History of the Library

The Arkansas Arts Center Elizabeth Prewitt Taylor Library was established in 1963. It was named in honor of Elizabeth Prewitt Taylor, a Little Rock native and former national president of the Junior League. Taylor is widely credited as the guiding force behind the founding and location of the Museum of Fine Arts and with encouraging early Junior League involvement in museum programs.

Portrait of Elizabeth Prewitt Taylor by Herbert Moffett

The library received an initial boost from Charles Taylor, Taylor's brother, who sought permission to name the library after his sister in recognition of her commitment to the arts. He also made a significant founding donation for the acquisition of books. The Junior League of Little Rock donated the first 200 volumes to the library and established an early purchase fund. Initially run by volunteer staff, the library had its first paid librarian in 1967, a position held for a number of years by the late Evelyn McCoy. In the intervening years, the library benefited from the management of volunteer Betty Lane and a dedicated crew of library volunteers. In 2000 a paid part-time librarian joined the Arts Center staff.

Today, the library has 5,000 volumes and over 50 periodical titles. More volumes are regularly added. The expansion of the Arts Center, which was completed in 2000, added 2,600 square feet of library space; this space also serves as the Hussman Board Room for the Arts Center Board of Trustees, the Arts Center Foundation Board and all of its committees. The day-to-day operations of the expanded library are handled by the part-time librarian.

The Arkansas Arts Center Library is affiliated with the Central Arkansas Library System, through a cooperative agreement that adds the Arts Center book collection to the CALS online computer catalog. Since 2000, the library computerized the card catalog of books and added the collection to the online catalog. As one of the primary art history and art criticism collections in the state, the library continues an active acquisitions program for researchers and scholars.

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