Fiscal Year 2015 Appropriations Request 

to the United States Congress

Creating a Nation of Learners

March 2014
Message from the Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

FY 2015 Appropriations Request . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Summary of Appropriations Request . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

 Library, Museum and African American Museum Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

 Research, Evaluation, and Data Collection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

 Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Table 1: IMLS Appropriations History, 2005-2015 (Budget Authority in 000s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

IMLS Vision and Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Highlights of FY 2015 Budget Request . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Ongoing Strategic Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Budget Request Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Research, Evaluation, and Data Collection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Program Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Library Grants to States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

 Table 2: State Allotments for FYs 2010-2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Library Discretionary Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

 FY 2013 Library Discretionary Grant Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

 National Leadership Grants - Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

 Native America/Native Hawaiian Library Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Office of Museum Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

 Museums for America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

 National Leadership Grants for Museums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

 Native America/Native Hawaiian Museum Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

 Museum Grants for African American History and Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

IMLS Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Administration Costs Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Administration Highlights and Future Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Recent Administrative Highlights and Future Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Administration Request by Object Class Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

 Table 3: IMLS History of Administration Costs: FY 2013 - FY 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Performance Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

FY 2015 - 2016 Performance Improvement Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

 Step 1: Build Evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

 Step 2: Act on Evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

 Step 3: Evaluate Effectiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

 Step 4: Support Knowledge Diffusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

 Step 5: Continually Revise Agency Programs and Services to Incorporate Best Practice..................32

 Strategic Plan Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Authorizing Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Library Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Library Grants to States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Library Discretionary Grants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Policy Research, Analysis, Data Collection, and Dissemination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Interagency Collaboration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

CONTENTS
Introduction: Creating a Nation of Learners

Photo by Patrick Bennett, courtesy of Washington’s King County Library System. 
2 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

INTRODUCTION: CREATING A NATION OF LEARNERS

Dear Members of Congress:

I am pleased to present this congressional justification of President Obama’s FY 2015 budget request in the 

amount of $226,448,000 for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Within this amount, and 

within existing programs, IMLS will focus on STEM learning, early learning, and expanding access to federal 

information through libraries.

I am proud of the contributions that IMLS makes to the American people. I firmly believe that there is a federal 

responsibility to ensure all Americans have access to museums and libraries and that the nation’s 123,000 

libraries and 17,500 museums can provide the best possible service to the public regardless of geographic, 

economic, or physical barriers.

Libraries and museums are ubiquitous.

With built infrastructure in nearly every community in the nation, robust online networks, and dedicated staff, 

museums and libraries connect people to one another and knowledge.

 • 169 million people (69 percent of the population) in the United States over the age of 14 are library users.

 • 148 million people in the United States over the age of 18 are museum users.

IMLS plays a strategic federal role.

We are living at a time when the strategic use of resources could not be more important. IMLS’s role – to 

provide leadership, funding, data, strategic partnerships, knowledge sharing, and policy analysis—helps 

libraries and museums improve their services.

In FY 2015, IMLS will continue to help U.S. libraries and museums

 • provide information and skills to help Americans find good jobs,

 • provide innovative ways for young people to gain job skills, 

 • meet the needs of the youngest learners with learning environments that stimulate brain development, 

 • provide new immigrants with English skills and civics education, and

 • play significant roles in community revitalization initiatives. 

Museums, Libraries and STEM Learning

Libraries and museums are crucial to building skills in STEM learning for children and young adults. Libraries 

and museums are community technology hubs where out-of-school STEM learning efforts include development 

of “maker spaces,” where teens and adults can creatively apply STEM concepts to create their own inventions, 

and hosting of community science fairs and STEM-focused exhibits and public programs. In FY 2015 we will 

continue our funding priority for projects that develop new programming models to teach STEM skills to at-risk 

youth. 
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 3

Introduction

Museums, Libraries and Early Learning

Libraries and museums are fundamental to early learning. IMLS has long supported the testing, development, 

and delivery of quality, impactful programming for young children as well as their caregivers, parents, and 

child-care workers. In FY 2015 we will incorporate libraries and museums into comprehensive early learning 

strategies at the national, state, and local levels.

Civic Literacy Network

Millions of citizens use local libraries to access a wide variety of government services, and many federal 

agencies turn to libraries as part of their information distribution networks. However, this effort is currently a 

patchwork of portals and outreach strategies that are difficult for library staff to navigate. In FY 2015, IMLS 

will work with other federal agencies to help them reach the public through libraries.

I believe that the American public is best served by maintaining strong support for libraries and museums and 

I am respectfully recommending enactment of funding for IMLS at the President’s request level.

I am happy to meet and talk personally with you or your staff.

Respectfully submitted,

Susan H. Hildreth

Director
Photo by Bryan Bangerter, courtesy of the San Diego Natural History Museum.

FY 2015 Appropriations Request
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 5

FY 2015 Appropriations 

Request

FY 2014 APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST

Summary of Appropriations Request

The FY 2015 IMLS budget request is $226,448,000. This amount includes $225,037,983 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 $1,410,017 for a grants 

program authorized by the African American History and Culture Act (AAHCA). 

Library Services

IMLS requests $178,601,812 for the library grant programs authorized by the LSTA:

 • Grants to State Library Agencies 

 • Native American and Native Hawaiian Library Services 

 • Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program 

 • National Leadership Grants for Libraries 

Museum Services

IMLS requests $29,648,921 for museum grants and related programs authorized by the MSA:

 • Museums for America 

 • Native American and Native Hawaiian Museum Services

 • National Leadership Grants for Museums

African American Museum Services

IMLS requests $1,410,017 for the grant program authorized by the African American History and Culture Act.

Research, Evaluation, and Data Collection

IMLS requests $1,787,250 to collect data, carry out research, and identify best practices in the nation’s 

libraries and museums.

Administration

IMLS requests $15,000,000 for the administration of its programs. Funds support personnel compensation 

and benefits; rent and utilities; contractual services; communications; travel; printing; equipment and 

supplies; automated data processing; and other administrative services, including overhead costs for research, 

evaluation, and data collection activities. This request also includes funding to cover costs associated with the 

IMLS office space move/renovation in 2015. IMLS will reduce its office space to maximize the efficient use of 

government resources and facilities.

FY 2015 APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST
6 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

FY 2014 APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST

Statutory Authority FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 

FY 2015

Request

Museum and Library 

Services Act (MLSA)

General Provisions

Research, Analysis 

and Data Collection 1,903 1,886 1,787 1,820 1,787

Library Services 

Technology Act (LSTA)

Grants to States 160,704 163,746 163,746 160,885 171,500 172,561 160,032 156,365 150,000 154,848 152,501

Native American/ 

Hawaii Libraries 3,472 3,638 3,638 3,574 3,717 4,000 3,960 3,869 3,667 3,861 3,869

National Leadership:

Libraries 12,301 12,375 12,375 12,159 12,437 12,437 12,225 11,946 11,377 12,200 12,232

Laura Bush 21st

Century Librarian 22,816 23,760 23,760 23,345 24,525 24,525 12,818 12,524 10,000 10,000 10,000

SUBTOTAL, LSTA 199,293 203,519 203,519 199,963 212,179 213,523 189,035 184,704 175,044 180,909 178,602

Museum Services 

Act (MSA)

Museums for America 16,864 17,152 17,152 16,852 19,176 19,176 18,453 18,030 19,564 20,200 20,643

Museum Assessment 

Program 446 442 442 434 460 460

21st Century Museum 

Professionals 992 982 982 965 1,280 1,280 2,015 1,969

Conservation Project 

Support 2,788 2,772 2,772 2,724 3,052 3,052 2,675 2,613 

Conservation 

Assessment Program 813 807 807 793 803 803

Native American/

Hawaiian Museum 

Services

843 911 911 895 945 975 947 926 877 924 926

National Leadership:

