ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline Volume 15, Number 51 May 9, 2006 In This Issue: IMLS Partners with National Endowment for the Arts to Create Largest Book Club Ever The following is forwarded from the Institute of Museum and Library Services: The Big Read encourages America's cities and towns to participate, apply for grants, in effort to reverse dramatic decline in literary reading New York, NY-Dr. Anne-Imelda M. Radice, the recently appointed director of the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, announced from Carnegie Hall in New York City today that the agency will partner with the National Endowment for the Arts on the Big Read. The Big Read is a new national reading program designed to revitalize the role of reading in America. The Institute is the primary source of federal funds and leadership to the nation's 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. "Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America" a 2004 National Arts Endowment report, documented a dramatic decline in literary reading - among all age groups, ethnic groups, and education levels - and galvanized a national discussion. The Big Read was developed to help reverse this trend by giving citizens in more than 100 communities in all 50 states an inviting opportunity to read and discuss great books. Each city or town that participates will host a community-wide read that involves collaborations with libraries, schools, local government, and the private sector. The Institute will contribute $1 million in the first year of the national program and cast America's libraries and librarians in a central role to encourage community participation. "We are delighted to be a partner in The Big Read," noted Dr. Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director of the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services. "Libraries are 'information central' in communities everywhere. Encouraging library participation will assure that The Big Read has big impact in cities and towns across the United States." "We are so pleased to have the Institute of Museum and Library Services as a partner," said Dana Gioia, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. "They bring expertise and a capacity that will not only make the Big Read bigger but better." The Big Read will be administered by Arts Midwest, a regional arts agency based in Minneapolis, MN. The partners invite cities and communities nationwide to participate in 2007. The Big Read will award grants generally ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 to more than 100 communities to conduct programs that encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment. To find out how your organization can submit a proposal to join 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 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Its mission is to grow and sustain a "Nation of Learners" because life-long learning is essential to a democratic society and individual success. Through its grant making, convenings, research and publications, the Institute empowers museums and libraries nationwide to provide leadership and services to enhance learning in families and communities, sustain cultural heritage, build twenty-first-century skills, and increase civic participation. To learn more about the Institute, please visit: http://www.imls.gov. Press Contacts 202-653-4632 Eileen Maxwell, emaxwell@imls.gov Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov ****** ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is a free, irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office. All materials subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with appropriate credits. To subscribe to ALAWON, send the message: subscribe ala-wo [your_firstname] [your_lastname] to listproc@ala.org or go to http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon. To unsubscribe to ALAWON, send the message: unsubscribe ala-wo to listproc@ala.org. ALAWON archives at http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon. ALA Washington Office, 1615 New Hampshire Ave., N.W., First Floor, Washington, D.C. 20009-2520; phone: 202.628.8410 or 800.941.8478 toll-free; fax: 202.628.8419; Web site: http://www.ala.org/washoff. Executive Director: Emily Sheketoff. Office of Government Relations: Lynne Bradley, Director; Don Essex, Melanie Anderson, Erin Haggerty, Patrice McDermott and Miriam Nisbet. Office for Information Technology Policy: Rick Weingarten, Director; Carrie Lowe, Kathy Mitchell, Carrie Russell. ALAWON Editor: Bernadette Murphy.