FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2009

IMLS Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, jmjoseth@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov

IMLS Holds Special Competition for Institutions with Living Collections

To Apply for IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf

Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today that it will hold a special competition for institutions with living collections to receive the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf. Institutions with living collections of plants and animals include aquaria, arboreta, botanical gardens, nature centers, historical houses with gardens, living history farms, and zoos. From October 19 through November 20, the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), IMLS’s cooperating partner, will accept applications for the free bookshelf at www.aaslh.org/Bookshelf/.

“The role that plants and animals have played in American history is just as important as the maps, paintings, and books held in our nation’s museums,” said Anne-Imelda Radice, IMLS Director. “The Institute is proud to share these resources with institutions that are caring for living collections.”

The IMLS Bookshelf is a component of Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action, a strategic initiative by IMLS to address the challenges described in A Public Trust at Risk: The Heritage Health Index Report on the State of America’s Collections, an IMLS-funded study conducted by Heritage Preservation.

The version of the Bookshelf available to living collections institutions consists of a core set of 12 resources, including several items developed especially for the Bookshelf. It also includes six texts specifically designed to address collections care issues related to plants and animals. The titles include:

LIVING COLLECTIONS

• Dr. Burgess’s Mini Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes (Burgess, Warren E., 1992).
• Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine (Fowler, Murray E. and R. Eric Miller, 2007).
• The Darwin Technical Manual for Botanic Gardens (London: Botanic Gardens Conservation International, 1998).
• Essentials of Conservation Biology (Primack, Richard B., 2006).
• Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. Montreal: Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
• Building a Future for Wildlife: The World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy (World Association of Zoos and Aquariums).

THE CORE COLLECTION

• IPI Media Storage Quick Reference (Adelstein, Peter Z., 2004).
• Framework for Preservation of Museum Collections (Canadian Conservation Institute, Department of Canadian Heritage, 2004).
• The AIC Guide to Digital Photography and Conservation Documentation (Frey, Franziska, Dawn Heller, Dan Kushel, Timothy Vitale, Jeffrey Warda, and GawainWeaver, 2008).
• Preservation Management for Libraries (Gorman, G. E., and Sydney J. Shep, eds., 2006).
• Capitalize on Collections Care (Heritage Preservation, The National Institute for Conservation, 2007).
• Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel (Heritage Preservation, 2005).
• Field Guide to Emergency Response (Heritage Preservation, 2006).
• International Review of African American Art: Collecting, Conservation, and Collaborations (2007).
• A Legal Primer on Managing Museum Collections (Malaro, Marie C., 1985).
• Museum Handbook Part I: Museum Collections (National Park Service, 2006).
• Caring for American Indian Objects: A Practical and Cultural Guide (Ogden, Sherelyn, ed., 2004).
• The Nature of Conservation: A Race Against Time (Getty Trust Publications, 2007).

Institutions that have already received any version of the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf are ineligible to apply. The IMLS Bookshelf was made possible through a cooperative agreement with the AASLH. The contents of the bookshelf were selected by a blue ribbon panel of conservation experts with valuable curation and selection advice provided by Heritage Preservation. IMLS also received support from the Getty Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation.

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 123,000 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.

About the American Association for State and Local History
The American Association for State and Local History is a non-profit membership organization comprising 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. To learn more, visit www.aaslh.org.

About the Getty Foundation
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. To learn more, visit http://www.getty.edu/foundation.

About the Henry Luce 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 supports American art, higher education, Asian affairs, theology, and women in science and engineering. To learn more, visit www.hluce.org.

About the Samuel H. Kress Foundation
The Samuel H. Kress Foundation was created in 1929 and devotes its resources to advancing the scholarship, conservation and enjoyment of works of European art. The Kress Foundation’s programs focus on the preservation of significant monuments of European art and architecture, as well as the nurturing of professional expertise in art history and art conservation. To learn more, visit www.kressfoundation.org.