The Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, a department of the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS), was created in 1997 through an endowment by the late Richard C. Butler Sr. for the purpose of promoting a greater understanding and appreciation of Arkansas history, literature, art, and culture.

The research collections and offices are located in the Arkansas Studies Institute (ASI) at 401 President Clinton Ave, located on the Main Library campus in the River Market. The ASI is a partnership between CALS and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, through which the two institutions have made more than 10 million documents and photographs on Arkansas history available for public use.

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. And opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.