Stay cool out there!

Summer has truly arrived in Central Arkansas, with temperatures predicted to be about 100 for the next few days. Extreme heat can be deadly, especially for vulnerable members of the population, such as the elderly, disabled and young children; according to the National Weather Service, it is the number one weather-related killer in the country. For tips on how to cope with the heat and how to recognize the various forms of heat distress, check out the CDC Extreme Heat guide.

If you are in Little Rock and the surrounding areas, the city will be opening cooling centers for citizens to come in and cool off. The Salvation Army is also opening a cooling center at 1111 Markham in downtown Little Rock.

Libraries are also a good place to go to escape the heat, and find something to read while you rest inside. To find a public library location near you, check out the Central Arkansas Library's web page. The Arkansas State Library is open Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM, we are air conditioned, and we have books about cold places to help you think cool thoughts.

Job-seeking resources at ASL

The Arkansas State Library has developed several online resource lists on the RAISE section of the website to help job-seekers. RAISE stands for Resource Assistance in Seeking Employment. The two pages that I would like to highlight here are the Job Links page and the ASL Resources page.

The Job Links page lists websites of recruitment websites for state and national jobs, many of which also include other resources for job seekers. It includes several links specifically for veterans, as well as two for librarians.

The ASL Resources page contains lists of print and electronic resources available through the library to help job seekers improve their resumes, prepare for tests, and conduct efficient job searches. It is only a partial list, so be sure to check our catalog or contact our reference staff for more information.

Reference! Services!

Time once again for your semi-regular reminder about the reference services available at the Arkansas State Library.  While our primary mission is to serve state agencies and state employees, we are ready and willing to answer questions from the general public, public librarians, school teachers, college students, high school students, and everyone in between. If we can't find the answer in our databases and print collections, we will do our best to find someone who does have the answer.  You can contact us by phone during office hours at (501) 682-2053, or any time by using our handy Ask a Librarian form, or by writing us at:

Arkansas State Library, Attn. Reference
900 West Capitol, Suite 100
Little Rock, AR 72201

Please include a reliable way to reach you; if you have email but only check it once a month, make sure we also have a phone number and/or mailing address.

If you prefer, you can also come to the library and speak to us in person.  Our hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM.  If you would like a patent search tutorial, you might want to call ahead and make an appointment, otherwise, please feel free to just drop by.

We generally answer questions within 24 hours, except during weekends and holidays.There are no fees for asking a question, nor do we charge for obituary searches.

Get Cultured

There are many great cultural events happening in and around Little Rock this month. Here are just a few, with links to more information:

• The Arkansas Repertory Theatre, also known as The Rep, is getting ready for its final play of the season, A Loss of Roses by William Inge. Shows run June 15th through July 1st.
• The Weekend Theater is presenting the musical Spring Awakening, June 8th through July 1st.
• And, nearest to this librarian's heart, the 2012 season of the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre opens tonight with an outdoor performance of Twelfth Night at the Village at Hendrix in Conway. The festival runs throughout the month of June, with performances of Twelfth Night - both in Conway and at Wildwood Park - Richard III, and a musical adaptation of Huck Finn, Big River. There is also a children's version of The Tempest on the schedule. All UCA students, faculty, and staff are allowed one free ticket with a valid UCA ID.

Secretary of State Historical Report

I know, not the most interesting title for a blog post, but hear me out. This report is one of the more interesting state government and state history resources we have available here at the library. Complied by the State Capitol Historian, this book has short essays about the history of Arkansas, information about various state officials (as of 2008, the last time it was revised), and complete rosters of all the legislatures going back to the first Territorial General Assembly in 1819. The report also has the historical roster for the Arkansas Courts, and rosters of all the various county officials for all of the counties. But wait, there is more! There are also Arkansas vote tallies for the presidential elections going back to 1836, as well as gubernatorial and U.S. legislative elections.

And the best part? The report is available, for free download or order, to everyone. While we would love to have you come use the report here at the library, we realize that is not always possible. So, if your interest has been peaked, visit the Secretary of State's web page, and start browsing the Historical Report!

Memorial Day

Next Monday, May 28th, is Memorial Day. For many Americans, the three-day weekend marks the beginning of summer, and is hardly more than a day off from work or school. It's origins, however, are much more solemn. In the aftermath of the Civil War, it was seen as a day of reconciliation and remembrance.  The Library of Congress American Memory website says that:

In 1868, Commander in Chief John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic issued General Order Number 11 designating May 30 as a memorial day "for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land."
The first national celebration of the holiday took place May 30, 1868, at Arlington National Cemetery, where both Confederate and Union soldiers were buried. Originally known as Decoration Day, at the turn of the century it was designated as Memorial Day.

If you are interested in visiting historical sites that also act as memorials over the long weekend, one option here in Arkansas is Pea Ridge National Military Park, which just commemorated the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Pea Ridge.  Arkansas was an active front during the Civil War, and and according to the National Park Service website, "Pea Ridge was one of the most pivotal Civil War battles, and is the most intact Civil War battlefield in the country."

If you would prefer something a little closer to home, Mount Holly Cemetery is the final resting place for 11 Arkansas governors, 14 state Supreme Court justices, five Confederate Generals, and numerous heroes of military conflicts. For more information about the cemetery, visit the Encyclopedia of Arkansas entry. It is just south of downtown Little Rock at 1200 Broadway.

The library will be closed in observance of the holiday and will re-open at 8 AM on Tuesday. 

Obituary Searches - Other Resources

While we are happy to do obituary searches here at the Arkansas State Library, we only have access to one newspaper - the Arkansas Gazette (now the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette) here at the library. For many years, the paper really only covered deaths in Little Rock, so if your relative died in Fayetteville, Fort Smith, or Helena, they are probably not listed. This is especially true if they lived in a very small town in the country.

All is not necessarily lost, however. Many of the towns and counties in Arkansas had their own papers, and the Arkansas History Commission has a large collection of those papers available on microfilm. Using their online newspaper database, you can search for a specific city or county, and see what papers they have available for what dates. According to their website, the History Commission does not do research for patrons, so you will probably need to visit yourself to search the microfilm. If you live out of state and that is not possible, you will need to contact them directly to see if they can find the obituary for you, or if you will need to hire a proxy researcher. Their phone number is 501-682-6900.