New acting director for IMLS

Diane Frankel, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library
Services (IMLS), announced the appointment of Beverly Black Sheppard
as acting director beginning Thursday, March 25, 1999.   Frankel
leaves IMLS to join the James Irvine Foundation in San Francisco.

Sheppard, Deputy Director of IMLS, Office of Museum Services since
June 1998, has more than 16 years of professional museum experience
and is widely known in the field for her work in museum education.
Prior to joining IMLS, Sheppard held the position of Associate
Director of the Chester County Historical Society in West Chester,
Pennsylvania.

Sheppard served two terms as President of the Pennsylvania
Federation of Museums and Historical Organizations, working closely
with the Governor and Pennsylvania State Legislature to establish
state policies and to increase budget support of museums. Under her
leadership the Federation spearheaded successful partnerships among
museum leadership, Pennsylvania Departments of Education and
Tourism, and other state agencies.

Sheppard has authored several publications, including Building
School and Museum Partnerships, a book widely used in museum
education programs. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Art and English
from Bucknell University and a Master of Arts in Studio Art from
Marywood College.  Sheppard formerly taught studio art and art
history in the graduate art department of Marywood College and in
the undergraduate program at the University of Scranton.

Until the President nominates and the Senate confirms a new
director, the acting director will administer the day-to-day
operations of the agency. The Museum and Library Services Act (P.L.
104-208) provides that the Presidentially appointed Senate confirmed
director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services shall
rotate between an individual with library and information service
expertise and an individual with museum service expertise.  The next
Presidential appointee to be Director of the Institute of Museum and
Library Services will have expertise in library and information
services and will be appointed for a four year term. Frankel also
announced that Joyce Ray will be detailed to the position of
Director, Office of Library Services. She will continue to report to
Elizabeth Sywetz, IMLS Deputy Director, Office of Library Services.
Joyce Ray received both M.L.S. and Ph.D. degrees from The University
of Texas at Austin.  Most of her practicing library career has been
spent in archives and special collections.  From 1988 to 1998 she
was with the National Archives and Records Administration, where she
held a number of positions including Special Assistant to the
Archivist of the United States and Acting Program Director of NARA's
grant-making arm, the National Historical Publications and Records
Commission.  She came to IMLS as Director of Discretionary Programs
in 1998. For more information, including grant guidelines contact:

    Institute of Museum and Library Services
    1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
    Washington DC 20506
    202-606-8536,
    <URL>http://www.imls.gov/>

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 12:75
                  Distributed: Tuesday, March 23, 1999
                       Message Id: cdl-12-75-011
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