Museums 7,539 7,920 7,920 7,782 7,981 7,981 6,050 5,911 7,468 7,600 8,080

SUBTOTAL, MSA 30,285 30,986 30,986 30,445 33,697 33,727 30,140 29,449 27,909 28,724 29,649

African American 

History and Culture Act 

Museum Grants for 

African American 

History and Culture

842 842 827 1,310 1,485 1,443 1,410 1,336 1,407 1,410

Agency Wide

Administration 11,097 11,797 11,858 13,987 16,917 17,134 14,845 14,505 13,745 14,000 15,000

TOTAL, IMLS 

PROGRAMS AND 

ADMINISTRATION

240,675 247,144 247,205 245,222 264,103 265,869 237,393 231,954 219,821 226,860 226,448

Congressional 

Earmarks 39,889 18,285 10,737 16,382

TOTAL 280,564 247,144 247,205 263,507 274,840 282,251 237,393 231,954 219,821 226,860 226,448

Table 1: IMLS Appropriations History, 2005–2015

(Budget Authority in 000’s)

FY 2015 APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 7

FY 2015 Appropriations 

Request

IMLS Vision and Goals

IMLS’s strategic plan, published in January 2012, sets out a vision for a democratic society where 

communities and individuals thrive with broad public access to knowledge, cultural heritage, and lifelong 

learning. The plan closely aligns with the Museum and Library Services Act, which was reauthorized in 

December 2010.

The plan establishes a clear framework for performance improvement that emphasizes evidence-based program 

development and evaluation for improving the delivery of library and museums services for all Americans.

The complete IMLS Strategic Plan is available at www.imls.gov/plan.

Vision

A democratic society where communities and individuals thrive with broad public access to knowledge, cultural 

heritage, and lifelong learning.

Mission

The mission of IMLS is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, learning, and civic 

engagement. IMLS provides leadership through research, policy development, and grant making.

Strategic Goals

Learning: IMLS places the learner at the center and supports engaging experiences in libraries and museums 

that prepare people to be full participants in their local communities and our global society.

Community: IMLS promotes museums and libraries as strong community anchors that enhance civic 

engagement, cultural opportunities, and economic vitality.

Content: IMLS supports exemplary stewardship of museum and library collections and promotes the use of 

technology to facilitate discovery of knowledge and cultural heritage.

Access: IMLS advises the President and Congress on plans, policies, and activities that sustain and increase 

public access to information and ideas.

Model Agency: IMLS achieves excellence in public management and performs as a model organization through 

strategic alignment of IMLS resources and prioritization of programmatic activities, maximizing value for the 

American public.
8 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

FY 2014 APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST

Highlights of FY 2015 Budget Request

This section identifies several key investment areas in FY 2015, selected because they align both with the 

agency-and stakeholder-identified goals and with high-priority areas of national interest. Though all these 

investment strategies can be pursued within the agency’s budget, IMLS will focus on three initiatives 

in FY 2015.

Strategic Focus – Museums, Libraries and STEM Learning

Libraries and museums are crucial to building skills in STEM learning for children and young adults. Libraries 

and museums are community technology hubs where out-of-school STEM learning efforts include development 

of “maker spaces,” where teens and adults can creatively apply STEM concepts to create their own inventions, 

and hosting of community science fairs and STEM-focused exhibits and public programs. In FY 2015 we will 

continue our funding priority for projects that develop new programming models to teach STEM skills to at-risk 

youth.

Allocation Tactics Results

Minimum of

$2,000,000

Prioritize support for STEM programs for 

museums and libraries within current 

IMLS grant programs.

Partner with current maker institutions 

and organizations to create a maker 

library/museum community of practice.

Identify private partner to encourage 

libraries and museums to develop maker 

spaces.

Increase STEM programs within the museum and 

library communities, helping to build 21st-century 

skills.

Develop best practices and resources to enable 

museums and libraries to create maker spaces 

with local funds.

Coordinate with the National Science Foundation, 

Smithsonian, and the U.S. Department of 

Education on meaningful federal investments 

in STEM.

FY 2015 APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 9

FY 2015 Appropriations 

Request

Strategic Focus – Museums, Libraries and Early Learning

Libraries and museums play a crucial role in improving early childhood learning. IMLS has long supported the 

testing, development, and delivery of quality programming for young children, their caregivers, parents, and 

child-care workers. In FY 2015 we will build on this foundational work to incorporate libraries and museums 

into comprehensive early learning strategies at the national, state, and local levels.

Allocation Tactics Results

Minimum of 

$1,000,000

Work with public and private partners to 

develop national toolkit and web 

resources for libraries and museums 

that link early learning programs to early 

learning standards.

Continue to fund early learning 

activities in Grants to States and 

discretionary programs.

Identify best way for libraries and museums to 

participate in national early learning efforts.

Ensure that museums and libraries are 

developing early learning programs that support 

state and national standards 

Strategic Focus – Civic Literacy Network 

Millions of citizens use local libraries to access government services, and many federal agencies use libraries 

to distribute information to the public. However, this effort is currently a patchwork of portals and outreach 

strategies that make it difficult for librarians and the public to obtain the information they need. In FY 2015, 

IMLS will work with other federal agencies on how to reach the public through libraries.

Allocation Tactics Results

$500,000 Distribute e-government information 

and training to state library agencies 

and other library networks.

Create a federal partnership model that 

can be replicated at state and local 

levels.

Connect federal agencies with library 

networks to improve access to federal 

information.

Increase libraries’ ability to meet users’ needs for 

e-government services to inform their health, work, 

education, and life choices.
10 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

FY 2014 APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST

Ongoing Strategic Initiatives

Building Digital Success

In FY 2015, IMLS will continue to encourage broadband adoption and digital literacy training. More than 

60 million people lack access to broadband, and many more lack basic digital literacy. While cost is a major 

barrier to adoption, it is not the only barrier. The ability to use a computer and to find relevant services is also 

significant. Libraries are where people go to learn these skills. IMLS is working with the FCC to provide data 

and analysis to better understand the role of broadband in public libraries. High-speed broadband connectivity 

is necessary for an educated and successful workforce.

Heritage Health Index II

In FY 2015, IMLS will release its second Heritage Health Index. The original survey, conducted nearly 10 years 

ago, was the first comprehensive study to assess the condition of U.S. collections. The second survey is 

exploring digital preservation, particularly how creating digital surrogates may reduce the damage caused by 

handling of paper, photograph, and audiovisual originals. IMLS is continuing its strategic investment in 

exemplary stewardship of museum and library collections and promoting the use of technology in discovering 

knowledge and cultural heritage. The care and management of the nation’s collections, both material and 

living, is necessary to expand and sustain access for current and future generations.

Federal Partnerships

As directed in the MLSA, IMLS partners with other federal agencies to support workforce development early 

learning, literacy, lifelong learning, digital literacy, workforce development, and education

IMLS has a history of effective partnerships with other federal agencies, including Memoranda of 

Understanding with several agencies, to distribute their information to libraries across the country.

IMLS’s expanding work with federal agencies has demonstrated the need for a more formalized civic literacy 

network that is one of our FY 2015 strategic priorities, creating a trusted portal for libraries to access federal 

information for their customers. IMLS partners include the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, 

the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Communications Commission, the Employment and 

Training Administration, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, the Health Services and Resources 

Administration, and the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education.

FY 2015 APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 11

FY 2015 Appropriations 

Request

Budget Request Details

Research, Evaluation, and Data Collection

IMLS requests $1,787,250 to collect data, carry out research, and identify best practices in cooperation with 

the nation’s libraries and museums. The MLSA authorizes the Director of IMLS to conduct policy research, 

analysis, and data collection with (1) state library administrative agencies; (2) national, state, and regional 

library and museum organizations; and (3) other relevant agencies and organizations.

