February 2008

Fiscal Year 2009 Appropriations Request 

to the United States Congress

C o n n e c t i n g P e o p l e t o I n f o r m a t i o n a n d I d e a s
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 

Introduction: Connecting People to Information and Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Message from the Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

IMLS Performance Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Summary of Appropriations Request . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Museum Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

African American Museum Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Library Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Institute of Museum and Library Services Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Policy, Research, and Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Table 1: IMLS Appropriations History, 1998–2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Table 2: IMLS Appropriations Request and Enactment History, 2006–2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Detailed Program Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Museum Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Museums for America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Museum Assessment Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

21st Century Museum Professionals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Conservation Project Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Conservation Assessment Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

African American Museum Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Museum Grants for African American History and Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Library Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Grants to State Library Agencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Table 3: State Allotments for FYs 2003–2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Native American/Native Hawaiian Library Services Grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

National Leadership Grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

National Leadership Grants for Museums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

National Leadership Grants for Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Special Projects and Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Conservation Initiative: Connection to Collections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

National Book Festival Pavilion of the States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Museums and Libraries Engaging America’s Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

National Medals for Museum and Library Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

WebWise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Rebuilding Gulf Coast Library and Museums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

21st Century Skills Report and Practitioner’s Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Practitioner’s Guide for Learning Science in Informal Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Table of Contents
Institute of Museum and Library Services - ii

IMLS Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

The President’s Management Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Salaries and Expenses Request . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Justification of Operating Costs by Object Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Table 4: IMLS History of Administration Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

FY 2009 Performance Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Sustaining Heritage, Culture, and Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Enhancing Learning and Innovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Building Professional Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Attaining Excellence in Federal Management, Operations, and Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Authorizing Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

The Museum and Library Services Act (MLSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

General Provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

The Library Services and Technology Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

The Museum Services Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

The African American History and Culture Act . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Table of Contents
Introduction: Connecting People 

to Information and Ideas
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 

Introduction

Introduction: Connecting People to Information and Ideas

Message from the Director

As stewards of cultural heritage, museums and libraries have traditionally helped us to experience, explore, 

discover, and make sense of the world. Today the 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums in the United 

States are using the tools of the 21st century to connect people to information and ideas as never before.

Using new technology; creating strong partnerships with community organizations, businesses, and educators; and tapping into the latest research about learning allow libraries and museums to offer unprecedented 

value to the public, fueling knowledge sharing and energizing our economy, creativity, and competitiveness.

Museums and libraries are America’s leading cultural institutions, making knowledge available to millions at 

little or no cost. As public institutions they must meet a very high standard of mission accountability and use 

resources wisely for the public good.

IMLS grants reward museums and libraries that meet and exceed this high standard and encourage them to 

design and implement thoughtful, consequential projects that serve the national interest. The Administration 

is requesting significant increases in some of our grant programs. These are programs for which our research 

and our experience with grant applications have demonstrated that there is a large unmet need. In some of 

our programs we are not able to award grants to more than one in five applicants. Many of the unsuccessful 

applicants deserved grants and would have used IMLS funds to advance the causes of education and heritage preservation. Moreover, many other worthy projects would be brought forward if the chances of success 

were improved. With the odds stacked against them, some institutions, not unreasonably, make the business decision not to spend the time, money, and effort involved in writing and submitting a grant. Increasing 

funding in these programs would result in improved library and museum services in communities across the 

nation.

In FY 2009, the Institute will continue to emerge as a leadership institution. Among the national and international library and museum communities, IMLS has a strong and growing reputation as a well-managed 

agency that develops programs based upon rigorous research and addresses issues of national importance.

The Institute has entered into high-profile partnerships with federal and state organizations to address urgent 

issues in which museums and libraries can play a major role. These issues include the preservation and 

protection of the collections that tie us to our heritage, a need that has reached the crisis point and is documented by the IMLS-funded Heritage Health Index; support for new immigrants; and the need for literacy, 

youth programming, and digital communications.

Access to high-quality educational, informational, and cultural resources is essential if our nation is to remain competitive and foster democratic values. The Institute will apply its resources strategically to achieve 

its mission of connecting people to information and ideas.

Dr Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director

Institute of Museum and Library Services
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 

IMLS Performance Goals

The Institute has four major programmatic goals:

Goal One: Sustaining Heritage, Culture, and Knowledge

The collections in libraries and museums connect people to the full spectrum of human experience: culture, science, history, and art. These collections increase Americans’ global awareness and understanding.

By preserving and conserving books, artworks, and other cultural artifacts, libraries and museums provide a 

tangible link with humankind’s history. Now, with the digitization of collections, educational resources can be 

seamlessly shared worldwide. One vital way we provide leadership is by helping institutions identify the best 

ways to create and provide access to their digital resources.

Goal Two: Enhancing Learning and Innovation

Success in today’s society requires information literacy, a spirit of self-reliance, and a strong ability to collaborate, communicate effectively, and solve problems. Combining strengths in traditional learning with robust 

investment in modern communication infrastructures, libraries and museums are well equipped to build the 

skills Americans need in the 21st century. Libraries and museums bring tremendous learning assets to communities engaged in a wide range of concerns, from workforce issues and parenting to cross-cultural understanding and student achievement. As partners in the exercise of civic responsibility, libraries and museums 

are part of larger efforts to weave a stronger community fabric.

Goal Three: Building Professional Capacity

The need for lifelong learning applies to the staff of museums and libraries as well as their users. The Institute places a priority on building leadership capacity to address societal changes by supporting the development of a highly skilled workforce in libraries and museums. The Institute helps to spur innovation, support 

diversity, and build traditional library and museum service expertise.

Goal Four: Attaining Excellence in Federal Management, Operations, and Service

The agency is focusing on its administrative capacity in order to fulfill its statutory grant-making, research, 

evaluation and policy activities. The Institute continues to implement the consolidation of federal responsibilities for library statistics activities and provide advice on library and information policy. The Institute’s 

management is committed to meeting growing expectations to demonstrate accountability. Strategic planning 

and evaluation, as well as implementation of the President’s Management Agenda (PMA), are a priority at the 

Institute and will enable the Institute to continue achieving high-quality management and performance.

Introduction

Introduction: Connecting People to Information and Ideas
Photo by Brenna Hernandez. Courtesy of the Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL.

Summary of Appropriations Request
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 

The President’s Budget requests $271,246,000 for fiscal year 2009. This amount includes $269,896,000 

for programs and administrative costs authorized by the Museum and Library Services Act (MLSA), which 

includes the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and the Museum Services Act (MSA), and 

$1,350,000 for a grants program authorized by the African American History and Culture Act (AAHCA).

Museum Services 

The Administration requests $38,547,000 for the following museum grants and related programs authorized 

under the MSA.

Museums for America (p. 9) 

Museum Assessment Program (p. 11)

21st Century Museum Professionals (p. 11)

Conservation Project Support (p. 12)

Conservation Assessment Program (p. 12)

Native American and Native Hawaiian Museum Services (p. 13) 

National Leadership Grants for Museums (p. 20)

African American Museum Services

The Administration requests $1,350,000 for the grant program authorized by the African American History 

and Culture Act (p. 14).

Library Services

The Administration requests $214,432,000 for the following library grant programs authorized by the LSTA.

Grants to State Library Agencies (p. 15) 

Native American and Native Hawaiian Library Services (p. 18)

Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (p. 18)

National Leadership Grants for Libraries (p. 20)

Institute of Museum and Library Services Administration 

The Administration requests $16,917,000 for program administration. Funds support personnel compensation and benefits, travel, rent, communications, utilities, printing, equipment and supplies, automated data 

processing, and other administrative services in support of the Institute’s programs and initiatives.

Policy, Research, and Statistics

Of the $16,917,000 requested for administration, $4,000,000 is for carrying out the Institute’s responsibilities in the area of policy, research, and statistics. The 2003 reauthorization of the Museum and Library 

Services Act directed the Institute to conduct and publish analyses of the impact of museum and library 

services. IMLS responsibilities in this area were expanded with the passage of the FY 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act.

In FY 2008, the transfer of responsibility for national collection of data about public and state libraries from 

the National Center for Education Statistics to IMLS was completed. These data are essential to inform good 

Summary of 

Appropriations Reques

Summary of Appropriations Request
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 

management practices in libraries as well as to inform policy. The collection and use of these data is a core 

factor in the delivery of high-quality library services in the United States. The data provide ongoing basic information about libraries and library service. Over the years, these data have been collected consistently and 

with an astounding 100 percent rate of public and state library participation. IMLS seeks to continue this 

record of participation and to strive to ensure that the data collected are accurate and delivered to the public 

as quickly as possible so that they can be of maximum use.

With this budget, the Institute is also requesting funding to begin ongoing national data collection about museums. Over the years, the Institute has supported a number of studies to document the state of collections 

care in the nation’s museums, libraries, and archives; the status of museum-school partnerships; and the use 

of technology and digitization in the nation’s museums. There is no consistent ongoing data collection about 

museums, however. We do not know from year to year such basic information as how many museums there 

are in the United States, how many people they serve, where they are, or how their collections are digitized 

and made available online. We need more data to know how the American public is being served by museums and where the gaps are.

In FY 2008, the role of advising the President and Congress about libraries and information policy was transferred from the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science to IMLS. This responsibility fits 

well with the mission of the agency; the Institute has been a source of support for examination of library and 

information policy issues both nationally and internationally for more than 10 years. In the years to come, 

the Institute will continue to support research and convene experts to help inform public debate in a range of 

policy issues, such as the new role of libraries and museums in the Internet age, the ways that communications policy affects public access to information, and the role of libraries and museums in supporting learning throughout the lifetime.

