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Grant Awards Announcement: FY 12 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program

Jun 14, 2012
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced 32 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian (LB21) grants totaling $10,356,498. Recipients are matching these awards with $6,650,021 in non-federal funds. IMLS received 106 LB21 applications this year, requesting a total of $37,815,498. Read More

 
IMLS Announces Grant to Support Libraries’ Roles in National Broadband Adoption Efforts

Jun 14, 2012
Grant to WebJunction will help national digital literacy efforts effectively leverage and support libraries.​ Read More

 
Grant Awards Announcement: Native American Library Services Basic Grants

Jun 12, 2012
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today 235 grants serving 242 tribes and totaling $1,666,000 for the Native American Library Services Basic Grant and Basic Grant with Education/Assessment Option Program. Read More

 
IMLS Awards $50,000 to the Public Library Association to Prototype a Summer Reading App

Jun 06, 2012
Libraries to develop new tools to combat summer learning loss. Read More

 
Call for Nominations: 2013 National Medal for Museum and Library Service
National Medal Image

Jun 01, 2012
The National Medal celebrates libraries and museums that make a difference for individuals, families and communities. Apply by October 15, 2012. Read More

 
New Report Explores Roles of Libraries and Museums in an Era of Participatory Culture
SGS Report 2012 hlt

May 16, 2012
Report from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Salzburg Global Seminar convening of 58 library, museum and cultural heritage leaders from 31 countries to explore the changing nature of "community," "access," "public value" and "participation writ large" in a digital world. Read More

 
WebWise Reprise: Live Online Webinars

May 15, 2012
Back by popular demand! Join IMLS, Heritage Preservation and panelists from WebWise to discuss “Sharing Public History Work: Crowdsourcing Data” and “Oral History in the Digital Age.” Read More

 
Draft Museum Grant Guidelines Available for Public Comment

May 09, 2012
IMLS is working to make its grant applications more clear, concise and well-organized. We encourage interested parties to review our draft and let us know how we’re doing. Read More

 
IMLS and Chinese Ministry of Culture Renew Cultural Exchange Agreement

May 08, 2012
Museum and library professional exchange continues to play an important role in people-to-people engagement between the U.S. and China. Read More

 
Grant Awards Announcement: FY 2012 Conservation Project Support

Apr 26, 2012
The Institute of Museum and Library Services today announced 31 Conservation Project Support grants totaling $2,614,183. Recipients are matching these awards with $4,009,698 in non-federal funds. IMLS received 128 CPS applications this year, requesting a total of $9,954,623. Read More

 
IMLS and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Announce New Initiative to Encourage Partnerships to Improve Early Learning
HHS event reading

Apr 24, 2012
IMLS and the Administration for Children and Families are teaming up to spur collaboration between Head Start and child care programs and libraries to enhance early learning. Read More

 
Call for Applications: Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums

Apr 17, 2012
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications in the Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums grant program, with a deadline of June 15, 2012. Read More

 
New Multimedia Tools Help Museums, Libraries Support 21st Century Skills

Apr 13, 2012
IMLS has made new resources available to museums and libraries looking to build 21st century skills in their communities. Read More

 
IMLS Makes WebWise Video Available

Mar 22, 2012
The Institute of Museum and Library Services today posted the webcast of WebWise 2012 Read More

 
Building Digital Communities: New Resource to Help Communities Bridge the Digital Divide
cover of Building Digital Communities: Getting Started

Mar 21, 2012
IMLS has released Building Digital Communities: A Framework for Action and its companion primer Building Digital Communities: Getting Started, new resources to help set a vision for the future. Read More

 
Call for Applications: Native Hawaiian Library Services Program

Mar 19, 2012
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications in the Native Hawaiian Library Services grant program, with a deadline of May 15, 2012. Read More

 
Call for Applications: Native American Library Services: Enhancement Grants Program

Feb 13, 2012
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications in the Native American Library Services: Enhancement Grants program, with a deadline of May 1, 2012. Read More

 
President Requests $231,953,777 for Institute of Museum and Library Services

Feb 13, 2012
President Obama has requested $231,953,777 for fiscal year 2013 for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), an amount equal to the agency’s current funding. Read More

 
IMLS to Hold Briefing on FY13 Budget Request

Feb 08, 2012
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Director Susan Hildreth and other IMLS officials will present a briefing on the agency’s FY 2013 budget request. Read More

 
State Library Agencies Continue to Provide Valuable Services Despite Severe Cuts in Funding and Staff
cover of StLA Survey 2010 report

Feb 06, 2012
IMLS has released its report on the State Library Survey for fiscal year 2010, providing valuable information to library policy makers and other interested parties. Read More

 
Application Deadline Extended: National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards

Feb 01, 2012
The deadline for applications for the 2012 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards has been extended. Read More

 
Call for Applications: Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Program

Jan 18, 2012
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications in the Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services grant program, with a deadline of April 2, 2012. Read More

 
Call for Applications: 21st Century Museum Professionals

Jan 09, 2012
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications in the 21st Century Museum Professionals grant program, with a deadline of March 15, 2012. Read More

 
Registration Opens for WebWise 2012; Le Var Burton Announced as a Keynote Speaker

Jan 06, 2012
Registration is now open for the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ (IMLS) WebWise Conference, which will take place February 29th-March 2nd at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace in Baltimore, MD. Today conference organizers announced that actor and literacy champion LeVar Burton has been chosen as one of the keynote speakers. Burton will speak on the morning of March 1. Read More

 
IMLS Director Susan Hildreth Welcomes Robert Horton, New IMLS Associate Deputy Director for Library Services

Jan 04, 2012
Statement of IMLS Director Susan Hildreth: I am pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Horton as IMLS Associate Deputy Director for Library Services. In his new position at IMLS, he is responsible for the management of the discretionary grant programs in the Office of Library Services. Read More

 
Call for Applications: Native American Library Services Grant: Basic Grants

Jan 03, 2012
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications in the Native American Library Services Basic Grants grant program, with a deadline of March 1, 2012. Read More

 
IMLS and Partners Award $4.8 Million for “Digging Into Data” Projects

Jan 03, 2012
The Institute of Museum and Library Services and seven global partners today awarded approximately $4.8 million to international research teams investigating how computational techniques may be applied to “big data” —the massive multisource datasets made possible by modern technology. Read More

 
Call for Applications: National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards

Dec 28, 2011
The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, is accepting applications for the 2012 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards. Read More

 
IMLS Fills Two Top Positions

Dec 23, 2011
IMLS Director Susan Hildreth is pleased to announce two recent appointments. Read More

 
Ten Institutions Receive Nation’s Highest Honor for Museum and Library Service
Cokie Roberts

Dec 06, 2011
Ten museums and libraries were awarded the 2011 National Medal for Museum and Library Service in a ceremony. The medal is the highest honor conferred on museums and libraries for service to the community.​ Read More

 
IMLS Commits Up to $2 Million to Advance Goals of the Campaign for Grade Level Reading

Dec 02, 2011
IMLS is committing up to $2 million of FY12 National Leadership Grant funds to advance the goals of the Campaign for Grade Level Reading. The agency has scheduled two Web conferences for prospective applicants to learn more about this new opportunity. Read More

 
IMLS Releases New Five Year Strategic Plan
StratPlanBroc

Dec 02, 2011
Susan Hildreth releases the agency’s new strategic plan for FY 2012 – FY 2016. The plan envisions a democratic society where communities and individuals thrive with broad public access to knowledge, cultural heritage and lifelong learning. Read More

