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The Museum and Library Services Act (MLSA) of 1996 established the Institute of Museum and Library Services within the National Foundation on the Arts
and Humanities. The new agency combined the Institute of Museum Services, which had been in existence since 1976, and the Library Programs Office, which
had been part of the Department of Education since 1956. It authorized federal funding for IMLS through FY 2002. IMLS would comprise the Office of Library
Services (OLS) and the Office of Museum Services (OMS).
The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), a subtitle of MLSA, directed the new agency to support library services and technology, with an emphasis
on access and literacy programs for underserved communities. LSTA authorized appropriations for grants to states for the purpose of improving information
access through technology and information empowerment through special services. It also authorized other federal library grant programs, including grants
to Indian tribes, and a program of national leadership and evaluation activities.
The Museum Services Act (MSA), the law’s other subtitle, continued to authorize grants to museums to increase and improve museum services through
specified types of activities; and contracts and cooperative agreements with appropriate entities for projects to strengthen museum services. MSA also
authorized the Director of IMLS to annually make a National Award for Museum Services to outstanding museums that made significant contributions in service
to their communities.
MLSA retained the Museum Services Board as the advisory panel to the Director for OMS and gave the National Commission on Libraries and Information
Science the same responsibility for OLS. The new law also repealed the various laws it was designed to replace.
Funding for the new agency was authorized through 2002.
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