Summary of 

Appropriations Reques

Summary of Appropriations Request
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 

Summary of 

Appropriations Reques

Summary of Appropriations Request

Table 1: IMLS Appropriations History 1998-2009

(Budget Authority in 000’s)

Museum and Library 

Services Act (MSLA) FY 1998 FY 1999 FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008

FY 2009

Request

Library Services 

Technology Act (LSTA)

Grants to States 134,201 135,367 138,118 148,939 149,014 150,435 157,628 160,704 163,746 163,746 160,885 171,500

Native American

Library Services 2,561 2,908 2,616 2,940 2,941 3,055 3,206 3,472 3,638 3,638 3,574 3,717

National Leadership:

Libraries 5,488 9,565 10,275 11,299 11,081 11,009 11,263 12,301 12,375 12,375 12,159 12,715

Laura Bush 21st

Century Librarian 0 0 0 0 0 9,935 19,882 22,816 23,760 23,760 23,345 26,500

SUBTOTAL, LSTA 142,250 147,840 151,009 163,178 163,036 174,434 191,979 199,293 203,519 203,519 199,963 214,432

Museum Services 

Act (MSA)

Museums for America 15,610 15,610 15,517 15,483 15,482 15,381 16,342 16,864 17,152 17,152 16,852 22,165

Museum Assessment

Program 450 450 450 449 450 447 447 446 442 442 434 500

21st Century Museum

Professionals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 992 982 982 965 2,141

Conservation Project 

Support 2,310 2,310 2,310 2,305 2,310 2,792 2,782 2,788 2,772 2,772 2,724 3,801

Conservation

Assessment Program 820 820 820 818 820 815 815 813 807 807 793 814

Native American/

Hawaiian Museum

Services

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 843 911 911 895 945

National Leadership:

Museums 2,200 2,200 3,050 3,542 5,167 5,663 6,891 7,539 7,920 7,920 7,782 8,181

SUBTOTAL, MSA 21,390 21,390 22,147 22,597 24,229 25,098 27,277 30,285 30,986 30,986 30,445 38,547

African American 

History and Culture Act 

Museum Grants for

African American

History and Culture

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 842 842 827 1,350

Agency Wide

Administration 5,980 4,915 5,651 7,295 7,712 9,202 10,389 11,097 11,797 11,858 13,987a 16,917b

TOTAL, IMLS 

PROGRAMS AND 

ADMINISTRATION

169,620 174,145 178,807 193,070 194,977 208,734 229,645 240,675 247,144 247,205 245,222 271,246

Congressional

Earmarks 0 15,435 11,751 39,251 29,524 35,156 32,595 39,889 0 0 18,285 0

TOTAL 169,620 189,580 190,558 232,321 224,501 243,890 262,240 280,564 247,144 247,205 263,507 271,246

a Includes $1.965 million for library policy, research, and statistics activities. b Includes $3.5 million for library policy, research, and statistics activities; and $500,000 for museum data collection.
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 

Summary of 

Appropriations Reques

Summary of Appropriations Request

Table 2: IMLS Appropriations Request and Enactment History 2006-2009

(Budget Authority in 000’s)

c

Includes $3.5 million for library policy, research, and statistics activities; and $500,000 for museum data collection. d

Includes $1.965 million for library policy, research, and statistics activities. e

Includes $3.5 million for library policy, research, and statistics activities; and $500,000 for museum data collection.

Museum and Library 

Services Act (MSLA)

FY 2006 

Request

FY 2006

Enacted

FY 2007

Request

FY 2007

Enacted

FY 2008

Request

FY 2008

Enacted

FY 2009

Request

Library Services 

Technology Act (LSTA)

Grants to States 170,500 163,746 171,500 163,746 171,500 160,885 171,500

Native American

Library Services 3,675 3,638 3,675 3,638 3,717 3,574 3,717

National Leadership:

Libraries 14,000 12,375 12,930 12,375 12,715 12,159 12,715

Laura Bush 21st

Century Librarian 26,000 23,760 25,000 23,760 26,500 23,345 26,500

SUBTOTAL, LSTA 214,175 203,519 213,105 203,519 214,432 199,963 214,432

Museum Services 

Act (MSA)

Museums for America 18,710 17,152 17,978 17,152 22,165 16,852 22,165

Museum Assessment

Program 500 442 500 442 500 434 500

21st Century Museum

Professionals 1,000 982 3,000 982 2,141 965 2,141

Conservation Project 

Support 2,810 2,772 3,000 2,772 3,801 2,724 3,801

Conservation

Assessment Program 820 807 820 807 814 793 814

Native American/

Hawaiian Museum

Services

850 911 920 911 945 895 945

National Leadership:

Museums 9,458 7,920 8,500 7,920 8,181 7,782 8,181

SUBTOTAL, MSA 34,148 30,986 34,718 30,986 38,547 30,445 38,547

African American 

History and Culture Act 

Museum Grants for

African American

History and Culture

2,000 842 1,500 842 1,350 827 1,350

Agency Wide

Administration 11,917 11,797 12,917 11,858 16,917c 13,987d 16,917e

TOTAL, IMLS 

PROGRAMS AND 

ADMINISTRATION

262,240 247,144 262,240 247,205 271,246 245,222 271,246

Congressional

Earmarks 0 0 0 0 0 18,285 0

TOTAL 262,240 247,144 262,240 247,205 271,246 263,507 271,246
Detailed Program Descriptions
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 10

Museums for America 

Fiscal Year Applications Awards Budget Authority

2006 448 177 $17,152,000

2007 415 158 $17,152,000 

2008 NA NA $16,852,000

2009 NA NA $22,165,000 (request)

Program Description

The goal of Museums for America (MFA) grants is to strengthen museums as active resources for lifelong 

learning and as community assets.

This program is designed to flexibly meet the full range of statutory purposes of the Museum Services Act—a 

section of the Museum and Library Services Act—by providing grants to increase museums’ ability to serve 

the public more effectively.

Museums for America grants can be used for ongoing museum activities, planning, new programs, purchase 

of equipment or services, or initiatives to upgrade and integrate new technologies. Successful applicants 

must show evidence of institutional strategic planning and the relationship between the requested funding 

and the institution’s plan. Projects must be investments for the future, not one-time activities with shortterm institutional impact.

Building Institutional Capacity: Grants fund projects to enhance the capacity of museums to better serve their 

communities, including financial management, personnel administration, planning, policy development, staff 

training and development, and technology enhancements.

Enhancing Collections Stewardship: Grants support all activities that museums undertake to maintain and improve the management of museum collections in order to fulfill the museum’s public service mission, including collections security and safety, digitization of collections, registration/cataloguing, and risk assessment.

Engaging Communities: Grants support projects that actively engage museums to share collections, content, 

and knowledge to support learning with their communities, including classes and presentations, integration 

of technology, publications, and research for program/exhibit development.

The number of quality applications for MFA grants far exceeds the number of grants that can be awarded.

The Administration’s request would allow IMLS to fund approximately 45 more applications in FY 2009 than 

it did in FY 2007 and will in FY 2008, coming much closer to meeting the need.

Detailed Program 

Descriptions

Detailed Program Descriptions: Museum Services
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 11

Museum Assessment Program

The Administration requests $500,000 for the Museum Assessment Program (MAP); the program was appropriated $434,000 in FY 2008.

Program Description 

The purpose of the Museum Assessment Program is to provide technical assistance to help institutions assess their strengths and weaknesses and plan for the future. This program is especially targeted to small 

museums. IMLS estimates that 75 percent of the nation’s museums identify themselves as small institutions, with annual budgets less than $250,000. MAP is carried out through a cooperative agreement with 

the American Association of Museums (AAM). In FY 2006, 116 museums participated in this program, and 

in FY 2007, 111 museums participated.

21st Century Museum Professionals

Fiscal Year Applications Awards Budget Authority

2006 52 9 $982,000

2007 45 10 $982,000 

2008 NA NA $965,000

2009 NA NA $2,141,000 (request)

Program Description

Museums play a critical role in the education of the U.S. public by preserving America’s rich cultural heritage and helping to transmit it from one generation to the next. Museum professionals need high levels of 

knowledge and expertise as they help create public value for both local and national communities. The 21st 

Century Museum Professionals (21MP) program supports projects that address the preparation of museum 

professionals for the future by updating and expanding their knowledge and skills.

This program supports a range of activities, including professional training and leadership development for 

museum staff at all types of museums, as well as training in all areas of museum operations, including interpretation, collections care, conservation, museum management, and financial management. Funded projects 

reach broad groups of museum professionals (including paid and unpaid staff) and increase their capacity to 

serve their audiences.

IMLS receives far more quality applications for this program than it can fund. The Administration’s request 

would allow IMLS to fund approximately 20 more applications in FY 2009 than it did in FY 2007 and will in 

FY 2008, coming much closer to meeting the need.

Detailed Program 

Descriptions

Detailed Program Descriptions: Museum Services
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 12

Conservation Project Support

Fiscal Year Applications Awards Budget Authority

2006 144 40 $2,772,000 

2007 172 65 $2,772,000 

2008 NA NA $2,724,000 

2009 NA NA $3,801,000 (request)

Program Description

The Conservation Project Support (CPS) program awards grants to help museums identify conservation needs 

and priorities and perform activities to ensure the safekeeping of their collections. Support is provided for all 

types of activities, including survey, storage, treatment, and environmental improvement.

CPS grants help museums develop a logical, institution-wide approach to caring for their living and nonliving 

collections. Applicants apply for the project that meets the institution’s conservation needs. Additional funding may be awarded to successful applicants who incorporate an educational component into their project.

Although all of the Institute’s museum grant programs can fund some component of collections conservation, 

CPS is the one that is entirely dedicated to that important activity. The Heritage Health Index made clear the 

substantial unmet need in caring for collections, and the CPS applications IMLS receives each year bear that 

out. The Administration’s request would allow the Institute to fund 15 to 20 more CPS applications than it 

did in FY 2007 or will in FY 2008.

Conservation Assessment Program

The Administration requests $814,000 for the Conservation Assessment Program (CAP); the program was 

appropriated $793,000 in FY 2008.

Program Description

The Conservation Assessment Program assists small museums in laying the groundwork for effective collections management. The program provides professional assistance in analyzing all aspects of care, assessing 

current practices, and recommending actions to be taken. CAP is carried out through a cooperative agreement with Heritage Preservation. The program complements the Conservation Project Support program by 

providing general conservation surveys or assessments to small museums, which frequently are just starting 

to address conservation issues. In FY 2006, 109 museums participated in this program, and in FY 2007, 

111 museums participated.

Detailed Program 

Descriptions

Detailed Program Descriptions: Museum Services
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Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services Grants

Fiscal Year Applications Awards Budget Authority

2006 43 23 $911,000

2007 35 23 $911,000

2008 NA NA $895,000

2009 NA NA $945,000 (request)

Program Description

Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services grants enable Native American tribes, Alaska Native villages or corporations, and organizations that primarily serve Native Hawaiians to benefit their communities 

and audiences through strengthened museum services. Grants are awarded competitively to support programming, professional development, and enhancement of museum services.