Public Library Survey: The Public Libraries in the United States Survey (PLS) provides data from the nation’s 

8,956 public libraries and 17,110 public library outlets. The PLS provides a universe for many library surveys 

such as the Public Library Funding and Technology Access Study and the U.S. Impact Study, funded by IMLS 

and the Gates Foundation. PLS data is used to support the Public Library Locator, the Department of Labor’s 

American Job Center Locator Service, and the Connect to Compete digital training locator tool. The data is also 

used for local, regional, and national community indicator initiatives, including the Department of Housing and 

Urban Development’s Performance Based Planning Measures.

Highlights from the Public Libraries in the United States Survey, Fiscal Year 2011

 • In FY 2011 there were 8,956 public libraries in the United States, which served 299.9 million people 

 (95.3 percent of the US population).

Use of Public Library Services

 • There were 1.53 billion in-person visits to public libraries in FY 2011, equivalent to over 4.2 million visits 

 each day. Although this is a 10-year increase of 23.0 percent, in-person visits have fallen by 3.9 percent 

 since FY 2008. (IMLS does not yet collect data about online library visits.) 

 • Public libraries circulated 2.44 billion materials in FY 2011, a 10-year increase of 29 percent. One-third 

 of circulated materials (34.5 percent) were children’s materials.

 • Attendance at public library programs has increased. In FY 2011, 89.0 million people attended the 3.81 

 million programs held at public libraries, a 32.3 percent increase in attendance and 46.7 percent increase 

 in the number of programs since FY 2004.
12 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

FY 2015 APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST FY 2014 APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST

Public Libraries in the United States by Locale

IMLS also administers a biannual survey of state libraries. IMLS is developing additional research tools to 

understand the characteristics of U.S. museums and to evaluate the performance of IMLS grantees.
Program Descriptions

Photo by Chris Tumbusch, courtesy of the Pierce County Library System in Tacoma, Washington 
14 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: GRANTS TO STATE LIBRARY 

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES

FY 2015 Budget Request: $152,500,544

The Grants to States program provides funds to state library administrative agencies (SLAAs) 

Awards based on state plan and population-based formula 

The Grants to States program awards population-based formula grants to each SLAA in the 50 states, the 

District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the 

Northern Mariana Islands. The formula consists of an equal base allotment for each state plus a 

supplemental amount based on population. Population data are based on U.S. Census data. The MLSA sets 

base allotments of $680,000 for states, D.C., and Puerto Rico, and $60,000 for other entities. The law 

limits the amount of funding available for administration at the state level to four percent and requires a 34 

percent match from state or local funds. Programs and services delivered by each SLAA support the purposes 

and priorities of the LSTA. SLAAs set goals and objectives for their states regarding the use of Grants to 

States funds within the statutorily required five-year plan approved by IMLS. These goals and objectives are 

determined through a planning process that includes statewide needs assessments.

TX

CA

MT

AZ

ID

NV

NM

CO

IL

OR

UT

KS

WY

IA

NE

SD

MN

FL

ND

OK

WI

MO

WA

AL GA

LA

AR

MI

IN

PA

NY

NC

MS

TN

VA

KY

OH

SC

ME

WV

MI VT NH

MA

CT

MD

NJ

DE

RIRI

AK

PR

Grants to States Program Allotment

$0 – $1,500,000

$1,500,001 – $3,000,000

$3,000,001 – $6,500,000

$6,500,001 – $16,000,000 HI

Source: IMLS Administrative Data 2013

Projection: N. America Equal Area Conic

FY 2013 Library Grants to States Distribution
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 15

Program Descriptions

Support for Pacific Territories, Freely Associated States, and the Virgin Islands

Grants to the Pacific Territories and the Freely Associated States (FAS) are funded under a Special Rule, 20 

U.S.C. §9131(b)(3), which authorizes a small competitive grants program in the Pacific region and the U.S. 

Virgin Islands. There are seven eligible entities: Guam (GU), American Samoa (AS), the Commonwealth of 

Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the Marshall 

Islands (RMI), the Republic of Palau (PU), and the U.S. Virgin Islands (VI). These funds are taken from the 

allotment amounts for the FAS (FSM, RMI, and PU). The territories (GU, AS, CNMI, VI) receive allotments 

through the Grants to States program and may also apply for competitive grants. Five percent of this 

program’s funding is set aside for Regional Educational Laboratory-Pacific based in Hawaii, to facilitate the 

grants review process. These projects also support the LSTA purposes.

Planning and Reporting

Each state must develop a five-year plan outlining its major goals for the five-year grant cycle. Every state is 

required to submit annual reports and a cumulative evaluation report at the end of each cycle.

Five-year plans, submitted in December 2012, cover activities from FY 2013 through FY 2017.

Significant program priorities outlined in the plans include the following:

STEM, Makers Spaces, Learning Labs

Twenty-four states offer programs and services that enhance skills needed for success in the 21st century.

These include digital literacy, information literacy, and media literacy.

Literacy Programs

All states fund literacy activities such as conducting summer reading programs, designing innovative reading 

motivation programs, purchasing reading materials, and working with state and federal agencies and 

community organizations to improve literacy. Eighty percent of states plan to fund early childhood resource 

centers and work with schools, public libraries, and other community organizations. 

Technical Infrastructure / Broadband Support

All states use their IMLS funds for the acquisition and maintenance of computing hardware and software.

States use federal funds to provide technical assistance to regional and local (many rural) outlets, purchase 

computers and mobile devices with basic office programs for free public use, and acquire servers or cloud 

services. More than 70 percent of states specifically identified improving broadband access as a priority.

States also purchase statewide telecommunications services for public libraries and provide assistance to 

states procuring and managing e-rate discounts.

Workforce Development

Half of the states have identified workforce and small business development as a community need.

States use funds to support job centers and programs, develop resume-building and interview skills in library 

customers, and acquire business databases for market research.
16 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

Civic Engagement

Fifteen states have identified civic engagement as an important community need. These states use funds to 

provide public forums on local and national issues, offer community meeting spaces, and refer customers to 

federal and state agencies and community organizations. 

Access to Content

All states plan to sustain or improve access to resources. States will use grant funds to deliver books by mail 

or bookmobile to underserved populations, provide interlibrary loan services, and support integrated online 

searching and borrowing of materials. All states plan to purchase e-content including databases with full-text 

access, e-books, and e-audiobooks. A majority of states purchase statewide access to e-content, decreasing the 

cost for individual libraries. Seventy percent of states will use funds to digitize local and archival collections 

including state government documents and to develop and promote guidelines and standards, purchase or 

upgrade digital asset management software and services, and provide training to staff.

