16-character by 2-line display with input buttons to allow you to select menu items on the screen.

Works in 4-bit mode with the “LiquidCrystal” library included with the Arduino IDE, allowing you to control the LCD with a total of just 6 digital I/O lines. Use of pins D4-D9 was selected so that it doesn’t interfere with pins required by other popular shields such as the Ethernet Shield, so you can stack this on top of other shields to give you a local display.

The buttons provide “left”, “right”, “up”, “down”, and “select” all on one analog input.

Also includes a contrast control and backlight current limiting.

Features:
16×2 LCD using HD44780-compatible display module (white characters on blue background)
Contrast control.
LCD backlight with current limiting.
5 input buttons all on one analog input pin.
Reset button.
Power supply smoothing capacitor.
Gold-plated PCB for maximum durability.
Overlay printed on both the top and the bottom.
Pins used by shield clearly marked.

Arduino Freetronics 16x2 LCD Shield Pinouts