Marsha Semmel, Acting Director, IMLSCraigslist Foundation Boot Camp

August 14, 2010

Have You Thought About Your Cultural Assets Lately?

What is IMLS?

• IMLS is a U.S. federal government agency.• Our primary purpose is to make grants to the

nation’s museums and libraries. • We also engage in research, evaluation, and data

collection for the field.• Established in 1996.

Our Mission

• The Institute’s mission is to help build the capacity of libraries and museums:To connect people to information and ideas

• The Institute is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums.

• IMLS has three key goals: – Sustain cultural heritage and knowledge;– Enhance learning and spur innovation; and– Support professional training so the staff of

libraries and museums can be leaders in their communities.

Purpose and Goals

U.S. Museums and Libraries

• 17,500 Museums– Art– History– Science– Youth – Aquaria– Planetaria– Arboreta– Zoos – Botanical Gardens

• 123,000 Libraries-Public

- Academic- School- Research- Archives

Meeting Individual & Community Needs

The Customer Pyramid (Conley, Peak: 2007)

Combating Childhood Obesity

Children’s Museum of Manhattan– Adapts the We Can! Program created by the NIH to

enhance early learning– Partnership with Bronx public housing

- Collaboration with the Louisiana Children’s Museum and low-income communities in New Orleans

Addressing Needs of Immigrants

Orange County Public Library (FL)– Citizenship Inspired: a multifaceted learning

experience for those seeking U.S. citizenship– One-on-one learning, learning in groups, live

online learning, and self-paced online tutorials – Social networking to build

collaborative communities

Battling Substance Abuse

Haines Borough Public Library– Voices Project partnership with KHNS public radio– Educate rural, native Alaskans about the impacts of

drug and alcohol abuse– Storytelling and audio diaries illustrating the

impacts of abuse– Dissemination via the

radio and Web

Meeting Mental Health Needs

Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens– Partnership with College of Nursing at Florida

Atlantic University – Garden walks and guided

imagery targetingdepression

– Online training manual for gardens and museums

Supporting the Homeless

Young at Art of Broward (FL)– ArtREACH: afterschool arts and homework

assistance program supporting mothers and their children through play and learning

– Collaboration with the school board & two homeless shelters

– Free museum memberships

Serving the Unemployed

Project Compass – OCLC WebJunction & the State Library of North Carolina– Links libraries nationwide to share strategies for

helping unemployed patrons find work– Regional summits for state librarians to share

best practices– Promoting statewide workforce

development partnerships

Building Cross-cultural Understanding

International Coalition of Sites of Conscience– Build the capacity of 12 immigration history

museums to facilitate dialogue around community immigration issues

– Professional development for museum staff

Enhancing Environmental Literacy

Monterey Bay Aquarium– Watsonville Area Teens Conserving Habitats

(WATCH) program– Partnership with Pajaro Valley High School– Educate students about local conservation issues,

connect and engage with their community, and expose them to science

and conservation-related careers

Increasing Accessibility & Inclusion

Queens Museum of Art– Community-based art therapy program for Spanish-

speaking families of children with autism spectrum disorder

– Partnership with the Queens Libraryand Quality Services for the Autistic Community

How do We Reach the Top of the Pyramid?

IMLS E-communications

• www.imls.gov

• Primary Source: Free monthly e-mail update, sent to over 9,000 subscribers.

• Twitter: @US_IMLS

• IMLS RSS Feed: www.imls.gov/rss.xml

• IMLS Podcasts: www.imls.gov/podcast.xml