The Faulkner Van-Buren County Library is a testament to its surrounding community. Standing strong, built in 1996, it provides hundreds of resources at either little or no cost to almost everyone in the city and even those surrounding such as Greenbrier and Maumelle. It offers not only free books, tv shows, and magazines, but also life changing programs such as childcare, tax filing aid, and internet usage.
The library is a great place for everyone to congregate. Regardless of social status, it offers fun programs such as gardening and yoga, encouraging the creation of community in Conway. Recently, third spaces have begun to gain recognition for their benefits in fostering individual and collective identities outside of the home. They are closely tied to our social wellbeing, and when someone has a safe, inviting third space, it allows them to connect with others and find comfort in their community and physical surroundings. The library is a terrific third space that all Conway residents can indulge in. Library Director, Mary Polk, stated, “It is a wonderful third space for everyone: the little kids in our play area to the retirees who play bridge on Thursdays.” All it takes to create this sense of identity and belonging is simply getting involved
Every month the library releases calendars of the events they will put on. This ranges from Lego Club every Wednesday at 4 pm to entire days of children’s activities during the summer. While there are incredibly fun activities to get involved with the local library, involvement can also be as simple as checking out a book or renting an audiobook through their online ebook and audiobook platform, Libby. The library has hundreds of undiscovered resources. Not only do they have one of the largest selections of ebooks available at no cost to readers, they also have a media streaming platform, Kanopy. Kanopy is extremely similar to other platforms such as Netflix and Hulu, but it does not require a subscription. You simply receive a certain number of “tickets” to spend on movies or television shows per month. The library becomes an extremely accessible resource for people looking to consume various types of media at little or no cost.
Because Conway is one of the biggest and fastest growing cities in Arkansas, it is able to support a wonderful library system. The population and involvement of Conway’s residents allow the library to offer as many services as they’re currently able to. However, this fact is contingent on involvement. Libraries must stay in use if they are to receive similar or even increased amounts of funding year to year. I currently spend two days at the library every week with the little girl I babysit. It has been a wonderful place for both of us to make friends, check out books, and indulge in the many programs the library has to offer. It is our third space and nothing can ever replace that. As libraries are under attack all over the country, we must realize the good libraries provided in our communities for all: the rich and the poor, the old and the young, even the readers and non-readers. We must fight to protect the institution that fosters such a wonderful sense of community, the Faulkner County Public Library.
