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/2010/061510.shtm


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2010

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

IMLS Awards More Than $22.6 Million in Librarian Recruitment and
Education Grants

Washington, DC-The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) today
awarded 38 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grants totaling
$22,623,984. These grants provide scholarships for students in master's
and doctoral programs in library and information science, support the
research of early career faculty in graduate schools of library and
information science, and provide continuing education opportunities to
enhance the skills of practitioners in libraries and archives. Some of
the projects in this year's awards will help to boost libraries' efforts
to help the unemployed find work; support libraries in rural
communities; expand relationships between libraries, museums, and
archives; and strengthen the skills of library staffs in the Pacific
territories. To see a complete list of awardees and descriptions of how
they intend to use their grants, please go to
http://www.imls.gov/news/2010/061510_list.shtm.

"Library services are in great demand as evidenced by the growing
numbers of patrons turning to the library to meet their education,
workforce, and health information needs. At the same time, information
technology has transformed library service and opened the doors to
innovation so that libraries can reach diverse people more effectively.
In this fast-changing environment, providing training and educational
support for librarians and library staff is more important than ever,"
said Marsha L. Semmel, acting director of IMLS.

The 2010 grantees include:

University of Illinois
Amount: $988,543
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Graduate School of Library
and Information Science, the University of Tennessee School of
Information Sciences, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research
have partnered to establish Data Curation Education in Research Centers
(DCERC). DCERC will develop a model, including a field experience in a
data intensive scientific environment, for educating LIS master's and
doctoral students in data curation. It will implement a graduate
research and education program to address the need for professionals
with scientific expertise who can manage and curate large digital data
collections.

Pratt Institute
Amount: $971,407
Project CHART (Cultural Heritage, Access, Research and Technology) is a
three-year partnership among the Pratt Institute, the Brooklyn Public
Library, Brooklyn Museum, and Brooklyn Historical Society designed to
prepare master's students for leadership roles as digital managers and
curators in libraries, museums, and archives. Students who receive
tuition scholarships graduate with a Master of Library and Information
Science having completed an 18-credit program in digital management. The
program includes internships at partner institutions where students
digitize Brooklyn photographs and produce a public Web site featuring
those photographs. 

Palau Community College
Amount: $216,405
Palau Community College will develop a distance education Library &
Information Services program accredited through the Accrediting
Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association
of Schools and Colleges. The goal of this pilot program is to provide a
formal training opportunity for the library workers of Palau and to
evaluate and test the associates degree curriculum and technology before
formally expanding the program to reach the other islands in Micronesia.

OCLC/WebJunction
Amount: $940,750
WebJunction and the State Library of North Carolina will conduct and
impact and needs assessments on unemployment in all United States
regions and create a corresponding curriculum that can be tailored to
meet local needs. WebJunction will conduct one train-the-trainer
workshop and up to 75 local workshops for public library staff working
in the highest unemployment areas. It will deliver a presentation at
local conferences and make a free version available online, in addition
to hosting a Web site for ongoing communication among state libraries.

Nebraska Library Commission
Amount: $721,033
The Nebraska Library Commission and Central Community College will
foster the recruitment, education, and 21st century skills development
of 165 pre-professional and professional students through scholarships,
internships, and stipends. The Cultivating Rural Librarians' Technology
Skills program adds value to students' formal educational experiences
through social and face-to-face networking opportunities and through
technology skills training. The grant will also be used to recruit
promising high school and college students and diverse library personnel
to ensure that Nebraskans receive library services provided by
knowledgeable librarians who represent a range of backgrounds and
talents.

Alaska Division of Libraries, Archives, and Museums
Amount: $185,427
The Alaska Native Libraries, Archives, and Museum will support
paraprofessional and professional continuing education and training at a
summit of library, archives, and museum staff who are Alaska Native or
serve significant Alaska Native populations. Working with a diverse
group of for-profit and non-profit organizations, the state library will
develop a strategic plan to sustain these education initiatives. It will
develop a Web site to disseminate continuing education and professional
development opportunities and will deliver three workshops using a
variety of traditional and technology-enabled methods.

There were 110 applications to the program with requests totaling
$68,242,619. The next deadline for the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian
Program is December 15, 2010. For more information, please go to
http://www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/21centuryLibrarian.shtm 

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.