Detailed Program 

Descriptions

Detailed Program Descriptions: Museum Services
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Museum Grants for African American History and Culture

Fiscal Year Applications Awards Budget Authority

2006 44 8 $842,000

2007 41 10 $842,000

2008 NA NA $827,000

2009 NA NA $1,350,000 (request)

Program Description

Museum Grants for African American History and Culture are intended to build professional capacity in the 

African American museum community. The program provides opportunities for the staff of African American 

museums to gain knowledge and abilities in the areas of management, operations, programming, collections care, and other museum skills identified as a high priority by applicants. It provides an opportunity for 

African American museums to design projects that will enhance institutional capacity and sustainability by 

utilizing professional training, technical assistance, internships, outside expertise, and other tools.

The applications IMLS has received in the program’s first two years have demonstrated a great need for these 

grants. The Administration’s request would allow the Institute to fund approximately six more grants than it 

did in FY 2007 or will in FY 2008.

Detailed Program 

Descriptions

Detailed Program Descriptions: 

African American Museum Services
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 15

Grants to State Library Agencies

Fiscal Year Budget Authority

2006 $163,746,000

2007 $163,746,000 

2008 $160,885,000

2009 $171,500,000 (requested)

Program Description

The Grants to State Library Agencies program provides funds to State Library Administrative Agencies 

(SLAAs) using a population-based formula. State libraries may use the appropriation to support statewide 

initiatives and services; they also may distribute the funds through subgrant competitions or cooperative 

agreements to public, academic, research, school, and special libraries in their state.

Each state has an IMLS-approved five-year plan outlining its programs. These programs support the LSTA 

goals, which are to 

expand services for learning and access to information and educational resources in a variety of formats, 

in all types of libraries, for individuals of all ages;

develop library services that provide all users access to information through local, state, regional, national, and international electronic networks;

provide electronic and other linkages between and among all types of libraries;

develop public and private partnerships with other agencies and community-based organizations;

target library services to individuals of diverse geographic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds, to 

individuals with disabilities, and to individuals with limited functional literacy or information skills; and

target library and information services to persons having difficulty using a library and to underserved 

urban and rural communities, including children from families with incomes below the poverty line.

Note on State Minimum Allotments

The 2003 reauthorization approved increasing the base award amount that is distributed to each state from 

$340,000 to $680,000. The base had not been adjusted in 30 years. Because a strict population formula 

would not provide smaller states with a useful amount of funding, a minimum state allotment of $340,000 

was established in 1971. Once that base is allotted, the remaining appropriated funds are apportioned according to population. During the reauthorization, all states agreed that the costs of implementing meaningful programs necessitated doubling the base to $680,000. To protect the larger states from having to cut 

programs, it was further agreed that the new minimum would go into effect only if it could be achieved without decreasing the aggregate of the allotments for all states below where it was in 2003. Congress agreed 

and included the increased base with the hold-harmless provision in the reauthorization.

Since the new legislation went into effect, the funding appropriated to the Grants to States program has 

been insufficient to meet the new minimum without violating the “hold-harmless” clause. The result is that 

the increases Congress has provided to the program have not benefited the states in an equitable way. The 

amount IMLS is requesting for the program in FY 2009 would allow the new minimum to be met and allow 

the Institute to share any future increases equitably as Congress intended.

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Detailed Program 

Descriptions

Detailed Program Descriptions: Library Services
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 16

Table 3: State Allotments for FYs 2003–2009 

State FY 03 FY 04 FY 05 FY 06 FY 07 FY08

FY 09

Request 

AL $2,369,145 $2,507,472 $2,556,671 $2,610,549 $2,602,935 $2,545,491 $2,731,363

AK $631,170 $769,497 $828,563 $887,453 $888,213 $833,016 $982,962

AZ $2,807,829 $2,946,156 $3,041,222 $3,150,258 $3,211,248 $3,228,606 $3,489,746

AR $1,565,707 $1,704,034 $1,760,329 $1,820,073 $1,819,735 $1,766,109 $1,936,565

CA $16,222,180 $16,360,507 $16,457,012 $16,557,920 $16,506,165 $16,431,277 $16,882,749

CO $2,378,206 $2,516,533 $2,579,074 $2,642,220 $2,650,213 $2,612,765 $2,834,938

CT $1,905,106 $2,043,433 $2,100,240 $2,154,030 $2,141,681 $2,068,566 $2,232,450

DE $705,162 $843,489 $904,235 $965,243 $967,412 $912,962 $1,063,319

FL $7,898,976 $8,037,303 $8,172,813 $8,332,483 $8,429,449 $8,425,588 $8,770,131

GA $4,211,633 $4,349,960 $4,433,740 $4,522,400 $4,590,936 $4,622,315 $4,910,851

HA $903,039 $1,041,366 $1,101,687 $1,157,565 $1,157,491 $1,101,262 $1,248,881

ID $946,563 $1,084,890 $1,150,464 $1,215,563 $1,225,259 $1,180,138 $1,344,632

IL $6,038,973 $6,177,300 $6,214,291 $6,249,722 $6,216,116 $6,133,883 $6,377,081

IN $3,125,606 $3,263,933 $3,317,057 $3,369,822 $3,357,739 $3,292,765 $3,492,642

IA $1,668,229 $1,806,556 $1,858,287 $1,909,822 $1,902,157 $1,840,733 $2,004,495

KS $1,568,332 $1,706,659 $1,759,339 $1,812,456 $1,804,558 $1,745,712 $1,910,501

KY $2,191,121 $2,329,448 $2,384,878 $2,439,668 $2,433,669 $2,374,218 $2,560,096

LA $2,367,398 $2,505,725 $2,554,689 $2,604,141 $2,587,884 $2,409,825 $2,583,026

ME $925,456 $1,063,783 $1,123,275 $1,181,762 $1,177,883 $1,116,986 $1,263,871

MD $2,808,591 $2,946,918 $3,008,965 $3,067,643 $3,062,016 $2,988,627 $3,170,413

MA $3,247,148 $3,385,475 $3,423,733 $3,449,395 $3,413,560 $3,346,669 $3,538,949

MI $4,885,587 $5,023,914 $5,059,705 $5,093,053 $5,052,531 $4,941,233 $5,144,483

MN $2,610,305 $2,748,632 $2,807,289 $2,864,372 $2,856,123 $2,793,089 $2,983,922

MS $1,638,841 $1,777,168 $1,830,121 $1,886,927 $1,882,233 $1,809,550 $1,973,794

MO $2,905,578 $3,043,905 $3,096,707 $3,155,054 $3,150,050 $3,087,560 $3,285,694

MT $751,325 $889,652 $949,157 $1,008,157 $1,007,986 $952,693 $1,104,586

NE $1,122,069 $1,260,396 $1,317,786 $1,372,965 $1,370,433 $1,311,709 $1,466,605

NV $1,323,020 $1,461,347 $1,542,939 $1,634,252 $1,659,300 $1,628,664 $1,817,143

NH $916,679 $1,055,006 $1,115,181 $1,173,868 $1,172,791 $1,114,075 $1,263,260

NJ $4,225,196 $4,363,523 $4,412,959 $4,464,364 $4,434,773 $4,343,636 $4,530,162

NM $1,179,001 $1,317,328 $1,378,496 $1,442,371 $1,445,113 $1,392,895 $1,553,194

NY $9,004,514 $9,142,841 $9,146,819 $9,146,249 $9,074,434 $8,955,719 $9,234,002

NC $4,103,012 $4,241,339 $4,309,258 $4,394,254 $4,419,501 $4,401,145 $4,696,435

Detailed Program 

Descriptions

Detailed Program Descriptions: Library Services
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 State Allotments for FYs 2003–2009 (continued)

State FY 03 FY 04 FY 05 FY 06 FY 07 FY 08

FY 09

request

ND $626,793 $765,120 $821,842 $878,082 $876,330 $818,116 $963,563

OH $5,505,578 $5,643,905 $5,667,969 $5,691,792 $5,643,980 $5,543,747 $5,762,879

OK $1,920,127 $2,058,454 $2,112,874 $2,162,902 $2,158,232 $2,100,996 $2,283,428

OR $1,932,701 $2,071,028 $2,134,437 $2,194,490 $2,199,259 $2,153,972 $2,341,114

PA $5,918,880 $6,057,207 $6,085,045 $6,075,494 $6,034,092 $5,963,310 $6,191,018

RI $823,812 $962,139 $1,020,285 $1,076,537 $1,069,862 $1,006,294 $1,148,900

SC $2,197,585 $2,335,912 $2,398,034 $2,462,858 $2,469,636 $2,424,418 $2,633,782

SD $684,211 $822,538 $880,376 $938,791 $937,650 $881,774 $1,032,934

TN $2,961,981 $3,100,308 $3,158,288 $3,220,133 $3,221,670 $3,173,028 $3,409,056

TX $10,190,548 $10,328,875 $10,460,595 $10,597,273 $10,661,984 $10,787,020 $11,275,967

UT $1,387,590 $1,525,917 $1,592,429 $1,658,384 $1,683,421 $1,652,433 $1,852,581

VT $618,871 $757,197 $815,233 $872,315 $870,330 $812,903 $955,380

VA $3,638,702 $3,777,029 $3,851,240 $3,913,359 $3,928,187 $3,872,179 $4,098,498

WA $3,084,868 $3,223,195 $3,288,255 $3,354,800 $3,364,690 $3,328,627 $3,547,224

WV $1,154,946 $1,293,273 $1,349,667 $1,394,138 $1,396,003 $1,333,562 $1,483,211

WI $2,800,929 $2,939,256 $2,992,540 $3,010,271 $3,033,754 $2,962,815 $3,163,009

WY $565,552 $703,879 $762,355 $821,234 $820,240 $765,437 $911,752

DC $598,204 $736,531 $790,234 $842,132 $838,393 $794,432 $940,769

Puerto Rico $2,097,493 $2,235,820 $2,277,522 $2,296,792 $2,318,588 $2,252,920 $2,427,110

American 

Samoa $71,777 $71,777 $65,977 $65,739 $65,449 $65,133 $85,486

Northern 

Marianas $76,185 $76,184 $75,106 $75,737 $76,310 $76,850 $98,394

Guam $114,147 $114,146 $114,513 $114,960 $115,305 $115,602 $137,960

U.S. Virgin 

Islands $96,434 $96,433 $88,799 $88,342 $87,823 $87,268 $107,966

9131(b)(3)

(D) Poola $216,389 $216,389 203,404 $203,371 $203,225 $203,040 $265,078

TOTAL $150,435,000 $157,628,000 $160,704,000 $163,746,000 $163,746,000 $160,885,357 $171,500,000

a

Section 9131(b)(3)(D) of the Museum and Library Services Act directs that funds allotted based on the populations of 

the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau be used to award 

grants on a competitive basis taking into consideration recommendations from the Pacific Region Educational Laboratory 

in Hawaii. These three republics, along with the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of 

the Northern Marianas, are eligible to compete for the grants.

