The Mehlville School District recently received the We the People Bookshelf grant from the American Library Association and the National Endowment for the Humanities, entitling each of the district’s school libraries to the set of 17 books included in the “A More Perfect Union” collection.

“The We the People Bookshelf ‘A More Perfect Union’ will inspire and engage our students through the words and deeds of Americans of our past who upheld our nation’s most valued principles,” Director of Learning Resources and Instructional Technology Yvonne Morris stated in a district news release. “The librarians are excited to have these books, which they will use to introduce students to classic literature and promote the understanding of important ideas in American history.”

The 16 district schools to receive the books are among 4,000 schools from across the United States to take part in the grant opportunity. Besides the set of 17 books for young readers, the ALA and NEH also will provide grant recipients with bonus materials to support their library programs, including a DVD edition of Ken Burns’ award-winning documentary “The Civil War.”

The grants are part of the NEH’s We the People program, which works to encourage and strengthen the teaching, study and understanding of American history and culture through libraries, schools, colleges, universities and cultural institutions.