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/2008/022708.shtm.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 27, 2008
IMLS Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, [log in to unmask]
Mamie Bittner, [log in to unmask]
IMLS Holds First Conservation Forum in Atlanta Jan. 31-Feb. 1; Webcast
Available Now
WASHINGTON, DC-Three hundred museum, library, and archive professionals
from 41 states and the District of Columbia gathered in Atlanta on
January 31 and February 1 for the forum, "Preserving America's Diverse
Heritage," sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services
(IMLS) in partnership with Heritage Preservation. This was the first of
four meetings around the country held to raise awareness about the
nation's valuable and endangered collections. IMLS, the primary source
of federal support for the nation's museums and libraries, launched the
forums as part of the national initiative, Connecting to Collections: A
Call to Action (see http://www.imls.gov/collections). The multi-year,
multi-faceted initiative aims to help museums and libraries save their
collections from poor storage conditions, pest infestation, and exposure
to light, humidity, and high temperatures.
A webcast of Preserving America's Diverse Heritage is available at
http://www.tvworldwide.com/events/heritage_preservation/080131.
"Yours are collections that truly touch lives," IMLS Director Dr.
Anne-Imelda Radice said in her opening remarks. "Whether they are
African American, Latino, Asian American, or Native American, these are
memories, family oral histories, letters, and sound recordings that
bring unparalleled perspective to visitors." Without immediate
attention, some 190 million objects may be lost in only a few short
years, said Radice, citing the Heritage Health Index report (see
http://www.heritagepreservation.org/hhi).
Preserving collections is really about "finding concrete ways to help us
all remember," said Lonnie G. Bunch III, Keynote Speaker and Director of
the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and
Culture. "I think about a small table that my institution collected. It
is a small table from a South Carolina plantation, made of cheap wood
that was not meant to last. Yet its survival speaks volumes about the
experiences of the enslaved. Looking at the indentations - one can
almost feel the hands falling heavily on the table after a long day in
the field - one can only imagine the conversation of disappointment,
fear - but also of hope for a 'better day' - and there are thousands of
objects that can help us to remember," Bunch said.
Remembering goes beyond preserving objects in museums and libraries,
said Sven Haakanson, Jr., Executive Director of the Alutiiq Museum in
Kodiak, AK, and a member of the Alutiiq people. Inspired by the living
traditions of Nenet reindeer herders in Siberia, with whom he lived for
a year, Haakanson returned to Alaska determined to reawaken knowledge of
Alutiiq culture. He began teaching Alutiiq youth traditional games,
crafts, and language, which the children then shared with their parents.
"We are helping our community overcome a hurtful past, generating new
dialog about Native traditions, and illustrating the great power of
collaboration," he wrote in a panel abstract.
The forum, held at the High Museum of Art and Woodruff Arts Center,
featured panels on the significance of, and challenges facing, diverse
collections, special issues involved in the care of diverse collections,
and fundamental collections care. The final panel focused on connecting
to funding and the public. Forty percent of collecting institutions have
no funds in their annual budgets for fundamental collections care. In
response to this need, Shirley Mitchell, Bank of America Senior Vice
President, announced the formation of the American Heritage Preservation
Program by the Bank of America Charitable Foundation in partnership with
IMLS. Some 150 grants of $3,000 each will be awarded over three years to
help preserve treasures held in small museums, libraries, and archives.
The two organizations will each contribute $225,000 to the new program.
Bank of America and forum sponsor UPS both generously contributed to
last year's purchase of the Martin Luther King, Jr. papers, said Atlanta
Mayor Shirley Franklin. Citizens and businesses raised the $32 million
purchase price in just 11 days.
"It shows that people in America want to save their history," Franklin
said.
National Endowment for the Humanities Chairman Bruce Cole noted that
preserving the nation's collections "can't be done by one agency or one
group. That's why working together is so important."
"All of us are in this together," Radice said at the forum's conclusion.
"We care deeply about history and about the legacy we leave to future
generations of learners and citizens. You ensure that our nation's most
important and diverse collections live on for future generations. Your
history is indeed our history."
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.
IMLS encourages webcast viewers to share this resource with colleagues.
If you have questions about use of this material, please contact
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