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Library Director, Arts Community Advocate Jeff Baskin Dies

The long-time director of North Little Rock’s Laman Public Library has died. Jeff Baskin, 67, was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer earlier this year. 

A funeral service will be held tomorrow, September 11.

Baskin became director of the Laman Public Library in North Little Rock in 1986. He was known for helping establish a wide variety of engaging arts programming that expanded the offerings of the library beyond books.

In 2012, he was the recipient of the Governor’s Arts Award for Arts Community Development. In an interview with KUAR’s Ann Nicholson on the program Arts Scene, Baskin said that without arts programs, cities are just bedroom communities.

“I’ve always known that libraries are a cultural institution. It’s not just books. It’s been an educational institution. And our job has always been to provide the arts – the culture of not only the state in which you reside but in the United States and the world,” said Baskin.

Baskin came to Arkansas from New York, where he once taught a class in designing libraries for children with disabilities.

In 2009, the Laman Library unveiled a state-of-the-art exhibition hall designed to meet American Association of Museum standards. It meant museum exhibits from around the country could now come to North Little Rock because of the museum-quality gallery it provided.

Under his direction, the library also grew to offer musical entertainment with “Live at Laman” and film screenings with its “Reel Classics” series. And, the library provides an annual writers fellowship that provides up to 10-thousand dollars to an Arkansas writer.

Baskin recently oversaw the renovation of a historic former post office on Main Street into a new home for Laman Library’s Argenta Branch, which opened to the public in April.

Full Arts Scene Interview

Hear Ann Nicholson's 2012 interview with Jeff Baskin:

baskin-on-arts-scene.mp3
Listen to the interview.

Karen Tricot Steward was a News Anchor, Reporter and Content Development Director for UA Little Rock Public Radio.