FPL Receives Grant for Community-Wide Read

FAYETTEVILLE – The Fayetteville Public Library recently received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to conduct a community-wide read of Fahrenheit 451 this spring.
The library will organize programs for all ages during April that relate to the themes of the classic novel by Ray Bradbury.

Fayetteville’s activities will include a series of events for adults, teens and children that relate to Fahrenheit 451. The events will culminate with “17 on the 17th,” which will coordinate 17 discussion groups in 17 places on one day.

“It is an extreme honor for the Fayetteville Public Library to be recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts with this grant,” said Shawna Thorup, Assistant Director. “Community participation is vital to the success of this program, and we believe Fayetteville, which values education and reading, will be a great place for this to happen. We’ve already begun planning some amazing events that will get the community rallied around this book.”

The community-wide reading program, known as The Big Read, is a new national program from the NEA, in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.

The Fayetteville Public Library received $20,000 from the NEA. The Big Read grant was awarded to 72 libraries nationally. The Fayetteville Public Library received the largest funding available for its community size.