Detailed Program 

Descriptions

Detailed Program Descriptions: Library Services
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Native American/Native Hawaiian Library Services Grants

Fiscal Year Applications Awards Budget Authority

2006 283 240 $3,638,000

2007 292 244 $3,638,000 

2008 NA NA $3,574,000

2009 NA NA $3,717,000 (request)

Program Description

Native American/Native Hawaiian Library Services Grants support improved access to library services for 

Native Americans, Alaska Native Villages, and Native Hawaiians. The grants address the information needs 

of people who typically live in remote areas or in communities where technology resources are scarce. These 

funds help extend library hours, purchase educational materials, implement literacy programs, provide 

professional advice to tribal library personnel, provide community service information, and provide Internet 

connections and other services for individuals in these communities. Project categories are as follows:

Basic: noncompetitive grants to approximately 230 American Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages to 

support a core level of library services; also provides funds for library staff education and training and/or 

professional consulting services.

Enhancement: competitive awards to enhance library services in Native communities.

IMLS also funds a competitive award for library services to Native Hawaiians to preserve and increase access 

to and use of Hawaiian languages resources, improve children’s reading skills, and help Native Hawaiians 

acquire literacy, computer, and employment skills.

Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program

Fiscal Year Applications Awards Budget Authority

2006 111 35 $23,760,000

2007 110 42 $23,760,000

2008 NA NA $23,345,000

2009 NA NA $26,500,000 (request)

Program Description

The purpose of the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program is to build the professional capacity of libraries by improving staff knowledge and skills. The program supports efforts to recruit and educate the next 

generation of librarians and the faculty who will prepare them for careers in library science. It also supports 

grants for research related to library education and library staffing needs, curriculum development, and continuing education and training. Since its inception in 2003, this program has funded 1,898 master’s degree 

students, 145 doctoral students, 949 pre-professional students, and 3,579 continuing education students.

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Detailed Program 

Descriptions

Detailed Program Descriptions: Library Services
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Program priorities are as follows:

Master’s Programs: Recruit and educate the next generation of librarians. In particular, increase the 

number of students enrolled in nationally accredited graduate library programs preparing for careers in 

school, public, and academic libraries.

Doctoral Programs: Develop faculty to educate the next generation of library professionals and library 

leaders. In particular, increase the number of students enrolled in doctoral programs that will prepare 

them to teach master’s students or to assume positions as library managers and administrators.

Pre-professional Programs: Recruit future librarians. In particular, attract promising junior high, high 

school, or college students to consider careers in librarianship through statewide or regional pilot projects employing recruitment strategies that are cost-effective and measurable.

Research: Provide the library community with information needed to support successful recruitment and 

education of the next generation of librarians. In particular, through funded research, establish baseline 

data and evaluate current programs in library education for their capacity to meet the identified needs.

Also, support the early career development of new faculty members who are likely to become leaders in 

library and information science by supporting innovative research by untenured, tenure-track faculty.

Programs to Build Institutional Capacity: Develop or enhance curricula within graduate schools of library 

and information science.

Continuing Education and Training: Develop or enhance programs of continuing education and training in 

library and information science for librarians and library staff.

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Detailed Program Descriptions: Library Services
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National Leadership Grants 

National Leadership Grants for Museums

Fiscal Year Applications Awards Budget Authority

2006 73 12 $7,920,000

2007 65 23 $7,920,000 

2008 NA NA $7,782,000 

2009 NA NA $8,181,000 (request)

National Leadership Grants for Libraries

Fiscal Year Applications Awards Budget Authority

2006 174 38 $12,375,000 

2007 154 27 $12,375,000 

2008 NA NA $12,159,000

2009 NA NA $12,715,000 (request)

Program Description 

National Leadership Grants support leading-edge projects to enhance library and museum services nationwide. They enable libraries and museums to address current problems in creative ways, develop and test 

innovative solutions, and expand the boundaries within which our cultural heritage institutions operate. The 

results of these projects—whether new tools, research, models, services, practices, or alliances—will help 

shape tomorrow’s libraries and museums.

Grants are offered in the following five categories:

Library and Museum Collaboration grants help libraries and museums to engage with other educational and 

community organizations to support the educational, economic, and social needs of learners of all ages.

Learning communities can be established without regard to geographic boundaries; they can exist virtually or in a particular place or places.

Advancing Digital Resources grants support the creation, use, preservation, and presentation of significant 

digital resources, as well as the development of tools to manage digital assets.

Research grants help libraries and museums increase their impact on learning by supporting research on 

issues of national concern and demonstration of new solutions to real-world problems. Research projects, 

both basic and applied, gather and analyze data in order to investigate specific questions and then evaluate and disseminate the results.

Demonstration grants test potential solutions to problems in library and museum services.

Collaborative Planning grants enable project teams from libraries, museums, and other community organizations to work together on the planning of a project in any of the three National Leadership Grant 

categories. 

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Detailed Program 

Descriptions

Detailed Program Descriptions: NATIONAL LEADERSHIP GRANTS
Photo courtesy of the American Textile History Museum, Lowell, MA.

Special Projects and Initiatives
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itiatives

Special Projects and Initiatives

Conservation Initiative: Connection to Collections

An example of the agency’s strategic approach is Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action (CtoC). Leveraging its significant work in this area, the agency has launched a multifaceted, multiyear initiative to shine a 

nationwide spotlight on the needs of America’s collections, especially those held by small to medium-sized 

libraries and museums, which often lack the human and financial resources to care for their collections.

Each component of the initiative is based on the findings of the 2005 Heritage Health Index (HHI), a comprehensive study funded by IMLS, which argues powerfully for improved collections care in the United States 

and offers an integrated and systematic strategy. The study found that 190 million objects were in need 

of conservation treatment; 65 percent of collecting institutions had damage to collections due to improper 

storage; 80 percent of collecting institutions were without an emergency plan for their collections or staff 

adequately trained to carry out an emergency plan; and 40 percent of institutions had no funds allocated in 

their annual budgets for preservation or conservation. The study’s recommendations call upon libraries and 

museums to provide safe conditions for their collections; develop emergency plans to protect their collections; assign responsibility for collections to a senior-level staff person; and raise public awareness about the 

importance of protecting our nation’s collections.

The CtoC initiative has four primary components:

The National Conservation Summit: Representatives of small and medium-sized museums and libraries from 

every state, including Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, met with national leaders in the nation’s capitol on 

June 27–28, 2007. The summit explored strategies for preserving endangered collections, harnessing new 

technologies, engaging the public in conservation efforts, and identifying funding resources.

The National Tour: Each of four meetings held across the country over two years will reach a broad audience 

and inspire participants to share lessons learned and make collections care a top priority.

The CtoC Bookshelf: To help raise the conservation IQ of museums, libraries, and archives, IMLS is offering 

2,000 free copies of the Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, a core set of books, DVDs, online resources, 

and an annotated bibliography that are essential for the care of collections.

Statewide Planning Grants: These grants aim to foster partnerships among organizations in a state, commonwealth, or territory to implement recommendations of the Heritage Health Index.

National Book Festival Pavilion of the States

The annual National Book Festival is sponsored by the Library of Congress and hosted by First Lady Laura 

Bush. In September 2007, for the sixth consecutive year, IMLS hosted the Festival’s Pavilion of the States 

on the National Mall. Representatives from state libraries and Centers for the Book throughout the country 

gathered in the nation’s capital to promote reading and the literary traditions of the 50 states, the District of 

Columbia, and the U.S. territories.
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ial Projects and 

itiatives

Special Projects and Initiatives

Museums and Libraries Engaging America’s Youth

In 2007, the Institute released Museums and Libraries Engaging America’s Youth: Final Report of a Study 

of IMLS Youth Programs, 1998–2003. The study, which is part of IMLS’s initiative, Museums and Libraries 

Engaging America’s Youth, examined IMLS-funded programs for youth ages 9–19 and surveyed nearly 400 

museum and library programs about their goals, strategies, impact, and outcomes. A practitioner’s guide and 

a policy brief will be released in 2008.

National Medals for Museum and Library Service

The Institute annually honors museums and libraries that make extraordinary civic, educational, economic, 

environmental, and social contributions to their communities. These National Medals for Museum and 

Library Service showcase the vital role of museums and libraries in American society. They are the nation’s 

highest honor for libraries and museums that make their communities better places to live.

WebWise

The annual WebWise conference is a signature initiative of IMLS. Each year it brings together representatives 

of museums, libraries, archives, systems science, education, and other fields interested in the future of highquality online content for inquiry and learning. The conference highlights recent research and innovations in 

digital technology, explores their potential impact on library and museum services, and promotes effective 

museum and library practices in the digital environment. It also offers recipients of IMLS technology-based 

grants the opportunity to showcase exemplary projects.

Rebuilding Gulf Coast Library and Museums

In 2007, the Institute announced the Hurricane Relief Awards to help Gulf Coast museums return to normal 

and improve emergency services. This was the latest of several IMLS actions to provide aid following the 

hurricanes of 2005. Additional IMLS funding has been directed toward staff development in 16 affected 

public library systems and improved emergency preparedness and response at seven affected museums. The 

Institute has also contributed funding to the enhancement of disaster preparedness at museums and libraries nationwide.

