Somerville Public Library Unveils Muslim Journeys Collection Funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and American Library Association

The Somerville Public Library is introducing a new collection, Muslim Journeys, which is currently available for browsing and checkout at the Central Branch of the library. This bookshelf collection aims to familiarize residents and visitors with the places, history, faith and cultures of Muslims in the U.S. and around the world. It is intended to address both the need and desire of the American public for trustworthy and accessible resources about Muslim beliefs and practices and the cultural heritage associated with Islamic civilizations. The acquisition is composed of approximately 30 items, both books and DVDs. They run the gamut from Arabian Nights to The Story of the Qur’an. The topics explored include stories from Muslims in America and other parts of the world; the history of Islam; literary works from both past and present; Islam as a religion; and Muslim art and architecture. “Muslim Journeys is particularly apt for a town like Somerville, with its rich history of waves of immigrants from all over the world,” says Maria Carpenter, Somerville Public Library director. “Muslim Journeys will help us continue our tradition of community dialogue, promoting cultural understanding, and fostering tolerance.” Patrons can visit and borrow from this collection as they would any other part of the library; additionally the library will supplement these works with public events to explore the collection and associated topics. Dates will be announced. The materials were selected with the advice of librarians, scholars and cultural programming experts. For more information about the upcoming events and collection, call the library at 617-623-5000 or visit www.somervillepubliclibrary.org. Watch our blog at www.somervillepubliclibrary.org/blog and our Facebook and Twitter pages to find out when the events will take place.