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 read on the agency's Web site at
http://www.imls.gov/news/2008/012208.shtm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2008
IMLS Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, [log in to unmask]
Mamie Bittner, [log in to unmask]
Participants Sought for March Hearings on Museum Funding
WASHINGTON, DC--Avid museum goers, community leaders, museum
professionals, and individuals who have encountered barriers to museum
going are encouraged to make their views known at one of three public
hearings on the use of public funds for museums, announced Anne-Imelda
Radice, PhD, Director of the Institute for Museum and Library Services
(IMLS). The Institute is the primary source of federal funding for the
nation's museums and libraries.
"In order to fully understand the impact of public funds for museums, we
must hear from interested members of the public on the use of taxpayers'
dollars for these cultural institutions," Radice said.
IMLS is particularly interested in testimony from school coordinators,
older people, special needs groups, and directors of cultural tours.
IMLS would also like to hear from leaders who can speak about the use of
public funds for cultural purposes based on their understanding of
county, state, and federal budgets and their experiences with any and
all kinds of museums, including art, history, natural history,
children's museums, as well as planetariums, science centers, gardens,
and zoos.
Hearings will be held at three locations in March:
March 10, 2008 The Ohio Historical Society, Columbus, OH
March 12, 2008 The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO
March 14, 2008 The Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, CA
Radice and members of the National Museum and Library Services Board
will listen to both formal and informal testimony. With the testifiers'
permission, testimony will be recorded and used as part of a report on
the public funding of museums that will be released in the summer of
2008.
The public hearings are the last in a series of IMLS's
information-gathering efforts designed to determine the sources and uses
of public funds for museums. Also part of the effort is a rigorous
examination by The Urban Institute, which, through a cooperative
agreement with IMLS, has gathered information about public funding for
museums through a national survey as well as through individual
interviews with museum professionals and museum funders in selected
states, in order to compare the impact of different funding mechanisms.
All the information gathered, including the perspectives from the
public, will be part of the IMLS report.
To participate in the public hearings, please contact Mamie Bittner at
[log in to unmask] or Celeste Colgan at [log in to unmask] For
more information on the IMLS Museum Study, see
http://www.imls.gov/news/2008/012208_bkg.shtm.
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 http://www.imls.gov.
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
|
