The following is a text-only press release from the federal Institute of
Museum and Library Services (IMLS). An HTML version of this release can
be read on the agency's Web site at
http://www.imls.gov/news/2010/050610.shtm.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2010

IMLS Press Contacts 
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, [log in to unmask]
Mamie Bittner, [log in to unmask]

IMLS Awards $3 million For Critical Conservation at Nation's Museums 

Asian Screens, Textiles from the 1930s, and Tiffany Designs to be
Rescued

Washington, DC-Marsha L. Semmel, acting director of the Institute of
Museum and Library Services (IMLS), announced 33 museum recipients of
the 2010 Conservation Project Support (CPS) grants, totaling $3,184,977.
Since 1984, these grants have helped 1,338 museums to identify
conservation needs and priorities and take action to ensure the
safekeeping of their collections. CPS grant recipients will match their
awards with an additional $4,261,753. 

"We are thrilled to see the rising number and caliber of conservation
applications. There's a clear correlation between states' increased
conservation efforts, which have been stimulated by IMLS's Connecting to
Collections conservation initiative, and museums taking action at the
institutional level," Semmel said. In 2010, there were 148 applications
for conservation project support, compared to 129 applications in 2009
and 109 applications in 2008."

Through their collections, museums tell the nation's stories and ensure
that knowledge is passed on to future generations. The Heritage Health
Index, a report conducted by Heritage Preservation with support from
IMLS, found that collections are highly vulnerable and in need of
immediate action to prevent the loss of millions of irreplaceable
artifacts. In response, IMLS launched Connecting to Collections: A Call
to Action, a multi-year conservation initiative to increase public
awareness of the importance of collections care. The initiative provides
several grant opportunities including American Heritage Preservation
Grants, Connecting to Collections State Wide Planning Grants and
Connecting to Collections Statewide Implementation Grants.

In addition to today's CPS grants, Heritage Preservation announced its
IMLS-supported Conservation Assessment Program awards
(www.heritagepreservation.org/CAP/10announce.html), which will provide
general conservation assessments of collections, environmental
conditions, and sites for 107 museum participants. 

Conservation Project Support grant recipients include:

Hagley Museum and Library, Wilmington, DE $22,281
Hagley Museum and Library will develop and share new understandings
about the preservation of DuPont fibers, such as nylon, Orlon(tm),
acrylic, Dacron(tm) polyester, and Qiana(tm). Important examples of
American textile innovations include approximately 600 items of clothing
and fabric samples made from the pioneering synthetics.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY $150,000 
For the first time, the Metropolitan Museum of Art will be able shed new
light on the inner workings of the Louis Comfort Tiffany stain glass
design studio. The Museum will conserve and stabilize a group of 60
fragile drawings of stained glass window designs from the studios of
Louis Comfort Tiffany, which are currently inaccessible due to microbial
infestation.

Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA $70,000
The Seattle Art Museum will improve collections care and access for 69
Asian folding and sliding screens stored at its historic 1933 Seattle
Asian Art Museum facility. These painted screens, currently stored in a
variety of makeshift storage units that impede proper access, will be
re-housed in 16 new, professional-quality screen storage cabinets. The
project will facilitate the safe handling and storage of the screens,
enhancing their long-term preservation and access for scholars. 

Click here for a full list of grant recipients by state
http://www.imls.gov/news/2010/050610_list.shtm.

The next deadline for the CPS grants is Oct. 1, 2010. To learn more,
please visit www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/ConservProject.shtm. Please
direct questions to Christine Henry, Senior Program Officer
202/653-4674; [log in to unmask]

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.