PBS's The Great American Read

On April 30, 2018, the American Library Association (ALA) selected 50 public libraries in 31 states to participate in a programming opportunity around The Great American Read, an eight-part PBS television series and multi-platform initiative that celebrates the joy of reading and the books we love.

Hosted by television personality and journalist Meredith Vieira, The Great American Read engaged audiences with a list of 100 diverse books which encouraged audiences to read the books, vote from the list of 100, and share their personal connections to the titles.

Participating libraries were selected through a competitive application process to receive a cash grant to support programming around the series, as well as a programming kit for The Great American Read developed by ALA and PBS. This kit helped public libraries participate in a national conversation about reading and books, including those featured in the series that highlight themes of love, heroes, villains, other worlds and self-discovery. Library grantees were invited to view the Site Support page for access to promotional materials and other resources for grant administration.

The Great American Read is a production of Nutopia for PBS. PBS funding for The Great American Read is provided by the Anne Ray Foundation and PBS.

Programming Grant Recipients

The 50 public libraries listed below were selected to receive a community programming grant to support The Great American Read and implement related programs in their communities.

PBS's The Great American Read

Programming Grant Recipients

Alaska

Alabama

Arkansas

Arizona

California

Connecticut

Florida

Georgia

Iowa

Illinois

Indiana

Maryland

Maine

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

Montana

North Carolina

North Dakota

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

Ohio

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Virginia

Washington

Wisconsin

Wyoming