Cal Humanities has announced the 2014 California Reads grant awardees. The Alameda Free Library has been awarded $3,500 for its project following the statewide theme of “War Comes Home”.
California Reads provides a springboard to think about and discuss ideas using thought-provoking books about issues that are of importance to our state. In 2014 this program will focus on the veteran experience, aiming to increase public understanding and empathy for those who have served, as well as to spark a public conversation on how best we can support the process of reincorporating our veterans into the fabric of civilian life.
The Alameda Free Library, together with organizations in the city and county of Alameda, look forward to strengthening our community by deepening our understanding of what it means to come home from war. We seek to welcome veterans home and support their reintegration into society. We are doing this by creating places and conversations that will build connections and community in order to foster the understanding and support deserving of these brave men and women who are our neighbors, friends, and family.
the Library will offer multiple ways of engaging, thinking, talking, sharing, and being together. Partnering with local organizations, individuals and veterans groups we will provide relevant and diverse points of view while engaging the community in thoughtful and insightful activities and discussions. We will join libraries across the state in reading and discussing the CA Reads book selection of Karl Marlentes’ memoir What it is Like to Go to War. The library is also planning programs around other book selections, films and events relevant to the theme “War Comes Home”. All programs and events will take place in the fall of 2014 and will be posted on the library’s events calendar at www.alamedafree.org/events/library as well as the library’s social media outlets.
California Reads is a program of Cal Humanities in partnership with the California Center for the Book. It is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.
