The Heritage Health Index, which will for the first time measure the condition of the nation’s collections, is being launched by Heritage Preservation, Inc. This survey is being developed by Heritage Preservation in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and with major funding from the Getty Grant Program.

Through the Heritage Health Index, the condition of collections in the nation’s museums, libraries, archives, and historical societies will be measured every four years. At present, no national survey is conducted regularly to produce credible statistics regarding the condition of the nation’s artistic, historical, and scientific collections.

Heritage Preservation President Lawrence L. Reger explains, “Just as the quality of our nation’s educational system, health care, and environment is routinely surveyed, we must have similar comprehensive data about the collections that constitute our national heritage. If we are to succeed in preserving our collective past, we must first understand the national picture.”

Prominent conservation professionals and national organizations have endorsed the Heritage Health Index project and will participate in its development and implementation. With their input, and that of survey specialists, a survey will be developed that will yield an accurate measurement of the condition of U.S. collections. This data is critical to:

• Facilitate consensus-building and long-range planning within the fields of preservation and conservation and in collecting institutions;
• Make a persuasive case for critically needed resources to policy-makers, trustees, and prospective donors;
• Assist administrators in making wise allocations of resources;
• Help those who manage funding programs determine what are the areas of greatest need;
• Educate the public at large.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is partnering with Heritage Preservation in this endeavor because “when museum and library collections are at risk our nation risks losing a precious resource that educates, inspires, entertains, and connects all Americans,” says Dr. Robert S. Martin, Director of the IMLS. “Our first step in improving resource allocation for conservation is to document how museums and libraries already care for their collections and the support they need for the future.” Over the last two decades, IMLS has made more than 4,600 grants for conservation through their Conservation Project Support grant and Conservation Assessment Program.

The Getty Grant Program of the J. Paul Getty Trust in Los Angeles has provided financial support for the development of the Heritage Health Index. The Grant Program provides critical support to institutions and individuals throughout the world in fields that are aligned most closely with the Trust’s strategic priorities. It therefore funds a diverse range of projects that promote learning and scholarship about the history of visual arts and the conservation of cultural heritage, and it consistently searches for collaborative efforts that set high standards and make significant contributions. Since its inception in 1984, the Grant Program has supported over 2,500 projects in more than 150 countries.

About Heritage Preservation – Heritage Preservation is a national organization dedicated to preserving our nation’s heritage. Its members include libraries, museums, archives, historic preservation organizations, historical societies, conservation organizations, and other professional groups concerned with saving the past for the future. For additional information on the Heritage Health Index, contact Kristen Overbeck, Heritage Preservation, 1012 14th Street, NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20005, 202-233-0800, koverbeck@heritagepreservation.org, or www.heritagepreservation.org.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services – IMLS is an independent Federal agency that fosters leadership, innovation, and a lifetime of learning by supporting the nation’s museums and libraries. Created by the Museum and Library Services Act of 1996, P.L. 104-208, IMLS administers the Library Services and Technology Act and the Museum Services Act. IMLS has an annual budget of approximately $230 million. The Institute receives policy advice from two Presidentially appointed, Senate confirmed entities: the National Commission for Libraries and Information Science and the National Museum Services Board. For more information, including grant applications, contact IMLS at 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20506, 202-606-8536, or www.imls.gov.

About the Getty Grant Program – The Getty Grant Program is part of the J. Paul Getty Trust, an international cultural and philanthropic institution devoted to the visual arts located at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. The Getty Trust also includes the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Getty Research Institute, and the Getty Conservation Institute. Further information is available from the Getty Grant Program, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 800, Los Angeles, California 90049, 310-440-7320, or www.getty.edu.