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/2008/040908.shtm.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2008
IMLS Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, [log in to unmask]
Mamie Bittner, [log in to unmask]
Mississippi and Louisiana Museums Receive Hurricane Relief Awards
WASHINGTON, DC--Eleven museums in Mississippi and Louisiana will receive Hurricane Relief Awards totaling $225,000 to assist in their continuing recovery from Hurricane Katrina, announced Anne-Imelda Radice, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) on April 9, 2008.
IMLS made the awards in partnership with the Atlanta-based Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC). The awards cover museum operations such as creating new materials to attract visitors, collections management, supplies and equipment, conservation of damaged objects, educational programming and archival storage needs.
"The Hurricane Relief Awards are part of IMLS's ongoing commitment to support museums and libraries in the affected gulf coast region. Our past efforts to support gulf coast museums focused on emergency conservation and collections care," Radice said. "These new grants fund a much broader range of activities such as public programs and institutional infrastructure. We could not have done this without our partner SEMC and its expert knowledge of the area museums and the ability to reach out to the institutions."
"SEMC is delighted to be partnering with IMLS to continue providing much needed assistance to museums so severely affected by damage from Hurricane Katrina on the gulf coast. One of SEMC's goals is to continue to provide assistance to southeastern museums affected by natural disasters, and we hope to be able to assist other museums in the future," said Richard Waterhouse, SEMC Executive Director.
"These grants for rebuilding museums are a vital part of the ongoing federal commitment to improve education and quality of life for citizens across the gulf coast. Today's announcement is another positive step forward for the region and its recovery," said Paul Conway, Interim Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding.
The eleven grant recipients are:
Louisiana
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum - Madisonville, LA
Award Amount: $25,000
Contact: Dr. Jay Martin, Director
(985)845-9200; [log in to unmask]
Project Title: "Conservation of Damaged Lighthouse"
The Tchefuncte Lighthouse is the oldest and most intact of the lighthouses in the New Orleans area. The museum oversees this structure and will use the IMLS grant of $25,000 to restore and stabilize the lighthouse's windows, door, and external brickwork that were damaged in the hurricane.
Hermann-Grima/Gallier Historic Houses - New Orleans, LA
Award Amount: $19,577
Contact: Ms. Carolyn Bercier, Deputy Director (504)525-5661; [log in to unmask] Project Title: "Purchase of Conservation Equipment"
The damage from the storm highlighted the museum's need for basic conservation tools for daily maintenance and recovery of its collections. It will receive $19,577 to purchase a variety of conservation equipment (e.g., thermohygrometers, acid free storage boxes, dehumidifiers) and routine maintenance items (e.g., vacuums, mat cutters, flat file storage).
Longue Vue House and Gardens - New Orleans, LA
Award Amount: $24,375
Contact: Ms. Bonnie Goldblum, Executive Director (504)488-5488; [log in to unmask] Project Title: "Replacement of Damaged Technology Equipment"
The waters from Hurricane Katrina flooded the basement of the facility, which housed all the technical equipment to run the museum's computer systems. The museum will receive $24,375 to replace servers, hard drives, and software and to pay for data conversion.
Ogden Museum of Southern Art - New Orleans, LA
Award Amount: $13,574
Contact: Dr. J. Gruber, Director
(504)539-9605; [log in to unmask]
Project Title: "Salary Support for an Administration Assistant"
An IMLS grant of $13,574 will be used to hire a part-time administrative assistant. After the hurricanes in 2005, the museum reopened to large crowds eager to reconnect with others in the New Orleans community. This new position will assist the current museum staff with museum programming, collections management duties, and preparations for traveling exhibitions.
Louisiana Children's Museum - New Orleans, LA
Award Amount: $18,091
Contact: Ms. Julia Bland, Executive Director (504)586-0725x201; [log in to unmask] Project Title: "Expand Learning Pathways Program to Local School Groups"
The Children's Museum will expand on a 2003 Learning Opportunities Grant to implement learning pathways for children through the museum's exhibits. The planned opening of this project was delayed when Hurricane Katrina closed the museum. This $18,091 grant will allow several activities to resume, including hiring curriculum and education staff, training local teachers, and subsidizing admission and bus transportation for New Orleans area children.
Historic New Orleans Collection - New Orleans, LA
Award Amount: $18,052
Contact: Mr. Burl Salmon, Director of Development and External Affairs (504)598-7173; [log in to unmask] Project Title: "Support an Ongoing Study to Engage Community"
The museum was the first in the New Orleans area to reopen after the 2005 hurricanes, and it found its audience and attendance had changed significantly: there was a sudden increase in visitors to special exhibitions and a decrease in other museum activities. This $18,052 grant will be used for a community audience study to enable the museum to better understand and meet the needs of the post-hurricane New Orleans population.
