FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2005

Press Contacts
For Institute of Museum and Library Services:
Eileen Maxwell: 202-653-4632, emaxwell@imls.gov

For Corporation for Public Broadcasting:
Michael Levy: 202-879-9758, mlevy@cpb.org

Libraries, Museums, and Public Broadcasters to Address Community Needs

Washington, DC—The Partnership for a Nation of Learners—a collaboration between the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)—today announced its first-ever community collaboration grants. The grants, totaling $1,447,022, will fund museums, libraries, and public broadcasters in seven communities as they work together to address specific, jointly identified community needs ranging for asthma education to historic material conservation.

“Public broadcasters, libraries and museums have a unique ability to connect people to their communities, and communities to the resources, ideas, and knowledge that they need to solve problems,” Patricia Harrison, President and CEO of CPB said. “Using these grants, public broadcasters, museums, and libraries in the seven communities will be able address local concerns in tangible and valuable ways.”

“Why partner? Because joining forces leverages the assets, the creativity and the expertise of public broadcasters, libraries and museums and makes it possible for them to serve communities in powerful ways.” said Mary Chute, Acting Director of IMLS. “These grantees are tackling real community concerns such as childhood asthma, diabetes and drug and alcohol abuse; they are helping people succeed with English language literacy, and GED programs, and involving the whole of the community in science literacy activities; they are helping communities preserve local history.”

The Partnership for a Nation of Learners received 132 eligible applications requesting over $26 million for this $1.4 million grant program, signaling the enormous interest and need for programs of this kind. Public broadcasting, museum, and library professionals reviewed every application in this highly competitive program and made recommendations for funding. Grants were awarded to partnerships in Boston, MA; South Portland, ME; St. Johnsbury, VT; Charleston, WV; Haines, AK; Lincoln, NE; and Las Vegas, NV. The grant recipients will match the awards with an additional $1,781,763. Click here for a list of project descriptions.

The Partnership for a Nation of Learners (PNL) is a Corporation for Public Broadcasting- Institute of Museum and Library Services leadership initiative. Our shared mission is to serve America’s communities by encouraging and enabling museums, public broadcasters, and libraries to work together to address locally-identified lifelong learning needs and opportunities. Working together, they can be catalysts for vibrant, energized communities and build a foundation for an educated and informed citizenry. Visit http://www.partnershipforlearners.org for information about funding, a tutorial on partnership and more.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,000 locally owned and operated public television and radio stations nationwide, and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television, and related on-line services.