Library receives books, films, resources about Muslims, their beliefs

Oesterle Library is one of 843 libraries and state humanities councils across the country to be awarded the “Bridging Cultures” Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the American Library Association (ALA). The program aims to familiarize public audiences in the United States with the people, places, history, faith and cultures of Muslims in the United States and around the world.

The bookshelf is a collection of 25 books, three documentary films and other resources. The collection was selected with the advice of librarians and cultural programming experts, as well as scholars in the fields of anthropology, world history, religious studies, interfaith dialogue, the history of art and architecture, world literature, Middle East studies, Southeast Asian studies, African studies and Islamic studies.

The bookshelf also includes a one-year subscription to Oxford Islamic Studies Online and a DVD of short films titled “Islamic Art Spots” developed and presented by national project scholar D. Fairchild Ruggles. These resources are available in the library and will be on display at Oesterle Library during spring term.

The “Bridging Cultures” Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys is a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities, conducted in cooperation with the American Library Association. Support was provided by a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York. Additional support for the arts and media components was provided by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art.

For more information contact Belinda Cheek, Oesterle Library access services coordinator, at blcheek@noctrl.edu or 630-637-5703.