Mississippi
Ohr- O'Keefe Museum of Art - Biloxi, MS
Award Amount: $10,650
Contact: Ms. Holly Zinner, Executive Director (228)473-5547; [log in to unmask] Project Title: "Purchase of Collection Storage Materials"
The important pottery collection of this museum was moved offsite due to damage from Hurricane Katrina and will be periodically rotated back to the museum for exhibition. IMLS funds of $10,650 will be used for crates and storage materials for the ceramic objects to ensure their safety during shipping between the museum and the storage site.
Maritime Seafood Industry Museum - Biloxi, MS
Award Amount: $25,000
Contact: Ms. Robin David, Executive Director (228)435-6320; [log in to unmask] Project Title: "Conservation of Damaged Artifacts and Expanded Archival Storage"
The museum was severely damaged by the hurricane, and this grant of $25,000 will support conservation of damaged artifacts and expanded archival storage. The museum was able to rescue a number of damaged items in its collection and will begin treatment under a plan for object conservation approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In addition, the museum will use IMLS funds to expand the educational components of a camp for local artists.
Lynn Meadows Discovery Center - Gulfport, MS
Award Amount: $25,000
Contact: Ms. Kathryn Shanks, Interim Director (228)248-0071; [log in to unmask] Project Title: "Continue Outreach Programs to Local School Groups"
This museum is across the street from the Gulf of Mexico, and incurred extensive hurricane damage. With many of the museum's constituents still in FEMA trailers, roads not completely repaired, and schools not fully functioning, the museum's grant will go to reaching children and their families through the Expressions program, which includes science, art, drama, and hands-on activities. This award will enable this program to continue for the full 2007/08 academic year.
William Carey University - Hattiesburg, MS
Award Amount: $20,882
Contact: Ms. Iris Easterling, Assistant Professor of Language & Literature (601)318-6148; [log in to unmask] Project Title: "Support for Conservator"
The campus of the university sustained severe damage from the 2005 hurricanes, and the building that houses the art museum was completely destroyed. All supporting collection materials were lost. An IMLS grant of $20,882 will be used to conserve seventeen damaged works prior to their reframing, to support a registrar to assess and recover information about the collection, and for archival storage for the works of art.
Walter Anderson Museum of Art - Ocean Springs, MS
Award Amount: $24,799
Contact: Ms. Gayle Petty-Johnson, Executive Director (228)972-3164; [log in to unmask] Project Title: "Support Program with New Software and Membership Manager"
The museum will use the $24,799 grant from IMLS to expand infrastructure and to hire a membership manager to reach out to the local community. The museum has addressed the physical damage to the building and collection from Hurricane Katrina, but it is still struggling to achieve full staffing. This grant will support a crucial position, buy software and hardware, and pay for publishing a brochure about the museum's programs.
In 2007, IMLS made a commitment to provide support for museums affected by Hurricane Katrina. The $350,000, two-part Hurricane Relief Awards also included a partnership between Tulane University's Amistad Research Center and the Ashé Cultural Arts Center, both in New Orleans, and the River Road African American Museum in Donaldsonville, LA. The organizations, which focus on African American history, art, and culture, shared a $100,000 grant to improve access to collections, communicate with members, and enhance their ability to attract new audiences.
In addition to the Hurricane Relief Awards, IMLS provided:
* $670,000 in financial assistance to seven museums in Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi to improve emergency preparedness and response. Read more at http://www.imls.gov/news/2006/032206_annc.shtm.
* $866,284 for SOLINET (Southeastern Library Network), which created staff capacity and strengthened staff skills in 16 public library systems in Louisiana and Mississippi that suffered severe damage and destruction from hurricanes.
* Funding, supported by the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works, for the development of a team of "rapid responders" that can be mobilized to provide emergency assistance to museums in the wake of hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural and man-made disasters. Read more at http://aic.stanford.edu/education/workshops/documents/certdes.pdf.
* Funding for the development of dPlan, a free online program created by the Northeast Document Conservation Center in Andover, MA, which helps institutions write comprehensive disaster plans. Read more at http://www.dplan.org.
* Funding, in conjuction with Heritage Preservation, for the pilot Program for Risk Evaluation and Planning (PREP), to help museums develop disaster plans and create guidelines for first responders and local emergency managers. Read more at http://www.heritagepreservation.org/Update/2006/06faprep.HTM
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.
About the Southeastern Museums Conference
The Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC) fosters professionalism, mutual support and communications among its members and the larger museum community. A nonprofit membership organization, SEMC strives to increase education and professional development opportunities, improve the interchange of ideas and information, and encourage respect and collegiality. Members of the Southeastern Museums Conference are comprised of museum leaders from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. To learn more about SEMC, please visit http://www.semcdirect.net.
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