Jul 5, 2023
The Sequoyah Regional Library System has been selected by the American Library Association (ALA), with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) as one of 58 libraries to receive implementation grants for the Great Stories Club, a thematic reading and discussion program for underserved teens. The two awarded grants include “Deeper Than Our Skins: The Present Is a Conversation with the Past” and “Finding Your Voice: Speaking Truth to Power”.
As part of the Great Stories Club, staff from SRLS will work with a small group of teens to read and discuss stories that explore questions of race, equity, identity and history. The titles were selected to inspire young people — especially those facing difficult circumstances or challenges — to consider “big questions” about the world around them and their place in it.
SRLS will receive two $500 programming stipends, one per theme, and 11 copies of each of the selected books. The books will be gifted to the book club participants.
Since 2006, ALA’s Great Stories Club has helped libraries engage young adults with accessible, thought-provoking literature. To learn more about the Great Stories Club, please visit ala.org/greatstories.