Public Information and Communication
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 21, 2009
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Beth Goble
402-471-4015
800-307-2665
Nebraska Library Commission Offers Conservation Resources
Treasured objects and artifacts held by Nebraska
libraries and museums will be preserved for future generations with help from
the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, a core set of conservation books
and online resources donated by the Institute of Museum and Library Services
(IMLS). IMLS has now awarded nearly 3,000 free sets of the IMLS Bookshelf, in
cooperation with the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH).
"When IMLS launched this initiative to improve the dire state of our
nation's collections, we understood that the materials gathered for the
Bookshelf would serve as important tools for museums, libraries, and archives
nationwide," said Anne-Imelda Radice, Director of IMLS. "We were both pleased
and encouraged by the overwhelming interest of institutions prepared to answer
the call to action, and we know that with their dedication, artifacts from our
shared history will be preserved for future generations."
The Nebraska Library
Commission received this essential set of resources based on an application
describing the needs for the care of its collections and plans to share these
resources with museums and libraries across Nebraska. The IMLS Bookshelf focuses
on collections typically found in art or history museums and in libraries'
special collections, with an added selection of texts for zoos, aquaria, public
gardens, and nature centers. It addresses such topics as the philosophy and
ethics of collecting, collection management and planning, emergency
preparedness, and culturally-specific conservation issues.
Libraries and museums
are encouraged to contact Nebraska Library Commission Information and Reference
Services to borrow these resources. Call: 800-307-2665 (Nebraska only) or
402-471-4016 Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST; fax: 402-471-6244; or
e-mail. A list
of the materials in the collection is available on the Nebraska Library
Commission blog at
nlc.nebraska.gov/blogs/nlc/2009/08/connecting_to_collections_book_1.html.
The IMLS Bookshelf is a crucial component of Connecting to Collections: A Call
to Action, a conservation initiative that the Institute launched in 2006. IMLS
began the initiative in response to a 2005 study released in partnership with
Heritage Preservation, A Public Trust at Risk: The Heritage Health Index Report
on the State of America's Collections. The multi-faceted, multi-year initiative
shines a nationwide spotlight on the needs of America's collections, especially
those held by smaller institutions, which often lack the human and financial
resources necessary to adequately care for their collections. For more
information on the Connecting to Collections initiative, see
www.imls.gov/collections.
# # #
The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are
always available on the Library Commission home page,
nlc.nebraska.gov, search on News Releases.
As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for
the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library
Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and
information services, "bringing together people and information."
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 123,000
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 .