21st Century Skills Report and Practitioner’s Guide

The report and online practitioner’s guide will focus on ways that museums and public libraries promote such 

21st century skills as information literacy, critical thinking and problem solving, civic literacy, teamwork, and 

self-directed learning for K–12 and lifelong learners. These resources will support museums and libraries in 

their core educational and community roles by addressing how these institutions can most effectively use 

their collections and programs to support the lifelong learning skills required to create and sustain a competitive workforce, maintain America’s leadership in innovation and technology, and build an engaged citizenry.
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Special Projects and Initiatives

Practitioner’s Guide for Learning Science in Informal Environments

The Institute is helping to support the creation of a practitioner’s volume that will be released in conjunction with a major National Academies research project on “Learning Science in Informal Environments.” The 

report, which will contain the most recent neurological and behavioral research on learning, as well as the 

most effective evidence-based strategies for out-of-school learning, will be aimed at museum professionals, 

librarians, filmmakers, and social service providers who develop programs for lifelong learners.
IMLS Administration
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 26

In addition to the expanded policy, research, and statistics role described in this document, IMLS administrative funds will support financial accountability, network operations, support and maintenance of the agency’s IT infrastructure, and necessary corresponding staff increases. The pace of IMLS’s work is accelerating, 

and the breadth of its functions is increasing the workload of its staff. The slight increase in the Institute’s 

administrative budget—a modest $895,000 when the new responsibilities are set aside—will allow it to 

manage its growing portfolio of programs while maintaining excellence and efficiency.

The President’s Management Agenda

During the past two years, the Institute has prioritized strategic planning and evaluation and implementation 

of the President’s Management Agenda (PMA), a comprehensive strategy for improving the management and 

performance of the federal government. The PMA contains five government-wide goals to improve federal 

management and deliver results that matter to the American people:

Budget and Performance Integration

Strategic Management of Human Capital

Competitive Sourcing

Expanded Electronic Government

Improved Financial Performance

IMLS activities in each of the PMA areas are described below.

Budget and Performance Integration

IMLS has an integrated approach to budgeting and long-range planning. Responsibility for development, coordination, and innovation in General Performance and Results Act activities resides with the Chief Financial 

Officer (CFO) and the Deputy Director of Policy, Planning, Research and Communications, who collaboratively coordinate with all of the other offices of the Institute in developing and implementing its strategic plan 

and budget formulation. Over the past year, IMLS has expended considerable effort on the development of 

its strategic goals and performance measures. The Institute’s Board and staff recognize the vital importance 

of building the capacity of libraries and museums to connect people to information and ideas. This requires 

a strategic approach, so that limited federal dollars can be effectively used to achieve the best in library and 

museum services for the American people.

To ensure that this is accomplished, the Director has articulated the objectives of the President’s Management Agenda and the requirements of the Performance and Accountability Report to all IMLS staff; sought 

their collaborative input in developing and refining the agency’s strategic goals—taking into consideration its 

authorizing legislation and the PMA—and actively sought the broad and diverse expertise of the Board. Not 

only has this furthered the agency’s performance and measurement efforts, it has helped to enhance staff 

understanding of the importance of an effective management control environment.

During fiscal year 2007, the agency also implemented a series of efforts to strengthen its ability to measure 

results, including the establishment of an intra-agency task force to examine updates to government-wide 

requirements, practices of other agencies, and the Institute’s current policies and procedures. The task force 

recommended improvements to the Institute’s evaluation, reporting, and dissemination practices. This re-

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IMLS Administration

IMLS Administration
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 27

sulted in developing revised reporting forms, which were approved by the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) in July. The revised forms strengthen grant application guidance and award notification materials. The 

intra-agency task force continues to meet and will make recommendations, as appropriate.

Strategic Management of Human Capital

Human capital is a valuable asset that needs to be managed strategically. The agency has evaluated and 

reorganized its staff in order to realign programs and operations to carry out more effectively its core mission 

of maximizing the nation’s investment in museum and library services.

The agency’s senior executive team consists of seven members. The Chief of Staff is responsible for managing the agency’s leadership workflow to ensure performance and accountability, while the Chief Financial 

Officer has oversight of the agency’s day-to-day financial management and accounting, and provides guidance on the financial aspects of recruitment, retention, and succession planning. The newly appointed Chief 

Information Officer has oversight over the agency’s information technology systems. The other members of 

the team are the agency’s three Deputy Directors and General Counsel.

In 2007, the Director appointed a new Human Resources Director to lead the Institute’s Human Capital 

Program. With considerable experience in both the public and private sectors, the Director has worked to 

maximize the agency’s ability to attract and maintain an experienced workforce and manage its personnel 

activities. The Director relies on a combination of in-house staff and an interagency agreement with the Department of Interior for classification, staffing, and employee benefit services. Additionally, the Institute has 

an interagency agreement with the National Finance Center of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for payroll 

processing and support. During the last quarter of FY 2008, the Institute will transition its payroll processing and support to the Department of Interior, thereby integrating its personnel and payroll support activities.

The Institute also works with private contractors to provide technical support as necessary to accomplish its 

work.

During FY 2008, the agency has emphasized employee training and engagement. Training on personnel matters focused on the No Fear Act; Understanding Prohibited Personnel Practices and Whistleblower Protection; Making Accessibility a Reality—Making Panels and Other Meetings More Inclusive; Ethics and Government Service; Employee Performance Evaluation; and Benefits Available to Federal Employees.

In addition, a “Learning Organization” team from throughout the agency works to develop colloquia and other 

staff development activities that address employee needs and advance professional practice.

IMLS continually works to sustain a high-performing workforce that understands the special roles and functions of federal service and that carry out the Institute’s work with efficiency, integrity, and accountability.

Competitive Sourcing

Competitive sourcing is a process that ensures that the government acquires services at the best value for 

the taxpayer, regardless of whether the service provider is a public entity (agency or other agency staff) or private entity (contractor staff). IMLS recognizes that competition promotes innovation, efficiency, and greater 

mission effectiveness. The agency evaluates its core competencies on an ongoing basis and decides where to 

build internal capacity and when to contract for services from the private sector.

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Some agency operations require a combination of both. For example, the agency’s information technology 

infrastructure is managed by a small internal staff that is responsible for policy development and general 

system oversight with contractors who help develop and operate its IT systems on a day-to-day basis.

During FY 2006, the agency contracted with the Enterprise Services Center (ESC) of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to provide IMLS with an OMB/Office of Federal Financial Management-compliant Delphi 

financial management system. The Institute is continually searching for opportunities to increase efficiencies and reduce costs by leveraging other governmental Centers of Excellence in all areas, including payroll, 

travel, and grants management.

During FY 2007, IMLS engaged in a comprehensive review of its procurement policies and procedures and 

redesigned its procurement program. The agency hired an experienced Contracting Officer to provide day-today supervision of its procurement office and guidance on the procurement aspects of its operations.

Expanded Electronic Government

IMLS continues to expand its electronic government capabilities consistent with the goals of the President’s 

Management Agenda and is committed to leveraging technology to minimize the burden on grantees and 

increase efficiencies agency-wide. IMLS presently delivers a number of services electronically and will be 

enhancing and expanding these services. In addition to the IMLS Web site (www.imls.gov), which provides 

application guidelines, publications, and other information, IMLS continues to partner with other federal 

agencies on Regulations.gov and the Grants.gov portal.

IMLS actively participates in government-wide initiatives to streamline the federal grant-making process.

The agency’s Chief Financial Officer is a member of the federal Grants Executive Board, and the agency 

participates in the Grants.gov User Group. The Grants.gov initiative benefits IMLS and its grant programs by 

providing a single location to publish funding opportunities and application packages and a single site for 

the grants community to apply for grants using common forms, processes, and systems. By publishing its 

funding opportunities on Grants.gov, IMLS is reaching a larger, more diverse applicant pool.

Pre-award: In FY 2007, synopses and application packages for all of IMLS’s competitive grant programs were 

posted on Grants.gov, meeting the 100 percent goal for participating agencies. Applications via Grants.gov 

were mandatory for three of the IMLS grant programs and optional for the other programs. A total of 828 

applications were submitted via Grants.gov. For FY 2008 competitive grants, IMLS requires that all applications be submitted via Grants.gov.

Grants Management Line of Business: IMLS is coordinating its internal operations with the evolution of the 

“Grants Management Line of Business” (GMLOB). The ultimate goal of these activities is to further streamline the grant application, grant award, and post-award-reporting processes. IMLS has performed a fit-gap 

analysis and has identified the GMLOB consortia agency that best fits the Institute’s grants management 

needs.

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Performance Reports: IMLS is in the final phase of refining its Web-based annual reporting system for all State 

Library Administrative Agencies to provide readily accessible information about Grants to States for library 

services. In FY 2007, IMLS received OMB clearance for new interim and final progress reports for competitive grants, including a form that provides standardized quantitative information about the results of its 

grants. A Web-based system for filing grantee performance reports will be launched by March 2008.

Peer Review Process: An important element of the Institute’s e-government plan is to incorporate online application review into its overall grants management process. Electronic peer review has been embraced by 

IMLS reviewers in recent years and is expected to reduce the workload for both reviewers and staff, making 

feedback to applicants more efficient. IMLS will continue its successful implementation of its electronic peer 

review process.

Project Planning: In addition to the use of technology to advance application and award management, IMLS 

is developing assistance to help potential applicants develop better projects. This program will expand the 

Institute’s capacity to disseminate high-quality information about the results of its programs and initiatives.

Agency Communications: The agency’s Web site has been redesigned to assist grant applicants, grant reviewers, and grant recipients. It highlights a grantee each month, providing an in-depth profile about a project 

that has made a difference. The new site provides a useful portal to IMLS-produced planning and evaluation 

tools. It also links users to publications and online resources. The Institute places a high priority on public 

communication; it produces a free monthly electronic newsletter that currently reaches about 10,000 subscribers. The agency also produces regular press releases and has recently established an RSS feed.

Information Technology: With the hire of a full-time Chief Information Officer in FY 2007, the agency’s information technology operations have undergone a complete reorganization and have been refocused to support 

the its expanded functions, including data collection. With this foundation, over the next year the office of 

information technology will focus on enhancing network and systems security; implementing new policies 

and procedures to strengthen existing controls to access and use of IT resources; enhancing the ability of the 

agency’s executive leadership to address long-term investments in IT systems; and incorporating an information technology/disaster recovery/continuity of operations plan into the agency’s overall continuity of operations program.

Improved Financial Performance

In FY 2006, IMLS initiated a new relationship with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Enterprise Service 

Center (FAA-ESC) for accounting services. The Institute’s relationship with this OMB-designated Center of 

Excellence has been extremely beneficial and has resulted in an effective workflow for the Institute’s obligation and disbursement transactions. The partnership with the ESC affords IMLS access to timely reporting 

and accounting services, and to the financial information necessary to make strategic agency and programmatic decisions.

