Arkansas public libraries will receive their usual state funding for the first quarter of the 2026 fiscal year, officials said Tuesday as the newly appointed State Library Board held its first meeting.
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed six members to the board in August, with a seventh member yet to be named. The board operates under the Arkansas Department of Education but functions independently, primarily overseeing the disbursement of state funds to local libraries. Members cannot vote on policy or funding until confirmed by the state Senate.
Tuesday’s meeting, led by Department of Education attorney Daniel Shults, was strictly organizational. The new board elected Clay Goff as chairman and Sydney McKenzie as vice chairman. Terms for board members were determined by drawing lots, ranging from one to seven years.
The board’s overhaul followed a law signed in April that removed previous members after disputes over whether libraries should restrict minors’ access to sexually explicit materials. Act 903 of 2025 also established term lengths for current and future board members.
Members include Goff of Beebe, McKenzie of Rogers, Jack Fortner of Yellville, Emmaline Pilkington, Annette Bailey, and Lynlee McMillan, who serves as Sanders’ director of constituent services. McKenzie is the only reappointed member of the previous board.
State Librarian Jennifer Chilcoat told the board it does not have governing control over libraries but is responsible for appointing the State Librarian and distributing state funds. Education Secretary Jacob Oliva emphasized literacy as a departmental priority.
The board’s next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 14.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
