The Pope County Library System is a center of community life, offering opportunities for people of all ages to learn, know, gather and grow.
The library is a dependable source of reliable information and of challenging ideas that enlighten and enrich, and of materials in many formats that enhance leisure time and expand knowledge. The library encourages the love of reading and the joy of learning, and offers the assistance people need to find, evaluate, and use electronic and print resources that support personal growth and development through lifelong learning; and in finding, evaluating, and using information effectively to help the citizens of Pope County live successful and rewarding lives.
Vision Statement
The Library will make a significant contribution to the lives of people in Pope County through the vibrant and innovative delivery of high quality leisure, cultural, learning and information services and opportunities.
| Russellville Headquarters 116 East 3rd Street Russellville, AR 72801 |
Year Built: 1976 + 1989 Area: 11,464 square feet |
| Atkins Branch 216 NE 1st Street Atkins, AR 72823 |
Year Built: 1975 Area: 4,500 square feet |
| Dover Branch 80 Library Road Dover, AR 72837 |
Year Built: 1988 Area: 2,200 square feet |
| Hector Branch 11600 SR27 Hector, AR 72843 |
Year Built: 1996 Area: 1,100 square feet |
In 1936, the Federal Works Progress Administration agreed to build a public library in Russellville, Arkansas, providing land was available. The children of Mrs. Sue Munday Deaton donated the property as long as it was used as a library, and the Talkington family gave the property to the Pope County Library System in 2000. The total cost of the building was $7,000.00 with $1,151.00 spent on furniture.
The library formally opened in October 1937, with Mrs. Lucille Hickman as the first paid librarian. She retired in 1958, and was succeeded by Mrs. Wetzel, the first professional librarian. This building served as the library until 1976 when a larger, 8,100 SF, building was constructed next door. The Donald E. Harkey Addition added 3,364 SF and was opened in 1989. With the recent remodeling, the library has new carpet throughout, a new ceiling in most of the library, and new paint. The Junior Auxiliary recently refurbished the Children’s and Young Adult areas.
The Atkins Public Library was first established and sponsored by the Atkins Civic Club in 1933 with a location in an old Conoco station. In 1942, the library was moved to an agriculture building on the high school campus (sponsored by the PTA and Atkins Civic Clubs.) In 1943 the library closed for lack of funds. In 1958 the library reopened in a downtown building on East Broadway. In 1959, the Dr. E. P. Griffin office building located at 219 East main Street became its new home. In 1969, the library moved to renovated quarters in the Ryals TV Building. Local funding and support combined with federal funding has kept the Atkins Public Library open and available for patron use.
Its current home was built in 1975 under the Library Services and Construction Act combined with local funding from the City of Atkins, the Atkins Lions Club, gifts from many friends and patrons of the library, memorials, special drives, the one-mill Pope County library tax, the Arkansas Library Commission, and a contribution from the Pope County Quorum Court. The library opened with 2,160 square feet. The library received its name because 1976 marked Atkins’ 100th birthday. The Atkins Centennial Library’s Open House was held Sunday, November 9, 1975. A generous gift was bequeathed to the Atkins Centennial Library by Mary Catherine Maxwell. The gift was used to construct an additional 1,840 square feet to the existing library building.--making a total of 4,000 square feet. The Mary Catherine Maxwell Room was dedicated October 29, 2000.
The Dover Public Library began in the 1950′s as a stack of books in a front display window at L.J. Churchill’s General Mercantile Store. These books came from the Russellville Library and Dover patrons could borrow from the display and return the books to the window. The titles were changed periodically. In 1974 there was a temporary move to the rear of the Bank of Dover building with the library occupying 256 square feet. In 1975 a dual-purpose building was built for the Dover City Hall and the Dover Library. with the library occupying 1,260 SF. The citizens of Dover saw the need for a larger library and kicked off a fund drive on Aug. 1, 1987. The residents of Dover and the surrounding areas raised $50,000 to build a new 2,400 square-foot library. The land was donated by A.G. and Bettye Barton. Area businesses donated building materials, and about 60 people donated labor. All the bricks for the building were bought by the area school children. On December 11, 1988 the Dover Public Library opened at the present site, the street was officially named Library Road and is located at 80 Library Road.
The Hector Branch Library opened for business in 1996 and is in its sixteenth year of operation. The library was a result of a small rural community’s vision. To fulfill the vision of a library for our community, it was built over a period of several years by donated labor, materials, and a $10,000 donation from the Quorum Court of Pope County. We serve a wide range of patrons with eclectic taste in reading. In 1999, to further serve our patrons, public access computers were added by a grant from the Gates’ Foundation.
