Great News!

Our White House:
Looking In, Looking Out
named a National Endowment for the Humanities
We the People Bookshelf Selection!

The NCBLA is honored that the National Endowment for the Humanities has named
Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out as a We the People Bookshelf selection for 2009-2010, when the book shelf theme will be “Picturing America.” The NEH has indicated that they will be purchasing 7,000 copies of Our White House to make them available for school and public libraries in need across the country.

The We the People Bookshelf is a set of classic books for young readers from kindergarten through high school. Each year the NEH identifies a theme important to our nation's heritage and selects books that embody that theme. This collection of theme-related books is the Bookshelf. In addition to introducing young readers to good literature; the Bookshelf promotes understanding of abstract or general ideas through the power of particular stories. NEH awards these Bookshelves to libraries across the country for use in programs primarily for young people. U.S. public and school (K-12) libraries are eligible to apply for Bookshelf grants. In return for receiving a Bookshelf, libraries organize programs that highlight the theme and encourage young readers to explore the selected books.

The American Library Association(ALA) collaborates with NEH to deliver this program. ALA staff and libraries help to select the books, and work directly with the nation's libraries to disseminate information and to encourage libraries to take part in the We the People Bookshelf grant program.

For more information about the NEH's Bookshelf program and information concerning grant applications go to:
http://www.wethepeople.gov/bookshelf/picturingamerica.html
http://publicprograms.ala.org/bookshelf/