Dr. Anne-Imelda M. Radice, IMLS Director, delivers her opening remarks.

Representatives of small and medium-sized museums and libraries from every
state, including Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, met with national leaders in the nation’s capitol on June 27-28, 2007. The summit explored strategies for preserving endangered collections, harnessing new technologies, engaging the public in conservation efforts, and identifying funding resources.

“Knowing that the concerns about collection care exist at the highest levels is helpful to me in making my case for local support,” said Robyn G. Peterson, Executive Director of the Yellowstone Art Museum in Billings, MT.

“This is an important moment for our field and I was very honored to participate,” said Debra Hess Norris, Chairperson of the Art Conservation Department at the University of Delaware, Newark, DE.

“I left the meetings feeling inspired and motivated to renew our efforts,” said Deb Slaney, Curator of History at the Albuquerque Museum in New Mexico.

“I would definitely recommend that prospective attendees [attend future summits] for its collaborative aspects alone,” said Dwight McInvaill, Director of the Georgetown County Library in Georgetown, SC.

“I hope I will be able to inspire our citizens to become more active in preservation,” said Joan K Weaver, Director of the Kinsley Public Library in Kinsley, KS.

 

The summit was organized in cooperation with Heritage Preservation and held at the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture of the Smithsonian Institution.

The National Conservation Summit hosts would like to thank the following for their generous support: