"We the People: Picturing America" Bookshelf Program
The We the People Bookshelf, a collection of classic books for young readers, is a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities' "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 20082009 Bookshelf is "Picturing America."
All public libraries and school libraries (K–12) in the United States and its territories are eligible to apply. School libraries (K–12) include public, private, parochial, charter schools, and home school consortia. Libraries with collections that circulate to the general public and offer reading–based programs for the general public are eligible to apply. Libraries may also collaborate with other (non–library) organizations to develop and deliver programs; however, the Bookshelves must be housed in the libraries to which they are awarded.
Individuals, organizations other than libraries, and schools and libraries operated by Federal entities, such as the Department of Defense, are not eligible to apply.