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Little Rock notebook

Correction: A time has not been set for LRTV, Channel 11 for Comcast customers and Channel 99 on AT&T U-verse, to broadcast a recording of Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola’s State of the City address, which he will deliver at 11:30 a.m. Monday. A "Little Rock notebook" item in Sunday’s edition incorrectly said the speech would be aired live.

Library set to close for 3-month update

The Sidney S. McMath Library is closing for about three months for expansion and remodeling.

Starting March 17, the library at 2100 John Barrow Road will shut its doors to the public through early June to expand its children’s area and add a room for children’s programs. For the interior, new carpet, furniture, paint and computers will be added, and for outside, more parking spaces.

The $325,000 cost of the makeover is funded by the refinance of capital improvement bonds that Little Rock voters approved in March 2012.

The Central Arkansas Library System has been working to update its libraries over the past year after a 2013 satisfaction survey determined what services library patrons used and why they didn’t use other resources.

“The remodel of the McMath Library will better reflect the way libraries are being used by becoming more patron-centered, more prominently featuring items that are used most heavily and allowing better access to the services used by most patrons,” library system spokesman Susan Gele said in a news release.

McMath Library opened in 2004 on a 10-acre lot that includes a pond and walking trail.

Patrons of McMath Library are encouraged to access nearby branches - the closest of which are Fletcher Library at 823 N. Buchanan St. and Terry Library at 2015Napa Valley Drive.

Mayor’s talk to key on safety, progress Mayor Mark Stodola is to deliver his State of the City address March 17 at the Centre at University Park.

The speech offers him a chance to highlight the city’s accomplishments from the previous year and announce his latest initiatives and goals.

He typically also focuses on issues troubling the city.

Last year, Stodola stressed the consequences of poor monitoring of parolees released from prison.

This year, city spokesman Ben Thielemier said the mayor will again discuss public safety as well as downtown redevelopment and progress gained from a 2011 voter-approved salestax increase.

He’ll deliver the 11:30 a.m. speech at the center, 6401 W. 12th St. It also can be seen live on LRTV, Channel 11 for Comcast customers and Channel 99 on AT&T U-verse.

Arkansas, Pages 20 on 03/09/2014

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