 
Call for Applications: National Leadership Grants

Nov 30, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications in the following grant program: National Leadership Grants. Deadline: February 1, 2012 Read More

 
Call for Applications: Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries and Museums

Nov 30, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications in the following grant program: Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries and Museums. Deadline: February 1, 2012 Read More

 
National Student Poets Program Launches
National Student Poets Program

Nov 21, 2011
The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and IMLS have partnered with the nonprofit the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers to create the National Student Poets Program, the country’s highest honor for youth poets whose original work exhibits exceptional creativity, dedication to craft and promise. Read More

 
Library Visits at Historic High
cover of 2009 Public Library Survey Report

Nov 18, 2011
IMLS reports library visits at record high. Read More

 
Call for Applications: Connecting to Collections Statewide Implementation Grants

Nov 18, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications in the following grant program: Connecting to Collections Statewide Implementation Grants. Deadline: February 1, 2012. Read More

 
National Competition Selects 12 Libraries and Museums to Build Innovative Learning Labs for Teens

Nov 17, 2011
Today, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced the first 12 winners of a national competition to build 21st Century learning labs in museums and libraries around the country. Read More

 
IMLS Awards Grant to OCLC’s WebJunction to Get Communities on the Path to Digital Inclusion

Nov 04, 2011
IMLS has awarded a grant of $249,871 to OCLC’s WebJunction for a project aimed at helping communities across the country get started on the path to digital inclusion. The project will complement IMLS’s efforts to help libraries and other community-based organizations (CBOs) make strategic decisions about providing public access to broadband. Read More

 
IMLS Partners with George Mason University's Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media for 2012 WebWise Conference

Nov 04, 2011
IMLS announced today that George Mason University’s Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media (CHNM), partnering with the Balboa Park Online Collaborative (BPOC), has been chosen to help organize the 2012 WebWise Conference on Libraries and Museums in the Digital Age. Read More

 
First Lady Michelle Obama Honors After-School Programs for Changing Lives and Communities
photo of Teri Hein, Meron Kasahun, and Michelle Obama

Nov 03, 2011
With their personal stories offering dramatic proof that arts and humanities programs can build critical learning and life skills, twelve young people from across the country were awarded the 2011 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award by First Lady Michelle Obama on November 2. Read More

 
IMLS Seeks Input on Proposed Framework for Digitally Inclusive Communities
image of DIC framework

Nov 02, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services, working together with the International City/County Management Association and the University of Washington Information School, is seeking public input on its proposed framework for Building Digitally Inclusive Communities. Read More

 
Call for Applications: Museum Grants for African American History and Culture

Nov 01, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications in the following grant program: Museum Grants for African American History and Culture. Deadline: January 17, 2012. Read More

 
IMLS Announces the 2011 National Medal for Museum and Library Service Recipients
National Medal Image

Oct 25, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has selected five libraries and five museums to receive the 2011 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. Read More

 
Call for Nominations: 2012 National Medal for Museum and Library Service
National Medal Image

Oct 06, 2011
Supporters of outstanding museums and libraries are encouraged to nominate these institutions for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for exemplary museum and library community service. The National Medal honors museums and libraries that make extraordinary civic, educational, economic, environmental, and social contributions. The winners are honored at a National Medal award ceremony held in Washington, D.C.. Read More

 
Grant Awards Announcement: 21st Century Museum Professionals

Sep 27, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today 10 awards totaling $1,989,953 matched with $2,414,685 of non-federal funds for 21st Century Museum Professionals Grants. IMLS received 52 applications requesting $12,979,870 in funds. Read More

 
Grant Awards Announcement: National Leadership Grants

Sep 27, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today 48 awards totaling $14,661,217 matched with $12,929,824 of non-federal funds for National Leadership Grants. IMLS received 210 applications requesting $80,179,046 in funds. Read More

 
Call for Applications: Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program Grant

Sep 23, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications in the following grant program: Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program; Deadline: December 15, 2011. Read More

 
Results Released: Independent Review of Museums for America
MFAEval ExecSummary

Sep 23, 2011
Independent study evaluates the IMLS Museums for America Grants program. The two-year study examines the program’s efficacy in serving the museum community and the impact of the MFA program and MFA-funded projects. Read More

 
Grant Awards Announcement: Native Hawaiian Library Services Program

Sep 20, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today 2 awards totaling $565,700 matched with $166,855 of non-federal funds for Native Hawaiian Library Services Program Grants. IMLS received 2 applications requesting $775,325 in funds. Read More

 
Grant Awards Announcement: Native American Library Services Enhancement Program

Sep 15, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today 15 awards totaling $2,010,695 matched with $965,369 of non-federal funds for Native American Library Services Enhancement Program Grants. IMLS received 45 applications requesting $5,588,368 in funds. Read More

 
Grant Awards Announcement: Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Program

Sep 15, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today 21 awards totaling $984,287 matched with $667,834 of non-federal funds for Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Program Grants. IMLS received 33 applications requesting $1,457,837 in funds. Read More

 
CA, OK, and ME to Host IMLS Digital Inclusion Forums

Sep 09, 2011
IMLS has announced a three-city tour to receive community input on creating digitally inclusive communities. IMLS director, Susan Hildreth will visit Los Angeles, California, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Bangor, Maine and work with state librarians to lead community and leadership forums. “We are looking forward to hearing directly from community members and local officials about the challenges they face in creating digitally inclusive communities” said Susan Hildreth, IMLS Director. Read More

 
Call for Applications: Museums for America Grants

Aug 29, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications for Museums for America Grants. Read More

 
UpNext! IMLS Launches New Blog
UpNext Logo

Aug 25, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), today announced the launch of a new blog, UpNext! The primary goal of the blog is to be a relevant and engaging online community where readers and contributors have a collaborative, open, and transparent environment to share their views and expertise. Read More

 
Primary Source Director's Message -- August 2011
Photo of Susan Hildreth

Aug 15, 2011
Nearly 1,400 of you participated in our "virtual town hall" during the last four weeks! Last month, we launched a social media tool called "IdeaScale" to get public input to help shape the IMLS strategic plan. While we know that rapid changes are stressing our communities and our institutions, a browse through the many ideas that were shared demonstrate the resilience, optimism and public value of libraries and museums. Read More

 
IMLS Director Susan Hildreth Statement on Appointment of Claudia French, New IMLS Deputy Director for Museum Programs, and Agency Reorganization
Claudia French, IMLS Deputy Director for Museums

Aug 12, 2011
This is an important time in the development of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. During my term at IMLS we will be implementing the reauthorization of the Museum and Library Services Act, developing a new five year strategic plan with emphasis on performance, and responding to and planning for reduced budgets. Read More

 
Call for Applications: Conservation Project Support Grants

Aug 02, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications in the following grant program: Conservation Project Support; Deadline: October 3, 2011. Read More

 
Grant Awards Announcement: Museums for America

Jul 29, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today 160 awards totaling $18,777,552 matched with $32,007,711 of non-federal funds for Museums for America Program Grants. IMLS received 481 applications requesting $53,655,280 in funds. Read More

 
2011 Grant Awards Announcement: African American History and Culture

Jul 26, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today 15 awards totaling $1,455,606 matched with $1,668,215 of non-federal funds for Museum Grants for African American History and Culture. IMLS received 41 applications requesting $4,433,894 in funds. Read More

 
Primary Source Director's Message -- July 2011
Photo of Susan Hildreth

Jul 15, 2011
The 4th of July has come and gone and mid-summer is upon us. Hopefully you have some time to relax this summer, maybe vacationing, staycationing, or spending time with family and friends. While the summer can be a busy time for museums and libraries, visitors and children on summer vacation can spend more time using our services, remember that downtime is necessary! It helps us recharge and can increase creativity and productivity. Read More