The CFO of the agency continues to collaborate with the other senior managers to improve financial processes and to provide financial data required to manage their operations. To assist in this effort, a senior systems 

analyst with significant grant program knowledge has been reassigned to the CFO to identify and document 

needed modifications to existing system and program requirements.

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In FY 2008, each agency office has requested and received its own budget to manage. This will foster additional accountability and financial restraint. A budget analyst has been hired to assist the CFO and office 

directors in managing their budgets.

The Institute also plans in FY 2008 to contract with one of the three GSA-approved travel management centers to eliminate its present manual travel management process. This is expected to save staff and processing time.

The Institute’s procurement process will be enhanced to track the initial receipt and final disposition of purchase requests. This will also simplify the required procurement reporting.

Salaries and Expenses Request

The FY 2009 budget request for salaries and expenses will support the costs of the staff, overhead, contracts, and other activities needed to administer and monitor IMLS’s programs and to award the proposed 

$254 million in grants.

Increases in administrative costs are tied to five key areas of change, expansion, and improvement:

1. Assumption of federal responsibility for library and museum statistics

2. Library and museum program conservation and preservation initiatives

3. Library and museum digitization initiatives

4. Strengthened financial management and internal controls

5. Integrated program and financial systems

In FY 2009, the IMLS request for administrative costs is $16,917,000, or 6.2 percent of its total budget 

request of $271,246,000. This includes $4 million for policy, research, and statistics, which was listed in a 

separate line in the FY 2008 budget request.

The role of libraries and museums in American society has grown increasingly complex. Changes in the 

environment in which libraries and museums operate—in the technological infrastructure through which 

they deliver services, in the galleries and programmatic spaces they create, in the economic substrate that 

finances operations, and in the social landscape that defines the communities that they serve—dictate corresponding changes in the way libraries and museums structure and deliver services. Continuity of operations 

plans, digitization initiatives, and conservation and preservation initiatives require additional program staff 

to help libraries and museums navigate new challenges and increasingly complex and multifaceted tasks. To 

ensure that federal grant funds create optimal public value, including significantly leveraging these federal 

grant funds through receipt of state, local, and private funding, IMLS must work closely with applicants and 

grantees to strengthen their strategic planning, program development, and evaluation.

IMLS strives for a customer-focused operation with straightforward and user-friendly programs and services, 

yet the complexity of customer demands has grown considerably. Constituents need technical assistance in 

program planning and guidance throughout the grant-making process. Staff turnover in museums, libraries, 

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and related organizations is continuous, in part because of the graying of the workforce and in part because 

of the competitive economies of employment. The diversity of American communities continues to grow, and 

technology continues to change rapidly. As a consequence, continuous training is essential for both constituents and IMLS staff. Potential applicants and grantees call upon IMLS staff expertise in the areas addressed 

above, and in greater numbers year after year. To ensure effective operation and provide service that is consistent with the high expectations of the public, Congress, and the Administration, the Institute must expand 

the capacity of its workforce to provide leadership in program development and evaluation and to increase its 

depth of knowledge in core and emerging issues in library and museum management.

Justification of Operating Costs by Object Class

This request includes funds for staff salaries, benefits, travel, training, rent, advisory and assistance services, 

communications and utilities expenses, supplies, equipment, and other operating expenses necessary to 

manage the Institute’s activities. The following narrative, presented by object class, provides more detail on 

this request.

1100 Personnel Compensation

1200 Personnel Benefits

1300 Benefits for Former Personnel

Amount Requested: $10,050,000

This category provides for salaries and benefits of federal employees, including expected within-grade 

increases, planned promotions, and performance awards for qualified staff, and reflects the use of lapse 

savings made possible by delayed hires and turnover. This request supports the 2.9 percent cost of living 

increase effective in January 2009, and is consistent with Administration policy.

Estimates are provided for benefits including the agency’s share of contributions for health insurance, life insurance, FERS, CSRS, and FICA, Thrift Savings Plan match, unemployment benefits, and injuries sustained 

in the workplace. Over the past years, federal health insurance premiums, including agency contributions, 

have increased nearly 15 percent annually, an increase that is reflected in this budget estimate. Finally, 

IMLS intends to absorb the management costs to federal employees of the government’s Flexible Spending Accounts in FY 2009. Support for the federal transit subsidy benefits provided under the Transportation 

Equity Act for the 21st Century is also reflected in this object class. To minimize personnel costs, the salary 

for National Museum Services Board members is proposed to remain at $100/day.

The Institute has experienced a growing workload for program and support staff to maintain compliance with 

Circulars A-102 and A-110 and all other regulations governing grant administration as well as OMB, Treasury, and Government Accountability Office (GAO) guidance related to financial management; performance 

accounting and reporting; and information technology. To meet the increased responsibility of compliance 

with OMB, Treasury, and GAO direction and guidance; maintenance and operations of the agency’s network 

systems; and the increased expectations of the Administration and Congress, IMLS requires appropriate 

staffing.

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2100 Travel and Transportation of Persons

Amount Requested: $900,000

This object class funds the cost of travel by the Institute’s professionals for conference presentations, site 

visits to oversee grants, outreach activities, consultations with applicants, workshops on IMLS programs, 

and staff professional development. Funds are provided for regional forums that stimulate sharing of effective practices and expand museum and library collaboration opportunities. This effort allows the Institute to 

monitor the progress of new programs, provide technical assistance, and build new partnerships. It includes 

transportation costs associated with the National Award for Museum Service and the National Award for 

Library Service. This object class also supports grant oversight activities. An increase in this object class supports the important management of grant activities, especially regular site visits in support of the Museum 

and Library Services Act.

In past years, owing to limited funding, legislatively required visits to state libraries on a biannual basis have 

not been possible. During FY 2008 and FY 2009, the Institute will prioritize its administrative funding to 

enable targeted travel to state libraries’ agencies to meet the legislative requirement.

This object class supports travel for members of the National Museum and Library Services Board (NMLSB), 

including its four regular meetings. The Board has requested that its regular meetings include at least one 

meeting outside the Washington, D.C., area annually, in conjunction with the national gathering of museum 

and library professionals. This meeting will introduce the Board to leaders in the museum and library field 

and enable them to become acquainted with the agency’s constituents’ interests. The Board is also very 

interested in and participates in the agency’s panel review process, thus resulting in an increase for Board 

member travel.

All IMLS travel is to support the agency mission and mandates. Funding below the requested level will 

negatively impact the agency’s ability to address its mission and mandates. IMLS relationships and standing 

with NMLSB members, library and museum communities, and its program partners also will be negatively 

affected.

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2200 Transportation of Things

Amount Requested: $40,000

Freight and express charges by common carrier, contract carriers, and other incidental expenses are included 

in this object class. Attendance at library and museum conventions, conferences, and meetings requires 

shipment of the Institute’s displays and associated materials, such as grant guidelines. This class also 

includes mail transportation charges for express package services (i.e., charges for transporting freight) and 

postage used in parcel post. Cost estimates are based on actual costs incurred historically by IMLS for this 

activity, with an increase to support the marked increase in worldwide fuel and labor costs.

2300 Rent, Communications and Utilities, Rental of Space (Standard Level Usage Charge), 

Equipment Rental, Telephone Services, Postage

Amount Requested: $2,400,000

This object class includes funding for communication technology services, including data, voice, and cable 

services; equipment rental; and rental of audiovisual equipment used in presentations at conference sessions 

and off-site meetings.

IMLS has been successful in past years in directing more of its efforts toward the Internet, placing an increased emphasis on electronic dissemination and availability of IMLS materials and holding cost increases 

to a minimum.

2400 Printing and Reproduction 

Amount Requested: $300,000

This object class funds the composition and printing of program applications and guidelines, research 

publications, conference proceedings, and Federal Register notices. To help contain costs in this category, 

the Institute is promoting the use of its home page on the Internet. From this page, users can access program guidelines, grant information, recent awards lists, and a variety of information about IMLS initiatives, 

activities, and programs. IMLS continues to expand the electronic dissemination and availability of all public 

materials to prospective grantees from institutions of all sizes and in all geographic areas to keep printing 

costs at a minimum.

2500 Other Contractual Services

Amount Requested: $3,000,000

This object class provides for contractual services that are not covered in any of the preceding categories, 

and includes costs of maintenance for the financial management system, staff training, alterations to office 

space, travel and honoraria for panelists, per capita costs for processing payment transactions by the Department of the Treasury, and costs of access to a federal employee health unit associated with the Department 

of Agriculture. Also included are costs of temporary clerical and grant application processing services, and 

production expenses associated with publications.

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Additional funds are required for reporting activities. The MLSA reauthorization calls for reporting on important issues for the museum and library communities. The targeted issues are to be identified and developed 

in collaboration with constituents. While the Institute has a history of researching and reporting on topics relevant to its mission, and constituents have consistently been consulted, this new reporting role will 

mean more frequent and more regular reporting, and thus more resources for developing and deploying data 

collection plans. Moreover, because of the heightened visibility of the reporting, IMLS must establish more 

systematic stakeholder communication channels, which will entail increased staff management, analysis and 

synthesis, and feedback.

This object class funds a management conference for managers of State Library Program agencies. These 

funds also support convening meetings of the Native American tribal community for grant workshops and facilitate outcomes-based evaluation training for the Office of Library Services and Office of Museum Services 

grantees in all categories. These activities are supported by contracted meeting-planning specialists.

These funds support essential interagency agreements, including payroll services provided by the Department 

of Agriculture’s National Finance Center, negotiation of indirect cost rates by the Department of Interior, 

and accounting services provided by the FAA-ESC. Also included are fees that support e-government initiatives such as the e-Travel services, the Grants Management Line of Business, Grants.gov, and the Human 

Resources Line of Business. This object class also funds the contract costs (honoraria) of panelists and grant 

reviewers. Each year the Institute convenes dozens of panels to evaluate the quality of grant applications and 

to ensure transparency of grant decision-making. Costs for this activity have gone up each of the past three 

years, as the increase in grant applications translates to additional panel reviews.

Planning and assessment studies are also funded from this object class. This budget item also includes contractual services for information technology support such as the Help Desk, State Program Reporting System, 

and maintenance of the General Support System for all agency operations. Also, annual financial, security, 

and systems audits and review are funded by this budget item.

