Our Impact
"The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others." - Albert Schweitzer
The Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub shares this purpose.
Makers Reached since 2014
Our Educational Impact Across the State
Thanks to our Mobile Makerspace - The Innovation Hub on Wheels
WE'VE INTERACTED IN MORE THAN...
%
OF ARKANSAS COUNTIES
Counties We Have Visited Since 2018
- Ashley
- Baxter
- Benton
- Bradley
- Chicot
- Craighead
- Crawford
- Crittenden
- Cross
- Desha
- Faulkner
- Fulton
- Garland
- Grant
- Independence
- Izard
- Jefferson
- Johnson
- Lafayette
- Logan
- Lonoke
- Madison
- Marion
- Monroe
- Newton
- Perry
- Phillips
- Polk
- Pope
- Pulaski
- Saline
- Searcy
- Sebastian
- Sharp
- Union
- Van Buren
- Washington
- White
“The students and I thoroughly enjoyed the visit. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable. We are hoping to arrange a visit to your Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub North Little Rock location in the near future. Thank you!”
We realize that many individuals are not able to visit the Innovation Hub, possibly due to cost or distance. By creating our mobile unit, we can bring a maker space into Arkansas classrooms and communities to provide hands-on education utilizing a variety of state-of-the-art tools. Our Mobile Makerspace is designed to bring hands-on STEAM learning into your community!
From our Mobile Makerspace program and field trips to summer camps and other youth-education-focused opportunities, we continue to engage young minds and inspire them to explore the wonders of STEAM fields. Click here to learn more about our Mobile Makerspace.
24,714 mobile field trip attendees
2014-2023 Data
Access
“Making doesn’t have a limit. You can make any way you want to. Opportunities come up and it’s up to you to take them or let them go. Don’t let people discourage you for being a woman or a minority.”
Alicia, NWA Community Innovator
14,944 field trip attendees
1,517 summer camp participants
596 after-school workshop participants
Empowerment
“I’m building shelves to hold glazes and finishing a last-minute Christmas berry bowl with mugs. Thanks to the Innovation Hub for the basic skills to develop a wonderful, fulfilling hobby. You have truly been a lifesaver.”
Ginger, Hub Member
By offering diverse resources to meet, make, and learn, the Hub remains a leader in supporting creativity and development for people of all ages.
2,106 members
Community Projects
“If I hadn’t gone through the program, I would not be where I am today. I achieved so much in such little time and was able to secure a job opportunity and immediately begin using the skills I had learned in class.”
Aidan Dufner, Skills to Launch Cohort IV Graduate
Skills to Launch Program
As of 2023, 137 students have graduated.
87% of our graduates are employed thanks to this program.
Legacy Projects
“I’m not sure we would have created an entire field trip around the eclipse without the Simons Foundation’s support,” Stanger says. “It pushed us to go to new rural areas in the state of Arkansas, which is just an absolute joy.”
Errin Stanger, Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub Director
“I think the She Thrives Program was beneficial to my daughter because it exposed her to the field of STEAM in a way that she had not been exposed to it before. It was great for her to learn about STEAM because now she knows that she can be an engineer if she wants to.”
Matthew Stallins, She Thrives Program Parent
She Thrives Program
Our first cohort received hands-on instruction in the areas of mechanics, 3D Design and 3D printing, Chemistry, Engineering, Woodworking, Zoology, and Farming/Botany.
Digital Literacy Program
We were honored to teach Digital Literacy skills to children and adults throughout Arkansas thanks to generous donors such as Heartland Forward and the AT&T Foundation. Digital Literacy helps bridge the virtual learning gaps between teachers, parents, and students. We began this endeavor during COVID, and with the Little Rock School District as our Pilot Program, we were able to serve over 100 adults and 300 children through this work through a program called Schoology.
Over 300 children and 100 adults received Digital Literacy Training to complete classwork and office work during the pandemic.
Arkansas Maker Task Force
In 2020, we created an Arkansas Maker Task Force to help ensure that Arkansans had the necessary face masks, shields, and personal protective equipment (PPE) they needed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
13,388 PPE Units Delivered
267 Arkansas Task Force Members in Total
35 Organizations Received PPE
The Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub is a branch of the North Little Rock Public Library System.
FIND US IN NLR
Innovation Hub
North Little Rock Public Library System
204 E 4th St
North Little Rock, AR 72114
library.information@nlrlibrary.org
OUR HOURS
- MWF 9AM to 5PM
- TTH 9AM to 8PM
- SAT: 1st & 3rd of Month, 10AM to 2PM