Norway Library awarded Muslim Journeys shelf

NORWAY — The Norway Memorial Library is proud to announce that they have been awarded a prestigious collection of materials through a grant opportunity from the American Library Association (ALA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

The news was received by the library in a congratulatory message from Maine Senator Angus King and an email from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The collection of materials, a part of the ALA and NEH’s Bridging Cultures initiative, is their “Muslim Journeys” Bookshelf, which is a collection of 25 books, three films, and access for one year to Oxford Islamic Studies Online.

These materials were selected to help public audiences in the United States become more familiar with the people, places, history, faith and cultures of Muslims around the world, including those within the United States.

It is intended to address the American public's need and desire for trustworthy and accessible resources about Muslim beliefs and practices and the cultural heritage associated with Islamic civilizations.

The Bookshelf was awarded to 842 institutions and humanity councils across the country for use in presenting public programs in 2013 and was made possible with a generous gift from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Additional support for the arts and media components was provided by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art.

The library is partnering with Oxford Hills/Buckfield Adult Education and Western Maine University College Center to bring programs and a book discussion series to the community this coming summer. For more information please call the library at 743-5309 ext. 1.

Photo:

NEW MATERIALS — Norway Memorial Library staff members Katherine Morgan and Julia Hoisington with some of the books awarded as part of a recent grant.