IMLS awards almost half a million in preservation funds to CT

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded Save America’s Treasures Grants totaling $476,703 to two Connecticut institutions - out of only nine grants totaling $2 Million awarded nationwide.

Save America’s Treasures makes critical investments in the preservation of our nation’s most significant and endangered cultural treasures, which illustrate, interpret, and embody the great events, ideas, and individuals that contribute to America’s history and culture. This legacy includes the built environment as well as documents, records, artifacts, and artistic works.

“These Save America’s Treasures grants will preserve the physical fabric of our history and the rich diversity of America’s story, as told by its artists, scholars, and statesmen. These awards also honor the hundreds of volunteers, organizations, and communities whose energy and investment are ensuring that this national legacy endures for generations to come,” said First Lady Michelle Obama.

This year's nine grants will support projects that will help to save endangered museum collections. “The scope and breadth of the historical and scientific record that will be touched by these nine projects is amazing,” said Susan Hildreth, director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

“They include rare notebooks that document the construction of the Panama Canal, the only known Alutiiq warrior kayak, tree ring collections that tell the story of prehistoric times, archeological collections that reveal the story of survival of enslaved plantation workers, civil war flags that date to reconstruction, quilts that document 300 years of societal change, and historical circus posters. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is very proud of the work that the Save America’s Treasures recipients are doing to tell America’s story for future generations.”

Bridgeport Public Library: $26,703
Barnum and London Circus Posters
Two hundred years after the birth of P.T. Barnum of Barnum & Bailey Circus and Ringling Brothers, Bridgeport Public Library holds 47 “Barnum and London” circus posters in need of conservation treatment. Save America’s Treasures grant funds will be used to clean, repair, and strengthen the posters and then digitally photograph them, expanding access to the collection.

Yale University Peabody Museum, New Haven: $450,000
19th-Century Dinosaur Collections of Othniel Charles Marsh
Othniel Charles Marsh was a leading American paleontologist whose dinosaur collection proved invaluable as the fossil record Charles Darwin needed to develop his theory of evolution. America’s Treasures grant will help re-house the collection in a climate controlled environment, providing greater improve access to the collection.

Additional information on the Save America’s Treasures program can be found on the PCAH web site and the NPS web site.

4.11 Workshop: Results-Based Accountability

The Connecticut RBA Practitioners Network invites you to a half-day workshop on
Results-Based Accountability: RBA 101.

When: Monday, April 11, from 9:00AM to noon
Where: Waterbury Youth Services System, 83 Prospect Street, Waterbury
How much? Free. That's a good price.
Register: Send your contact information to Bennett Pudlin, Director, The Charter Oak Group, LLC by emailing bpudlin@charteroakgroup.com. I suppose you could call him; (860) 324-3555.

Why? RBA 101 is designed primarily for community groups, state and municipal agencies, and nonprofit organizations. The presenters are from the Charter Oak Group, who are RBA consultants with experience providing RBA support to the Connecticut General Assembly, state agencies, municipalities, and community groups for the last six years.

Feel free to spread the word.

This workshop is one of a series of trainings that will be offered this year around the state.

Here are directions, and you can read more about the Charter Oak Group and their RBA spiel. Good stuff.

Cultural Competencies Workshop, Hartford Public Library

Cultural Competencies for Service Providers (2 Parts)

Presenter: Dr. William A. Howe, State Title IX Coordinator/Civil Rights Compliance/Multicultural Education, CT State Department of Education

This workshop, offered in partnership with the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, focuses on the importance of nonprofit service personnel maintaining high quality knowledge, skills and dispositions regarding cultural competence.

This workshop will focus on theoretical and practical applications required for personnel who work with people from a variety of diversities, including, but not limited to - race, ethnicity, social class, language, gender, sexual orientation, and abilities.

Participants should plan on attending both sessions: Part 1 is Wednesday, March 23, 10:00 am – noon, and part 2 is on Wednesday, March 30, 10:00 am – noon.

Registration required: in-person, online, or by calling 860-695-6295.

Hartford Public Library
500 Main Street
Hartford, CT 06103
Program room, 3rd Floor

$75,000 in Funding Available for Library Literacy Programming

Applicants to Better World Books' LEAP Grants (Literacy and Education in Action Program) for Libraries propose a compelling literacy project in their community.

Though it's a simplified process, a two page overview is due by March 25.

"Interested libraries need only submit a short two page project overview and those with the best proposals will be selected for a 30 minute conversation where they will pitch their idea. After reviewing all of the pitches, Better World Books will select the winners whose projects are most viable and ready to go. Selected libraries will then be asked to complete a more detailed project plan in coordination with Better World Books. After project plans are complete, the grants will be awarded."

Do Something Clubs eligible for $250 minigrants

If you have an existing Do Something Club and are actively working on social action projects in your community, your club is eligible for this mini grant that can help sustain your Club and your projects.

Connecticut currently has about 25 active Clubs ranging from Bristol's SPCHS that helped parents going through hardships to provide gifts for their kids at Christmastime to Greenwich Academy's Do Something Club that collected jeans to contribute to the 4th Annual Teens for Jeans Drive.

Do Something gives out 5 grants worth $250 every month. The Deadline is 11:59pm ET on the last day of every month.

Target's Community Outreach

Target Stores seem to have about a bazillion different areas of interest to libraries and media centers.

They have 5 different Reading programs, among which are:

* School Library Makeovers

* They help PTO Today by sponsoring free Family Reading Night Kits to schools.

* Supporting United Through Reading, a program that unite families facing physical separation by facilitating the bonding experience of reading aloud together.

They also have those Early Childhood reading Grants (I blogged about those before).

They offer Art and Culture in Schools Grants for $2,000 (deadline is April 30 each year to helps "schools bring more arts and culture into the classroom, enabling them to expand their creativity.” Because “music, art, dance, drama and visual arts are all part of the well-rounded education our kids deserve."

To benefit school kids, they also offer Field Trip Grants.

Target also does social services type stuff, crisis relief type stuff, and also support military families and veterans, which are worthy and valuable areas of support.

The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation Academic Enrichment

The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation Academic Enrichment grants help develop in-class and extra-curricular programs that improve student learning by providing funding for programs that nurture the intellectual, artistic, and creative abilities of children from low-income households.

Grants up to $10,000 are available.

Applicants must have direct and regular contact with students in grades pre-K-12 and work with students from low-income households.

Deadline: April 15