After an extensive remodeling, the Williams Branch of the Central Arkansas Library System, 1800 Chester St., is now open.

The library closed Dec. 11. Changes include new flooring and paint, addition of a state-of-the-art security system, replacement of the mechanical system and lighting, and re-landscaping of the garden area. New furniture and shelving include a new circulation desk, self-check station, and computer desks.

Layout alterations to the building will improve visibility and access to the study rooms and reworking the staff area to gain more storage and facilitate better work flow. The children's and reference spaces have also been rearranged to enhance usability.

The branch's operating hours are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. A listing of regular programs and activities is available at www.cals.org.

The library was named after Sue Cowan Williams, who represented African American teachers in the Little Rock School District as the plaintiff in the case challenging the rate of salaries allotted to teachers in the district based solely on skin color.

 The library will celebrate the 101st anniversary of Williams' birth May 28 with a Summer Reading Club kickoff celebration, a program on Williams and her accomplishments, refreshments, and door prizes. For more information call (501) 376-4282.