The Ames Public Library will receive $25,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities to offer a series of community programs called, “Divided Selves, United States.”

A self-study conducted last year showed that the library needed more adult programming, said Nancy Bevin, project director.

In response, Bevin, along with Lynne Carey, outreach coordinator, and Marianne Malinowski, technical services coordinator, developed the NEH proposal.

The NEH recently held a competition where the library’s proposal was among 135 other applications for special funding. Only 12 other institutions have been offered support.

The library also applied for state humanities money that might help supplement the federal program funding, Bevin said.

The programs will be in several formats including lectures, panel discussions, video presentations and book discussions. Some of the topics include historical tension surrounding the concept of Americanization and inner divisions of the self which accompany cultural assimilation, Bevin said.

“The conversation leaders and partners represent ethic, political and professional diversity,” she added.

Some of the conversation leaders include Rekha Basu, a columnist for The Des Moines Register, Hector Avalos, Iowa State chair of Latino Studies and Benjamin Barber, the Walt Whitman chair of political science at Rutgers University and director of the Walt Whitman Center for culture and politics, Bevin said.

“I am really excited and hope to get as many in the community to participate,” she said.

The library will be announcing the program dates within the next couple of months and anyone with questions may contact Bevin or the Ames Public Library.