JMRL receives grant for programs on Founding Era

The Jefferson-Madison Regional Library has received a grant for public programming and community conversations exploring America's founding and its enduring themes.  As part of the grant, a Revisiting the Founding Era grant, the library has gotten $1,000 to help implement programs and more digital resources, training and support from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and the American Library Association.

The resources will allow the library system to launch a two-program series on the Founding Era that local residents can attend.

The first event will be held Feb. 9 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m at the Northside Library.  Special speakers will talk about the writing process of the U.S. Constitution and founders' intent through the lens of current events in Charlottesville and across the country.

On Feb. 24, the Central Library will host the Constitution Community Discussion from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.  This will be a community discussion reflecting on current events through a historical lens, focusing on the Founding Fathers.

The grant program is a three-year national initiative of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History in partnership with the American Library Association and the National Constitution Center with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

It gives 100 public libraries across the country a chance to use historical documents to spark public conversations.