FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 30, 2007

IMLS Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, jmjoseth@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov

Time to Apply for The Big Read

Application Deadline: February 12, 2008

Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), announces the fourth deadline for the Big Read program. The purpose of the Big Read is to revitalize the role of literature in American popular culture. Grants ranging from $5,000 – $20,000 are available to encourage local communities to inspire reading through the Big Read program. This will be the only application deadline in 2008.

Big Read grants require the participation of a library as a lead applicant or a partner. IMLS strongly encourages museums of all types to apply as lead applicants or as partner organizations in the Big Read. Communities across the country have strengthened their Big Read projects by enlisting the support of art, science, history, and children’s museums, as well as aquaria, arboreta, botanical gardens, nature centers, and zoos. Some library/museum collaborations include:

• In its celebration of A Farewell to Arms, the Oak Park Public Library in Oak Park, IL, partnered with the Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park to host book discussions and costumed tours of the Hemingway birth home and museum.
• In programs related to Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, the Attleboro Public Library in Attleboro, MA, partnered with the Attleboro Arts Museum on “Reflections of Fahrenheit 451,” the community’s artistic response to the book and “The River of Our Voices,” a poetry workshop for readers of Fahrenheit 451.

Organizations selected to participate in the Big Read will receive a grant, financial support to attend a national orientation meeting, educational and promotional materials for broad distribution, an organizer’s guide for developing and managing Big Read activities, guidance on working with local media, inclusion of the organization and its activities on the Big Read Web site, and the prestige of participating in a highly visible national initiative.

The Request for Proposals can be downloaded at www.NEABigRead.org. The proposal deadline is February 12, 2008. Questions should be directed to Arts Midwest at 612/341-0755 or TheBigRead@artsmidwest.org.

The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

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. 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 Arts 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 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.