 
Submit Your Ideas on IMLS's Strategic Plan

Jul 15, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) wants your ideas on how it can carry out its statutory responsibility “to support museum, library, and information services to meet the information, education, research, economic, cultural, and civic needs of the people of the United States.” Read More

 
IMLS Extends Deadline for RFP for Cooperator to Host the 2012 and 2013 WebWise Conferences

Jun 29, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) invites proposals to develop and host the 2012 and prospectively 2013, WebWise Conferences on Libraries and Museums in the Digital World in cooperation with IMLS. Read More

 
Myth vs. Fact: Who are Today's Library Computer Users?
over of Research Brief

Jun 27, 2011
Public access computers in U.S. public libraries continue to be in high demand according to Who’s in the Queue: Public Access Computer Users, a new research brief by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The report dispels some myths that have lingered regarding the target service population for public access computers in U.S. public libraries. Read More

 
Grant Awards Announcement: Native American Library Services Basic Grant and Basic Grant with Education/Assessment Option Program

Jun 21, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today 215 awards totaling $1,531,000 for the Native American Library Services Basic Grant and Basic Grant with Education/Assessment Option Program. IMLS received 219 applications requesting $1,570,000 in funds. Read More

 
Grant Awards Announcement: Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program

Jun 21, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today 24 awards totaling $11,227,761 matched with 25,398,758 of non-federal funds for Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program Grants. IMLS received 119 applications requesting $55,826,525 in funds. Read More

 
U.S. IMPACT Study Second Report - Opportunity for All: How Library Policies and Practices Impact Public Internet Access
Cover of Opportunity for All publication

Jun 17, 2011
Public libraries have become essential points of access to the Internet and computers in local communities, with nearly every library in the country offering public internet access. Yet, individual library practices can have significant affect on the quality and character of this public service. Opportunity for All: How Library Policies and Practices Impact Public Internet Access, offers an analysis of the service in four public library systems and makes recommendations. Read More

 
Primary Source Director's Message -- June 2011
IMLS Director Susan Hildreth

Jun 17, 2011
President Obama recently kicked off the year of Strong Fathers, Strong Families as part of his Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative. It's an effort with partners from around the nation to create simple opportunities for dads and kids to connect. “Father's Day reminds us parents that we have no more solemn obligation than to care for our children. But far too many young people in America grow up without their dads, and our families and communities are challenged as a result,” said President Obama.​ Read More

 
IMLS Releases Preview of Framework for Digitally Inclusive Communities

Jun 17, 2011
Libraries, businesses, hospitals, schools, cultural institutions, community technology centers and local governments face difficult decisions about how to create and sustain access to broadband technologies. To help community leaders make strategic decisions about technology investments, the Institute of Museum and Library Services released, Building Digitally Inclusive Communities: A guide to the proposed framework. Read More

 
IMLS Releases Grant Guidelines for Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums

Jun 17, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announces the availability of application guidelines for the “Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums” project, funded jointly by IMLS and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Read More

 
National Museum and Library Services Board Meets June 13, 2011 to Discuss Strategic Plan

Jun 07, 2011
The National Museum and Library Services Board meeting will be held at the Institute of Museum and Library Services offices at 1800 M St., NW on June 13, 2011 from 1 – 3:30 p.m. This meeting is open to the public and will be an important opportunity to participate in the development of the next five year strategic plan for IMLS. Read More

 
101 Museums Will Participate in Conservation Assessment Program

May 23, 2011
The Conservation Assessment Program (CAP), which assists small museums in providing appropriate care for endangered collections, has announced this year’s participating museums. In 2011, 101 museums in 36 states and Puerto Rico will have the condition of their collections and historic structures assessed. CAP is administered by Heritage Preservation and funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through its National Leadership Grants program. Read More

 
First Lady Michelle Obama Joins IMLS to Launch Let's Move! Museums & Gardens

May 23, 2011
Today, First Lady Michelle Obama and Institute of Museum and Library Services Director Susan Hildreth announced the launch of Let’s Move! Museums & Gardens. The national initiative will provide opportunities for millions of museum and garden visitors to learn about healthy food choices and will promote physical activity through interactive exhibits and programs. Read More

 
Grant Awards Announcement: Conservation Project Support

May 20, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today 31 awards totaling $2,641,657 matched with $3,317,978 of non-federal funds for Conservation Project Support Grants. IMLS received 136 applications requesting $10,719,667 in funds. Read More

 
Primary Source Director's Message -- May 2011
IMLS Director Susan Hildreth

May 19, 2011
Recently, terrible storms hit the southeast region of the country bringing tragic and heartbreaking loss of life. The storms also left many buildings, homes and even libraries destroyed and in need of major repair. Read More

 
Museum Assessment Program Announces 2011 Participants

May 16, 2011
The Museum Assessment Program (MAP), a proven initiative that promotes professional practices in museums and the field, has announced its latest group of participants. The program is funded by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and throughout its 30 years has been administered by the American Association of Museums (AAM). As part of the IMLS National Leadership program, MAP advances best practices and fosters improvement in museums. Read More

 
Grant Awards Announcement: 2011 Sparks! Ignition Grants

May 03, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today 14 awards totaling $336,281 matched with $360,444 of non-federal funds for Sparks! Ignition Grants. IMLS received 106 applications requesting $2,468,234 in funds. Read More

 
IMLS Issues RFP for Cooperator to Host the 2012 and 2013 WebWise Conferences
WebWise Logo

May 02, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) invites proposals to develop and host the 2012 and prospectively 2013, WebWise Conferences on Libraries and Museums in the Digital World in cooperation with IMLS. Read More

 
Grant Awards Announcement: Connecting to Collections Statewide Implementation Grants

Apr 28, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today 6 awards totaling $1,402,322 matched with $92,270 of non-federal funds for Connecting to Collections Statewide Implementation Grants. IMLS received 12 applications requesting $2,574,747 in funds. Read More

 
Statement on the FY 11 Budget from Susan H. Hildreth, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services

Apr 26, 2011
In allocating the FY 11 appropriation, we have carefully reviewed our strategic priorities and our activities that have the greatest impact. Read More

 
State Support for Library Services Declining
Research Brief No. 3, April 2011

Apr 18, 2011
Many State Library Administrative Agencies (SLAAs) are reporting steep and sudden declines in state revenues for library services, according to a report released today by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The majority of states reported reductions, with six states reporting losses of greater than 15 percent in one year. Overall, 51 SLAAs collected $34 million less in state revenue in FY 2009 than they did in FY 2008. Read More

 
Primary Source Director's Message -- April 2011
Photo of Susan Hildreth

Apr 15, 2011
Each year in April we have the opportunity to recognize the excellent work of our nation's libraries. National Library Week and School Library Month help us to reflect on the essential role of libraries and library professionals. Read More

 
Webcasts of 2011 WebWise Conference Now Available

Apr 15, 2011
Washington, DC—Webcasts of the 2011 WebWise Conference on "Libraries, Museums, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) in Research, Education, and Practice", held March 9-11, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland are now available online. Libraries and museums are partners in the national effort to improve STEM learning in the US. They support both formal and informal learning with projects that range from fostering group investigation and creation techniques for youth to tackling the... Read More

 
The Urban Libraries Council and the Association of Science-Technology Centers Selected for Teen Learning Labs Project

