FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
October 1, 2007
IMLS Press
Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, jmjoseth@imls.gov
Mamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov
Heritage Preservation Chosen as Cooperator for the IMLS
Connecting to Collections: The National Tour
Washington, DC—The
Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has chosen
Heritage Preservation as the cooperator for Connecting
to Collections: The National Tour, which is a central
part of the Institute’s multi-year initiative on
conservation, Connecting to Collections: A Call to
Action. The goal of the National Tour is to raise
awareness among leaders of small and mid-sized museums
and libraries about the importance of collections care
and to give them practical information, tools, and resources
to inspire action nationwide.
“Our nation’s collections are
at risk and we must act now to protect them,” said
Anne-Imelda M. Radice, PhD, IMLS Director. “With
Heritage Preservation’s help, the National Tour
will take this important call to action on the road.”
“Heritage Preservation is pleased
to cooperate with IMLS on Collecting to Connections:
The National Tour,” said Larry Reger, Executive
Director of Heritage Preservation. “The National
Tour and other parts of the Connecting to Collections
initiative will help ensure that demonstrable progress
is made on the care of collections as advocated by the
Heritage Health Index (HHI).” The HHI, supported
by IMLS and Heritage Preservation, was the first major
survey of the state of the nation’s collections.
It concluded that immediate conservation treatment is
needed to prevent the loss of 190 million artifacts (www.heritagepreservation.org/hhi).
The four meetings of the National Tour will
focus on such issues as collections care expertise, technology
and collections care, connecting to the public, and fundraising.
Each meeting will also explore a particular conservation/preservation
issue facing museums and libraries today. The schedule
tentatively includes:
- Atlanta, GA, Jan. 31-Feb.1, 2008. The forum, which
will be held at the High Museum of Art, will focus on
issues related to diverse ethnic and cultural collections.
- Denver, CO, June 2008. The forum, which will be hosted
by the Denver Public Library, will focus on collaboration
in the digital age.
- San Diego, CA, in Jan. 2009. The forum, which will
be held at the San Diego Zoo, will focus on the care
of living collections.
- Buffalo, NY, in June 2009. The forum will be hosted
by the Art Conservation Department at Buffalo State
College and focus on training in collections care.
In addition to the professionals representing
small and mid-sized museums and libraries, each meeting
will include leaders from charitable foundations; regional
and national organizations focused on conservation and
preservation; library and museum boards; and local, state,
or the federal government. Attendance is expected to be
at least 200 at each forum and approximately 10,000 additional
people via webcasts, DVDs, and other communication technologies.
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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.
About Heritage Preservation
Heritage Preservation is the national organization dedicated
to preserving our nation’s heritage. Its members
include libraries, museums, archives, historic preservation
organizations, historical societies, conservation organizations
and other professional groups concerned with saving the
past for the future. For more information, please visit
www.heritagepreservation.org.
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