A new ranking of libraries in the state of Arkansas is out, and the new Independence County Library is in the top 10.
Independence County Judge Robert Griffin noted in an e-mail the “very good recognition.” He said if anyone had doubts about the remodeling of the Barnett Building, we have now been ranked number 8 in the state for best in Arkansas. He noted that the libraries ranked above us are large city libraries except number 7 which is Mountain Home.
Judge Griffin said this brings home the point of how we (Independence County and City of Batesville) achieved our relocation using only taxpayer and private donation funds as compared to Mountain Home where a Reynolds Foundation grant was the primary source of funding to build that city’s new library. Our cost was around $3-million-dollars, while he was told the Mountain Home cost was around $10-million-dollars. Plus, Mountain Home had to raise another $4-million-dollars for a support fund to get the Reynolds grant. The Judge said that was pretty good “bang for our buck” to be ranked just below the new structure in Mountain Home.
Here is the ranking from Best Things Arkansas, powered by
AmericanTowns Media:
- Arkansas State Library, Little Rock
- Fort Smith Public Library, Fort Smith
- Central Arkansas Library System, Little Rock
- William F. Laman Public Library System, North Little Rock
- Fayetteville Public Library, Fayetteville
- Springdale Public Library, Springdale
- Donald W. Reynolds Library, Mountain Home
- Independence County Library, Batesville
- Craighead County/Jonesboro Public Library, Jonesboro
- Boone County Library, Harrison
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