FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2005

Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Eileen Maxwell, emaxwell@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov

IMLS and AAM Host Museum and Library Day May 3, 2005 at Annual Meeting in Indianapolis

Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the American Association of Museums (AAM) are proud to host the first-ever Museum and Library Day at AAM’s Annual Meeting & MUSEUMEXPO™ (May 1-5) on Tuesday, May 3, 2005, at the Indiana Convention Center (Indianapolis).

"Encouraging partnerships between libraries and museums has been a focal point of IMLS since passage of the Museum and Library Services Act in 1996,” said Dr. Robert S. Martin, Director of IMLS. “Over the years we have become ever more convinced of the power of collaboration. Museum and Library Day at the American Association of Museums Annual Meeting promises to inform practice and spur innovation.”

In partnership with AAM, three IMLS sessions will explore: innovative collaborations between museums, libraries, and public broadcasting that advance community goals; business planning for sustaining digital asset management programs; and new partnership models that involve museums, libraries, and other community organizations in creating effective learning communities. AAM has also collaborated with the American Library Association (ALA) to bring author and Poet Laureate of the State of Connecticut, Marilyn Nelson for the keynote address at the general session on Museum and Library Day.

TUESDAY, MAY 3-MUSEUM AND LIBRARY DAY AT AAM ANNUAL MEETING & MUSEUMEXPO™

9:00 – 10:15 a.m.
Business Planning for Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections
This session will address strategies for the sustainability of digital asset management programs in cultural heritage institutions; cover the business planning template presented in the report, “Business Planning for Cultural Heritage Institutions: A Framework and Resource Guide to Assist Cultural Heritage Institutions with Business Planning for Sustainability of Digital Asset Management Programs;” and follow a useful museum case study from the report, including commentary by a museum expert.

10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m
General Session: Keynote Speaker Marilyn Nelson
Marilyn Nelson is the author of six books of poetry, two children’s collections, and several chapbooks. Her work has appeared in numerous anthologies and literary collections. She is the author of Carver: A Life in Poems, which received the Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King Honor. In 2001, Nelson was named Poet Laureate for the State of Connecticut. Her forthcoming children’s book, A Wreath for Emmett Till, is a tribute to a boy whose lynching helped ignite the Civil Rights Movement. Hailed as a vital American voice, Nelson speaks of our past and present from her perspective as a daughter, mother, wife, artist, teacher, friend, and African American. In collaboration with the American Library Association

2:00 – 3:15 p.m.
Blending Cultures, Building Relationships: Museums, Libraries, and Public Broadcasting
Leaders in museums, libraries, and public broadcasting will draw on their own experiences to explore the opportunities, challenges, and public value of collaborations among museums, libraries and public broadcasting stations serving community and educational goals. You’ll benefit from specific strategies, tactics, and indicators for successful collaboration, with a focus on the need to blend diverse organizational cultures toward common goals. Then, you’ll learn more about the Partnership for a Nation of Learners, a multi-part grant-making, professional development, and public awareness initiative supported through a partnership between the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

3:30 – 4:45 p.m.
Charting the Landscape/Mapping New Paths: Museums, Libraries and the K-12 Years - What do Learners Need?
“Charting the Landscape/Mapping New Paths: Museums, Libraries & K-12,” a 2004 workshop convened by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, positioned learning as a community-wide responsibility supported by a number of institutions, including museums, libraries, and schools. Hear three leaders who participated in the workshop use their respective vantage points from museums, libraries, and school reform to present emerging visions of learning communities and the respective roles of museums, libraries, schools, and other organizations. Participate in audience discussion and debate, and hear recommendations on ways museums and libraries can plan for expanded opportunities, and position themselves within communities for greater public value.

ABOUT AAM
As the national service organization representing the American museum community, the American Association of Museums addresses the needs of museums to enhance their ability to serve the public. AAM disseminates information on current standards and best practices and provides professional development for staff to ensure that museums contribute to public education in its broadest sense and protect and preserve our cultural heritage. Since its founding in 1906, AAM has grown to more than 16,500 members, including more than 10,500 individual members, 2,700 corporate members, and more than 3,200 museums. http://www.aam-us.org.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is an independent federal grant-making agency dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation of learners by helping libraries and museums serve their communities. The Institute fosters leadership, innovation, and a lifetime of learning by supporting the nation's 17,500 museums and 122,000 libraries. The Institute also encourages partnerships to expand the educational benefit of libraries and museums. To learn more about the Institute, please visit: http://www.imls.gov.