Little Rock Downtown
free refreshments & parking🍪🚗

Keeping Our Stories Alive: Honoring Central Arkansas's Community Storytellers

register at: https://events.cals.org/event/15652449

Hear from local community storytellers and memory keepers: Angel Burt (Dunbar Historic Neighborhood), Kathy Anderson (Project 365), and Nancy Robinson Lott (Josephine Pankey Community), as they share their experiences preserving the places and people that make their communities so special.

01/30/2026

Schedule Update
Friday, January 30 | All open CALS locations will close at 5PM.

Saturday, January 31 | Most locations will open at 1PM.

CALS Terry Library is closed today and tomorrow, Saturday, January 31, and may also be closed on Sunday, February 1.

Please continue to follow our social media channels and check cals.org for updates. We’ll share additional information as it becomes available.

01/30/2026

🎉Good news! All CALS locations will open tomorrow, Friday, January 30.
📚Most branches: 11AM
📍CALS Milam Library: 1PM (limited hours)

Please continue to check our social media and cals.org for updates.

We can't wait to see you!

01/29/2026

❄ Update ❄
CALS Main Library and CALS Dee Brown Library will be open today, Thursday, January 29 from 1 PM - 5 PM. All other CALS locations will remain closed.
Please continue to check our social media and cals.org for updates.
Need something to read📚, watch 📺, or listen to🎧 while we clear out the snow? Browse our digital library at cals.org. ✨