CALS director Nate Coulter to retire at year end

Nate Coulter, executive director of the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS), will retire at the end of 2026 after 10 years at the helm.

Since 2016, Coulter led CALS through a period of growth, most notably overseeing the $31 million renovation and expansion of the Main Library — a project that reimagined the flagship location as a modern hub for learning, creativity, and community connection.

Under his leadership, CALS completed significant facility improvements, including major renovations at the Sue Cowan Williams Library in Little Rock, construction of a new Amy Sanders Library in Sherwood, and upgrades and additions across its 15 branches, which together form the state’s largest public library system.

Successful millage elections in 2021 and 2022 also enabled CALS to increase staff pay, expand collections, add a new bookmobile, and support the renovation of the Main Library.

“Nate’s leadership has positioned CALS as a national model for what libraries can be — dynamic, inclusive, and deeply connected to and informed by the communities they serve,” said Karama Neal, president of the CALS Board of Directors. “We are grateful for his vision and dedication, and we wish him the very best in his next chapter.”

In the coming months, the CALS Board of Directors will begin the process of selecting a new executive director to guide the library’s continued growth and service. The board will discuss next steps during its April 2 meeting to ensure a smooth selection process and transition for the staff, community, and library patrons.

“It has been a unique honor to lead one of the finest public library systems in America and to work alongside the people who make that possible every day. I am reminded of this often by patrons who tell me how pleased they were to discover, after moving to central Arkansas, that our libraries rival—and often surpass—those in other regions,” said Coulter.

“Indeed, I relish the opportunity to lead this library now more than ever. I have been thrilled by the challenge of leading CALS for the last 10 years. And I am deeply grateful to our more than 300 employees who over that decade navigated a pandemic, painful political rhetoric about libraries and librarians, and a massive $31 million construction project. I’m also grateful to the taxpayers and donors whose abiding commitment to CALS has fueled our progress and will ensure it continues,” he added.