Apr 08, 2011
Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation are pleased to announce that they will support a partnership between the Urban Libraries Council and the Association of Science-Technology Centers to manage the Learning Labs Project. Together they will commit $4 million to support knowledge sharing activities for museums and libraries nationwide, a framework for measuring outcomes, and grants to create up to 30 new Learning L​ Read More

 
Grant Awards Announcement: American Heritage Preservation Program

Mar 23, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today 54 awards totaling $152,112 for American Heritage Preservation grants. IMLS received 146 applications requesting $412,952 in funds. Read More

 
Primary Source Director's Message -- February/March 2011
Photo of Susan Hildreth

Mar 16, 2011
It is a great honor to be appointed by the President and confirmed by the US Senate to serve as the fourth director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Read More

 
Eight International Research Funders Announce Round Two of the Digging into Data Challenge

Mar 16, 2011
Today, eight international research funders are jointly announcing their participation in round two of the Digging into Data Challenge, a grant competition designed to spur cutting edge research in the humanities and social sciences. Read More

 
Public Access Technology Needed to Build Strong Communities

Mar 10, 2011
“What are the characteristics of a successful digitally-inclusive community?" Over 70 organizations with deep knowledge about public access technology and the diverse educational and information needs of communities will spend the next few weeks considering that question. Read More

 
Justice Stephen Breyer Swears-in Susan Hildreth as New Director of IMLS
Photo of Justice Breyer administering the oath of office to Susan Hildreth.

Mar 02, 2011
On February 24, 2011, the Honorable Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, administered a ceremonial oath of office to Susan H. Hildreth, the new Director of the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services before a gathering of library and museum leaders, federal and state officials, national service organizations and congressional staff. Read More

 
President Requests $242,605,000 for Institute of Museum and Library Services

Feb 14, 2011
President Obama has requested $242,605,000 for fiscal year 2012 for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Read More

 
IMLS Accepting Applications for Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants

Feb 08, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting grant applications to the Native American Library Services Enhancement Grant program. Read More

 
IMLS Accepting Applications for Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Grants

Feb 01, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting grant applications to the Native American/Native Hawaiian (NANH) Museum Services program. Read More

 
IMLS Announces Save America’s Treasures Grant Awards

Feb 01, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded nine Save America’s Treasures Grants. Save America’s Treasures makes critical investments in the preservation of our nation’s most significant and endangered cultural treasures, which illustrate, interpret, and embody the great events, ideas, and individuals that contribute to America’s history and culture. Read More

 
Museums Count Workshop: Data Definitions Expert Reviewers Group
Museums Count logo

Jan 25, 2011
On January 25 IMLS, together with White Oak Institute and the American Association of Museums will convene a group of museum experts to discuss data definitions for Museums Count, an IMLS initiative to build a comprehensive, real-time, web-based database of museums in the United States. Read More

 
Primary Source Acting Director's Message: Transitions
Marsha Semmel

Jan 21, 2011
The new year is always a good time to look back and look ahead, and, as I write this, I am preparing to leave the acting director’s position to return to serving as IMLS Deputy for Museum Services and Director of Strategic Partnerships. It’s been a privilege to serve at the helm of the Institute of Museum and Library Services over the past ten months. Read More

 
IMLS and MacArthur Foundation Announce RFP for Cooperator to Manage National Grant Competition for Learning Labs in Libraries and Museums

Jan 20, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced today that they are seeking a cooperating partner to coordinate and manage a national grant competition that will fund the creation of up to 30 learning labs in libraries and museums across the country. Read More

 
Free Webinar: Libraries and 21st Century Skills

Jan 19, 2011
Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is hosting a webinar for library professionals to discuss the central role that libraries play in cultivating the creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communications skills that individuals need to be successful in the 21st century. Read More

 
Leaders Convene to Help Communities Assess Needs for Public Access Technology
Cover of Broadband Plan

Jan 14, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is pleased to announce the selection of the Digital Inclusion Working Group. The working group will meet January 24-26 in Washington, DC and assist in the development of a Framework for Digitally-Inclusive Communities that can be used by local communities to assess their complex needs for public access technology. Read More

 
IMLS Calls for 21st Century Museum Professionals Grant Applications

Jan 10, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications for the 2011 21st Century Museum Professionals grants program. Proposals will be accepted from museums, museum service organizations, and universities for projects that will improve the knowledge and skills of museum staff in multiple institutions. Read More

 
Dominican University and Chicago Public Library Offer Workshop on 21st Century Skills

Jan 07, 2011
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is pleased to announce that Dominican University and the Chicago Public Library will present a workshop on “21st Century Skills: How Does Your Organization Stack Up?” The workshop will explore concepts introduced in the IMLS report “Museums, Libraries and 21st Century Skills.” Read More

 
Call for Nominations: 2011 National Medal for Museum and Library Service

Jan 05, 2011
Supporters of outstanding museums and libraries are encouraged to nominate these institutions for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for exemplary museum and library community service. The National Medal honors museums and libraries that make extraordinary civic, educational, economic, environmental, and social contributions. Medal winners receive a $10,000 award and are honored at a National Medal award ceremony held in Washington, D.C. Read More

 
Senate Confirms President’s Nomination of New IMLS Director
Photo of Susan Hildreth

Dec 23, 2010
On December 22, 2010 Susan Hildreth's nomination to be director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) was confirmed by unanimous consent by the United States Senate. Read More

 
President Obama Signs Museum and Library Services Act of 2010

Dec 23, 2010
The President signed into law the Museum and Library Services Act of 2010 (S. 3984) on December 22, 2010. The new law reauthorizes the existing programs of the Institute of Museum and Library Services with some important changes. Read More

 
First Lady Michelle Obama Recognizes Outstanding Museums and Libraries at White House Ceremony
Photo of Mrs. Obama standing at the podium in the East Room.

Dec 17, 2010
First Lady Michelle Obama presented the 2010 National Medal for Museum and Library Service to five museums and five libraries at a White House ceremony today. The National Medal is the highest honor the nation confers on these institutions for their outstanding contribution to America’s communities.​ Read More

 
IMLS Calls for 2011 Native American Library Services Basic Grant Applications

Dec 17, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications for the 2011 Native American Library Services Basic Grant program. Federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages and corporations may apply for these grants in either the Basic or the Basic with Education/Assessment Option categories. Read More

 
Statement from the IMLS Acting Director on the Loss of Peter C. Marzio

Dec 14, 2010
We at IMLS mourn the passing of Dr. Peter C. Marzio, director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, on Thursday, December 9, at the age of 67. Read More

 
2011 National Leadership Grant Guidelines Now Available

Dec 02, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting grant applications for the agency’s 2011 National Leadership Grant (NLG) program. Applications, guidelines, and examples of successful proposals can be found on the agency’s Web site. The deadline for submitting applications is February 1, 2011. Read More

 
The 2010 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards Celebrated at the White House
Joshua Heim, Exhibits Developer and King Lau, Youth Participant, of the Wing Luke Asian Museum YouthCAN program with Michelle Obama.

