The Big Read is a National Endowment for the Arts program which is:
"...designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. The Big Read brings together partners across the country to encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment.."
The NEA gives out grants to interested libraries and communities to produce programming and book discussions surrounding the selected books. The next round of grant applications are due February 12, 2008 for programming from September 2008-January 2009.
