Laman Library Reopening Monday, September 22
We want to keep our community informed about an embers incident that happened at the William F. Laman Library this evening, Tuesday, September 16, 2025. Thanks to the quick action of our staff and the North Little Rock Fire Department, the fire was contained quickly, and everyone is safe.
The building is being secured now, and we plan to open as usual tomorrow. If anything changes with access to the library, we’ll let you know right away.
We appreciate your support and understanding, and we’ll continue to share updates as we have them.
Update- September 17
Laman Library is temporarily closed today, Wednesday, September 17, 2025, due to air quality concerns following last night’s embers incident.The Argenta Library (420 Main Street, North Little Rock) and the Innovation Hub (204 E. 4th Street, North Little Rock) will be open regular hours today.
We appreciate your patience and will share updates as soon as Laman Library reopens.
Update – September 18
Laman Library will be closed on Thursday, September 18 while a mitigation company begins cleaning and improving the air inside the building. Our Argenta Library and the Innovation Hub are open regular hours, and we’ll continue to share updates here as soon as we have them.
Update – Laman Library Closed Through Saturday, September 20
The William F. Laman Library will remain closed for the remainder of the week through Saturday, September 20, due to ongoing air quality concerns following the embers incident earlier this week.
Crystal Gates, CEO/Chief Librarian, explains:
"Upon further inspection, a section of the plenum has significant smoke damage. It will take several days to clean that air. The mitigation company jumped in quickly and is in the process of setting up air scrubbers now. The process to clean the downstairs air will be fairly quick. The second floor will not. Until all air and spaces are clean, HVAC units are off. The second floor is already over 80 degrees. The wall repair on the inside requires scaffolding. That company will be here over the weekend. To keep everyone safe, the building will remain closed."
Our Argenta Library and the Innovation Hub remain open regular hours to serve our community.
We will continue to share updates here.
Laman Library Update – September 18
The cleanup and repair process at Laman Library is continuing as planned. Additional air scrubbers have been brought in to address the taller ceilings, and a temporary duct with scrubbers is being installed to clean out the plenum air.
Fogging is scheduled to begin tomorrow and is expected to take more than 24 hours. Dehumidifiers will also be brought in for the second floor since the HVAC units remain off. It is a careful process to ensure the building is safe for visitors and staff.
The outside wall has now been closed up. Contractors are expected on site tomorrow to begin repairs to the interior wall, which is anticipated to take approximately two days.
Laman Library Update – September 19
Fogging has begun at Laman Library as part of the ongoing cleanup process. Two different types of fogging are being used: one on the first floor and another on the second floor.
The second floor will be inaccessible for 24 to 48 hours while this work is completed. The first floor should remain accessible for contractors to continue interior repairs over the weekend.
Laman Library Update – September 21
Repairs and cleanup at Laman Library are now complete. The building has been cleared for use and will reopen on its regular schedule beginning Monday, September 22.
Thank you for your patience and support while we worked to ensure the library was safe and ready to welcome everyone back.