The following is a text-only press release from the federal Institute of
Museum and Library Services (IMLS). An HTML version of this release can
be viewed on the agency's Web site at
http://www.imls.gov/news/2009/022309.shtm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2009

Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, [log in to unmask]
Mamie Bittner, [log in to unmask] 

Treasures Preserved with Grants from the IMLS American Heritage
Preservation Program 

Washington, DC-An 18th century wool quilt, a 19th century Alutiiq spruce
root basket, and 20th century posters from World War II will be
preserved for future generations with grants from the new American
Heritage Preservation Program awarded by the Institute of Museum and
Library Services (IMLS) and the Bank of America Charitable Foundation.
Through this new public-private partnership, 39 museums and 14 libraries
and archives will receive individual grants of up to $3,000 to preserve
treasures that convey the essential character and experience of the
United States. In the program's inaugural year, 53 grants totaling
$152,308 were awarded. To view the winners of this year's grants, please
go to http://www.imls.gov/news/2009/022309_list.shtm.

"With these awards, communities will be able to rescue exceptional
objects that link their pasts to their futures," said Anne-Imelda M.
Radice, IMLS Director. "This grant program is an important part of
IMLS's Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action , a multi-year,
multi-pronged initiative to protect our national treasures." Nearly 190
million objects in U.S. collections are in immediate danger of
deterioration and need restoration or conservation, according to the
Heritage Health Index report. To view the report, please go to
http://www.heritagepreservation.org/HHI/full.html.

In this first round of grants, AHP grants were awarded to museums,
libraries, and archives to treat, re-house, and improve the storage
environments of important collections. Outstanding examples of funded
projects include:

* Canton Historical Society in Canton, MA, will use the funds to clean
and stabilize the fabric of the 1787 Martha Howard Quilt, an
exceptionally fine example of an early New England quilt with calendared
wool and delicate stitching detail still intact. The quilt was made by
the wife of an early minister of the Congregationalist church in town,
with direct ties to current residents and several other community
organizations.
* The Baranov Museum in Kodiak, AK, will use the funds to treat a rare
19th century Alutiiq spruce root basket discovered in an archaeological
excavation in 2008. This project will also allow for the creation of a
permanent support for storage and exhibition of the basket.
* The Phillips Free Library in Homer, NY, will use the grant funds to
restore a portrait painted by a local artist, Sanford Thayer, who was
both a celebrated portrait artist and teacher of some renown in the
community. The conservation measures will allow the portrait to remain
on exhibit in the library.
* The library at the Delaware County Community College will use the
funds to conserve 19 original World War II posters that were collected
by a member of the community when he was a young man in the 1940s. The
posters were produced by various government and civilian agencies and
were used to encourage the enlistment of men and women into military
service, the purchase of war bonds, donation of blood, planting of
Victory Gardens, and a general encouragement of patriotism to win the
war. The preservation measures will allow the posters to be made
available for exhibit at the college, to be loaned to community
organizations, and used by history faculty at the College and requesting
schools.
Approximately 150 grants of $3,000 each will be awarded over the next
three years to preserve specific items, including works of art and
historical documents, held in small museums and libraries. 

The next application deadline is Sept. 15, 2009. For questions about
museum projects, please contact Christine Henry, Senior Program Officer,
at 202-653-4674. For questions about library or archival projects,
please contact Kevin Cherry, Senior Program Officer, at 202-653-4662.


About the Institute of Museum and Library Services 
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of
federal support for the nation's 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums.
The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that
connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the
national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to
sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and
innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about
the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.

About Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy
Building on a long-standing tradition of investing in the communities it
serves, Bank of America this year embarked on a new, ten-year goal to
donate $2 billion to nonprofit organizations engaged in improving the
health and vitality of their neighborhoods. Funded by Bank of America,
the Bank of America Charitable Foundation gave more than $200 million in
2008, making the bank the most generous financial institution in the
world and the second largest donor of all U.S. corporations in cash
contributions. Bank of America approaches giving through a national
strategy called "neighborhood excellence" under which it works with
local leaders to identify and meet the most pressing needs of individual
communities. Through Team Bank of America, bank associate volunteers
contributed more than 900,000 hours in 2008 to enhance the quality of
life in their communities nationwide. For more information about Bank of
America Corporate Philanthropy, please visit
www.bankofamerica.com/foundation. 

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