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The
American Association for State and Local History (AASLH)
Chosen
As Cooperator for the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf;
Getty and Henry Luce Foundations Provide Substantial Support
Washington, DC--The
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has chosen
the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH)
as the cooperator for the IMLS Connecting to Collections
Bookshelf, a component of the Institute’s initiative,
Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action.
The bookshelf will also receive substantial support from
the Getty Foundation and the Henry Luce Foundation.
IMLS launched Connecting to Collections:
A Call to Action in response to the A Public Trust
at Risk: the Heritage Health Index Report on the State
of America’s Collections, a 2005 study, principally
supported by IMLS, that documented the dire state of the
nation’s collections. Conducted by Heritage Preservation,
the study also received support from the J. Paul Getty
Trust, the Henry Luce Foundation, and other funders.
“Without attention now, many museum
and library collections will be lost. That is why the
IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf is so important,”
said IMLS Director Anne-Imelda Radice Director, PhD. “With
the help of our outstanding cooperator, the American Association
of State and Local History, and the generous support of
the Getty Foundation and the Luce Foundation, thousands
of small and medium-sized institutions will receive the
bookshelf, full of expert information and resources.”
The bookshelf will provide small and medium-sized
libraries and museums with essential resources needed
to improve the condition of their collections. A collection
of core texts, recommended by a panel of experts in the
field and selected by IMLS, will be distributed free of
charge to 2,000 institutions. The bookshelf focuses on
collections typically found in art or history museums
and in libraries' special collections, with an added selection
of texts for zoos, aquaria, gardens, and nature centers.
The bookshelf will include books, bibliographies, DVDs,
and a guide to online resources. It will address such
topics as the philosophy and ethics of collecting, collection
management and planning, emergency preparedness, and culturally
specific conservation issues.
Under the cooperative agreement, AASLH will
purchase and distribute the IMLS Connecting to Collections
Bookshelf. Recipients will include attendees at Connecting
to Collections events as well as institutions that apply
for the bookshelf using a simple electronic process. AASLH
will also mount a promotional campaign about the initiative
and bookshelf, with special attention to raising awareness
and soliciting requests for the bookshelf from small and
medium-sized museums, libraries, and archives.
Guidelines for applying for the IMLS Connecting
to Collections Bookshelf will be announced on September
1, 2007, with the first deadline set for November 15,
2007. The first bookshelf recipients will be announced
in February 2008. The second application deadline will
be April 15, 2008, with recipients announced in July 2008.
The Getty Foundation, which provides support
to organizations and individuals around the world for
projects that advance the understanding and conservation
of the visual arts, is contributing $300,000 to support
the bookshelf. The Henry Luce Foundation, which supports
projects that are crucial to the development and preservation
of the field of American art, is providing $200,000 to
the project.
In addition to the bookshelf, the initiative
includes:
- A national conservation summit to be held in Washington,
DC, June 27-28, 2007. This summit will be attended by
representatives of small and mid-sized museums and libraries
in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto
Rico, all of whom will receive the Conservation Bookshelf.
- Four conservation forums to take place in cities
across the nation beginning in January 2008 and continuing
through June 2009.
- Planning grants to each state, commonwealth, and
territory for the purpose of creating conservation/preservation
plans that address the recommendations of the Heritage
Health Index.
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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. www.imls.gov.
The American Association for State
and Local History is a non-profit membership
organization comprised of individuals, agencies, and organizations
acting in the public trust, engaged in the practice of
history and representing a variety of disciplines and
professions. It provides leadership and support for its
members who preserve and interpret state and local history
in order to make the past more meaningful to all Americans.
www.aaslh.org.
 The
Getty Foundation provides support to institutions
and individuals throughout the world, funding a diverse
range of projects that promote the understanding and conservation
of the visual arts. The Foundation is part of the J. Paul
Getty Trust which also includes the J. Paul Getty Museum,
the Getty research Institute, and the Getty Conservation
Institute.
www.getty.edu/foundation.
 The
Henry Luce Foundation was established in 1936
by the late Henry R. Luce, co-founder and editor-in-chief
of Time Inc. With assets of approximately $750 million,
the Luce Foundation also supports higher education, Asian
affairs, theology, women in science and engineering, and
public policy and the environment. www.hluce.org.
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