Job Opening: Adult Services Programmer

Summary: The Adult Programmer is responsible for planning and implementing quality adult programming and assisting patrons through a wide variety of library resources. Qualifications: High school diploma required; bachelor’s degree preferred. Two years of experience in a public service setting required; public library experience preferred. Valid Arkansas driver’s license.  Must obtain notary public and passport … Continued

Who was L.B. White? 

Above image courtesy of the Saline County History and Heritage Society. By Cody Berry  L.B. White was a very important figure in modern Saline County history. He was a longtime newspaperman who owned The Benton Courier for a long time. The following facts come mostly from his obituary in the Arkansas Gazette in March 1957. Lowell Bartow White was born November 10, 1872, in Denver, Colorado to Thomas Benton White and Lois … Continued

The Fires of 1946 

By Cody Berry  On January 31, 1946, an article about a local “firebug” appeared on the front page of The Benton Courier saying that there had been three fires in the past week. At 7:00pm, the Friday before, the office of Dr. J. W. Ashby on West Sevier Street was set on fire. Rufus Land, who lived … Continued

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Can you eat a year’s worth of chicken dinners from Layne’s Chicken? There’s only one way to find out! Get entered to win one year of free chicken dinners from Layne’s Chicken by completing the brief survey that will be posted February 1st on this page. We will be selecting a random winner every day … Continued

From The Saline County Review to The Saline Courier 

By Cody Berry  In 1882, William Webber sold the Saline County Digest to another Benton businessman named B. B. Beavers, who renamed the paper The Saline County Review. Beavers didn’t hold onto the paper for long because he sold it in November 1883. Around this time, Dr. Gann, Sr.’s father-in-law, Samuel Houston Whitthorne, had established his own paper called The Saline Courier in 1882. It was described as the “active rival of … Continued

Unicorn Coloring Contest

Our Unicorn Coloring Contest wouldn’t be the same without your entry! 🦄 Stop by any Saline County Library branch to pick up a coloring sheet or download and print one at home. Let your creativity shine as you design a magical unicorn for our Reading Dragons program! Turn it in at your local library branch … Continued

Valentines Events at the Library

It’s the month of love – and we LOVE our upcoming Valentines events at the library! Check out some of the awesome programs we have coming up in February including book clubs, crafts, trivia, and more! Monday Afternoon Book Club: “The Love Proof” Looking for a smart, intense romance novel? Check out our latest selection … Continued

I Love My Library

This year, we’re spreading the joy and library love. We asked a couple of patrons why they love the library, and how it affected their lives and their community. You can check out their individual reviews below, or our combined interview with all participants. Want to add your voice to the conversation? We’d love to … Continued

Historic Recipes from the Gann 

By Cody Berry  Because my WWII exhibit is over, I thought it would be fun to share some historic holiday recipes with you all. Back in 2023 we got a neat little cookbook from a patron called The Methodist Cook Book, which was compiled under the auspices of the Missionary Society of Methodist Episcopal Church, South in 1911. These recipes are from that book. One of … Continued