A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
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he nation has been struck by a unique and universal crisis in the coronavirus pandemic. In response, the nation’s libraries and museums have stepped up in so many ways: virtual story times and e-books, virtual tours of collections and exhibits, provision of Wi-Fi, provision of important local information to an increasingly homebound community. IMLS is proud of the continuing hard work, mostly virtual, but with very real people staffing the many useful, enlightening, and needfully entertaining activities.
We are, like most federal, state, and local government agencies, putting our efforts into helping our constituencies, our libraries and museums, and their patrons through this very tough time. We are refocusing available funds where possible and coordinating with our federal partners, including the White House Coronavirus Task Force, the CDC, the FCC, and many others, to provide information, help, and resources. Our goal, as with the White House and Congress, is to provide the most immediate relief for our communities. Together, we know we can meet the biggest challenge many of our institutions and fellow citizens have known in their lifetimes.
It is a moment of profound stress for communities and their libraries and museums. However, several recent announcements are a welcome direction. Library and museum staff are dedicated to serving patrons and visitors online and at home, meeting the needs of their communities in new and creative ways. Internet providers are stepping up to provide connectivity at home for those who need it most. And Overdrive and a significant number of partnering publishers will be offering an expanded list of books and other materials for free or at very low cost to libraries—good news for those who need libraries and e-books, which is all of us, now more than ever. Libraries and museums have always been a critical part of American life, and this is never more evident or important than in times that challenge us.
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IMLS is gathering
resources and information
to help museums and libraries continue supporting their communities as they navigate this time. Here are some of the items available to institutions.
- Information for Applicants and Grantees: FAQs for IMLS grant applicants and awardees with questions about the impact of COVID-19 on their IMLS-related work.
- COVID-19 Resources for Libraries and Museums: There are some additional resources from organizations serving the museum and library communities.
- Official Government Information and Resources: Information about the spread and impact of COVID-19.
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Former Senator Dr. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma died on Saturday. To much of the world, he was known as the most principled fiscal conservative, a.k.a., “Dr. No”, in the US Senate—a citizen legislator in the old Roman style, who committed to term limits and went home to happily continue to practicing medicine.
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Dr. David Berendes and Dr. Catherine Rasberry from the Centers for Disease Control presented an overview of the CDC’s guidance for community settings and environmental disinfection, and a discussion of how libraries, archives, and museums can help mitigate COVID-19 when working with paper-based, circulating, and other types of collections. The presentation was followed by a question and answer period.
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The Institute of Museum and Library Services today announced that the President has signed the CARES Act, which designates $50 million in coronavirus response funding for IMLS. Following passage in the House of Representatives earlier today, both chambers of Congress approved of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a $2 trillion response to the growing pandemic.
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The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced today that several upcoming application deadlines for library services grants will be changed to support libraries and their communities as they respond to COVID-19.
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Libraries are centers for learning, for trusted information, and critical resources that communities need to thrive. Now more than ever, as we are asked to physically distance ourselves to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus, libraries and those who work there are rising to the challenge.
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About the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit
www.imls.gov
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IMLS News
Brief articles alert readers to new information about grants, monthly highlights of best practices, and important agency news with links to more detailed information on the website. Past and current issues of the newsletter and subscription information are
available on our website
.
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