Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning Grants

February 2009 Grant Announcement

Alabama

Alabama Historical Commission - Montgomery, AL

Award Amount: $39,611

Contact: Ms. Clyde Eller

Chief Curator
(334)230-2668; clyde.eller@preserveala.org

Project Title: "Building an Alabama Alliance for Collections Care"

The Alabama Historical Commission, in partnership with the Alabama Department of
Archives and History, the Alabama Museums Association, the Network of Alabama
Academic Libraries, and the Society of Alabama Archivists, use its grant to build an
effective alliance among stakeholders who share a common interest in preserving and
conserving both two-dimensional and three-dimensional artifacts. The partners will
expand a directory of 1,186 archives, libraries, museums, and other collecting
organizations; conduct a survey of Alabama collections-holding organizations and
disseminate these results; develop a statewide collections plan in a series of focus group
sessions and meetings; conduct training in emergency preparedness; and create a plan to
raise public awareness and marshal public-private support for collections care, addressing
two recommendations of the Heritage Health Index.

Arkansas

Amigos Library Services - Dallas, TX

Award Amount: $40,000

Contact: Ms. Gina Minks

Imaging and Preservation Service Manager
(972)340-2825; minks@amigos.org

Project Title: "Preserve Arkansas Heritage Project: An IMLS Connecting to Collections

Planning Grant"
The Arkansas State Library, the Arkansas History Commission, and the Arkansas
Department of Parks and Tourism will work with Amigos Library Services to conduct 25
one-day site surveys of collections-holding organizations throughout the state and five
regional preservation workshops to provide training to staff of museums, libraries, and
archives. This initiative will provide a basic understanding of the condition of the
physical collections throughout the state while providing basic preservation training.
Colorado

Colorado Wyoming Association of Museums - Golden, CO

Award Amount: $40,000

Contact: Ms. Laura Douglas

Principal
(303)594-7767; educationalacarte@yahoo.com

Project Title: "Colorado Consortium State Planning Grant: statewide surveys and
dissemination of results"
The Colorado-Wyoming Association of Museums, in partnership with the Society of
Rocky Mountain Archivists; the Colorado State Library; the State Historical Society of
Colorado; and the Bibliographical Center for Research, Rocky Mountain Region, will
conduct a statewide electronic survey and two-hour on-site surveys that build on the
findings of the Heritage Health Index. Sessions will be held at professional conferences
to disseminate the survey results and offer basic emergency preparedness. Additionally, a
workshop will be offered in multiple regions of the state to address the most urgent of
collections care/preservation needs as identified by the surveys.

Guam

University of Guam - Mangilao, GU

Award Amount: $38,484

Contact: Mrs. Monique Storie

Archive Librarian
(671)735-2150; mstorie@guam.uog.edu

Project Title: "Connecting to Collection: Guam Statewide Planning Grant Application"

The University of Guam will partner with the Guam Public Library, the Robert F.
Kennedy Memorial Library, and Guam Community College to create a comprehensive
profile of the island's collecting institutions to develop programs for professional
development and guide collection care from routine maintenance to large-scale
preservation projects. Findings from this project will strengthen institutional ability to
prioritize and undertake preservation and conservation activities.
Illinois

Illinois State Museum Society - Springfield, IL

Award Amount: $40,000

Contact: Dr. Bonnie Styles

Director
(217)782-7011; director@museum.state.il.us

Project Title: "Development of the Illinois Collections Preservation Plan and Network"
The Illinois State Museum Society will partner with eleven diverse organizations to
establish the Illinois Collections Preservation Plan and Network. The partnership will
hold a series of meetings across the state and accessible by teleconference to consider
critical preservation topics with government organizations, large public and private
institutions, and small and mid-sized collections-holding organizations. The meetings will
focus on four themes: providing tools and assessing needs for improving conditions and
collections care; disaster training and cooperative response; building public preservation
awareness through training and programming; and integrating existing preservation
grants for statewide benefit. The project partners will establish the statewide plan and
network to carry out the recommendations of The Heritage Health Index.