Program Evaluation

Beginning with the FY 2013 allotment, SLAAs reported on the results of programs and services using a new 

reporting system. The new system is based on IMLS’s “Measuring Success” initiative. “Measuring Success” 

has identified key service areas common to all states and territories and intends to build a stronger 

community for sharing effective programs and practice. “Measuring Success” will identify best practices and 

share them with other SLAAs and libraries. It will also show the reach of grant dollars within each state and 

eligible territory. The new reporting tool will improve IMLS’s ability to collect data on program outcomes, share 

lessons learned, and spread promising practices.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: GRANTS TO STATE LIBRARY 

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 17

Program Descriptions

Fact Sheet: Grants to State Library Administrative Agencies 

Table 2: State Allotments for FYs 2010 – 2015

State FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 Request

AL $2,746,218 $2,567,650 $2,501,154 $2,416,705 $2,499,013 $2,441,386

AK $984,174 $960,008 $952,947 $941,340 $955,925 $947,879

AZ $3,560,969 $3,324,148 $3,250,835 $3,024,120 $3,152,086 $3,094,711

AR $1,945,548 $1,838,337 $1,800,586 $1,742,394 $1,792,501 $1,758,382

CA $16,971,056 $15,497,372 $15,029,503 $14,309,664 $15,030,377 $14,648,192

CO $2,869,234 $2,694,346 $2,641,949 $2,530,270 $2,636,913 $2,599,768

CT $2,231,803 $2,090,429 $2,038,047 $1,974,810 $2,034,387 $1,990,395

DE $1,066,966 $1,034,832 $1,023,258 $1,008,026 $1,025,955 $1,017,339

FL $8,803,371 $8,111,592 $7,871,982 $7,571,343 $7,967,170 $7,804,971

GA $4,972,854 $4,620,382 $4,495,213 $4,229,250 $4,422,103 $4,321,099

HI $1,250,947 $1,199,217 $1,159,084 $1,177,141 $1,205,222 $1,191,631

ID $1,355,376 $1,299,688 $1,280,599 $1,253,142 $1,281,957 $1,267,455

IL $6,398,149 $5,766,746 $5,664,245 $5,333,615 $5,536,935 $5,374,190

IN $3,506,281 $3,254,929 $3,161,761 $3,036,565 $3,146,080 $3,074,406

IA $2,010,773 $1,885,804 $1,844,037 $1,787,353 $1,839,676 $1,806,133

KS $1,921,944 $1,809,993 $1,773,974 $1,718,260 $1,768,651 $1,734,544

KY $2,572,188 $2,409,463 $2,350,899 $2,259,990 $2,332,425 $2,281,625

LA $2,634,925 $2,480,805 $2,424,055 $2,334,293 $2,415,973 $2,365,500

ME $1,263,471 $1,208,487 $1,185,547 $1,160,282 $1,181,411 $1,164,027

MD $3,176,887 $2,964,835 $2,889,137 $2,787,551 $2,899,835 $2,840,432

MA $3,559,988 $3,323,269 $3,233,374 $3,062,100 $3,114,756 $3,118,834

MI $5,113,653 $4,676,712 $4,504,022 $4,251,300 $4,328,074 $4,285,918

MN $2,993,749 $2,791,145 $2,717,086 $2,612,740 $2,709,174 $2,655,161

MS $1,982,436 $1,863,411 $1,819,928 $1,757,051 $1,806,004 $1,769,982

MO $3,300,104 $3,080,330 $2,994,821 $2,853,508 $2,951,676 $2,882,468

MT $1,108,783 $1,070,859 $1,057,408 $1,040,956 $1,059,170 $1,049,921

NE $1,470,441 $1,400,237 $1,377,353 $1,346,312 $1,299,115 $1,360,878

NV $1,832,430 $1,632,613 $1,702,212 $1,664,773 $1,720,752 $1,696,713

NH $1,263,185 $1,211,002 $1,189,626 $1,156,668 $1,178,215 $1,162,262

NJ $4,528,274 $4,170,801 $4,042,569 $3,869,793 $4,023,991 $3,922,878

NM $1,559,494 $1,485,647 $1,463,144 $1,432,947 $1,466,728 $1,439,869
18 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

Table 2: State Allotments for FYs 2010 – 2015 (continued)

State FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 Request

NY $9,318,366 $8,513,873 $8,146,018 $7,718,754 $7,632,818 $7,840,779

NC $4,767,500 $4,160,471 $4,322,143 $4,171,823 $4,173,865 $4,268,587

ND $964,313 $939,310 $931,737 $927,315 $943,921 $943,601

OH $5,770,712 $5,307,272 $5,120,439 $4,854,737 $5,034,831 $4,896,348

OK $2,294,344 $2,158,082 $2,114,098 $2,051,036 $2,119,065 $2,083,129

OR $2,359,806 $2,213,648 $2,164,574 $2,080,092 $2,150,954 $2,112,097

PA $6,197,247 $5,633,066 $5,544,252 $5,287,918 $5,494,791 $5,334,714

RI $1,145,724 $1,102,216 $1,086,948 $1,060,158 $1,076,202 $1,063,166

SC $2,665,509 $2,508,533 $2,450,059 $2,372,043 $2,461,931 $2,419,929

SD $1,036,430 $1,005,672 $995,771 $977,994 $994,366 $987,869

TN $3,434,523 $3,204,074 $3,120,490 $2,995,498 $3,115,490 $3,047,104

TX $11,462,047 $10,614,851 $10,388,436 $9,964,148 $10,510,319 $10,317,598

UT $1,892,820 $1,796,291 $1,769,981 $1,698,728 $1,757,101 $1,737,064

VT $955,355 $929,254 $919,668 $906,522 $916,150 $908,341

VA $4,123,366 $3,763,502 $3,741,963 $3,607,790 $3,693,415 $3,690,053

WA $3,582,706 $3,351,575 $3,277,624 $3,149,790 $3,281,761 $3,220,348

WV $1,484,197 $1,409,521 $1,382,914 $1,350,913 $1,379,918 $1,355,700

WI $3,174,392 $2,946,913 $2,862,663 $2,745,416 $2,840,170 $2,772,618

WY $916,086 $898,190 $890,868 $885,450 $897,440 $892,318

DC $942,308 $920,394 $915,107 $903,472 $918,531 $915,563

Puerto 

Rico $2,432,483 $2,270,426 $2,140,076 $2,020,366 $2,038,457 $1,997,320

American 

Samoa $89,087 $86,309 $81,378 $80,076 $80,642 $79,866

Northern 

Marianas $82,818 $80,639 $80,748 $79,484 $79,303 $78,760

Guam $139,083 $131,530 $121,361 $117,625 $120,499 $118,668

U.S. Virgin 

Islands $108,676 $104,027 $100,971 $98,477 $99,510 $97,959

9131(b)(3)

(D) Poold $265,431 $257,272 $254,658 $250,113 $254,300 $252,096

TOTAL $172,561,000 $160,032,000 $156,365,300 $150,000,000 $154,848,000 $152,500,544

d

 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 freely-associated states, along 

with the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, are eligible to compete for the 

grants.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: GRANTS TO STATE LIBRARY 

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 19

Program Descriptions

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS: LIBRARY DISCRETIONARY PROGRAMS

IMLS has three discretionary programs for library services: the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program, 

National Leadership Grants (including Sparks! Ignition Grants), and Native American/Native Hawaiian 

Library Services.

Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program

FY 2015 Budget Request: $10,000,000

This program invests in professional skill development for library and information professionals. Grants support 

education and professional development, including scholarships for graduate students; internship and 

residency programs; curriculum and program development for graduate programs in library science, archives, 

or school librarianship; and early career development and research by library school faculty members.

IMLS is identifying the highest priority needs for library training, emphasizing professional development of 

the existing library workforce rather than support for masters and doctoral students. IMLS helps fund national 

planning efforts for library and archival continuing education, including curriculum.

FY 2013 Library Discretionary Grant Distribution

Library Grant Applications

Awarded

Not Awarded

Library Grant Distribution

$0 – $10,000

$10,001 – $100,000

$100,001 – $1,000,000

$1,000,001 – $4,000,000
20 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS: LIBRARY DISCRETIONARY PROGRAMS

Number of applications received, amount requested, 2013 98 $29,146,953

Number of grants and amount awarded 2013 39 $10,000,000

National Leadership Grants – Libraries

FY 2015 Budget Request: $12,232,000

National Leadership Grants (NLG) for Libraries fund library projects that improve and advance professional 

practices. Grants support research, models, and new tools that can be widely used throughout the field.

Number of applications received, amount requested, 2013 139 $32,488,117

Number of grants and amount awarded 2013 41 $10,645,542

The Sparks! Ignition Grants program is a special initiative within the National Leadership Grant category.

It supports small, targeted investments in high-risk, innovative ideas that, if successful, could result in 

larger-scale National Leadership Grant applications.

