The following is a press release from the federal Institute of Museum
and Library Services (IMLS). Having trouble viewing this e-mail? Read it
online at http://www.imls.gov/news/2010/122310b.shtm. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 23, 2010

IMLS Press Contacts
202-653-4732
Natasha Marstiller, [log in to unmask] 
Mamie Bittner, [log in to unmask]

President Obama Signs Museum and Library Services Act of 2010 

Washington, DC-The President signed into law the Museum and Library
Services Act of 2010 (S. 3984) on December 22, 2010.

The new law reauthorizes the existing programs of the Institute of
Museum and Library Services with some important changes. The updated
language calls on IMLS to take an active role in research and data
collection and to advise the President and Congress on museum, library,
and information services. This Act also clearly recognizes how libraries
and museums contribute to a competitive workforce and engaged citizenry.
New language focuses on the development of essential 21st century
skills.

IMLS Acting Director Marsha L. Semmel remarked, "The vitality and
innovation of America's library and museum sectors, and their commitment
to the free flow of information and ideas, is one of the most valuable
assets of our democracy society. I am pleased to see this law's emphasis
on the essential role of libraries and museums in advancing early
learning, workforce development, and education reform."

Speaking on the Senate floor, the Act's principal author, Sen. Jack Reed
(D-RI), said, "The Museum and Library Services Act represents our
national commitment to the institutions that are essential to building
strong and vibrant communities. Through a relatively modest federal
investment, this law helps build capacity to support and expand access
to library and museum services at the State and local level." (See full
remarks at http://www.imls.gov/news/2010/122310b_statement.shtm). The
other original sponsors of the Museum and Library Services Act of 2010
were Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), and Sen. Richard
Burr (R-NC).

The legislation advances the roles of libraries and museums in
education, lifelong learning, preservation and workforce development.
IMLS has been particularly active in providing leadership to align the
activities of libraries and museums around our national priority for an
educated workforce, a priority of the Obama Administration and essential
for a 21st century global economy. Many of the statutory changes update
current language to recognize the vitality and utility of the nation's
libraries and museums. 

The expanded authority facilitates IMLS's evolving role as a partner
with other federal agencies. The ubiquity of the nation's 122,000
libraries and 18,500 museums, the trust invested in them by their
communities, and their focus on learning and community engagement make
them outstanding partners in furthering our nation's policy goals in a
whole host of areas including health, education, cultural preservation,
the environment, and global awareness. 

See the full text of S.3984, 111th Congress (2009 - 2010) at
http://www.imls.gov/pdf/BILLS-111s3984is.pdf.  

The findings of several IMLS-supported studies are reflected in the
changes put forth in S. 3984 including:

Museums, Libraries and 21st Century Skills, which underscores the
critical role our nation's museums and libraries play in helping
citizens build such 21st century skills as information, communications,
and technology literacy; critical thinking; problem solving; creativity;
civic literacy; and global awareness.

Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits from the Internet
in U.S. Public Libraries, a nationwide study, carried out by IMLS and
the University of Washington Information School and supported by the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which estimated that 77 million
Americans used public library computers to access the internet with 40
percent seeking workforce information, 37 percent focused on health
issues, and 42 percent furthering their formal education.

Catalyst for Change: The LSTA Grants to States Program and the
Transformation of Library Services to the Public, which studied 6,000
project activities over a five-year period and documented the importance
of state libraries to planning and evaluation of library services, the
use of technology to transform the delivery of library services, and the
role of libraries in strengthening human capital in communities across
the U.S.

Exhibiting Public Value: Government Funding for Museums in the United
States, which examined funding from a variety of sources at the federal,
state, and local level and found gaps. It found that overall federal
funding for museums was concentrated in specific geographic areas and
specific museum types. (IMLS was the only federal agency found to
support museums of all types and in every state for all seven years
examined in the study.) While the study shed light on the rich
complexity of museum funding, it called for more research. Specifically,
there is a great need for a consistent, reliable museum census, greater
standardization of data in the field and among funders and
administrative data managers, more information about the nature of
museum support at all levels of government, and a more systematic
analysis of the human or social impact of museum services.

A Public Trust at Risk: The Heritage Health Index Report on the State of
America's Collections, a project of Heritage Preservation and IMLS,
which revealed that our collections of objects, documents, and digital
material are not only essential to America's cultural health, but are
imperiled and in need of swift protective action. The study estimated
that 190 million objects held by archives, historical societies,
libraries, museums, and scientific organizations in the United States
are in need of conservation treatment; 65 percent of collecting
institutions have experienced damage to collections due to improper
storage; 80 percent of collecting institutions do not have an emergency
plan that includes collections, with staff trained to carry it out; and
40 percent of institutions have no funds allocated in their annual
budgets for preservation or conservation.

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 123,000 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. 

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