May 11, 2016 For the second straight year, Albion will host the Big Read, a nationwide project that aims to bring communities together through shared reading experiences. The effort was made possible by an $11,500 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, which was announced May 11. Through private donations and in-kind efforts, the total financial support comes to $40,000, according to Jess Roberts, associate professor of English at Albion College and director of Albion’s Big Read.