The Nancy Guinn Memorial Library has been selected as the culmination destination for the exhibit "Manifold Greatness: the Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible" in May of 2013.
The exhibit's U.S. tour launches in late fall of 2011, in commemoration with the King James Bible's 400th anniversary.
"I'm proud that Rockdale has received the opportunity to host such a celebrated exhibit," said Rockdale County Chairman Richard Oden. "While Rockdale is home to many Christians, citizens of all beliefs can benefit from the rich culture and history the exhibit offers."
Drawing on the deep resources of the Folger Shakespeare Library and Oxford University's Bodleian Library, Manifold Greatness tells the little-known story of one of the most widely read and printed books in the history of the English language.
Beginning in Washington D.C., the exhibit will travel for two years throughout major cities in the U.S. and will conclude in Rockdale in 2013. The Nancy Guinn Memorial Library is one of only three locations selected in Georgia to host this prestigious exhibit, along with the Kennesaw State University Research and Service Foundation and the Tifton-Tift County Public Library.
Rockdale County's Grant Writer, Alice Cintron, proactively pursued and completed the County's application, noting that the County was a prime candidate for the tour due to the library's major expansion and renovations funded through SPLOST and completed last year.
"Opportunities to host an exhibit of this magnitude are scarce," Cintron said. "The specific improvements we made allowed our library to stand out from the competition and take advantage of this historic occasion."
In conjunction with the exhibit, the library intends to develop five educational programs around the following themes: The Bible as Religion, The Bible as Literature, The Bible as Family Artifact, The Bible as History and finally, The Bible as Artistic Object.
Securing an exhibition of this significance and particular interest to the local population will help the library reach its goal of attracting every Rockdale County resident to the library.
"We are extremely pleased to have been chosen to host this exhibition," said Daryl Fletcher, Interim Director of the Conyers-Rockdale Library System. "The library is one of the few institutions that is truly for everybody, regardless of age, income level, or personal interests. We see this as the beginning of many good things to come on a variety of different subjects."
Located squarely in the Bible Belt, Rockdale boasts nearly 300 churches within its borders, or roughly two churches per square mile. Cintron added that the vast array of religious institutions in Rockdale County played a pivotal role in securing Rockdale's approval.
"The Chairman has always shared his vision for an interfaith community," said Cintron. "When I was informed of this unique grant opportunity, I knew pursuing it would further support the Chairman's vision. Notwithstanding, the positive financial impact to the County and national exposure are added bonuses."
Several local church leaders, theology experts, library organizations and historical societies wrote letters to the NEH, expressing their support and desire for the exhibit to come to Rockdale.
"The whole community rallied together," Cintron said. "We're a really diverse county in terms of religion, but our varying denominations kept the momentum going to win this grant."
While the exhibit will highlight and interpret the King James Bible as a sacred text, the exhibit will appeal to citizens of all beliefs, as it seeks to communicate on both a spiritual and an educational level.
The exhibit and related programs will be free and open to the public. Exhibit hours will coincide with normal library operating hours: Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