Other than personnel expenses, this expense category is the most critical to enable the Institute to operate 

effectively, efficiently, and responsibly both to meet congressional and executive branch and museum and 

library constituency expectations and to accurately account for and report on performance measures.

2600 Supplies and Materials

Amount Requested: $127,000

Expendable supplies such as routine office products and supplies, paper, and copier supplies are needed to 

carry out the daily business of IMLS. These funds also cover IT supplies, including disks, and toner cartridges and paper for printers and copiers. In addition, the funds cover the cost of maintaining the agency’s 

subscriptions to library- and museum-related periodicals, magazines, and newspapers, which help fulfill the 

mandate to research trends and needs in these fields.

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3100 Equipment 

Amount Requested: $100,000

This object class funds all equipment, furniture, and office machines having a useful life in excess of one 

year—such as chairs, desks, file cabinets, IT equipment, software licenses, and printers. It also includes 

routine upgrades to local area network hardware and software in order to accommodate upgrades in database 

management and financial data. The majority of anticipated equipment expenditures will be for technology renewal of office automation equipment, systems software, and furniture that would be more expensive 

to repair than replace. The Institute intends to maximize the usefulness of existing hardware by upgrading rather than purchasing new equipment wherever possible. Rapid changes in technology, however, will 

make it necessary to purchase some new computer equipment, integration systems software and hardware, 

and electronic data exchange systems. This will enable the Institute to be responsive to and compliant with 

Administration directives and guidance and with federal laws, to remain on the cutting edge of technology in 

delivering services, and to continue being efficient.

Total Administrative Services Request: $16,917,000

Table 4: IMLS History of Administration Costs

(Amounts in 000s)

Object Class Description

FY 2006 

Enacted

FY 2007 

Enacted

FY 2008

Enacted

FY 2009 

Requested

1100/1200/

1300

Personnel Compensation and 

Benefits $7,000 $7,050 $9,050 $10,050

2100

Travel and Transportation of 

Persons 750 750 850 900

2200 Transportation of Things 40 40 40 40

2300

Rental of Space (Rent, Communications and Utilities), 

Equipment Rental, Telephone 

Services, Postage 2,250 2,300 2,350 2,400

2400 Printing and Reproduction 300 300 300 300

2500 Other Contractual Services 1,230 1,170 1,170 3,000

2600 Supplies and Materials 127 107 127 127

3100 Equipment 100 80 100 100

Total $11,797 $11,797 $13,987 $16,917

IMLS Administration

IMLS Administration
Photo courtesy of the Vermont Historical Society.

FY 2009 Performance Plan
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 37

FY 2009 

Performance Plan

FY 2009 Performance Plan

The Institute builds the capacity of museums and libraries to serve the public in three strategic ways:

Sustaining Heritage, Culture, and Knowledge

Enhancing Learning and Innovation;

Building Professional Capacity

A fourth, overarching goal is to attain the highest level of excellence in federal management, operations, 

and service.

1. Sustaining Heritage, Culture, and Knowledge

Our nation’s museums and libraries serve as stewards of our cultural, scientific, and intellectual heritage.

Their collections illustrate, interpret, and embody the great events, ideas, and individuals that contribute 

to America’s history and culture. These irreplaceable resources help us understand, experience, explore, 

discover, and make sense of the world. Through their collections and the services they build around them, 

museums and libraries tell our nation’s story and ensure that knowledge is passed on to future generations.

The collections in libraries and museums connect people to the full spectrum of human experience, culture, 

science, history, and art. The Institute helps libraries and museums to preserve and manage collections of 

art, books, documents, other cultural artifacts, animals, plants, and digital resources so that future generations will have a tangible link with their heritage.

Unfortunately, collections are highly vulnerable to loss due to deterioration, theft, and natural and man-made 

disasters. Virtual resources are susceptible not only to physical destruction, but also to loss through technological change. Accordingly, through grant programs and special initiatives such as Connecting to Collections, the agency focuses on the conservation and preservation of library and museum collections.

Objective 1: Strengthen personnel capacity to manage conservation and preservation efforts in our 

nation’s libraries and museums.

Strategies:

Expand the availability, efficiency, and effectiveness of strategies and choices for safeguarding 

collections.

Build personnel skills for digital asset management, conservation, and preservation.

Strengthen personnel skills in small to midsized institutions for collections management, preservation 

and conservation planning, and emergency preparedness at the institutional level.

Objective 2: Address high-priority needs identified by the Heritage Health Index. 

Strategies:

Enable museums, libraries, and archives to carry out collections-wide preservation and conservation 

planning, to treat identified high-priority problems, and to serve as national models and sources 

of information.

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Institute of Museum and Library Services - 38

FY 2009 

Performance Plan

FY 2009 Performance Plan

Enable museums, libraries, and archives to plan for and implement risk reduction, emergency response, 

and recovery of collections.

Support the development and creation of statewide disaster and preservation plans.

Objective 3: Galvanize attention and promote public-private partnerships to preserve the 

nation’s collections.

Strategies:

Convene national and regional summits to galvanize awareness of the condition of the nation’s collections and the implications of their loss, and to develop plans to address the problem locally and nationally.

Encourage and form partnerships at the federal, state, and local levels to address conservation and preservation needs.

Build a program of public awareness activities.

FY 2009 Targets

Research and Evaluation: Support 15 libraries and museums to develop new preservation models, services, 

or tools (including digital) to expand the efficiency and effectiveness of available strategies and choices for 

safeguarding collections.

Convening: Host two regional conferences to address high-priority needs identified in the Health Heritage 

Index. More than 350 representatives from libraries and museums will attend.

Formula Grants to State Library Agencies: A growing number of states are funding digitization projects to provide access to local and state historical information, including photos, newspapers, maps, industrial development and planning documents, conservation drawings, oral history, and collections of literary works. Twenty 

states, some in partnership with other cultural organizations, will provide access to unique materials through 

digitization. Additionally, projects will be funded to plan or train personnel in the technical requirements for 

quality images and to develop finding aids to assist the public, researchers, and educators in using these 

materials.

Discretionary Grants to Libraries and Museums:

Support collections care in 1,000 small to medium-sized museums and libraries by providing the IMLS 

Conservation Bookshelf—a compilation of conservation publications and online resources.

Provide support planning grants to 31 states to establish statewide partnerships that will address needs 

identified in the Health Heritage Index (including disaster planning).

Help 300 museums survey their collections, and, in turn, rehouse, provide protective storage, and/or 

provide conservation treatment for these collections as needed.

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Institute of Museum and Library Services - 39

FY 2009 

Performance Plan

FY 2009 Performance Plan

2. Enhancing Learning and Innovation

Learning is more important than ever for success in today’s global economy. This includes in-and out-ofschool learning; learning at all ages; and, in addition to basic mathematics, reading, and science, a new set 

of 21st century skills such as creative problem solving, ability to work in teams, information literacy, and 

communication skills in multiple formats.

Over the past 20 years, an explosion of research has shown how people learn, from infancy to old age. We 

know that children are never too young to learn, and we know that lifelong learning extends the duration and 

quality of life. We also know that a thriving competitive economy depends on innovation and the opportunity 

to learn effectively not only in the classroom, but on the job and throughout one’s lifetime.

Museums and libraries are core community assets essential to larger efforts to support the development of 

families, individuals, and communities. They help our communities meet some of their greatest challenges, 

providing powerful places for civic engagement, contributing to economic development, building workforce 

participation, improving early literacy and school readiness, helping teens prepare for school and for life, and 

addressing a wide range of issues from helping our citizens keep current on health and science information 

to providing new immigrants resources they need to succeed in American society.

Objective 1: Increase the excellence, availability, and use of museum and library programs and services for 

learning and innovation.

Strategies:

Strengthen local programming and services and widen the adoption of effective practices to address 

identified national issues.

Strengthen the ability of libraries and museums to increase their own knowledge and improve programs, 

and support local replication and adaptation of models that evaluation shows to be effective.

Disseminate data on effective management and practice to strengthen learning through museum and 

library services.

Objective 2: Increase the number and variety of partnerships among museums, libraries, and other community entities.

Strategies: 

Support collaborations to extend the impact of libraries and museums in meeting their communities’ 

needs.

Create new partnerships with federal agencies and nongovernmental organizations to maximize federal 

support and serve as models for good practice in collaboration.

Support various types of collaborations at the state level.

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Institute of Museum and Library Services - 40

FY 2009 

Performance Plan

FY 2009 Performance Plan

Objective 3: Increase the number of museums and libraries that use contemporary technology tools to 

deliver programs and services.

Strategies: 

Help library and museum staff to adopt new technologies, particularly for improving management, operations, and services in small to midsized museums.

Support research and demonstration to develop new tools and services to increase online access to collections.

Develop models to allow seamless digital searching across library and museum collections.

Objective 4: Strengthen technology competencies across and within all community segments.

Strategies: 

Support research and demonstration to expand tools and services that address contemporary learning 

needs.

Develop a digital readiness assessment program to help small to midsized libraries and museums establish or strengthen digital collection programs.

Strengthen knowledge for effective management of Grants to State Library Agencies.

FY 2009 Targets

Research: Conduct the third national survey to document evolving trends and measure results of relationships 

between museums and schools; disseminate findings in a conference and webcasts.

Convening: 

Convene the annual WebWise Conference and bring together 300 library, museum, education, and technology experts to explore innovation in the use of digital technology in libraries and museums. Publish 

proceedings and make them accessible online.

Hold an IMLS conference on Engaging America’s Youth at which 300 museum educators, librarians, 

teachers, and school administrators will learn about the model practices identified in an IMLS study.

Formula Grants to State Library Agencies:

Support summer reading programs at 50 public libraries that will reach 5,000 students. Librarians will 

have access to tools to help evaluate summer reading programs and share findings.

A growing number of states are developing Web portals that provide direct access to state and local information. These Web portals provide libraries of all types and in all settings the tools for personal learning, 

professional development, business/community/economic assistance, and government support services.

By the end of 2009, 35 states will be offering statewide Web portals with these features.

Discretionary Grants for Library and Museum Service:

Support 220 museums to deliver learning experiences through exhibits, Web sites, multimedia, student 

programs (in and out of the classroom), teacher training, and public programming. Programming will 

reach 500,000 people.

