The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) recently awarded a grant to Frederick County Public Libraries for the Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys, a project of NEH’s Bridging Cultures special initiative. FCPL is one of five library systems in Maryland to receive the award.
The Muslim Journeys Bookshelf is a collection of books, films, and other resources that will introduce our community to the complex history and culture of Muslim societies in the United States and around the world. The NEH and the American Library Association compiled the collection based on the advice of scholars, librarians, and other public programming experts.
The goal is to address both the need and desire of the American public for trustworthy and accessible resources about Muslim beliefs and practices and the cultural heritage associated with Islamic civilizations.
“The collection will be a great way to foster community conversations about culture and faith as Frederick becomes increasingly diverse,” says Marie Slaby, Grants Manager at FCPL.
Support for the development and distribution of the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf was provided by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, with additional support for the arts and media components from the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art.