The ALA Public Programs Office and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) recently announced some important updates to the
Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys grant program.
In addition to receiving this outstanding
collection of materials to facilitate public programs and vibrant community discussions, the 1,000 sites selected will be eligible in January 2013 to apply for a
programming grant of up to $4,500 to support a
Let’s Talk About It reading and discussion series. NEH and ALA will provide thematic essays, promotional support and professional training to prepare libraries for hosting the popular series in public, academic and community college libraries. For more program ideas, please register for one of two free webinars available for prospective applicants:
- Public Libraries Bridging Cultures: Exploring Islamic History
Wednesday, August 29, 2 p.m. Central
Learn more and register
- Outreach Opportunity for Academic Libraries: Bridging Cultures Bookshelf
Wednesday, September 12, 2 p.m. Central
Learn more and register
To participate in the Bookshelf, your library need only offer
one program for public audiences that highlights Islamic culture using collection materials. Many libraries may wish to screen one of the documentary films, which will come with public performance rights included and ready-to-implement discussion program guides written by national project scholars.
To learn more and begin your application, visit
www.programminglibrarian.org/muslimjourneys. To encourage the maximum number of library applications, the deadline for this application has been extended to
October 25 (previously September 25).
As a reminder, each of the 1,000 sites selected by NEH and ALA will receive
a collection of 25 books, three documentary films with public performance rights, a one-year subscription to Oxford Islamic Studies Online, and bonus resources to support public programs and promotion.
For more information, including complete lists of
books and films,
thematic descriptions and
resources to help get your application started, visit
www.programminglibrarian.org/muslimjourneys or
www.neh.gov/divisions/bridging-cultures.
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ALA Public Programs Office
www.ala.org/publicprograms
publicprograms@ala.org 
