The following is a text-only press release from the federal Institute of
Museum and Library Services (IMLS). An HTML version of this release with
graphics can be read on the agency's Web site at
http://www.imls.gov/news/2010/070810.shtm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2010
Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, [log in to unmask]
Mamie Bittner, [log in to unmask]
IMLS Joins the NEA in Celebrating the Fifth Year of The Big Read with $1
Million in Grants
Seventy-five Grantees Include Libraries, Arts Groups, Colleges, and
Municipalities
Washington, DC-Kicking off the program's fifth year, the Institute of
Museum and Library Services (IMLS) joins the National Endowment for the
Arts (NEA) in announcing that 75 not-for-profits - including arts and
cultural organizations, libraries, and universities - will receive
grants totaling $1 million to host a Big Read project between September
2010 and June 2011. The Big Read brings communities together to read,
discuss, and celebrate one of 31 selections from United States and world
literature, which for the first time will include Julia Alvarez's In the
Time of the Butterflies. Since the 2006 pilot program with 10
participating organizations, the NEA, in partnership with IMLS and in
cooperation with Arts Midwest, has given more than 800 grants to support
local Big Read projects. Please see the complete listing of grants at
http://www.arts.gov/national/bigread/press/bigread2011list.php?sortby=al
pha
"IMLS is proud to support The Big Read, a national program that brings
communities together to read and discuss books," said Marsha L. Semmel,
IMLS acting director. "Through this program, libraries and museums are
playing critical roles in reading partnerships across the country."
"The arts in general - and literature, in particular - often serve as an
expression of our shared values. This is exactly why they are so
effective as a fulcrum for community engagement," said NEA Chairman
Rocco Landesman. "Thanks to these 75 grants, communities nationwide will
be inspired, delighted, and challenged by a book they are discovering
for the first time, or an old favorite to which they are returning."
The selected organizations will receive Big Read grants ranging from
$2,500 to $20,000 to promote and carry out community-based programs.
Participating communities also receive high-quality, free-of-charge
educational materials to supplement each title, which also are available
for download on www.neabigread.org. Reader's Guides include features
such as author biographies, historical context for the book, and
discussion questions. Teacher's Guides are developed with the National
Council of Teachers of English and State Language Arts standards in mind
and include lesson plans, essay topics, and classroom handouts. The Big
Read Audio Guides feature readings from the novel along with commentary
from renowned artists, educators, and public figures such as Junot Diaz
and Aimee Mann, and Big Read authors such as Cynthia Ozick and Ernest J.
Gaines.
Each community's Big Read includes a kick-off event to launch the
program; activities devoted specifically to its Big Read book or poet
(e.g., panel discussions, lectures, public readings); events using the
selection as a point of departure (e.g., film screenings, theatrical
readings, exhibits); and book discussions in diverse locations aimed at
a wide range of audiences.
Support for The Big Read has been provided by the W.K. Kellogg
Foundation, the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, the Boeing Company, the
Poetry Foundation, and the Ford Motor Company.
For more information about The Big Read please visit www.neabigread.org.
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of
federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums.
The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that
connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the
national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to
sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and
innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about
the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Art is a public agency dedicated to
supporting excellence in the arts, both new and established; bringing
the arts to all Americans; and providing leadership in arts education.
Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal
government, the Arts Endowment is the nation's largest annual funder of
the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas,
inner cities, and military bases. For more information, please visit
www.arts.gov.
About Arts Midwest
Arts Midwest connects people throughout the Midwest and the world to
meaningful arts opportunities, sharing creativity, knowledge, and
understanding across boundaries. Arts Midwest connects the arts to
audiences throughout the nine-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
One of six non-profit regional arts organizations in the United States,
Arts Midwest's history spans more than 25 years. For more information,
please visit www.artsmidwest.org.
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