Blog Entries

Hey guys! Leah here. Hopefully everyone is staying safe and healthy out there. This is certainly a time of adjustment, isn’t it? For us at the library, it has meant postponing events. But then we thought, “Just because we aren't able to host these events in person, that doesn’t mean they cannot happen at all.” As many of you have seen, the Fort Smith Public Library now has a YouTube channel with all kinds of fun Storytimes with Ms. Robin, Ms. Tiffany, and Ms. Rachel. If you check us out on Facebook, you’ll see the STEAM projects I’ve prepared, along with other helpful resources and act...

The Education & Research Services team at UAMS (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences) has put together a resource guide with information about Coronavirus Disease 19 (2019-nCoV). The pages provide authoritative, up-to-date information for clinicians, laboratories, researchers and the public. 

Included in the resource guide is the Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by Johns Hopkins CSSE, an interactive web-based dashboard hosted by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University, to visualize and track reported cases of 201...

Ordering books for kids and teens is a constant responsibility of the Youth Services Librarian. Have you ever wondered how new books get ready to be checked out?  The first step is to decide which new books to order.  The budget for children's and teen books is funded through the Fort Smith Public Library Endowment Trust, and there are many, many more books available to buy than what the budget allows. Some new books are an immediate “Yes!”  For example, the latest Dog Man book or the newest Diary of a Wimpy Ki...

February is Black History Month, an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing the central role they played in U.S. history. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. We hope you will join us in celebrating Black History and Heritage this month and all year long at the Fort Smith Public Library.  The library is offering several programs spotlighting Black History this month, and also has many resources that may be of interest to you.

The Miller Branch Library will hold their...

The Year of the Rat begins January 25th!  Make plans to celebrate Chinese New Year by joining Ms. Robin and special guest Hui Wang Apple for a fun Saturday storytime on January 25 at 10:30 am.  The storytime will be followed by crafts and special displays.  Bring the family and join the celebration!

A native of China, Hui Wang Apple has lived in Fort Smith area since 1999. She works as a private Math/ Language tutor.  She is also a Certified Public Accountant.  Hui is a member of First United Methodist Church. She is also enjoys vol...

Fort Smith Public Library is excited to host children’s author Jan Brett on Friday, December 6 at 5 pm.  Jan Brett is the New York Times #1 bestselling artist/author of over 35 picture books which have sold over 42 million copies combined. Her books have been chosen as “Best Children’s Books of the Year” by The New Yorker, Parents, Redbook, and others. 

This evening with the author will feature a drawing demonstration and discussion of Jan Brett’s newest book, The Tale of the Tiger Slippers. Inspired by Brett’s tiger research trip to India, it i...

As of November 1, 2019, Macmillan Publishers will no longer allow libraries to purchase more than ONE single copy of each new eBook for the first eight weeks following its release.  This will cause delays for our customers who get their eBooks via Library2Go, since the library typically buys multiple copies to satisfy user requests.  The Fort Smith Public Library will purchase the Macmillan titles when they become available, and will purchase additional copies if necessary after the eight-week embargo ends.  If you are interested in seeing a list of authors that publish ...

The Fort Smith Public Library has received a $5000 grant from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation to purchase personal finance books. The grant was received earlier this year, and new books and materials are already on the shelves at all four library locations.

The additional tools and resources will help ensure that residents have the information they need when making critical money decisions as they repair, rebuild, and clean up following flooding events from earlier this summer or in future natural disasters. The FINRA Foundation has also provided the Library with multi...

STEAM Team is a monthly program for children ages 8-12 who have an interest in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. The STEAM Team, led by Youth Services Assistant Leah Wineland, meets the first Monday of each month from 3:30 - 6 PM at the Main Library.  It’s a drop-in event that gives participants a chance to build fun stuff, be active, make art, and even make a mess!

On October 7, the STEAM Team will learn about the anatomy of the human hand.  STEAMers will create their own model of a skeleton hand which can be manipulated to discover h...

Over the past few years, a trend has emerged in the literary world: graphic novels. Though graphic novels are by no means new, they have taken on new content. Or, perhaps I should say, old content. While most readers are accustomed to illustrated pages depicting superhero tales and anime characters, several classic works of literature are going graphic. They’re the same stories, but they are now being told through comic panels and dialogue bubbles. Many stories have been deemed “Classics” for a reason: they’ve continuously earned their places on bookshelves over the years, proving that whil...

Chocolate - Chocolate - Chocolate! The Friends of the Fort Smith Library will hold a Chocolate Festival Fundraiser at the Dallas Branch Library on Sunday, September 29th, from 2:30 – 4:30 PM.  Local clubs, businesses and individuals will offer their favorite chocolate samplings to the chocoholics of Fort Smith.

Tickets to the festival are $7 for six tastes of chocolate; price includes a to-go-box. Tickets may be purchased at the event or in advance at all Fort Smith Public Library locations and on Chocolate Festival event page. 

All proceeds from the Ch...

For nearly four decades, Banned Books Week has been shedding light on literary censorship, urging readers to exercise their right to seek ideas and inspiration through books, despite some materials being considered socially or morally taboo. Held during the last week in September, this event unites authors, teachers, librarians, and readers in the fight for intellectual and creative freedom. This year, Banned Books Week is September 22- 28.  In the spirit of keeping the light on, here are some of my favorite YA books that have been challenged over the years. 

To Kill a M...

When you walk into the Youth Services Department of the Main Library, you will no doubt be delighted and amazed at the creative bulletin boards.  Not only are these bulletin boards created by staff member Donna Watson a work of art, but they inspire reading as well.  With the newest bulletin board, Donna has given a nod to International Talk Like a Pirate Day on September 19 to feature the real treasures of the world…..BOOKS!  Be sure to stop in to see what’s new each month, and check out a few books while you're here.

Did you know that the Library is now on Instagram?  Follow us at fortsmithlibrary to see the latest book suggestions, library news, event information, and more library fun! 

#thelibraryisopen

Join us for an evening with Athlete, Author, and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Jennifer Pharr Davis on Tuesday, June 11, at 7 PM at the Main Library (3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith).  Jennifer Pharr Davis is a lover of long journeys and good stories.  She is an author, speaker, record setter, and 2012 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year who has covered more than 14,000 miles of long-distance trails on six different continents.

In 2011, she set the overall fasted known time on the 2,181-mile Appala...