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/2008/080508.shtm


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5, 2008

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

776 Museums, Libraries, and Archives Selected to Receive IMLS Connecting
to Collections Bookshelf 

Washington,DC-Dr. Anne-Imelda Radice, Director of the Institute of
Museum and Library Services (IMLS), announced today that 776 museums,
libraries, and archives, representing every state, the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam have been
selected to receive the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf. The
contents of the bookshelf were selected by a blue ribbon panel of
conservation experts; it includes an essential set of books, online
resources, and a user's guide that can profoundly affect the ability of
small libraries and museums to care for their collections.
To see the list of recipients, go to
http://www.imls.gov/news/2008/080508_list.shtm

"The Connecting to Collections Bookshelf provides museums, libraries,
and archives essential instructions on how to rescue treasures of
yesteryear that they hold in trust," said Radice. "These Bookshelves,
once they are all distributed, will touch institutions around the
nation."

The IMLS Bookshelf was made possible by a cooperative agreement with the
American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) with support
from the Getty Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, and the Samuel H.
Kress Foundation. It is part of Connecting to Collections: A Call to
Action, a strategic initiative by IMLS to address the challenges
described in A Public Trust at Risk: The Heritage Health Index Report on
the State of America's Collections. The report concluded that:
* 190 million objects need conservation treatment, 
* 65 percent of collecting institutions have damaged collections due to
improper storage, 
* 80 percent of collecting institutions lack an emergency plan for their
collections and trained staff to carry it out, and 
* 40 percent of institutions have no funds allocated in their annual
budget for preservation and conservation.

Most recipients have small budgets and staff, and have demonstrated an
urgent need for this permanent resource. History museums, historic
houses, and academic libraries with special collections are especially
well represented among the recipients. Ten zoos, aquaria, botanical
gardens, and nature centers are also represented. In addition, ten art
museums with Kress Collection items will receive the bookshelf with
funding from the Kress Foundation. Recipients are located in 327 of the
nation's 435 congressional districts.

"Given the Getty's longstanding commitment to the care of museum and
archival collections, we are pleased to partner with IMLS and other
foundations to provide key conservation resources to the institutions
that most need them," said Getty Foundation Director Deborah Marrow. 

"We are delighted to help make this important material reach so many
institutions around the country," said Ellen Holtzman, Program Director
for American Art at the Henry Luce Foundation.

"The Kress Foundation is delighted to be working with IMLS to ensure the
broadest possible access to this important reference resource," said Max
Marmor, President of the Kress Foundation.

The IMLS Bookshelf focuses on collections typically found in art or
history museums and in libraries' special collections, with an added
selection of texts for living collections. It addresses topics including
the philosophy and ethics of collecting, collections management and
planning, emergency preparedness, and culturally specific conservation
issues. Among the publications selected were The National Trust Manual
of Housekeeping (published by the British National Trust in 2005), the
Field Guide to Emergency Response (published by Heritage Preservation in
2006), and Essentials of Conservation Biology (published by Primack in
2006). 

Based on the enthusiastic response to the bookshelf, IMLS will offer a
third round of competition to distribute an additional 1000 Bookshelves.
Applications can be submitted to AASLH between January 5, 2009, and
March 9, 2009, at www.aaslh.org/Bookshelf/.

Federally-operated institutions, for-profit institutions, and libraries
that do not hold special collections are not eligible to receive the
IMLS Bookshelf. For more information, please contact Terry Jackson at
[log in to unmask] or 615-320-3203. 

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 the American Association for State and Local History
The American Association for State and Local History is a non-profit
membership organization comprising individuals, agencies, and
organizations acting in the public trust, engaged in the practice of
history, and representing a variety of disciplines and professions. It
provides leadership and support for its members who preserve and
interpret state and local history in order to make the past more
meaningful to all Americans. To learn more, visit www.aaslh.org.

About the Getty Foundation
The Getty Foundation provides support to institutions and individuals
throughout the world, funding a diverse range of projects that promote
the understanding and conservation of the visual arts. The Foundation is
part of the J. Paul Getty Trust which also includes the J. Paul Getty
Museum, the Getty Research Institute, and the Getty Conservation
Institute. To learn more, visit www.getty.edu/foundation.

About the Henry Luce Foundation
The Henry Luce Foundation was established in 1936 by the late Henry R.
Luce, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Time Inc. With assets of
approximately $750 million, the Luce Foundation supports American art,
higher education, Asian affairs, theology, and women in science and
engineering. To learn more, visit www.hluce.org.

About the Samuel H. Kress Foundation
The Samuel H. Kress Foundation was created in 1929 and devotes its
resources to advancing the scholarship, conservation and enjoyment of
works of European art. The Kress Foundation's programs focus on the
preservation of significant monuments of European art and architecture,
as well as the nurturing of professional expertise in art history and
art conservation. To learn more, visit www.kressfoundation.org.

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