By Erin Wood
Did you know Garland County is tied for last in Arkansas for the number of library locations per county? Many adults and children live too far from the current location, and the building’s space per capita ranks near the bottom compared to other counties in Arkansas. Accessibility is the current Garland County Library’s biggest challenge as it strains to serve more than 100,000 residents across 735 square miles.
Your vote YES on November 3 for the library millage will provide essential funding to complete a proposed facilities plan that will result in 95% of Garland County residents living within a 12-minute drive of a library.
The plan would develop a countywide network of three library locations: a new Main Library downtown, a branch near Lake Hamilton School, and a branch near Hot Springs Village (already funded and under construction).
These locations will be better equipped to serve the entire county with a range of collections, programs, services, and community spaces, including increased programs for children and teens. In a May 2026 survey, 67% of Garland County voters said they believed more children and teens programming was important.
The average Garland County homeowner would pay about $3.74 per month toward new library facilities with the approved 0.9 mill property tax, but the increase in Arkansas’s homestead tax credit is expected to offset that amount for many, resulting in no net property tax increase. The ballot proposal authorizes up to $34.8 million in bonds to buy land and for capital improvements.
Without the bond funding, the proposed Main Library and Lake Hamilton Branch will not move forward, so your vote is vital. For FAQs and to learn more, visit ourgclibraries.org.
Hot Springs native Erin Wood is a writer, editor, and publisher in Little Rock. She owns and runs etaliapress.com. Wood is the author of “Women Make Arkansas: Conversations With 50 Creatives” (2019) and editor of and a contributor to “Scars: An Anthology” (2015). {Additional book reviews by Erin Wood can be found on our website at TheSpringsMagazine.com/ARBooks.}
