Marsha Semmel, Acting Director, IMLS Craigslist Foundation Boot Camp August 14, 2010

1. Have You Thought About Your Cultural Assets Lately? Marsha Semmel, Acting Director, IMLSCraigslist Foundation Boot CampAugust 14, 2010

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Purpose and Goals • IMLS has three keygoals: • 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.

5. 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

6. Meeting Individual & Community Needs The Customer Pyramid (Conley, Peak: 2007)

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. Meeting Mental Health Needs Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens • Partnership with College of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University • Garden walks and guided imagery targeting depression • Online training manual for gardens and museums

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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 Library and Quality Services for the Autistic Community

16. How do We Reach the Top of the Pyramid?

17. 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