Iowa

Iowa Conservation and Preservation Consortium - Iowa City, IA

Award Amount: $40,000

Contact: Ms. Nancy Kraft

Head, Preservation Department
3193355286; nancy-e-kraft@uiowa.edu

Project Title: "Developing a Statewide Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan for
Iowa"
The Iowa Conservation and Preservation Consortium, in partnership with the Iowa
Department of Cultural Affairs, the Iowa Museum Association, and the State Library of
Iowa, will develop a formal, coordinated emergency response plan at the local and state
level. The project activities include surveying institutional preparedness and knowledge
of resources, geo-referencing location of cultural repositories, raising awareness of the
need for disaster response plans, developing a strategy for establishing "first responders,"
and developing a simple, broadly applicable disaster response planning tool.
Kansas

State Library of Kansas - Topeka, KS

Award Amount: $34,983

Contact: Cynthia Roupe

Director of Public Services
(785)296-5437; cindyr@kslib.info

Project Title: "Sustaining Kansans' Commitment to Collections by a Focus on Emergency

Planning"
The State Library of Kansas, along with seven partner organizations, will establish an
online statewide resource guide for library and museum emergency planning. The project
director and a consultant will work with the planning board to develop the resource guide
and obtain feedback through a series of regional workshops led by preservation experts
and a professional moderator. Follow-up review sessions by the consultant and planning
board will refine and update the resource guide, establish a permanent Collections
Emergency Coordinating Council for its maintenance, and produce a report with
recommendations for future collections care activities.

Kentucky

Kentucky Historical Society Foundation - Frankfort, KY

Award Amount: $40,000

Contact: Christopher Goodlett

Community Services Coordinator
(502)564-1792; chris.goodlett@ky.gov

Project Title: "Kentucky's Cultural Heritage: A Statewide Plan for Collections

Assessment and Care"
The Kentucky Historical Society will partner with the Historical Confederation of
Kentucky and the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives to assess the
collections care needs of the commonwealth and develop a plan to provide training,
support, and capacity to ensure the ongoing preservation of the state's heritage. The
partnership will develop a needs survey for collecting institutions in Kentucky; develop
and implement a pilot project with three to five collecting institutions for a statewide
collections management plan; and conduct a series of disaster planning and preparedness
workshops that will provide instructions and guidelines for writing a disaster plan and
inform a process to develop a statewide disaster response team.
Maine

Executive Office of the State of Maine - Augusta, ME

Award Amount: $39,485

Contact: Dr. Paula Work

Registrar
(207)287-8109; paula.work@maine.gov

Project Title: "Preserving Maine's Cultural Heritage: A Statewide Initiative"

The Maine State Museum, in partnership with the Maine State Archives, Maine Historical
Society, Maine Humanities Council, Maine Archives and Museums, L.C. Bates Museum,
Bangor Public Library, and University of Southern Maine, will create a statewide
consortium to raise public awareness about collections care and marshal public and
private support for these collections. The consortium will compile, organize, and analyze
existing collections-based information across the state; create associated databases to
assist in comparing the information; conduct a feasibility assessment of existing
organizations; and create a values assessment ranking system to assist organizations with
prioritizing the collections needs across the state.

Maryland

Maryland Department of Planning - Crownsville, MD

Award Amount: $35,830

Contact: Nichole Doub

Head Conservator - MAC Lab
(410)586-8577; ndoub@mdp.state.md.us

Project Title: "Maryland Connecting to Collections Project"

Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, along with 11 partner organizations, will assist in
improving the disaster plans for museum, archival, art, historical society, and library
communities across the state of Maryland. The partners will identify the hazards and
collections care challenges that face Maryland institutions and will develop a set of tools
for disaster response including a modified version of an established online disaster-
planning template, augmented to incorporate salvage steps for object-based collections,
and a pocket response guide containing a state-wide list of disaster recovery and
rehabilitation resources in conjunction with planning and response checklists. These steps
will provide support to cultural institutions across the state and build relationships
between cultural heritage and emergency management communities that are necessary
and invaluable when disaster strikes.
Massachusetts

Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners - Boston, MA

Award Amount: $40,000

Contact: Mr. Gregor Trinkaus-Randall

Preservation Specialist
(617)725-1860x236; gregor.trinkaus-randall@state.ma.us

Project Title: "Developing and Expanded and Enhanced Statewide Preservation Program
for Massachusetts' Cultural Heritage"
The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, along with its seven partners, will
use its grant to hire a consultant to develop, administer, and analyze a survey directed at
the cultural heritage institutions in the state. The results of this new survey will be
compared with data from a 1989 preservation needs assessment survey and the Heritage
Health Index to determine progress that has been made in addressing previously noted
needs and to identify new areas of concern for future action. This intensive survey will
allow Massachusetts to prioritize and develop a plan of action to address current
preservation needs across the state.