Nov 30, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) invites nominations for the 2011 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program (NAHYP), which is the Nation’s highest honor for out-of-school, afterschool, and summer arts and humanities programs that celebrate the creativity of America’s youth, particularly those from underserved communities. Read More

 
American Folklife Center Symposium Highlights American Workers

Nov 30, 2010
The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) invite the public to Work and Transformation: Documenting Working Americans, a free two-day public symposium on the documentation of work, workers, and the culture of work in contemporary America. The symposium will take place at the Library of Congress on Monday, December 6 and Tuesday, December 7, 2010. Read More

 
Application Guidelines Now Available for IMLS Museum Grants for African American History and Culture

Nov 15, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is pleased to announce the availability of guidelines and application forms for the 2011 Museum Grants for African American History and Culture. Read More

 
Six New Members of National Museum and Library Services Board Take Oath of Office
IMLS Board sm

Oct 27, 2010
On October 18, Archivist of the United States David S. Ferreiro administered the oath of office to six new members of the National Museum and Library Services Board (NMLSB), the advisory board of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). All six new members were appointed by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate earlier this year. Read More

 
The Institute of Museum and Library Services, the University of Washington, and the International City/County Management Association to Develop a Framework for Digitally Inclusive Communities

Oct 19, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today that it is awarding a $150,000 cooperative agreement to the University of Washington in partnership with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) to develop a framework for digitally inclusive communities. Read More

 
Primary Source Acting Director's Message -- October 2010
Marsha Semmel

Oct 18, 2010
I am pleased to let you know that IMLS has just released Connecting to Collections: A Report to the Nation. As many of you are aware, the 2005 IMLS-supported Heritage Health Index provided a comprehensive look at the state of collections held in libraries, museums, archives, scientific organizations and historical societies. Read More

 
IMLS to Sponsor Six Connecting to Collections Webinars

Oct 15, 2010
From October 28 through December 9, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), in partnership with Heritage Preservation and the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), will be sponsoring a series of six webinars based on the national initiative Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action. Read More

 
National Museum and Library Services Board Meeting The Role of Libraries and Museums in STEM Education

Oct 12, 2010
The National Museum and Library Services Board meeting will focus on the role of libraries and museums in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) learning. Read More

 
Mary Minow Appointed to IMLS Advisory Board

Oct 07, 2010
On October 6, Mary Minow of California was appointed to the National Museum and Library Services Board (NMLSB). Minow was nominated by President Obama on April 26 and confirmed by the Senate on September 29. The NMLSB advises the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. Read More

 
Report Shows Progress Toward Improving Collections Care

Oct 05, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services, the primary source of federal support for the nation’s museums and libraries, has released Connecting to Collections: A Report to the Nation. The report describes how IMLS engaged dozens of public and private partners to reach thousands of museum and library professionals with resources and technical assistance to care for endangered collections. Read More

 
Institute of Museum and Library Services Sponsors the Pavilion of the States at the 10th Annual National Book Festival
2010Poster lg

Sep 28, 2010
More than 150,000 book lovers flocked to the tenth annual National Book Festival held September 25, 2010, on the National Mall. President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama acted as honorary chairs of the free festival, which was sponsored by the Library of Congress. For many families, the most popular tent was the Pavilion of the States, supported for the ninth year by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Read More

 
IMLS Calls for Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grant Applications

Sep 28, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) invites proposals from libraries; archives; and library agencies, associations, and consortia for the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian (LB21) grant program. Read More

 
IMLS Announces Recipients of 21st Century Museum Professionals Grants

Sep 28, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) today announced the seven recipients of FY 2010 21st Century Museum Professionals (21MP) grants totaling $1,795,798. These grants are designed to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and abilities of museum professionals. Read More

 
IMLS Awards National Leadership Grants to 34 Institutions, $17,311,078 Distributed

Sep 27, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the primary source of federal support for the nation’s museums and libraries, announced the 34 institutions that are receiving National Leadership Grants (NLG) totaling $17,311,078. Read More

 
Museums Count: IMLS developing web-based census of museums

Sep 23, 2010
IMLS is announcing a contract with the White Oak Institute and the American Association of Museums to develop standard data definitions in collaboration with the museum field. This work is part of the agency’s museum data collection project, Museums Count. Read More

 
IMLS Awards Library Services Grants to Native Hawaiian Organizations

Sep 17, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is pleased to announce the Native Hawaiian Library Services (NHLS) grantees for 2010: Alu Like, Inc., which will be awarded $420,000, and Hawai`i Maoli, which will receive $150,000. The grant program supports projects that increase access to, and use of, Hawaiian cultural and language resources; improve children’s reading skills; and help Native Hawaiians acquire literacy, computer, and employment skills. Read More

 
Primary Source Acting Director's Message -- September 2010
bioSemmel

Sep 17, 2010
I would like to recognize the museum and library professionals who have taken time out of their busy schedules in the past year to serve as panelists in our Washington D.C. offices or to participate as field reviewers. Everywhere I go, time and time again, I hear that the IMLS peer review process is the "gold standard" to which other organizations aspire. Read More

 
MacArthur and IMLS Announce Plans to Create up to 30 New Learning Labs at Libraries and Museums Across the Country

Sep 16, 2010
In support of President Obama's "Educate to Innovate" call to action, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) today announced plans to create up to 30 new youth learning labs in libraries and museums across the country. Read More

 
IMLS Releases Guidelines for Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries and Museums

Sep 09, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services announces the release of grant guidelines for Sparks! Ignition Grants for Libraries and Museums. This new grant program will provide one-year grants of $10,000 to $25,000 for innovative projects that respond to the challenges and opportunities facing cultural heritage institutions in a rapidly changing information environment. The submission deadline is November 15, 2010. Read More

 
IMLS Releases Sustainability Plan in Keeping with Presidential Directive

Sep 09, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services today released its agency sustainability plan, setting goals for environmental and energy performance. The plan is part of a federal government-wide initiative President Obama called for in an October 2009 Executive Order, which directed all agencies to contribute to an integrated strategy toward sustainability and reduction of greenhouse gas. Read More

 
IMLS Awards More Than $2 Million to Native American Tribes For Enhancements to Library Services


The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today that out of 46 applicants nation-wide, 17 Native American tribal communities were chosen to receive $2,030,562 in Native American Library Services Enhancement grants. Ten of these grantees are first time awardees. Click here to see a full list of Enhancement grant recipients. Read More

 
IMLS Awards More Than $2 Million to Native American Tribes For Enhancements to Library Services

Sep 07, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announced today that out of 46 applicants nation-wide, 17 Native American tribal communities were chosen to receive $2,030,562 in Native American Library Services Enhancement grants. Read More

 
Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services September 2010 Grant Announcement


Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services September 2010 Grant Announcement List of Awarded Institutions​ Read More

 
IMLS Calls for 2011 Museums for America Grant Applications

Aug 31, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications to its largest museum grant program, Museums for America (MFA), for fiscal year 2011. Museums for America grants provide up to $150,000 in funding and support projects that strengthen a museum’s capacity to serve its community. Read More

 
IMLS Seeks Comments on Public Library Survey

Aug 27, 2010
In a Federal Register notice published on Monday August 23, 2010, IMLS issued a call for comments on its Public Library Survey. The survey provides essential data about public library service in the US including service hours, book circulation, number of librarians, service area population, technology and more. Read More

 
IMLS's Making the Learning Connection Campaign Lands in Columbia, South Carolina

Aug 19, 2010
On August 20, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) brings the Making the Learning Connection campaign to Columbia, South Carolina. The half-day workshop will spotlight successful community programs as well as opportunities and challenges that local museums, libraries, and community groups encounter while meeting the community’s high priority information needs. Read More

 
Primary Source Acting Director's Message -- August 2010
bioSemmel

Aug 19, 2010
In my son’s personal archives is a school library license, a tiny cardboard rectangle that states that the bearer “knows how to use the library carefully and courteously and is welcome to be there.” David received his ‘license to learn’ from Bernice Williams, the school librarian at Barcroft Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia, back in 1984 when he was just nine years old. Read More

 
Webinar Available Online: Helping Job Seekers: Using Electronic Tools and Federal Resources

