75 libraries selected to receive Great Stories Club ‘Origins of Teen Violence and Suicide’ grants

CHICAGO — Seventy-five libraries have been selected to receive training and support to host book club programs with at-risk youth as part of the Great Stories Club program, the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office announced.

Created in 2006, the Great Stories Club introduces young adults to accessible, thought-provoking literature selected by humanities scholars to resonate with reluctant readers struggling with complex issues like incarceration, violence and poverty.

The grantees represent 55 public libraries, 17 school libraries, one academic/college library and two prison libraries. View a full list of grantee libraries and their partner organizations.

The 2017 theme is “Structures of Suffering: Origins of Teen Violence and Suicide.” Working with groups of 6 to 10 teens, often in partnership with alternative high schools, juvenile detention centers and service organizations, grantees will host reading and discussion programs for three book titles that deal with issues of teen violence, bullying and suicide: “Thirteen Reasons Why” by Jay Asher; “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” by Ned Vizzini; and “Romeo and Juliet” (No Fear Shakespeare Graphic Novels), illustrated by Matt Weigle.

The opportunity to discuss violence and suicide with at-risk teens comes at a critical time for many Great Stories Club grantees.

“In the past two years, Park Hill High School has lost four students to teen suicide,” said grantee Dana Kepler, an alternative high school librarian in Kansas City, Mo. “When these tragedies strike, the library becomes a safe haven where clergy, counselors and faculty are available to students and staff who need a place to be comforted and counseled through the grief process … The (Great Stories Club) literature will open up conversations with students who are vulnerable to violence and suicide, serving as an avenue to prevention.”

Grantees will receive 11 paperback copies of each of the three book selections (10 to gift to participants; 1 for discussion leader/library collection); programming materials such as discussion guides, reading lists and program activities; and training opportunities, including travel and accommodations for an orientation workshop in Chicago for project directors who are new to the Great Stories Club.

The grant will be administered by ALA’s Public Programs Office in partnership with the Association for Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), including the Library Services for Youth in Custody and Library Services to the Incarcerated and Detained interest groups. The Great Stories Club has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence.

First offered as a pilot in 2006, ALA’s Great Stories Club has reached more than 700 libraries and more than 30,000 young adults (ages 12 to 21).

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with approximately 58,000 members in academic, public, school, government and special libraries. The mission of the American Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.

About ALA’s Public Programs Office

ALA’s Public Programs Office provides leadership, resources, training and networking opportunities that help thousands of librarians nationwide develop and host cultural programs for adult, young adult and family audiences. The mission of the ALA Public Programs Office is to promote cultural programming as an essential part of library service in all types of libraries. Projects include book and film discussion series, literary and cultural programs featuring authors and artists, professional development opportunities and traveling exhibitions. School, public, academic and special libraries nationwide benefit from the office’s programming initiatives.

About the Association for Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies

The Association for Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) is the premiere destination for ALA members to find information and build capacity to serve populations that are served by state library agencies, specialized libraries, library cooperatives and library consultants. ASCLA enhances the effectiveness of library service by advocating for and providing high quality networking, enrichment and educational opportunities for its diverse members, who represent state library agencies, libraries serving special populations, library cooperatives, and library consultants. Please visit our website at http://www.ala.org/ascla/.

About the National Endowment for the Humanities

Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at www.neh.gov.