NEH, ALA Announce We the People “Picturing America” Bookshelf

The We the People Bookshelf, a collection of classic books for young readers, is a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities’ (NEH) We the People program, conducted in cooperation with the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office.

Each year, NEH identifies a theme important to the nation's heritage and selects books that embody that theme to build the We the People Bookshelf. The theme for the 2008-2009 Bookshelf is “Picturing America.” America." Applications are no longer being accepted; the application period was from September 2, 2008-January 30, 2009.

A total of 4,000 public and school (K-12) libraries will be selected to receive the “Picturing America” Bookshelf. Awards will be announced in April 2009.

The “Picturing America” Bookshelf grants are part of the NEH's We the People initiative, which aims to encourage and strengthen the teaching, study, and understanding of American history and culture through libraries, schools, colleges, universities, and cultural institutions. Since 2003, NEH and ALA have awarded We the People Bookshelves to 9,000 public and school libraries. NEH plans to issue a We the People Bookshelf each year on themes related to American ideas and ideals.