New Hampshire

State of New Hampshire - Concord, NH

Award Amount: $40,000

Contact: Ms. Janet Eklund

Administrator of Library Operations
(603)271-2393; janet.eklund@dcr.nh.gov

Project Title: "New Hampshire Connecting to Collections: From Awareness to Funding"

The New Hampshire State Library will partner with the New Hampshire Department of
Cultural Resources, the New Hampshire Department of Secretary of State, the Historic
Preservation Office, and the New Hampshire Historical Society to survey the state's
unique collections housed in over 500 libraries, museums, and archives. A steering
committee comprised of members from major public, private, and academic collecting
institutions in New Hampshire will guide the survey process and the development of an
online database that will serve as a portal to the state's cultural resources, emphasizing the
need for protection of imperiled and hidden collections.
New Mexico

Museum of New Mexico Foundation - Santa Fe, NM

Award Amount: $40,000

Contact: Mr. Mark MacKenzie

Director of Conservation/Chief Conservator
(505)476-1236; mark.mackenzie@state.nm.us

Project Title: "Creating a Collections Care Plan for New Mexico"

The Museum of New Mexico Foundation, along with six partner organizations will
survey institutions with collections holdings; compile and report on collections care
statewide for libraries, archives, and museums; and hold one-day collection care
workshops at six museum locations throughout the state. Capturing this information
through a comprehensive survey is essential for producing a baseline, statewide needs
assessment report that will ultimately address the recommendations made by the Heritage
Health Index.

North Carolina

North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources - Raleigh, NC

Award Amount: $39,963

Contact: Ms. Andrea Gabriel

NC ECHO Project Manager
(919)807-7414; andrea.gabriel@ncmail.net

Project Title: "North Carolina Connecting to Collections"

The North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources will partner with the North
Carolina Museums Council, the North Carolina Preservation Consortium, and the
Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies to identify, coordinate, and assess
collections preservation and disaster preparedness activities in the state's cultural heritage
community. This project will facilitate lasting partnerships among individual entities and
professional associations and build relationships with community representatives and
political supporters to plan for sustainable, long-term success in these activities.
North Dakota

Museums in North Dakota - Bismarck, ND

Award Amount: $39,997

Contact: Mr. Mark Ryan

Vice President Collections and Registration
(701)232-3821x104; mryan@plainsart.org

Project Title: "North Dakota Cultural Heritage Initiative"

Museums in North Dakota will partner with eight organizations to host eight regional
assessment meetings to determine how each museum, library, and archive throughout the
state deals with the four primary Heritage Health Index recommendations. At each
gathering, trained facilitators will identify the types and conditions of collections in order
to prioritize action steps and provide a variety of collections-based resources and
reference materials to attendees. The findings will be compiled in a database and shared
statewide to highlight what assistance will be of most value to cultural organizations in
the state.

Ohio

State Library of Ohio - Columbus, OH

Award Amount: $40,000

Contact: Ms. Missy Lodge

Head, Library Programs and Development
(614)644-6914; mlodge@sloma.state.oh.us

Project Title: "Ohio Heritage Partnership: A Statewide Initative"

The State Library of Ohio, partnering with the Ohio Historical Society, will conduct a
needs assessment of Ohio cultural heritage institutions. The steering committee will
collect data that is representative of all of the state’s cultural heritage organizations,
compiling a directory of contact and institutional information and a report detailing the
findings of the needs assessment. A summit entitled State of the Historical Record in
Ohio will be held, followed by a series of regional meetings that will form the basis of the
Ohio Cultural Heritage Strategic Plan.
Oregon

Oregon Museums Association - Portland, OR

Award Amount: $39,923

Contact: Mr. Kyle Jansson

President
(503)986-0673; kylej53@minetfiber.com

Project Title: "The Oregon Preservation Assessment and Education Planning Project"
The Oregon Museums Association will partner with seven organizations to identify the
preservation needs of the state’s libraries, museums, and archives. After conducting a
survey, evaluating the information, and staging regional forums, leaders of the state's
cultural organizations will collaboratively create a statewide preservation plan addressing
the recommendations of the Heritage Health Index. This plan will address the need for
more workers trained in collections care and emergency preparedness, outline steps to
improve the quality of collections care throughout the state, and raise awareness of and
generate support for the preservation needs of the state's cultural collections among the
public and decision makers.

