FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2008

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

2.5 Million Dollars Awarded to Support Training and Development for the
Nation’s Museum Professionals

Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the primary source of federal support for the nation's museums and libraries, is pleased to announce the eight recipients of this year’s 21st Century Museum Professionals (21 MP) grants. The awarded organizations will receive a combined total of $2,548,088 that will be used to implement projects to strengthen leadership, management, interpretation, and other important skills of thousands of museum professionals nationwide.

“The museum field is constantly evolving and changing, and it is important that museum professionals are offered the training they need to not only remain current but also be prepared for the future,” said Anne-Imelda Radice, Director, IMLS. “21st Century Museum Professionals grants are awarded to meet these needs by funding classes, collection assessments, and pre-professional training programs for all interested museum employees to ensure a savvy museum workforce.”

Many of this year’s 21 MP projects will have long-lasting and national impacts through the creation of web-based resources, publications, and other materials. Examples of the 2008 awardees include the New England Aquarium, which will coordinate a collaboration of five aquariums to provide their educators with specialized training, materials, and tools to increase public awareness of ocean change. By the end of the three-year project, over 200 interpreters will be trained, a toolkit will be developed for use with visitors, and a model training program will be refined for adaptation by other aquariums.

The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), another 21 MP grant recipient, will provide training for museum professionals in the fundamentals of project management to support education programs, collections-related activities, and capital projects, and will develop and present a series of on-site and web-based project management workshops specifically geared to history museum professionals. Click here to learn more about the 2008 21 MP grant recipients.

The next deadline for the 21st Century Museum Professionals program is March 15, 2009. Click here for more information.

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 122,000 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.