BIRDS-EYE VIEW—Oak Park Library supervisor Susan Mikula calls attention to the flamingo painted by John James Audubon in 1838. The reproductions of great American works of art are part of the "Picturing America" exhibit at the library through the end of November. The goal of the exhibit is to teach Americans about their past by exploring the history of the nation's art. When Oak Park Library patrons enter the library, one of the first things they see is a display of art reproductions that depict the history of America.

There is a portrait of Paul Revere before he became a hero, painted by John Singleton Copley in 1768. "Washington Crossing the Delaware," painted in 1851 by Emanuel Leutze, is a depiction of George Washington and his men rowing through a stormy sea. National nature is represented through a lifesized pink American flamingo painted by John James Audubon in 1838; and "The Oxbow," painted by Thomas Cole in 1836, is a landscape view of the wilderness, described as "a vanishing way of life in an already changing America."

The "Picturing America" exhibit is a national effort to educate Americans about their country through great works of art. The program is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities, an independent grantmaking agency of the federal government dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation and public programs in the humanities.

More than 26,000 schools and public libraries so far have been awarded copies of the exhibit at no cost. The exhibit includes a teacher's manual with ideas and background information for using the works of art and an online resource providing access to images, lesson plans and more detailed information on the masterpieces and artists.

Oak Park Library Supervisor Susan Mikula learned of the exhibit while exploring the American Library Association website for ideas. After receiving permission from the county library supervisor, Mikula applied for the free program.

"I thought it would work well in this type of community. We have a lot of foot traffic with people coming to get books, but they leave and don't hang out," Mikula said. "I thought this would attract them to stay."

She also hoped it would be of educational benefit to the many high school students who do hang out at the library daily after school.

"We have kids here every day doing homework, projects, socializing, playing games on the computer," Mikula said.

The Oak Park Library board only has room for six of the panels at a time, so Mikula is rotating the 40 2-by-3-foot panels each week for the month of November. She plans to show the exhibit three months a year, in February and May as well.

"If I hang it up for three months straight people will become bored," Mikula said.

The library, at 899 N. Kanan Road, Oak Park, is open Monday and Tuesday from 2 to 8 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, visit www.PicturingAmerica.neh.gov.