Sparks! Ignition Grants – Libraries

Number of applications received, amount requested, 2013 52 $1,205,503

Number of grants and amount awarded 2013 14 $329,517

Native American/Native Hawaiian Library Services

FY 2015 Budget Request: $3,869,268

This program helps native communities improve their libraries to meet the educational needs of their 

populations. The program offers three categories of grants to established libraries or organizations that serve 

federally recognized Indian tribes and Native Hawaiians:

 • Basic tribal grants to support materials, computers, and connectivity (non-competitive)

 • Tribal enhancement grants to expand partnerships for learning and access (competitive)

 • Native Hawaiian grants to enhance existing or support new services (competitive)

Basic grants awarded 2013 243 $1,679,000

Enhancement applications received, amount requested, 2013 42 $5,128,240

Enhancement grants and amount awarded 2013 11 $1,464,904

Native Hawaiian applications received, amount requested, 2013 6 $1,029,811

Native Hawaiian grants and amount awarded 2013 4 $523,000
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 21

Program Descriptions

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS: MUSEUM SERVICES

There are four discretionary programs for museum services: Museums for America, National Leadership Grants 

for Museums (which includes funds for Sparks! Ignition Grants for Museums), Native American/Native 

Hawaiian Museum Services, and Museum Grants for African American History and Culture.

Museums for America

FY 2015 Budget Request: $20,643,320

Museums for America grants are available to museums of all kinds and sizes. In FY2014, IMLS served new 

applicants and small museums by introducing a “no match” grant opportunity. Small museums have 

identified cost share as an obstacle to competing for federal funds. In FY 2015, IMLS will commit $3 million 

in this program for individual museum grant awards of $25,000 or less that will not require a match.

FY 2013 Museum Grant Distribution

Museum Grant Applications

Awarded

Not Awarded

Museum Grant Distribution

$0 – $10,000

$10,001 – $100,000

$100,001 – $1,000,000

$1,000,001 – $4,000,000
22 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS: MUSEUM SERVICES

IMLS is also implementing a strategy to encourage applications from regions where museum applications are 

low or application success rates are less than 25 percent.

Number of applications received, amount requested, 2013 597 $67,249,256

Number of grants and amount awarded 2013 170 $19,843,201

The Conservation Project Support program was combined with Museums for America in 2013 to strengthen 

funding for more comprehensive projects involving collections care and conservation.

National Leadership Grants for Museums

FY 2015 Budget Request: $8,079,914

National Leadership Grants for Museums provide funding for projects that improve and advance professional 

practices for the nation’s 17,500 museums. Grants support research, professional development, and models 

and new tools that can be widely used throughout the field.

Number of applications received, amount requested, 2013 111 $30,588,352

Number of grants and amount awarded 2013 17 $5,389,804

Sparks! Ignition Grants – Museums

The Sparks! Ignition Grants for Museums program provides grants for small, targeted investments in high-risk, 

innovative ideas that, if successful, could result in larger-scale National Leadership Grant applications.

Number of applications received, amount requested, 2013 47 $1,106,613

Number of grants and amount awarded 2013 7 $167,461
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 23

Program Descriptions

Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services

FY 2015 Budget Request: $925,687

This program provides grants to federally recognized tribes and organizations that serve Native Hawaiians for 

museum-related cultural services and programs for their members and the public. Many of these programs 

involve the preservation, care, and interpretation of significant objects and traditions of Native American 

culture. This program helps these communities learn from their common experiences and challenges.

Number of applications received, amount requested, 2013 45 $2,013,008

Number of grants and amount awarded 2013 21 $899,616

Museum Grants for African American History and Culture

FY 2015 Budget Request: $1,410,017

Museum Grants for African American History and Culture support institutional capacity and sustainability 

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

Number of applications received, amount requested, 2013 35 $3,985,103

Number of grants and amount awarded 2013 11 $1,336,274
IMLS Administration

Photo by Jasmin Bode, courtesy of the de Young Museum.
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 25

IMLS Administration

IMLS ADMINISTRATION

FY 2015 Budget Request: $15,000,000

Introduction

This section highlights the FY 2015 administrative request for the Institute’s human capital management, 

financial and budget accountability, grants and acquisition management, office space, and maintenance of 

the agency’s information technology infrastructure.

Administrative Costs Overview

Personnel compensation and benefits account for approximately 65 percent of all administrative expenses, 

while the remaining 35 percent goes to fixed costs such as rent, building security, required audits, and 

information technology and financial system requirements.

Administrative Highlights and Future Plans

The FY 2015 request includes $15 million for administrative activities. This funding level will ensure that 

IMLS can effectively review, distribute, monitor, evaluate, and share the results and best practices of its 

programs. Major areas include staff salaries and benefits, GSA-leased space, grants management and 

technical assistance activities, financial accounting and reporting requirements, website and content 

management system improvements, and modernized information technology and cyber security activities. 

IMLS will be further reducing its office space in 2015 due to the expiration of its current lease and to 

comply with new federal office space mandates. IMLS will be downsizing from 31,000 square feet to 

15,000 square feet in spring 2015. This request includes funds to cover some relocation or 

renovation costs.

Recent Administrative Highlights and Future Plans

Human Capital Management

The Human Capital Management Plan aligns IMLS staff resources to fit the evolving needs of the agency 

and its stakeholders. Throughout FY 2014 and FY 2015, IMLS will implement OPM’s Office of Diversity 

and Inclusion’s D&I metrics model. In FY 2014, IMLS will implement the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA)’s Ag-Learn training system, which will give IMLS access to over 13,000 training courses for staff 

and a training platform that is easy to implement, report, and monitor.

Financial and Budget Accountability

IMLS will continue to use the Federal Aviation Administration’s Enterprise Services Center (ESC) for its 

accounting and financial reporting requirements. Partnering with an FMLOB Center of Excellence has 

reduced overhead costs and the need for additional full-time employees. In FY 2015 IMLS plans to switch 

to an automated payments module within the ESC, which will improve efficiency and increase monitoring 

capabilities for financial assistance to grantees and vendors and reduce paper use. In FY 2014 or 2015 

IMLS will implement the new government-wide Electronic Travel System (ETS2).
26 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

IMLS ADMINISTRATION

Grants and Acquisitions Management

In FY 2013 IMLS signed an Interagency Agreement with the National Endowment for the

Humanities (NEH) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for the deployment of

NEH’s new Electronic Grants Management System (E-GMS). IMLS anticipates going “live” in

the system in late FY 2014, with full implementation of the process from application to closeout, in FY 2015.

In FY 2014 IMLS will be conducting a cost-benefit analysis of using an electronic procurement system.

IMLS participates in the OMB Council on Financial Assistance Reform (COFAR) community and the Grants 

and Loans Committee for E-Government (GLCE) in FY 2015, with a focus on implementing the new Uniform 

Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.

Information Technology Infrastructure

The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) keeps IMLS current on new technological advances, 

technology trends, and enhancements including cyber security, software development and new hardware. OCIO 

will implement new Intrusion Detection Software (IDS) by analyzing and restructuring network configurations 

as needed, ensuring that the agency’s network traffic is being routed correctly through the federally mandated 

Einstein system, and complying with new DNSSEC and SPF validation standards and FISMA requirements.

OCIO will evaluate office needs and requirements focusing on cloud computing services and the expanded use 

of SharePoint.

Improved IMLS Website and Content Management System

In accordance with the President’s May 23, 2012 Memorandum, Building a 21st Century Digital

Government, IMLS has developed its digital services and uses modern technology to serve the public as 

effectively as possible. A potential redesign of the agency’s website will focus on information quality, using 

approved domains, publishing content in open formats, making content searchable, using analytics to improve 

customer experience, ensuring access to mandatory content, plain writing, Internet Protocol Version 6, 

implementing security controls, protecting privacy, maintaining access for people with disabilities or limited 

English proficiency, managing records, and mobile device compliance.
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 27

IMLS Administration

Administrative Request by Object Class Code

In FY 2015, the IMLS request for administrative costs is $15,000,000. Areas supported by this request are 

summarized below. 