South Carolina

Clemson University - Clemson, SC

Award Amount: $40,000

Contact: Ms. Emily Gore

Head of Digital Initiatives, Assistant Librarian
(864)656-3622; egore@clemson.edu

Project Title: "Building South Carolina's Heritage Health Index"

Clemson University Libraries in collaboration with partners across the state, including the
South Carolina State Library,; the South Carolina Department of Archives and History;
the Confederation of South Carolina Local Historical Societies; and the Palmetto
Archives, Libraries, Museums Council on Preservation, will identify and perform onsite
surveys of cultural heritage organizations based on the Heritage Health Index. This
information will be used to create a database of all South Carolina repositories with
corresponding photographs of the institution, publish a directory of institutions and
collection strengths based on this database and establish an informed baseline from which
to develop improved condition of collections, develop viable emergency plans, improve
staff training, and build stronger partnerships between identified cultural heritage
agencies.
South Dakota

South Dakota Heritage Fund - Pierre, SD

Award Amount: $40,000

Contact: Helen Louise

Museum Director
(605)773-3798; helen.louise@state.sd.us

Project Title: "South Dakota Connects to Collections Project"

The South Dakota Heritage Fund, along with the Association of South Dakota Museums,
will use grant funds to do a comprehensive assessment survey of the historical collections
within South Dakota. The project will develop an overall picture of the state's collections,
set up a method for sharing expertise and resources to care for them, and plan for
emergency and disaster training. Collections data from on-site and electronic surveys
would be compiled into a database for future reference and planning.

Utah

University of Utah - Salt Lake City, UT

Award Amount: $40,000

Contact: Mr. Randy Silverman

Preservation Librarian
(801)585-6782; randy.silverman@utah.edu

Project Title: "Utah Connecting to Collections"

The University of Utah’s Marriott Library will oversee a project designed to responsibly
improve the long-term care of Utah's material culture. Coordinated with six partners
among Utah’s community of libraries, archives, and museums, the project will develop
and implement the state's first formal preservation assessment. In keeping with the
findings of the Heritage Health Index, the results from this survey will be disseminated
through four preservation forums held in strategic geographic locations. These forums
will present an opportunity to improve preservation education opportunities statewide,
and will help in the development of plans to improve preservation funding.
Virgin Islands

Planning and Natural Resources - Charlotte Amalie, VI

Award Amount: $40,000

Contact: Ms. Ingrid Bough

Territorial Director of Libraries, Archives & Museums
(340)773-5715; ingrid.bough@dpnr.gov.vi

Project Title: "Strategic Plan for Preservation of Virgin Islands Collections"

The Division of Libraries, Archives and Museums of the Government of the Virgin
Islands, with the assistance of its fourteen grant partners, professional consultants, and
advisors, will form and direct a team of collections caregivers and custodians to conduct
conservation surveys, perform needs assessment evaluations, and promote best practices
for conservation and preservation. Survey and analysis results will provide the
scaffolding for action plans and a professional approach to collections care management,
and information will be shared throughout the territory in order to educate and raise
awareness.

Virginia

Virginia Association of Museums - Richmond, VA

Award Amount: $39,987

Contact: Ms. Margo Carlock

Executive Director
(804)788-5821; mcarlock@vamuseums.org

Project Title: "Statewide Planning Proposal for Virginia"

The Virginia Association of Museums, along with the Library of Virginia, the Mid-
Atlantic Archives Conference, the Virginia Conservation Association, and the Virginia
Department of Historic Resources, will undertake an assessment exercise for small
museums, present a two-day intensive training experience in collections care for staff of
small organizations, extend local emergency support groups throughout Virginia, develop
easy disaster plan templates for museums of different sizes and capabilities to be used in
a series of workshops, and develop a comprehensive strategy to raise public awareness
with internal and external audiences of the importance of collections care issues.
Wyoming

Buffalo Bill Memorial Association - Cody, WY

Award Amount: $39,943

Contact: Ms. Beverly Perkins

Conservator
(307)578-4029; beverlyp@bbhc.org

Project Title: "Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning Grant"

The Buffalo Bill Historical Center and five partners will identify and address the most
pressing preservation needs for Wyoming's cultural institutions. This process will include
identifying the state's collecting institutions and assessing their stewardship concerns;
holding regional conferences for networking, collections care training, and disaster
response; developing and maintaining a statewide database of all collecting institutions;
and organizing workshops that address Heritage Health Index concerns. The partners are
Colorado-Wyoming Museum Association, Wyoming State Library, Sheridan County
Historical Society Museum, Western Wyoming Community College, and Nicolaysen Art
Museum.