Awards & Fellowships

David Stricklin Research Fellowship

photograph of a man in a plaid shirt with a hat, a woman with short hair and glasses and a geometric patterned polo, and a man in a suit
Bobby Roberts, 2025 Stricklin Fellow Heather McNamee, and David Stricklin, October 2025

The fellowship was created in recognition of David’s many contributions to the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, the Central Arkansas Library System, and the community. It aims to support students, teachers, and researchers in accessing and using materials from the CALS Butler Center collections.

Application Requirements

Applications for research assistance will consist of the following:

Everyone is encouraged to apply whether degree seeking or not.

Deadlines and Notification

Applications must be received by May 27, 2026. The recipient will be notified by June 1 and have until June 15 to accept or decline the award, at which point either the recipient will be announced or a runner-up will be notified.

Additional Requirements

Recipients must submit a final narrative report detailing the research performed, with all funded research completed by December 1. They are also required to write a blog post for the Roberts Library/Butler Center blog, between 500 and 1,000 words in length, about their project and the research conducted at the Butler Center.

Award Value and Payment Details

  • The award has a maximum cash value of $1,000.
  • Allowable costs include travel, lodging, and a limited stipend.

Stricklin Fellowship Recipients

2022 – Kimberly Green

2023 – Lisa C. Childs

2024 – Olivia Paschal

2025 – Heather McNamee

Submit applications by U.S. Mail or email by May 27

Brian Robertson, C.A.
Butler Center for Arkansas Studies
Central Arkansas Library System
100 Rock Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
Email: brianr@cals.org
Phone: 501-320-5723

 

The Booker Worthen Literary Prize

The Booker Worthen Literary Prize was established by the Central Arkansas Library System in 1999 in memory of William Booker Worthen, a longtime supporter of the public library and a 22-year member of CALS Board of Trustees. It is awarded each year to the best work, fiction or non-fiction, by an author living in Arkansas and carries a $2,000 monetary award.

For a complete list of Worthen Literary Prize winners, visit the Encyclopedia of Arkansas entry.

To submit a book for consideration for the Worthen Prize, please email Bob Razer.

Eligibility requirements:

  • Published within the last three years.
  • Author must live in Arkansas.