TO:  LIBRARY AND MUSEUM SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

FROM: IMLS OFFICE OF PUBLIC & LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS

Opening Remarks of Dr. Robert S. Martin, Director, Institute of Museum and
Library Services

Hearing on Equipping Museums and Libraries for the 21st Century, Thursday,
February 14, 2002

Before the House Subcommittee on Select Education

Good morning Mr. Chairman and members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for
giving us the opportunity to be with you here this morning to testify on
behalf of the reauthorization of the Museum and Library Services Act.  We
have provided you with detailed written testimony and request that it be
entered into the record.  What I would like to do now is take a few moments
to speak informally and directly to you about this important legislation.

At the close of the 104th Congress this committee counted among its
accomplishments the creation of a new Federal agency, the Institute of
Museum and Library Services. I am very pleased to report to you now, five
years later, that your confidence was not ill founded - the Institute is
indeed a success.
We know that for democracy to survive and thrive, for people to be able to
participate freely and effectively in governing themselves, citizens must be
both educated and informed. The founders of our nation knew this, and often
spoke of the importance of education.

Libraries and museums are central to educating and informing the citizens of
our country. They preserve our rich and diverse culture and history and
transmit it from one generation to the next. They supply accurate and
dependable information to citizens and to their leaders alike, for use in
their everyday work. They are cornerstones of community engagement and help
us find connections to each other and the world in which we live.  And they
provide rich and stimulating opportunities for recreation and enjoyment.

Museums and libraries perform many roles and functions in their communities,
but the most important function is to provide the resources and services
that support public education in the broadest sense.  The rationale that
drove the creation of the Institute of Museum and Library Services five
years ago was the simple recognition that museums and libraries are both
social agencies of public education.

The Federal role in supporting our nations museums and libraries is limited,
but extremely important.  The funds distributed by the IMLS are but a small
portion of the total resources available for library and museum services.
But they play an extremely vital role in enhancing the services available to
our communities.  The programs we offer at IMLS foster leadership,
creativity and innovation.  They build the capacity of local institutions.
And they leverage substantial local, state and private support.

Today, libraries and museums are changing dramatically.  The advent of
networked digital information technology means that we now can be linked
instantly to almost limitless information resources anywhere in the world.
This simple fact transforming the concept of what a museum or library is.
Libraries and museums have embraced the tremendous possibilities inherent in
digital technology, and have taken an active role in developing its
potential.

As we boldly move to embrace the new world of digital possibilities,
however, we must not forget that these technologies do not really replace
the old technologies.  The new and the old must continue to exist side by
side.  The new technology in fact enables the museums and libraries to
extend their reach, acquainting ever newer audiences with their rich
resources and enticing them to come to make use of them onsite.

So with all the talk of "virtual libraries" and "museums without walls" we
must not loose sight of the fact that we still need REAL libraries, and
museums WITH walls.  We must not loose the notion of the libraries and
museums as a place: a place where parents can bring their children into
contact with the world of learning and literacy in a social setting,
interacting with other parents and children; a place where trained and
caring people can teach the neophyte how to use technology; a place where
expert professionals can help sort through the mass of information available
on the Internet, and distinguish the valid and relevant from the unreliable
and irrelevant; a place where you can still just curl up with a good book or
interact with authentic objects; a place that is a vibrant and vital center
of community life.

At IMLS we are proud of the role we play in strengthening our nation's
museums and libraries, enabling them to extend their capacity to serve their
communities.  We believe that with our limited resources and our small but
dedicated staff, we accomplish great things for America.  We are confident
that our track record justifies continuation, and that the Museum and
Library Services Act merits rapid reauthorization.

Thank you for your attention.


Eileen Maxwell
Public Affairs Specialist
Institute of Museum and Library Services
1100 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Suite 510
Washington, DC  20506
202-606-8339
202-606-8591 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
Subscribe to Primary Source, the IMLS monthly e-mail newsletter, for
important museum and library news http://www.imls.gov/utility/subscrbe.htm.

=========================================================
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).