IMLS funding

President Requests $265,556,000 for the Institute of Museum and
    Library Service
<URL:http://www.imls.gov/news/2009/050709.shtm>

President Obama has requested $265,556,000 for fiscal year 2010 for
the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The request,
which was transmitted to Congress today, represents an increase of
$1,453,000 over the FY 2009 enacted level for the Institute's
programs and administration. The proposed budget will support
museums and libraries as they provide unparalleled value to the
public, fuel knowledge sharing, and energize our economy,
creativity, and competitiveness.

   "We are pleased to have President Obama's support for the
    nation's museums and libraries," said Anne-Imelda M. Radice,
    Director of IMLS. "With this proposed budget, IMLS looks forward
    to continued support of these institutions as they connect
    people to information and ideas."

The President requested $213,240,000 for the nation's 123,000
libraries. Of that amount, approximately 80 percent is distributed
through the Grants to States program to the State Library
Administrative Agencies (SLAAs) in each of the 50 states, the
District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and freely associated state,
according to a population-based formula. These grants help libraries
meet the community needs, use technology to develop new service
models and reach underserved populations. Library funding also
supports:

    National Leadership Grants to support creation of new tools,
    research, models, services, practices, or alliances to shape
    tomorrow's libraries;

    Native American and Native Hawaiian Library Services Grants to
    support improved access to library services for Native
    Americans, Alaska Native Villages, and Native Hawaiians; and the

    Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian grants that build the
    professional capacity of libraries by improving staff knowledge
    and skills.

In support of the nation's 17,500 museums, the President requested
$35,182,000 for the following grant programs:

    Museums for America, a program that strengthens museums as
    active resources for lifelong learning and as community assets.

    The 21st Century Museum Professionals program, which supports
    projects that address the preparation of museum professionals
    for the future by updating and expanding their knowledge and
    skills.

    The Conservation Project Support program, which helps museums
    identify conservation needs and priorities and perform
    activities to ensure the safekeeping of their collections.

    National Leadership Grants to support creation of new tools,
    research, models, services, practices, or alliances to shape
    tomorrow's museums.

    The Native American and Native Hawaiian Museum Services program,
    which enables Native American tribes, Alaska Native villages or
    corporations, and organizations that primarily serve Native
    Hawaiians to benefit their communities and audiences through
    strengthened museum services.

    The Museum Grants for African American History and Culture
    program, which builds professional capacity in the African
    American museum community.

    The Museum Assessment Program, which provides technical
    assistance to help institutions assess their strengths and
    weaknesses and plan for the future.

    The Conservation Assessment Program, which assists small museums
    in laying the groundwork for effective collections management.

The President's budget also provides continued support for research
and policy activities in the Office of Policy, Planning, Research,
and Communications. In 2008, IMLS released the following:

    Exhibiting Public Value: Government Funding for Museums in the
    United States, the first major review of public finance for the
    museum sector.

    The annual Public Libraries Survey, which includes information
    on population of service areas, service outlets, library
    collections and services, library staff, and operating revenue
    and expenditures.

    The annual Library Statistics Report on state library agencies
    in the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a wide array
    of information on topics such as libraries' Internet access and
    electronic services, collections, staff, and revenue.

    A Data Note on Libraries' Use of Broadband to Serve High-Need
    Communities.

In addition to in-house research, IMLS also supports outside research
including the following:

    InterConnections: A National Study of Users and Potential Users
    of Online Information, released by University of North Carolina
    at Chapel Hill in 2008.

    Information Searches That Solve Problems: How People Use the
    Internet, Government Agencies, and Libraries When They Need Help
    by the Pew Center for American Life and the Internet and the
    University of Illinois, published in 2007;

    An upcoming study on the impact of access to free computers in
    the public library on individuals and communities by the
    University of Washington. IMLS made the award In partnership
    with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

    An upcoming study exploring family learning in art museums
    involving 2,100 family visitors and a longitudinal ethnographic
    study of 18 families by the Frist Center for the Visual Arts in
    Nashville, partnering with the High Museum of Art and the J.B.
    Speed Museum of Art.

A detailed table of President Obama's budget request (PDF, 35KB) for
IMLS with a recent budget history can be viewed at

    <URL:http://www.imls.gov/pdf/2000-2010_Appropriations_Table.pdf>


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 22:65
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