ALA invites library workers to apply for “Imagining Tomorrow: Building Inclusive Futures.” This brand-new series in ALA’s Great Stories Club will feature science fiction books that explore questions of equity, identity and alternate futures.
Deadline extended! Apply by May 22, 2023.
Applications will be accepted from all types of libraries (public, school, academic, special, etc.) in the United States. Participating libraries must work in partnership with, or be located within, an organization that reaches underserved teens (e.g., alternative high school, juvenile justice facilities, tribal library, drug/alcohol rehabilitation centers, nonprofits serving teen parents, alternative high schools, agencies serving teenaged foster children and shelters serving young adults and families experiencing homelessness).
Please contact publicprograms@ala.org if you have a question about partner eligibility or would like feedback on a prospective partner organization's fit for the project.
Selected libraries will receive 11 paperback copies of theme-related books to use in the reading and discussion groups as well as a $500 programming stipend, online training, an array of program resources and support throughout the grant term.
Participating libraries will work with small groups of approximately 10 teens; provide four theme-related books for each participant to keep as their own; and convene opportunities for exploration and discussion of relevant humanities content among peers. Book discussions will be led by an experienced programming librarian, often in cooperation with staff from a partner organization or department, such as teachers and counselors.
This GSC theme asks: How can we imagine and dream of our shared futures together, alongside each other, in order to create better tomorrows? The books in this series point toward the ways that we might build shared futures while acknowledging the lessons of our origin stories. Selected libraries may choose up to four books from the following reading list:
- “Victories Greater Than Death” by Charlie Jane Anders
- “Across a Field of Starlight” by Blue Delliquanti
- "The Marrow Thieves” by Cherie Dimaline
- “The Sound of Stars” by Alechia Dow
- “War Girls” by Tochi Onyebuchi
Because the Great Stories Club seeks to engage libraries in different areas of the country, serving high-need and diverse groups of teen readers, ALA invites interested librarians to get in touch if there is a specific need for flexibility with the program model or requirements.
Implementation of the series is supported by a grant from a private donor.
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