Aug 18, 2010
The August 11 webinar, Helping Job Seekers: Using Electronic Tools and Federal Resource, is now available online at http://tiny.cc/d6fjb. In the presentation, Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA) staffers Lauren Fairley-Wright and Tracie Hamilton provide an overview of the public workforce system and share electronic tools most helpful to library staff who assist unemployed workers. Read More

 
Materials from August 16 Webinar on Digital Inclusion RFP Now Available

Aug 18, 2010
On August 16, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) hosted a webinar on its Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking a cooperator to develop a framework of the principles, elements, or characteristics of organizations and communities that foster digital inclusion. Link to the webinar PowerPoint and answers to questions raised during the presentation. Read More

 
IMLS Welcomes Justin Estoque as New Chief Operating Officer
Photo of Justin Estoque

Aug 10, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announces that Justin Estoque has joined its staff as chief operating officer. In this new position, Estoque will oversee the offices of finance, administration and contracting, human resources, and information technology (IT) and will serve as a member of IMLS’s executive leadership team. Read More

 
August 16 Webinar: IMLS Answers Questions about RFP for Digital Inclusion Cooperator


On August 16, 2010, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) will host a webinar to answer questions about its Request for Proposal (RFP) (http://www.imls.gov/pdf/FDI-2010-RFP.pdf) for a cooperator to develop a framework of the principles, elements, or characteristics of organizations and communities that foster digital inclusion. Read More

 
IMLS Conservation Project Support Application and Guidelines Available on IMLS Web Site

Aug 02, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting grant applications for the agency’s 2011 Conservation Project Support (CPS) program. Application guidelines are available on the IMLS Web site. The application deadline is October 1, 2010. Read More

 
IMLS Awards National Leadership Planning Grants to 13 Institutions, $763,715 Distributed

Jul 30, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the primary source of federal support for the nation’s museums and libraries, announces that 13 institutions are receiving National Leadership Collaborative Planning Grants (NLG) totaling $763,715. Grantees will contribute $491,995 in matching funds. There were 62 applications to the program with requests totaling $3,752,309. Read More

 
IMLS Issues RFP that Will Implement National Broadband Plan Instructions

Jul 23, 2010
The National Broadband Plan released in March 2010 presented a vision of pervasive and affordable broadband that will provide every American an equal opportunity to engage in the educational, economic, and social life of the nation. Recommendation 9.3 of the Plan instructs the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to “develop guidelines for public access technology based on populations served and organization size. Read More

 
IMLS Announces Recipients of 2010 Museum Grants For African American History and Culture

Jul 22, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) today awarded $1,485,000 to 14 organizations committed to preserving and sharing the history of African American life from the period of slavery to the present day as part of the Museum Grants for African American History and Culture (AAHC) program. Read More

 
Primary Source Acting Director's Message -- July 2010
bioSemmel

Jul 21, 2010
A not-surprising finding of the 2008 IMLS report, Exhibiting Public Value: Government Funding for Museums in the United States (PDF, 2.4MB), was “the lack of reliable data on the size and scope of the museum sector.” The lack of these data hampers efforts to describe the field accurately; to account for and track the various funding streams that support the sector; to examine the scale and scope of museum collections, programs, and services; and to measure the breadth and depth of its impact. Read More

 
HISTORY™ Announces Winners of the Library Outreach Contest

Jul 20, 2010
HISTORY™ announces the winners of a special contest for libraries connected with its landmark 12-part series AMERICA THE STORY OF US. The series, which premiered on April 25th and concluded on Memorial Day, was accompanied by the largest education outreach effort in the network’s history. Read More

 
Guidelines Announced for American Heritage Preservation Grants

Jul 16, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Bank of America Charitable Foundation are pleased to announce the 2011 guidelines for the American Heritage Preservation Program. This public-private partnership will fund the preservation of endangered and fragile art works, rare books, scientific specimens, and historical documents (photographs, maps, deeds, etc.) held in small and medium-sized museums, archives, and libraries. Read More

 
IMLS Awards $19.5 Million in Museums for America Grants to 178 Institutions

Jul 13, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is pleased to announce that 178 museums across the country will receive a total of $19,550,456 in Museums for America (MFA) grants. These museums, chosen from 510 applicants, represent 39 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Grants will support high-priority activities that advance the missions and strategic goals of these museums, helping them to serve the public more effectively. Read More

 
IMLS Joins the NEA in Celebrating the Fifth Year of The Big Read with $1 Million in Grants

Jul 10, 2010
Kicking off the program’s fifth year, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) joins the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in announcing that 75 not-for-profits – including arts and cultural organizations, libraries, and universities – will receive grants totaling $1 million to host a Big Read project between September 2010 and June 2011. Read More

 
Public Library Visits, Circulation Spike While Staff Numbers Stay the Same: IMLS FY2008 Public Libraries Survey Report

Jun 30, 2010
Public library visits and circulations per capita increased almost 20 percent between FY1999 and FY2008, while the number of public librarians per 25,000 people has remained virtually the same during that same period, according to the FY2008 Public Libraries Survey (PLS) report issued by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Read More

 
Department of Labor Provides Guidance to Workforce Agencies

Jun 30, 2010
Washington, DC—On June 29, 2010, the Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (ETA) officially encouraged its state and local workforce investment boards, state workforce agencies, and One-Stop Career Centers to partner with public libraries to extend their career and employment services to job seekers and unemployed workers. Read More

 
Senate Confirms New Members of IMLS Advisory Board

Jun 23, 2010
Washington, DC—On June 22, 2010, the Senate confirmed five individuals to serve on the National Museum and Library Services Board, which advises the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) on general policy and practices and on selections for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. The board is comprised of the IMLS director and deputy directors and 20 members of the general public with demonstrated expertise and commitment to libraries or museums. Read More

 
IMLS Staff Participate in ALA Conference in Washington, D.C.

Jun 22, 2010
Marsha L. Semmel, acting director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), Mary Chute, deputy director for libraries, and other Institute staff will participate in various events during the American Library Association (ALA) annual conference in Washington, D.C. June 24-29, 2010. For a list of sessions pertaining to IMLS and IMLS-funded grants, please visit booth # 3958 on June 25-28.​ Read More

 
IMLS Awards More Than $1.4 Million to Support Native American Libraries

Jun 17, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded $1,495,000 to 218 Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages and corporations as part of the Native American Library Services Basic Grant program. With this funding, the libraries will be able to strengthen their core services for the benefit of the tribal communities and villages they serve. Click here for a list of grant recipients. Read More

 
Primary Source Acting Director's Message -- June 2010
Marsha Semmel

Jun 17, 2010
This year, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which ensures the civil rights of people with disabilities. The need to recommit to the ADA is growing. Nearly 20 percent of people aged five and older have some type of long-lasting condition or disability, according to the 2000 U.S. Census. Read More

 
IMLS Launches National Campaign to Promote 21st Century Skills and Community Engagement

Jun 16, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has announced a national campaign aimed at engaging museums, libraries, and civic leaders in meeting the 21st century learning needs of their communities. Read More

 
IMLS Awards More Than $22.6 Million in Librarian Recruitment and Education Grants

Jun 15, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) today awarded 38 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grants totaling $22,623,984. These grants provide scholarships for students in master’s and doctoral programs in library and information science, support the research of early career faculty in graduate schools of library and information science, and provide continuing education opportunities to enhance the skills of practitioners in libraries and archives. Read More

 
IMLS Podcast: Senior Conservator Says Haiti’s Paintings Can be Restored


Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announces release of a podcast interview with Susan Blakney, a senior painting conservator and founder of Westlake Conservators. She traveled to Haiti May 4-8 to assess the conservation needs of artwork damaged by the January earthquake. To listen to the podcast, click here. Read More

