FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 2010

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

Thirty-three Institutions with Living Collections
To Receive IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf

Washington, DC—Dr. Anne-Imelda Radice, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), announced today that 33 institutions with living collections will 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. Click here for a list of recipients.

“From aquaria to zoos, living collections cultivate in all of us an appreciation for the natural world and an understanding of the need to protect it,” Radice said. “We trust that the IMLS Bookshelf will provide these institutions valuable resources to help care for their plant and animal collections.”

The institutions are located in 19 states, with the Midwest and Southeast states representing the largest number of applications. More than half (19) of the awardee institutions are zoos. Other types of institutions receiving the Bookshelf include four arboreta/botanical gardens, one aquarium, and two nature centers.

This special round of awards completes the competitive process for U.S. institutions to apply for the Bookshelf, which consists of a core set of 12 resources, including several items developed especially for the Bookshelf. In addition to the core resources, institutions with living collections will receive six texts specifically designed to address collections care issues related to plants and animals. 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.

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.

Distribution of the IMLS Bookshelf was made possible through a cooperative agreement with the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), IMLS’s cooperating partner. 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 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.