Introduction   |   Meet Our Staff   |   News

International Visitors and Travel   |   Speeches, Papers, and Resources

In June 2008, I announced the establishment of the IMLS International Strategic Partnership Initiative, a project that will strengthen cross-cultural connections between U.S. museums and libraries and their global counterparts. IMLS is uniquely positioned to take a leadership role in fostering collegial information sharing all over the world because of its wide-ranging support of America’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums.

The goals of the IMLS International Strategic Partnership Initiative are:

1. To act as a catalyst for information and idea sharing between U.S. and international museums and libraries.
2. To share knowledge and best practices among museum and library professionals in this country and around the world.

The IMLS International Strategic Partnership Initiative will be guided by IMLS’s strategic goals of sustaining heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhancing learning and innovation; and supporting professional development. Reaching out to our international colleagues is important and achievable because, as I said in remarks at a UNESCO meeting, cultural diplomacy should simply be the sharing of cultural experiences, artistic work, and goodwill that flows both ways across borders.

- Dr. Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director, IMLS

I have asked the following people to serve as the leaders of this initiative:

• The IMLS International Strategic Partnership Initiative Coordinator: Marsha Semmel, Director, Office of Strategic Partnerships, Deputy Director, Office of Museum Services
  
• Europe: Nancy Weiss, General Counsel
  
• Australia: Chris Reich, Senior Program Officer
  
• Sub-Saharan Africa: Schroeder Cherry, Counselor to the Director
  
• Asia: Joyce Ray, Associate Deputy Director for Libraries
  
• The Americas: Mary Chute, Deputy Director for Libraries and Mary Downs, Research Officer
  
• Middle East: Mary Estelle Kennelly, Associate Deputy Director for Museums
  
• Research: Mamie Bittner, Deputy Director for the Office of Planning, Policy, Research, and Communications
  
• Special consultant for international activities with a primary focus on the Middle East and Africa: Harriet Fulbright

IMLS and China Strengthen Cross-cultural Connections - November 18, 2008

IMLS staff frequently meets with delegations from foreign museums and libraries, through contacts from the U.S. State Department, foreign embassies, and other cultural organizations. These meetings are opportunities for our staff to provide information on IMLS and its activities in U.S. museums and libraries, and to learn about our colleagues around the world. IMLS has recently met with visitors from Australia, Korea, Morocco, the United Kingdom, Romania, and Russia.

IMLS staff has traveled abroad to professional meetings and events in Canada, China, Italy, France, Senegal, and the United Kingdom.

Keynote Address by Marsha L. Semmel, Deputy Director for Museum Services and Director for Strategic Partnerships
Korean Museum Association Annual Meeting
May 23, 2009, in Seoul, Korea

Remarks by Marsha L. Semmel, Deputy Director for Museum Services and Director for Strategic Partnerships
Organization of American States’ Fourth Inter-American Meeting of Ministers of Culture and Highest Appropriate Authorities
November 21, 2008, in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Remarks of Anne-Imelda M. Radice Director, Institute of Museum and Library Services
Picturing America symposium at UNESCO
September 30, 2008

Managing the Digital World: the Role of Digital Curation
By Joyce Ray, Associate Deputy Director for Library Services
Delivered at the United Kingdom’s Digital Curation Centre Annual Meeting
December 1-4, 2008, Edinburgh, Scotland