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Institute of Museum and Library Services - 41

FY 2009 

Performance Plan

FY 2009 Performance Plan

Support planning for, or implement collaborative activities in, 60 communities to develop partnership activities among libraries, museums, and other cultural, education, community, and business organizations 

to strengthen public opportunities for learning, research, and civic engagement.

Support 100 museums and libraries in a variety of projects that encourage technology and digitization 

planning, develop digital libraries, create digital networks, and develop new digital tools and services 

that will increase public access to online museum and library collections and services.

Support 100 museums in strengthening management practices to improve public service.

3. Building Professional Capacity

Training a 21st century library and museum workforce is a top priority for IMLS. Both the library and museum sectors face impending retirements of baby boomers and must attract and recruit new staff. In addition, the rapidly changing environment of the knowledge society, the possibilities provided by new technologies, the increasing diversity of the population, and the need to demonstrate public value and accountability 

require an expanding portfolio of skills for library and museum professionals at every level.

Objective 1: Strengthen skills and knowledge of museum and library personnel for management, program 

design, partnership, planning, and leadership. 

Strategies:

Strengthen skills of existing library and museum personnel at all levels.

Expand the leadership pool of library and museum personnel.

Increase collaboration and build collaboration skills.

Develop educational programs to meet the specific needs of Native American, Native Hawaiian, and African-American culture through eligible museums, libraries, and cultural centers.

Objective 2: Increase the number of people who undertake formal education and internships in libraries 

and museums.

Strategies:

Support recruitment and education at the library and information science master’s and doctoral levels.

Support the recruitment and professional development of museum personnel.

Support innovative learning programs, such as internships and exchanges to increase the availability of 

skilled museum and library staff.

Objective 3: Increase the diversity of staff in the library and museum fields.

Strategies:

Partner with national museums, federal agencies, and national professional organizations to support recruitment and professional development efforts to increase diversity in museum and library employment.

Build leadership and skills necessary to address the current and future needs of museums and libraries to 

reflect and serve the increasing diversity of the nation. Through internships, support historically black colleges 

and universities to develop knowledge and skills to preserve and share African American history and culture.

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Institute of Museum and Library Services - 42

FY 2009 

Performance Plan

FY 2009 Performance Plan

FY 2009 Targets

Convening: Convene the annual IMLS Leadership Lecture to inspire leadership and new leaders. The lecture 

is held in Washington, D.C., and will be webcast. New and emerging library and museum leaders are encouraged to participate and explore lecture themes in Washington or online. The lecture provides a national 

platform for high-level policy dialogue on how libraries and museums can work strategically to help address 

issues of national concern.

Formula Grants to State Library Agencies: The delivery of library and information services in this information 

technology age is one of perpetual evolution and innovation. The Grants to State Library Agencies program 

allows for the relevant continuing professional development of staff involved in LSTA projects directly related 

to the six priorities of the program. This continuing education role equips staff to effectively deliver the services and to educate the end users in order to maximize their access to information. Library staff in 40 states 

will have benefited from such continuing education and will in turn have educated and provided services to 

library customers in their communities.

Discretionary Grants for Libraries and Museums:

Support the recruitment, education, and training of librarians, library faculty, and library workers. Grants 

will help support professional development for 300 current library staff, and will continue support for 

1,500 master’s degree students and 10 new doctoral candidates, as well as the development of a new 

library school curriculum to better prepare library staff for the future.

Support professional development opportunities for 2,500 museum professionals to increase management skills and knowledge and expand the museum leadership field.

Support museum and library staff in 25 communities in gaining collaboration and community-building 

skills by participating in partnerships to institute The Big Read in their towns. These projects include 

participation in regional workshops to build target skills.

Support 35 Native American and African American museums and cultural centers in providing professional development for staff.

Support 60 awards that museums, libraries, universities, schools of library and information science, 

and professional organizations will use to reach 2,000 individuals in a variety of training and education 

activities at the master’s, doctoral, and continuing education levels. Training will include conservation 

techniques, digital asset management, and technology planning.

4. Attaining Excellence in Federal Management, Operations, and Service

As the Institute accepts increasing responsibilities and federal agencies are called on to demonstrate accountability, the Institute must continue to strive for excellence in management, operations and service.

IMLS will constantly work to meet the standards set by the President’s Management Agenda, the needs of 

museums and libraries and their users, and the expectations that accompany its ever-expanding role. 

Objective 1: Achieve the highest level of excellence in federal financial management, operations, 

and service.

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FY 2009 

Performance Plan

FY 2009 Performance Plan

Strategies:

Continue to build IMLS staff expertise and provide excellent service to the museum, library, and related 

communities.

Make full use of the knowledge and expertise of the members of the National Museum and Library Services Board.

Maintain and improve the Institute’s peer review process for competitive grant programs.

Maintain and improve the Institute’s oversight of Grants to State Library Agencies through increased 

online assistance, site visits, and conferences.

Streamline application and award management through transition to the Grants Management Line of 

Business; develop human capital to maximize use of these systems and to assist applicants and grantees 

in their use.

Continue to improve information technology operations.

Continue to improve financial management, including identifying and implementing additional efficiencies to reduce administrative expenses

Maintain and improve internal management and financial controls throughout the Institute; this will lead 

to continued clean audit opinions with no material weaknesses.

Finalize implementation of cost accounting methodology.

Expand resources and technical assistance that support high-quality planning and evaluation for grantee 

organizations.

Evaluate IMLS programs on a regular basis; apply findings to program improvements, and share models 

to improve practice.

Objective 2: Become the key source of information for and about museum and library service to support 

strong policy decision making at all levels.

Strategies:

Assess the effectiveness of programs the statute mandate set forth in the Museum and Library 

Services Act.

Finalize the consolidation of information policy and library statistics into IMLS.

Explore desirability, feasibility, and structures needed for a museum statistics program.

Gather, analyze, and broadly disseminate data about key museum and library needs, trends, and 

developments.

Disseminate models of best practice and analysis of library and museum services.

Develop resources to strengthen museum and library practice and project management.

FY 2009 Targets

Provide policy advice to the President and Congress: Prepare for the development and dissemination of an annual report to the nation on the state of libraries, museums, and information policy, to be launched in 2010.

Develop and manage national data collection activities:

Improve the timeliness and usefulness of public library and state library data collections.

Launch a pilot for national ongoing data collection activities for museums.

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FY 2009 

Performance Plan

FY 2009 Performance Plan

Perform technical assistance and monitoring:

Provide online resources on project planning and evaluation for 100 percent of grantees and potential 

grantees.

Convene representatives of all 57 recipients of Grants to State Library Administrative Agencies to provide 

technical assistance to ensure compliance with federal rules, and provide opportunities for networking 

and sharing best practices among grantees.

Convene 100 percent of state data coordinators for technical assistance to ensure accurate and timely 

collection of public library and state library statistics.

Convene 50 percent of recipients of discretionary grants to share best practices and provide technical assistance on reporting responsibilities.

Provide technical assistance and information to at least 500 potential applicants and grant reviewers 

through audio conferences.

Complete 20 site visits to monitor compliance and provide technical assistance to State Library Administrative Agencies.

Continue to monitor the statewide online database services that state libraries are negotiating on behalf 

of libraries throughout their states. This statewide approach brings significant savings to libraries that 

would otherwise need to negotiate separate contracts and extends the service to libraries that cannot 

afford such databases under any circumstances. Thirty-five states will provide this cost-effective statewide service, which will significantly advance the long-term federal goal of providing equity of access to 

information for all citizens.

Evaluate programs: Undertake an evaluation of one IMLS grant category each year.

Disseminate results:

Identify and recognize five libraries and five museums that are national models to receive the National 

Medal for Museum and Library Service.

Maintain and continue to develop agency Web site and increase the variety and use of multimedia communications (webcasts, e-newsletters, audio conferences, videos).

Prepare to launch an online resource to disseminate results of 20 percent of IMLS-supported projects, 

with the goal of reaching 100 percent in three years.

Implement the President’s Management Agenda:

Continue to improve information technology operations to fully meet the requirements of the Federal 

Information Security Management Act of 2002 and to fully implement security measures.

Streamline application and award management by transitioning to the Grants Management Line of 

Business.

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Photo courtesy of the Levine Museum of the New South.

Authorizing Framework
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Authorizing Framework

Authorizing Framework

This justification requests funding under both the Museum and Library Services Act and the National Museum for African American History and Culture Act.

The Museum and Library Services Act (MLSA)

The MLSA was enacted into law in September 1996. It consolidated federal support for libraries and museums and created the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Prior to enactment, library support was 

administered by the U.S. Department of Education and museum support was administered by the Institute 

of Museum Services. The act was reauthorized in 2003. IMLS grant programs support museums and libraries 

individually and in collaboration to provide broad and equitable access to high-quality knowledge resources, 

an essential element of a democratic society. The act consists of the Library Services and Technology Act 

(LSTA) and the Museum Services Act (MSA).

General Provisions

The general provisions section of the MLSA creates a director of the Institute and establishes the composition and role of the National Museum and Library Services Board. It also instructs the director to carry out 

and publish analyses of the impact of museum and library services.

The Library Services and Technology Act

Since 1956, the Library Services and Technology Act and its predecessors have been the primary source of 

federal support for the nation’s libraries.

The LSTA directs IMLS to

improve library service to better serve the people of the United States; 

facilitate access to library resources to cultivate an educated and informed citizenry; and

encourage resource sharing to achieve economical and efficient delivery of library service.

The LSTA calls for funding for a state formula grant, national leadership grants, and support for Native 

American tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations.

The Museum Services Act

Since 1976, the Museum Services Act has been the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 

museums.

The MSA directs IMLS to

support museums in their public service role of connecting the whole of society to cultural, artistic, historical, natural and scientific heritage; 

help museums work with schools, families, and communities in support of education; 

encourage leadership in technology; and 

help museums achieve the highest standards of collections stewardship and management.

The authority provided in the MSA is broad and flexible, requiring support for all types of museums from art 

to zoo for a wide variety of museum service activities. The 2003 reauthorization provided new authority for a 

program of support for Native American tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations.

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Authorizing Framework

Authorizing Framework

The African American History and Culture Act

In December 2003, Congress passed and the President signed the African American History and Culture Act.

This law calls for the creation of a National Museum for African American History and Culture and authorizes 

IMLS, in consultation with the new museum’s director and council, to offer grants and scholarships to support museums that primarily focus on African American history and culture.