Table 3: IMLS History of Administration Costs: FY2013 – FY2015 ($ in thousands) 

Object Class Description FY 2013 FY 2014

FY 2015

Request

11000/12000/13000 Personnel Compensation and Benefits $8,800 $9,000 $9,100

21000 Travel and Transportation of Persons 700 700 700

22000 Transportation of Things 20 20 20

23000 Rental of Space (Rent, Communications 

and Utilities), Equipment Rental, 

Telephone Services, Postage

1,750 1,550 1,300

24000 Printing and Reproduction 50 40 40

25000 Other Contractual Services 2,330 2,540 3,540

26000 Supplies and Materials 45 50 100

31000 Equipment 50 100 200

Total $13,745 $14,000 $15,000

11000 Personnel Compensation

12000 Personnel Benefits

13000 Benefits for Former Personnel

Amount Requested: $9,100,000

These object classes fund the salaries and benefits of all employees, including full-time, part-time, temporary, 

and intermittent appointments (e.g., the National Museum and Library Services Board [NMLSB]), and 

consultants. The salary for the NMLSB will remain at $100/day. The personnel benefits provide estimated 

contributions toward employees’ retirement, health, and life insurance plans, as well as costs for 

unemployment benefits and workplace injuries. Additionally, costs associated with public transportation 

subsidies are included here. This funding request will provide for 69 FTE in 2015.

21000 Travel and Transportation of Persons

Amount Requested: $700,000

This object class supports travel for IMLS staff to conduct site visits to oversee IMLS grants, panel reviews for 

the discretionary grant programs, state data collection and Grants to States professional development activities, 

and staff presentations on IMLS programs. These funds also support the annual National Medals for Museum 

and Library Service as well as two NMLSB meetings.

Since FY 2010 IMLS has reduced funds allocated to travel and transportation by over $300,000. Immediate 

savings are being directed towards IMLS grant programs and improving the transparency of and accountability 

for federal spending, with better tracking and analytical tools.
28 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

IMLS ADMINISTRATION

22000 Transportation of Things

Amount Requested: $20,000

This object class includes freight and express charges by common carrier, contract carriers, and other 

incidental expenses. Attendance at library and museum conventions, conferences, and meetings requires 

shipment of the Institute’s displays and certain associated materials. This area also includes mail charges for 

express package services (i.e., charges for transporting freight).

23000 Rent, Communications and Utilities, Rental of Space (Standard Level Usage Charge), Equipment 

Rental, Telephone Services, Postage

Amount Requested: $1,300,000

This object class includes funding for GSA leased office space; communication technology services, including 

data, voice, and cable services; equipment rental; rental of audiovisual equipment used at conference sessions 

and off-site meetings; and postage.

In the spring of FY 2015, IMLS will reduce its office space to 15,000 square feet.

24000 Printing and Reproduction 

Amount Requested: $40,000

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 IMLS has promoted 

and expanded the use of the website and other forms of social media. The site provides access to program 

guidelines, grant information, recent awards lists, and information about IMLS initiatives, activities, and 

programs. IMLS will expand the electronic dissemination of all materials to reach prospective grantees and 

keep printing costs at a minimum.

25000 Other Contractual Services

Amount Requested: $3,540,000

This object class supports a wide range of contractual services not covered in any of the preceding categories 

and any anticipated agency move expenses and/or renovation costs. Also included are costs for

 • the support, maintenance, and improvement of information technology systems, including cyber-security 

 activities;

 • partnerships and interagency agreements for financial management systems, accounting and reporting 

 services, payroll processing, grant indirect cost proposals, building security, and other required government 

 services;

 • information technology support such as the IMLS Help Desk, State Program Reporting system, and 

 maintenance of the General Supporting System for all agency operations;

 • independent financial and IT-related audits;

 • Grants Management Line of Business and Grants.gov related expenses;

 • employee training;
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 29

IMLS Administration

 • agency contracts for temporary personnel assistance; and

 • honoraria for panelists and field reviewers for grant proposals and applications.

26000 Supplies and Materials

Amount Requested: $100,000

This object class funds only the essential office supplies needed in carrying out the business of IMLS.

IMLS participates in the GSA SmartPay2 charge card program, receiving discounts and thereby holding 

these expenses to a minimum. Additional supplies and materials will be necessary to fit the new office 

space in 2015.

31000 Equipment

Amount Requested: $200,000

This object class supports all equipment, furniture, and office machines such as chairs, desks, file cabinets, 

IT equipment, and printers. It also includes routine upgrades to local area network hardware and software.

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.

IMLS uses existing hardware by upgrading rather than purchasing new equipment wherever possible.

The increased request in this category is for the agency office move or renovation in FY 2015 and the 

purchase of new computer devices.

Total Administrative Services Request: $15,000,000
FY 2015 Performance Plan

Photo by Bruce Silcox, courtesy Minnesota Children’s Museum.
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 31

Build Evidence

Act on 

Evidence

Support 

Knowledge

Diffusion

Evaluate 

Effectiveness

Revise 

Programs

FY 2015

Performance Plan

FY 2014 PERFORMANCE PLAN

Step 1: Build Evidence

Over the past two years. IMLS has improved its capacity to monitor grant program investments and measure 

impact. The agency has reconfigured its policy and operational leadership structure, reorganized work units, 

and altered staffing allocations to concentrate on technical assistance, strategic partnerships, evaluation of 

program impacts, and the communication of best practices.

The agency’s five-year strategic plan provides a clear road map for synthesizing lessons learned from grant 

making, national initiatives, and policy research to inform future investments, share best practices, and build 

organizational capacity across the library and museum sectors. Staff from each of the agency’s program and 

operational units are implementing the new strategic plan, with cross-agency teams monitoring each goal’s 

progress.

Step 2: Act on Evidence

IMLS staff have significant content-area expertise in the museum and library service sectors. This staff 

constantly reviews their grant and project portfolios to increase administrative efficiency, monitor program 

performance, and develop more targeted grant guidelines.

In the earliest stage of the grant process, experienced library, museum, and education sector professionals 

perform a two-tiered peer review of applications to assure that project proposals match best practices. All 

grantees report on the conduct of their projects annually and on project outcomes at the conclusion of the 

grant period. IMLS is working with evaluation experts and museum and library stakeholders to build more 

robust outcome-based reporting tools. In addition, third party evaluations of IMLS grant programs are 

conducted on a rolling basis to measure program impact and review administrative functions and efficiency 

and program costs.

In areas where greater evidence of effective practice is needed, IMLS is experimenting with making smaller 

challenge grants. In areas where effective practice is known, IMLS is requiring applicants to align program 

efforts with these practices.

FY 2015 - 2016 Performance Improvement Model

FY 2015 PERFORMANCE PLAN
32 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

FY 2014 PERFORMANCE PLAN

Step 3: Evaluate Effectiveness

IMLS has improved evaluation capacity in the field by providing general guidance materials and technical 

assistance to individual grantees on a project-by-project basis. While many grantees found the technical 

assistance valuable, the strategy was not effective at documenting lessons learned for the field or in building a 

stronger community of practice for museum or library service evaluation.

The agency is now shifting its emphasis from project-level assessment to program-level performance 

assessment and is now monitoring efficiency and performance in its museum and library service grant 

programs. In addition to funding third-party program evaluations, IMLS is working with its grantees to develop 

more detailed program plans and assessment protocols.

