Heritage Preservation Will Partner with IMLS on Connecting to Collections: The National Tour

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has chosen Heritage Preservation as the partner in organizing Connecting to Collections: The National Tour, a key part of the Institute’s initiative on conservation, Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action. The goal of the National Tour is to raise awareness among leaders of small and mid-sized museums and libraries about the importance of collections care and to give them practical information, tools, and resources to inspire action nationwide.

“Our nation’s collections are at risk and we must act now to protect them,” said Anne-Imelda M. Radice, PhD, IMLS Director. “With Heritage Preservation’s help, the National Tour will take this important call to action on the road.”

Each of the four meetings of the National Tour will explore a particular conservation/preservation issue facing museums and libraries today. The schedule tentatively includes:

Atlanta, January 31-February 1, 2008, at the High Museum of Art, focusing on issues related to diverse ethnic and cultural collections.
Denver, June 2008, hosted by the Denver Public Library and the Colorado Historical Society, focusing on collaboration in the digital age.
San Diego, January 2009, at the San Diego Zoo, focusing on the care of living collections.
Buffalo, June 2009, hosted by the Art Conservation Department at Buffalo State College, focusing on training in collections care.

“Heritage Preservation is pleased to cooperate with IMLS on Collecting to Connections: The National Tour,” said Larry Reger, President of Heritage Preservation. “The National Tour and other parts of the Connecting to Collections initiative will help ensure that demonstrable progress is made on the care of collections as advocated by the Heritage Health Index.”

For more information on the National Tour, visit www.imls.gov or e-mail info@heritagepreservation.org.