Can Punch Cards and Photo Booths Build Visitor Loyalty?

Recipient: Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History at the McPherson Center Grant: Sparks! Ignition Grants for Museums; 2012 Pictured: Visitors participate in a 3rd Friday photobooth Project Contact: Nina Simon, Executive Director (831) 429-1964 x7018 nina@santacruzmah.org Website: www.santacruzmah.org Karen Bush had several “aha! moments” during a Loyalty Lab visitor experience workshop. In a recap...

Rhode Island’s First Responders Receive Training to Limit Damage to Collections

Recipient: Rhode Island Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS) Grant: IMLS Grants to States Program (ongoing) and Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning and Implementation Grants (2008 and 2010) Project Contact: Donna Longo DiMichele, Program Manager/LSTA Coordinator 401-574-9303 Donna.DiMichele@olis.ri.gov Websites: www.olis.ri.gov/services/preservation http://ri.dplan.org “The...

Teacher Institutes for Science Education and Ocean Conservation at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Recipient: Monterey Bay Aquarium Grant: Museums for America - Engaging Communities Pictured:Primary teachers in the Splash Zone Teacher Institute investigate the rocky shore habitat by observing tide pool organisms. Project Contact: Mary Whaley Teacher Programs Manager 831-648-4834 mwhaley@mbayaq.org Website: www.montereybayaquarium.org www.montereybayaquarium.org/ education/teacher-programs I...

Literacy and Tech for Toddlers at El Paso Community College Northwest Library

Recipient: Jenna Welch and Laura Bush Community Library, El Paso Community College Northwest Grant: IMLS Grants to States Program Amount: $140,901 Project Contact: Monica Wong Head Librarian 915-831-8909 mwong1@epcc.edu Website: www.epcc.edu/library/nw We are thrilled to see library habits forming in the community, and we want residents to know that college is reachable.Focusing on technology and...

Preserving African American History and Expanding a Field of Study

Recipient: University of Maryland College Park Grant: Museum Grants for African American History and Culture Pictured: David C. Driskell, photo by Greg Staley. Click image to see full-size. Project Contact: Dorit Yaron, David C. Driskell Center Deputy Director (301) 405-6835 dyaron@umd.edu Website: www.driskellcenter.umd.edu There may be no higher calling for a community of learners and scholars...

A Day of White House Accolades for 2014 National Medal Recipients

Featured: Recipients of the 2014 National Medal for Museum and Library Service Pictured: Mrs. Obama delivers remarks at the ceremony. Click image for a larger view. Watch ceremony video Watch National Medal Video (Produced for IMLS by HISTORY) Read National Medal brochure (PDF, 1.3MB) Learn more at www.imls.gov/medals On Thursday, May 8th, First Lady Michelle Obama joined Institute of Museum and...

Tackling Money Matters at New York Public Library

Grantee: New York Public Library Grant: Laura Bush 21st Century Librarians Program – Continuing Education, 2011 Contact: Marzena Ermler, Manager of Professional Development (212) 592-7313 marzenaermler@nypl.org Website: moneymatterspro.nypl.org “Library staff members traditionally feel hesitant to answer financial questions for fear of litigation and other risks. Money Matters changed the culture...

Using History to Transform a Community: Peralta Hacienda Historical Park

Grantee: Friends of Peralta Hacienda Historical Park Grant: 2011 Museums for America, Engaging Communities Pictured: Interns recieve docent training in the Peralta kitchens. Contact: Holly Alonso Executive Director 510-532-9142 hollyalonso@earthlink.net Website: www.peraltahacienda.org See also: StoryCorps blog post: Everyone Makes History in the Fruitvale “The Peralta Hacienda site is about more...

Planting Seeds of Information: Creating a Digital Natural History Collection

Grantee: Butler University Grant: 2011 Grants to States (sub-award through Indiana State Library) Pictured: IUPUI Library Digital Initiatives Technician assistant, Lucy Grogg, captures an image of each herbarium sheet Contact: Rebecca Dolan, Director, Friesner Herbarium 317-940-9413 rdolan@butler.edu Website: www.butler.edu/herbarium “Having our images available online has been of tremendous...

Open-Ended Exploration: "Making" Endless Possibilities in STEM

Grantee The New York Hall of Science Grant 2011 Museums for America Pictured Maker programming included drum making workshops. Contact David Wells, Manager of Creative Learning and Making 718-699-0005 ext 357 dwells@nysci.org Website makerspace.nysci.org “Queens Makes helped to diversify the maker movement in the community and create deep and lasting connections with local families. In the process...