The $31 million renovation will make the Main Library the “jewel of the River District,” officials say

By Angel Burt, Arkansas Black Vitality – The Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) has announced a revised reopening schedule for its renovated Main Library in downtown Little Rock. Originally slated to reopen on September 20 after more than two years of renovation, the date has been pushed back due to construction delays. CDI Contractors, the firm overseeing the $31 million project, informed CALS that it could not meet the promised deadline.

Library services will now resume on Monday, September 29, allowing patrons to access books, computers, and study rooms. A formal reopening celebration is now planned for Saturday, October 4, coinciding with the peak of the Six Bridges Book Festival. The event will feature games, crafts, food trucks, live music, and more, welcoming the community into the newly revitalized space

CALS Executive Director Nate Coulter stated in an email to Arkansas Black Vitality that CDI Contractors informed him last week that they cannot fulfill their assurances that the building would be ready for the public by the scheduled Sept. 20 grand reopening.

“With the contractor’s determination that it could no longer meet the completion date they had given us in June, we have had to reschedule our reopening,” Coulter said.

According to extensive renovation plans for the city’s flagship library, located in the heart of Little Rock’s River Market district, the multimillion-dollar redesign reflects significant neighborhood changes, including the removal of a nearby interstate onramp, which allows for more natural light and open space.

According to CALS officials, the transformed Main Library will be the jewel of the River Market District; unique in its value as a public space and a destination for interesting and important programs and services, Coulter said when first announcing the renovation plans.

“The renovated building will feel right at home in the newly reimagined downtown Little Rock, alongside the recently reopened Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, the soon-to-open Stella Boyle Smith Music Center, and the planned renovation of the Museum of Discovery,” said Coulter.

Over the past two years, CALS Main Library operations were transferred to the Bobby L. Roberts Library of Arkansas History & Art, located at 401 President Clinton Avenue. The temporary location, referred to as “Mini Main,” will occupy the first floor of the Roberts Library, which formerly housed the Galleries & Bookstore at Library Square before it closed in May 2023 in preparation for the Main Library renovation.

“Our goal was always to maintain a downtown space with essential services and popular library resources,” said Joe Hudak, head of Main Library. “Due to Roberts Library’s smaller size compared to the five-story Main Library, we assessed the most frequently used services and allocated spaces accordingly for the different groups we serve.”

Key Renovation Highlights include:

• Expanded Youth Spaces: Children’s and Teen areas now occupy 29,075 sq ft—nearly 70% more space than before.
• New Features:
  • Teaching and catering kitchens
  • Video production studio
  • Rooftop terrace for events
  • Technology-infused study and meeting rooms
  • Outdoor courtyard and wellness room
• Boulevard Bread Entrance: A separate entry for the café enhances community access.
• Modernized Layout: Modular public spaces, coworking areas, and improved access to collections across all floors.

To view artist renderings of all the floors, including the lower level and rooftop, of the renovated Main Library, click here. To view the Main Remodel video, click here.