Step 4: Support Knowledge Diffusion

IMLS recognizes that improving evaluation practices without sharing results does little to improve museum 

and library services. IMLS identifies and creates new, more effective knowledge-sharing opportunities. IMLS 

requires all grantees to share findings through publications, conference presentations, journal articles and/or 

association websites. IMLS is developing new performance reports that will collect more standardized data on 

project practices and outcomes and allow for greater comparison within and across grant programs. IMLS has 

revised grant guidelines to require that all research grantees include data access plans.

Step 5: Continually Revise Agency Programs and Services to Incorporate Best Practice

IMLS’s strategic plan builds on the agency’s resources to achieve positive public outcomes for communities 

and individuals; support the role of museums and libraries in preserving and providing access to collections 

and content; and promote library, museum, and information service policies that ensure access to information 

for all Americans. IMLS developed the five-year plan with significant public input, via public meetings and 

discussions with stakeholders and the use of social media tools.

Since the plan’s adoption, IMLS has refined project plans to align with the agency’s broad goals.

FY 2015 PERFORMANCE PLAN
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 33

FY 2015

Performance Plan

Strategic Plan Update

The IMLS Strategic Plan 2012 – 2016 provides the framework for the annual performance plan and includes 

five strategic goals. IMLS has used these goals to define specific plans for high-priority activities in FY 2015.

Learning: IMLS places the learner at the center and supports engaging experiences in libraries and museums that 

prepare people to be full participants in their local communities and our global society.

To succeed in our rapidly changing society and economy, individuals must keep informed of relevant events 

and trends, develop perspective and judgment, gain new knowledge to remain current in their occupations, and 

continually update their skills. Everyone is welcome at our nation’s libraries and museums, giving these 

institutions the capacity to reach the marginalized and underserved.

Through their collections, exhibits, programs (onsite, offsite, and online), and partnerships, these institutions 

are essential and trusted components of the nation’s educational systems, providing opportunities for lifelong 

learning.

IMLS has supported accessible programs targeted at underserved communities and developed analytical tools 

and communication platforms to share best practices. IMLS supports professional development of the library 

and museum workforce by analyzing past investments, convening stakeholders to share lessons learned and 

using that information in future grant making.

In FY 2015, IMLS will

 • provide a framework to integrate the early-learning work of libraries and museums into national and/or 

 statewide early learning standards, including close coordination with home visiting programs, and 

 • create an online community and resources to support maker spaces in museums and libraries.

Community: IMLS promotes museums and libraries as strong community anchors that enhance civic engagement, 

cultural opportunities, and economic vitality.

Healthy, thriving, sustainable communities need institutions that strengthen civic life, understand and respond 

to community needs, and provide common experiences that knit together diverse interests. Museums and 

libraries are community-based organizations that are anchor institutions. They connect people to information 

and ideas and encourage the participation and dialogue crucial to creating a sense of place and strengthening 

the link between individuals and their communities. They are more than just safe places for community 

gathering; they provide a center for community vitality and community services and a venue for cultural 

expression and lifelong learning.

IMLS identifies and publicizes services developed in one community with similar service providers in other 

communities. IMLS uses its targeted federal funds to optimize use of private, state, and local funds; ensure 

that underserved populations are reached; and provide links to practice, research, and data across agencies 

working to address community needs.
34 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

FY 2014 PERFORMANCE PLAN

In FY 2015, IMLS will

 • support the development of a civic literacy network that will enhance distribution of valuable information 

 and resources of federal agencies,

 • support ongoing efforts with CFPB to ensure that accurate and timely financial information is available at 

 libraries, and

 • pilot initiatives for libraries and museums to help solve community challenges.

Content: IMLS supports exemplary stewardship of museum and library collections and promotes the use of 

technology to facilitate discovery of knowledge and cultural heritage.

Access to museum and library collections fuels innovation, inspires the development of new knowledge, and 

increases global understanding. Too many of the collections held in U.S. libraries and museums are at risk 

and in need of proper storage, emergency planning, and conservation treatment. IMLS helps institutions 

digitize and share their collections. IMLS also develops new standards and protocols to preserve and provide 

access to “born digital” data and objects.

IMLS programs help to leverage local dollars for the management, care, and access to collections and to the 

information, meaning, and content they represent. IMLS has made significant investments in best practices 

in collections management, preservation, and digitization. 

These activities include the traditional priorities of the Institute’s library, museum, and archive 

constituencies. IMLS is the primary federal agency providing support for collections care at the local level.

This work is critical to the success of museums and libraries, and IMLS has the necessary knowledge. Based 

on the review of completed projects, IMLS is developing an action plan for collections care training and will 

focus on evaluating existing activities and encourage more cost-effective and efficient use of technology.

In FY 2015, IMLS will

 • release survey research and analysis (Heritage Health Index II) of the impact of investments made in 

 response to 2005 Heritage Health Index and determine strategies for addressing those findings, and

 • support initiatives that develop a common infrastructure for sharing and providing access to digital 

 content.

Access: IMLS advises the President and Congress on plans, policies, and activities that sustain and increase 

public access to information and ideas.

In an economy powered by knowledge, libraries and museums ensure equitable access to information, a 

cornerstone of economic growth and a strong democracy. Technology is changing how people access and use 

library and museum services.

Through its statistical collection and analysis and research, IMLS identifies barriers to information access 

and supports the development of methods to overcome them.

FY 2015 PERFORMANCE PLAN
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 35

FY 2015

Performance Plan

In FY 2015, IMLS will

 • coordinate with other federal agencies and advise them how museum, library, and information services 

 can meet the information, education, research, economic, cultural, and civic needs of Americans; 

 • participate in domestic and international discussions, including those on telecommunications, intellectual 

 property, workforce development, and accessibility, to ensure access to essential museum, library, and 

 information services, and  

 • monitor the access of all Americans to a broad range of content through their libraries and help ensure 

 that free access remains available.

Model Agency: IMLS achieves excellence in public management and performs as a model organization through 

strategic alignment of IMLS resources and prioritization of programmatic activities, maximizing value for the 

American public.

IMLS continues its commitment to improve administrative efficiencies and focus on its high-quality 

stewardship of public funds and outstanding public service.

In FY 2015, IMLS will

 • implement the eGMS grants management system with NEH and NEA to streamline the grants cycle from 

 start to finish;

 • finish implementation of an agency-wide training plan based on realignment of required competencies and 

 21st century workplace skills;

 • expand the sharing of grant information with the public, including applications, grant performance 

 reporting, and post-award analysis of success in meeting grant objectives;

 • implement the new Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for 

 Federal Awards; and

 • implement cloud computing services.
Authorizing Framework

Photo by Roger Mastroianni, courtesy of Ohio’s Cuyahoga County Public Library.
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 37

Authorizing Framework

AUTHORIZING FRAMEWORK

This justification requests funding under both the MLSA and the National Museum for African American 

History and Culture Act. The MLSA authorizes programs through FY 2016. The National Museum for African 

American History and Culture Act is a permanent authorization.

This section provides highlights of the MLSA and the African American History and Culture Act, key IMLS 

programs and activities, and the distribution of IMLS funds.

Library Services

All the programs support the following goals, as stated in the updated IMLS statute 

(20 U.S.C. §9121):

 • to enhance coordination among Federal programs that relate to library and information services; 

 • to promote continuous improvement in library services in all types of libraries in order to better serve the 

 people of the United States; 

 • to facilitate access to resources in all types of libraries for the purpose of cultivating an educated and 

 informed citizenry; 

 • to encourage resource sharing among all types of libraries for the purpose of achieving economical and 

 efficient delivery of library services to the public; 

 • to promote literacy, education, and lifelong learning and to enhance and expand the services and 

 resources provided by libraries, including those services and resources relating to workforce development, 

 21st century skills, and digital literacy skills; 

 • to enhance the skills of the current library workforce and to recruit future professionals to the field of 

 library and information services; 

 • to ensure the preservation of knowledge and library collections in all formats and to enable libraries to 

 serve their communities during disasters;

 • to enhance the role of libraries within the information infrastructure of the United States in order to 

 support research, education, and innovation; and 

 • to promote library services that provide users with access to information through national, State, local, 

 regional, and international collaborations and networks.