 
IMLS Invites Public to Broadband Discussion at National Museum and Library Services Board Meeting

Jun 08, 2010
The public is invited to attend the 20th meeting of the National Museum and Library Services Board on June 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A representative of the Federal Communications Commission will discuss the digital adoption and inclusion recommendations of the National Broadband Plan. Read More

 
StoryCorps to Visit IMLS’s Medal-Winning Libraries and Museums

Jun 07, 2010
Washington, DC—Each year, select museums and libraries with outstanding records of community service receive the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ (IMLS) National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries. This year, for the first time, personal stories demonstrating the ongoing impact of these award-winning institutions will be documented through a cooperative agreement between IMLS and StoryCorps. Read More

 
IMLS Participates in AAM Annual Meeting and MuseumExpo™

May 18, 2010
Marsha L. Semmel, acting director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and other agency representatives will participate in the American Association of Museums (AAM) annual meeting in Los Angeles, California, May 23-26. Read More

 
Primary Source Acting Director's Message -- May 2010
Marsha Semmel

May 18, 2010
In April, I had the opportunity to share the Institute’s work on 21st century skills with more than 160 library professionals gathered in Rome, Italy, for a series of educational events organized by the U.S. Embassy in Rome and the American University of Rome. Read More

 
Webcasts of 2010 WebWise Conference Now Available

May 10, 2010
Anyone who missed the 2010 WebWise Conference on Libraries and Museums in the Digital World, held March 3-5 in Denver, Colorado, can now go online to watch sessions on leading edge digital technologies that libraries and museums use to share their collections and engage the public. Read More

 
Project Compass Summits Help State Libraries Develop Strategies for Workforce Assistance

May 06, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services IMLS is funding an innovative yearlong project linking libraries nationwide to share strategies for helping unemployed patrons find work. Project Compass, launched by OCLC WebJunction and the State Library of North Carolina, features four regional summits where state library officers are sharing best practices on meeting the workforce needs of their communities. Read More

 
IMLS Awards $3 million For Critical Conservation at Nation’s Museums

May 06, 2010
Marsha L. Semmel, acting director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), announced 33 museum recipients of the 2010 Conservation Project Support (CPS) grants, totaling $3,184,977. Since 1984, these grants have helped 1,338 museums to identify conservation needs and priorities and take action to ensure the safekeeping of their collections. CPS grant recipients will match their awards with an additional $4,261,753. Read More

 
It’s Wiki Wednesday! Are you UpNext? Two New Themes Launch Today on the Future of Museums and Libraries Wiki
UpNextLogo sm


The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) invites you to help invent the future of museums and libraries through your participation in UpNext: The Future of Museums and Libraries Wiki. IMLS’s first-ever wiki is a platform where individuals inside and outside of museums, libraries, and related fields can discuss, dissect, expand, and inform the issues outlined in the Future of Museums and Libraries: A Discussion Guide. Read More

 
Primary Source Acting Director's Message -- April 2010
Marsha Semmel

Apr 16, 2010
There’s a lot for libraries and IMLS to love in the Connecting America: The National Broadband Plan, released March 16th by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Threaded through the hefty document is the FCC’s recognition of libraries as community anchor institutions that can help provide high-capacity broadband connections and build digital literacy skills of people in communities across the nation. Read More

 
It’s Wiki Wednesday! Are you UpNext? Two New Themes Launch Today on the Future of Museums and Libraries Wiki

Apr 14, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) invites you to help invent the future of museums and libraries through your participation in UpNext: The Future of Museums and Libraries Wiki. IMLS’s first-ever wiki is a platform where individuals inside and outside of museums, libraries, and related fields can discuss, dissect, expand, and inform the issues outlined in the Future of Museums and Libraries: A Discussion Guide. Read More

 
IMLS Announces 2010 Awards of Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning and Implementation Grants

Apr 09, 2010
Recent flooding in Rhode Island reminds us that everyone needs an emergency plan, including cultural institutions. A Rhode Island consortium will use its Connecting to Collections: Statewide Implementation Grant, announced today by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), to develop tools and training for a statewide disaster plan. Read More

 
Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning and Implemenation Grant Announcement April 2010


Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning and Implemenation Grant Announcement - April 2010 Read More

 
First-ever National Study: Millions of People Rely on Library Computers for Employment, Health, and Education

Mar 25, 2010
The report, Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Libraries, is based on the first, large-scale study of who uses public computers and Internet access in public libraries, the ways library patrons use this free technology service, why they use it, and how it affects their lives. Read More

 
Despite Flat Budgets, State Library Agencies Invest in Technology Services

Mar 18, 2010
Despite the lack of real growth in their budgets in recent years, state library agencies are working strategically to assist library professionals and local libraries to meet patrons’ needs, according to State Library Agency Service Trends: 1999–2008, a new research brief by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Read More

 
American Heritage Preservation Grant Announcement, March 2010


List of March 2010 American Heritage Preservation Grants Read More

 
Treasures Preserved with Grants from the Bank of America/IMLS American Heritage Preservation Program

Mar 11, 2010
A school attendance record taken by Robert Frost when he served as a substitute teacher, a gown worn to the second inaugural ball of Abraham Lincoln, and a painted trunk made in 1702 in Uppsala, Sweden, will be preserved for future generations with grants from the American Heritage Preservation Program awarded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Bank of America Charitable Foundation. Read More

 
IMLS and SGS Issue Report on the Preservation of World Cultural Heritage

Mar 02, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Salzburg Global Seminar announce release of the report, “Connecting to the World’s Collections: Making the Case for Conservation and Preservation of Our Cultural Heritage” based on a seminar held in Salzburg, Austria, October 28-November 1, 2009. The seminar, part of the IMLS’s multi-year initiative on collections care, Read More

 
Are you UpNext? Share your thoughts on the Future of Museums and Libraries Wiki
UpNextLogo sm

Feb 24, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) invites you to help invent the future of museums and libraries through your participation in UpNext: The Future of Museums and Libraries Wiki. IMLS’s first-ever wiki is a platform where individuals inside and outside of museums, libraries, and related fields can discuss, dissect, expand, and inform the issues outlined in the Future of Museums and Libraries: A Discussion Guide. Read More

 
Students Win with Cool Digital Projects Showcased at WebWise
WebWise Logo

Feb 23, 2010
Museums, libraries, and educators in Colorado are working on high tech projects that excite students and engage life-long learners. Whether it’s a Denver Art Museum Web site that cultivates children’s creativity in the visual and language arts or web tools that deliver primary sources on the World War II-era experiences of Japanese Americans in Colorado, digital technology stimulates students and opens doors to learning. Read More

 
21st Century Museum Professionals Grants Convening - February 4-5, 2010, Project Descriptions


Project Descriptions: 21st Century Museum Professionals Grants Convening - February 4-5, 2010 Read More

 
Museum Leaders Trade Information, Best Practices at IMLS Convening

Feb 17, 2010
On February 4 and 5, 2010, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) convened the first-ever forum of grantees in the 21st Century Museum Professionals Grants program. Meeting at the Beacon Hotel just a few blocks from the IMLS offices, museum professionals gathered to share and discuss successes and challenges in the implementation of grant-funded projects. Read More

 
About the National Medal for Museum and Library Service


Fact Sheet: The National Medal for Museum and Library Service is the nation’s highest honor bestowed on institutions that make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities. The National Medal awards are made every year by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), an independent government agency that is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Read More

 
Symposium Spotlights the Power of Museums and Libraries to Change Lives

Feb 17, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) annually awards the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for museums and libraries that make extraordinary civic, educational, economic, environmental, and social contributions. Read More

