30 Jun 2022 One for the books
By Morgan Zimmerman
Sitting at the cross section of Church Street and Division Street in downtown Morrilton, you will find the Conway County Library. This particular library is more special than most; it’s one of only two Arkansas libraries built with grant funds from the Carnegie Foundation that are still in operation as libraries. A total of four Carnegie Libraries were constructed in Arkansas in the early 1900s. The Eureka Springs library is still operational, one in Little Rock was demolished in the 1960s, and one in Fort Smith is now being used for another purpose.
The Conway County Library was originally established by the GFWC (Greater Federation of Women’s Clubs) Pathfinder Club, which had a private collection of books that they wanted to share with the public. They purchased an old church to house their collection and began a membership program. In 1915, the club members partnered with the city to apply for a Carnegie Library Grant and were awarded $10,000 to build a free public library, the facility that still houses the library today.
The library building is made of concrete, brick, and ceramic tile and was designed by Thomas Harding II. The architecture is similar to most of the more than 2,500 Carnegie grant-funded buildings of the era. It is simple and formal, and the original front entrance is elevated to symbolize how one might elevate their position in life through education.
The library was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Patrons now enter through a more modern and handicap-accessible rear entrance that was added during a library expansion completed in 2000. The Friends of the Library organization also raised funds and purchased an adjoining lot in 2001 for future expansion.
The library has been home to many special collections during more than a century of operation. It began with the GFWC Pathfinder Club’s acquisition of a collection of 1,800 books from W.S. Cazort, who had purchased the books from Chicago engraver William H. Porter. The books today form the Porter Collection. Library Director Jay Carter said, “The collection is now housed at the state archives in Fayetteville and can be viewed by appointment.
“We still have a collection of old and rare books on display on the top floor that no longer circulate,” he said. “The collection includes a history of the Civil War, which is the only one of its kind in existence.”
In 2022, the library received a grant to purchase microfilm digitization equipment, which has allowed them to digitize their genealogy collection and local newspaper archives. This technology allows the reader to zoom in and focus on the images and also makes searching microfilm easier.
This year also saw the completion of a project more than two years in the making. Led by program director Alexis Scroggins, a group of teens who frequent the library on Saturday afternoons worked to complete a LEGO® display of Hogwarts Castle, made famous by the Harry Potter book series. The completed castle is made up of more than 6,000 LEGO® pieces and is now on permanent display at the library in a glass cabinet built by Daniel Phillips, the father of cataloger Casey Beal. Since Carter took over in 2006, the library has commemorated the release of books and movies from the series with elaborate public celebrations. “I dressed up as Hagrid one year for a big outdoor event and our other staff members dressed as Hogwarts professors,” he said.
The Conway County Library remains a staple of the Morrilton community that it has served for more than 100 years. The library is open to the public Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with regular programming during the school year and throughout the summer. The staff also serves rural areas of the county with the Conway County Library Book Mobile, which makes rounds weekly. For more information, visit conwaycountylibrary.org.