Library Grants to States

Use of Funds

SLAAs may use these funds for statewide initiatives and services for:

1. expanding 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 in order to support such individuals’ needs 

for education, lifelong learning, workforce development, and digital literacy skills;

2. establishing or enhancing electronic and other linkages and improved coordination among and between 

libraries and entities, as described in 9134(b)(6) of this title, for the purpose of improving the quality 

of and access to library and information services;

3. (A) providing training and professional development, including continuing education, to enhance 
38 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

AUTHORIZING FRAMEWORK

the skills of the current library workforce and leadership, and advance the delivery of library and 

information services; and (B) enhancing efforts to recruit future professionals to the field of library 

and information services;

4. developing public and private partnerships with other agencies and community-based organizations;

5. targeting 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;

6. targeting library and information services to persons having difficulty using a library and to underserved 

urban and rural communities, including children (from birth through age 17) from families with incomes 

below the poverty line (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget and revised annually in 

accordance with section 9902(2) of title 42) applicable to a family of the size involved;

7. developing library services that provide all users access to information through local, State, regional, 

national, and international collaborations and networks; and

8. carrying out other activities consistent with the purposes set forth in section 9121 of this title, as 

described in the state library administrative agency’s plan.

Library Discretionary Grants

The Library Services Discretionary Grants Programs are established in 20 U.S.C. Sections 9161, 9162, and 

9165 and include: National Leadership Grants, Native American Library Services Basic Grants, Native 

American Library Services Enhancement Grants, Native Hawaiian Library Services, and Laura Bush 21st 

Century Librarian Program.

National Leadership Grants support projects that address challenges faced by the museums, libraries, and/or 

archives and that have the potential to advance the practices of those institutions. According to statute, the 

funded activities may include

1. building workforce and institutional capacity for managing the national information infrastructure and 

serving the information and education needs of the public; 

2. (A) research and demonstration projects related to the improvement of libraries or the enhancement 

of library and information services through effective and efficient use of new technologies, including 

projects that enable library users to acquire digital literacy skills and that make information resources 

more accessible and available; and (B) dissemination of information derived from such projects; 

3. preserving or digitizing of library materials and resources, giving priority to projects emphasizing 

coordination, avoidance of duplication, and access by researchers beyond the institution or library 

entity undertaking the project, including the development of national, regional, statewide, or local 

emergency plans that would ensure the preservation of knowledge and library collections in the event 

of a disaster; and 

4. model programs demonstrating cooperative efforts between libraries and museums.
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 39

Authorizing Framework

The Native American Library Services Basic Grant funds are distributed in equal amounts among eligible 

applicants. Basic Grants may support existing library operations and maintain core library services. The Native 

American Library Services Enhancement Grant program and the Native Hawaiian Library Services Grant 

program are competitive and for projects that enhance existing library services or implement new 

library services.

The Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program is also a competitive grant program. The program’s 

purposes are

1. recruiting and educating the next generation of librarians, including by encouraging middle or high school 

 students and postsecondary students to pursue careers in library and information science;

2. developing faculty and library leaders, including by increasing the institutional capacity of graduate

 schools of library and information science; and 

3. enhancing the training and professional development of librarians and the library workforce to meet the 

 needs of their communities, including those needs relating to literacy and education, workforce 

 development, lifelong learning, and digital literacy.

The MLSA authorizes the IMLS Office of Museum Services for these purposes:

1. Encouraging and supporting museums in carrying out their public service role of connecting the whole of 

 society to the cultural, artistic, historical, natural, and scientific understandings that constitute 

 our heritage

2. Encouraging and supporting museums in carrying out their educational role, as core providers of learning 

 and in conjunction with schools, families, and communities

3. Encouraging leadership, innovation, and applications of the most current technologies and practices to 

 enhance museum services through international, national, regional, State, and local networks 

 and partnerships 

4. Assisting, encouraging and supporting museums in carrying out their stewardship responsibilities to 

 achieve the highest standards in conservation and care of the cultural, historic, natural, and scientific 

 heritage of the United States to benefit future generations

5. Assisting, encouraging and supporting museums in achieving the highest standards of management and 

 service to the public, and to ease the financial burden borne by museums as a result of their increasing 

 use by the public

6. Supporting resource sharing and partnerships among museums, libraries, schools, and other community 

 organizations

7. Encouraging and supporting museums as a part of economic development and revitalization in 

 communities

8. Ensuring museums of various types and sizes in diverse geographic regions of the United States are 

 afforded attention and support

9. Supporting efforts at the State level to leverage museum resources and maximize museum services
40 - Institute of Museum and Library Services

AUTHORIZING FRAMEWORK

The National Museum of African American History and Culture Act 

This Act directs the Director of IMLS to consult with the Council and Director of the National Museum of 

African American History and Culture to establish the following:

1. a grant program with the purpose of improving operations, care of collections, and development of 

professional management at African American museums;

2. a grant program with the purpose of providing internship and fellowship opportunities at African 

American museums;

3. a scholarship program with the purpose of assisting individuals who are pursuing careers or carrying 

out studies in the arts, humanities, and sciences in the study of African American life, art, history, and 

culture.

Policy research, analysis, data collection, and dissemination

Section 9018 of the MLSA authorizes the Director of IMLS to annually conduct policy research, analysis, 

and data collection with ongoing collaboration (as determined appropriate by the Director), and in 

consultation, with (1) state library administrative agencies; (2) national, state, and regional library and 

museum organizations; (3) other relevant agencies and organizations.

The legislation further states that the policy research, analysis, and data collection shall be used to

1. identify national needs for and trends in museum, library, and information services; 

2. measure and reports on the impact and effectiveness of museum, library, and information services 

 throughout the United States, including the impact of federal programs authorized under this Act; 

3. identify best practices; and 

4. develop plans to improve museum, library, and information services of the United States and to 

 strengthen national, state, local, regional, and international communications and cooperative networks.

IMLS provides reliable and objective data and analysis and is a source of information, including analysis of 

market conditions that affect the financial health of the museum and library sectors and research on new 

services. IMLS is committed to supporting highly diverse perspectives, methods, and researchers to advance 

museum and library and information services research.
Institute of Museum and Library Services - 41

Authorizing Framework

Interagency Collaboration

The MLSA authorizes the IMLS Director to support interagency collaboration: 

The Director shall work jointly with the individuals heading relevant Federal departments and agencies, 

including the Secretary of Labor, the Secretary of Education, the Administrator of the Small Business 

Administration, the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, the Director of the National 

Science Foundation, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of State, the 

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of 

Housing and Urban Development, the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, the 

Chairman of the National Endowment of the Humanities, and the Director of the Office of Management 

and Budget, or the designees of such individuals, on 

1. initiatives, materials, or technology to support workforce development activities undertaken by 

libraries;

2. resource and policy approaches to eliminate barriers to fully leveraging the roles of libraries and 

museums in supporting the early learning, literacy, lifelong learning, digital literacy, workforce 

development, and education needs of the people of the United States; and 

3. initiatives, materials, or technology to support educational, cultural, historical, scientific, 

environmental, and other activities undertaken by museums. 

IMLS has many interagency partnerships including advancing broadband adoption, coordinating early learning 

activities, and supporting the effective delivery of workforce development services.
To limit printing costs, the Institute of Museum and Library Services is restricting the print run 

of this document to a limited number of copies. An electronic version is available for download 

at www.imls.gov/assets/1/AssetManager/FY15_CJ.pdf.