 
21st Century Museum Professionals Grants Convening - February 4-5, 2010 - Project Descriptions


21st Century Museum Professionals Grants Convening - February 4-5, 2010 - Project Descriptions Read More

 
Project Demonstrations Announced for 2010 WebWise ConferenceProject Demonstrations Announced for 2010 WebWise Conference
WebWise Logo

Feb 03, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has announced the projects that will be demonstrated at the 2010 WebWise Conference on Libraries and Museums in the Digital World. Registration is now closed for the free conference, to be held March 3–5 in Denver, CO. Read More

 
President Requests $265,869,000 for Institute of Museum and Library Services

Feb 01, 2010
President Obama has requested $265,869,000 for fiscal year 2011 for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The request, which was transmitted to Congress today, is the same as the FY 2010 enacted levels for the Institute’s programs and administration. The proposed budget will support museums and libraries as they re-energize the economy, fuel partnerships and knowledge sharing, and provide much-needed services to their communities. Read More

 
IMLS Calls for 2010 Native American Library Services Enhancement Grant Applications

Jan 29, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications for the 2010 Native American Library Services Enhancement Grants program. Federally-recognized tribes and Alaska Native villages and corporations may apply for these grants to improve existing library services or implement new services, particularly as they relate to the goals of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).​ Read More

 
NASA Invites Museums and Libraries to Apply for Second Round of Free Space Shuttle Artifacts
Space Shuttle Program Artifact Wind Tunnel Model

Jan 21, 2010
On January 19, NASA began offering a second round of free space artifacts to museums attended by the public and free libraries serving all residents of a community, district, state, or region. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is helping NASA reach out to eligible institutions that might be interested in acquiring one of the 2,500 free objects from the space shuttle, Hubble Space Telescope, or the Apollo, Mercury or Gemini programs. Read More

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

Jan 15, 2010
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. Read More

 
Living Collections Bookshelf Recipients List - January 2010


Living Collections Bookshelf Recipients List - January 2010 Read More

 
Send Your Nomination for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service
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Jan 12, 2010
Supporters of outstanding museums and libraries are encouraged to nominate these institutions for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for exemplary museum and library community service. The National Medal honors museums and libraries that make extraordinary civic, educational, economic, environmental, and social contributions. Read More

 
IMLS Accepting Applications for Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Grants

Jan 11, 2010
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting grant applications to the Native American/Native Hawaiian (NANH) Museum Services program. NANH grants support projects that promote learning and innovation in museums and museum-related organizations of federally-recognized Indian tribes, Alaskan Native Villages and corporations, and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians Read More

 
IMLS Calls for 21st Century Museum Professionals Grant Applications

Dec 22, 2009
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is calling for proposals from museums, museum service organizations, and universities for projects that will enhance the professional development of museum staff. The 21st Century Museum Professionals grants are intended to have an impact on multiple institutions by reaching broad groups of museum professionals. Read More

 
New Technology Services Draw Record Numbers to Libraries: Government Study Documents Ten Years of Steadily Increasing Public Use
cover of Research Brief No. 1: Service Trends in U.S. Public Libraries, 1997-2007

Dec 22, 2009
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) announces the release of a new research brief, Service Trends in U.S. Public Libraries, 1997-2007. The brief identifies important changes public libraries have made to address patron needs in an increasingly Internet-centric environment and explores service differences in urban and rural communities. Read More

 
IMLS Calls for 2010 Native American Library Services Basic Grant Applications

Dec 17, 2009
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is accepting applications for the 2010 Native American Library Services Basic Grants program. Federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native villages and corporations may apply for these grants in either the Basic or the Basic with Education/Assessment Option categories. Read More

 
State Data Coordinators Receive Accolades for Public Libraries Survey
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Dec 10, 2009
Every year, more than 9,000 libraries are surveyed in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands, answering questions on population, library collections, services and programs, staff numbers, revenues and expenditures and other electronic information.​ Read More

 
Registration Opens for 2010 WebWise Conference Announces IMLS and University of Denver and the Denver Art Museum

Dec 09, 2009
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the University of Denver, and the Denver Art Museum announce open registration for the 2010 WebWise Conference on Libraries and Museums in the Digital World. Each year, approximately 350 representatives of museums, libraries, archives, information and systems science, and other fields interested in the future of high-quality online content for inquiry and education attend the free conference. Read More

 
IMLS Announces $9.5 Million in Save America's Treasures Grants to Preserve Cultural and Historic Treasures
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Dec 09, 2009
A memorial to the victims of the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center, the mementos of Civil War officers, and a blockhouse from an 18th-century Russian trading fort in Alaska are among the thousands of historically significant objects that will be conserved with the 2009 Save America’s Treasures (SAT) grants. Read More

 
Registration Opens for 2010 WebWise Conference Announces IMLS and University of Denver and the Denver Art Museum
WebWise Logo

Dec 09, 2009
Museums, libraries, and educators in Colorado are working on high tech projects that excite students and engage life-long learners. Whether it’s a Denver Art Museum Web site that cultivates children’s creativity in the visual and language arts or web tools that deliver primary sources on the World War II-era experiences of Japanese Americans in Colorado, digital technology stimulates students and opens doors to learning. Read More

 
IMLS Invites 2010 Coming Up Taller Award Nominations

Dec 08, 2009
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) invites nominations for the 2010 Coming Up Taller awards, which honor excellence in afterschool, out-of-school, and summer arts and humanities programs for underserved children and youth. Coming Up Taller is an initiative of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) in partnership with IMLS, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Read More

 
International Collaboration to Close the Digital Curation Gap
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Nov 20, 2009
Scientists, researchers, and scholars across the world generate vast amounts of digital data, but the scientific record and the documentary heritage created in digital form are at risk -- from technology obsolescence, from the fragility of digital media, and from the lack of baseline practices for managing and preserving digital data. Read More

 
Guardians of World Treasures Sign Salzburg Declaration on the Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Heritage

Nov 20, 2009
On October 31, 2009, 59 cultural heritage leaders from 32 countries, including representatives of Africa, the Middle East, South America, and Asia, unanimously passed the Salzburg Declaration on the Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Heritage (PDF, 15KB). Read More

 
IMLS Funds Research on 3D Scanner Technology to Save Endangered Recordings

Nov 20, 2009
The Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) will advance technology that can recover and digitally re-master rare early sound recordings made on wax cylinders – including experimental recordings created in the 1880’s by Alexander Graham Bell -- even when the original cylinder is cracked or broken. Read More

 
Time to Apply for The Big Read

Nov 13, 2009
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and in cooperation with Arts Midwest, announces the 2010 deadline for The Big Read, a program to revitalize the role of literature in American culture. Read More

 
IMLS Director Anne Radice and First Lady Michelle Obama Honor Arts and Education Programs for Underserved Youth
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Nov 06, 2009
Anne-Imelda Radice, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), joined First Lady Michelle Obama in honoring young people from 19 communities in the U.S., China, Egypt, and Mexico who engage in after-school arts and humanities programs. Winners of the 2009 Coming Up Taller Awards, which promote educational achievement and creativity, were honored at a White House ceremony on November 4. Read More

 
NASA Invites Museums and Libraries to Apply for Free Space Shuttle Artifacts
Space Shuttle Program Artifact

Nov 06, 2009
Museums and libraries are invited to apply for free NASA space shuttle artifacts, including small items such as astronaut helmets, gloves, and boots, and large items such as shuttle Motion Based Simulators and Crew Compartment Trainers. Read More