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NEH awards 'We the People' bookshelf to 4,000 libraries
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) announced today that 4,000 public and school libraries will receive a free collection of classic books for the sixth annual We the People Bookshelf. Libraries across the nation each will receive 17 hardcover books for young readers (K-12) related to this year’s theme, “Picturing America.” The Bookshelf includes Spanish translations to accompany three of the selected titles, as well as bonus materials for readers of all ages. Each library will use its set of classic books to develop educational programming and events that engage young readers in the “Picturing America” theme.
“Since 2003, the We the People Bookshelf has introduced young readers at more than 13,000 school and public libraries to great literature and has helped them explore themes central to America’s history,” said NEH Acting Chairman Carole M. Watson. “Through the Bookshelf, the Endowment aims to provide additional high-quality educational resources to our nation’s libraries. This year readers at 4,000 libraries will be able to gain insights into our nation’s story through the ‘Picturing America’ Bookshelf.”
“Picturing America” Bookshelf awards announced today will go to public and school libraries in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Awardees include public libraries in cities, towns, and neighborhoods, as well as libraries at public, private, charter, and tribal schools, home school consortia, and correctional institutions. Educational programs to accompany the Bookshelf will be conducted in libraries between May 1, 2009, and April 30, 2010.
A state-by-state list (including the District of Columbia and U.S. territories) of the public and school libraries selected to receive the We the People Bookshelf on the “Picturing America” theme is available in six Adobe PDF files: Alabama through the District of Columbia (11-page PDF); Florida through Illinois (13-page PDF); Indiana through Michigan (12-page PDF); Minnesota through New York (12-page PDF); North Carolina through South Dakota (12-page PDF); and Tennessee through Wyoming (11-page PDF).
The Bookshelf is awarded through the NEH We the People program, which supports projects that strengthen the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture. The Bookshelf offers libraries and local communities additional educational resources that may not otherwise be available. Each year the Bookshelf provides an opportunity for readers to examine themes important to America’s history such as freedom, equality, and the pursuit of happiness. This year’s theme, “Picturing America,” explores the premise that a nation’s literature, as well as its visual art, can be a window into its history, aspirations, and ideals. NEH will announce the theme of next year’s Bookshelf in September 2009.
The We the People Bookshelf on “Picturing America” is a literary complement to NEH’s Picturing AmericaSM program—a free education resource that provides reproductions of 40 works of great American art to schools and public libraries to help educators teach American history and culture through our nation’s art (PicturingAmerica.neh.gov).
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