As more and more scholars experiment with digital methods and with building digital collections, what measures are in place to make sure that the fruits of these labors are kept vital for the long term? Library directors and chief information officers sense that there is interest on the part of faculty, but does this mean they need to invest in a digital humanities center and hire new staff or just reconfigure the people and resources they already have? First and foremost, what does university leadership seek to gain from such an investment? This study seeks to address the fate of digital research resources - whether they be digital collections of scholarly or other materials, portals, encyclopedias, mapping tools, crowdsourced transcription projects, visualization tools, or other original and innovative projects that may be created by professors, library, or IT staff. Such projects have the potential to provide valuable tools and information to an international audience of learners. Without careful planning and execution, however, they can also all too easily slip between the cracks and quickly become obsolete.

The poems in James Najarian’s debut collection are by turns tragic and mischievous, always with an exuberant attention to form. Najarian turns his caprine eye to the landscapes and history of Berks Country, Pennsylvania, and to the middle east of his extended Armenian family. These poems examine our bonds to the earth, to animals, to art and to desire.

Anthology of writing by the ten winners of the 2016 Best American Newspaper Narrative Writing Contest at the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference. The pieces are published in order of places awarded: McCoy, “It Was an Accident, Baby” (1st place); Dreier, “A Child’s Scraped Knee” (2nd place); Baker, “The Power of Will” (3rd place), and runners up, Cox, “A Marine’s Conviction”; Goffard, “Framed”; Thompson, “The Long Way Home”; Kleinfield, “Fraying at the Edges”; Kuchment and Thompson, “Seismic Denial”; Caruba, “55 Minutes”; and Wangsness, “In Search of Sanctuary.”

This document brings together the preliminary literature and practice survey with the experiences and vision of those working to spur change in their communities every day. It catalogs how these efforts are initiated and sustained; the tools and methods available to assess community need and evaluate impact; and the skills and competencies required to implement and sustain new efforts successfully. It also uses the concepts of social wellbeing and collective impact to situate museums and libraries as critical sites within broader institutional and interpersonal networks of community resources. These are complementary conceptual frameworks to help museums and libraries contextualize and tailor their efforts to catalyze positive change. Together. The document is divided into the following sections: • The Introduction traces the increasing importance of anchor institutions (typically universities and hospitals) to contextualize the evolving efforts of museums and libraries and the broad content areas in which they are expanding their activities. It also presents the social wellbeing and collective impact frameworks that are referenced throughout the document. • The Continuum of Museum and Library Community Initiatives describes the types of efforts that can improve social wellbeing for residents. This section catalogs key considerations for museums and libraries as they design …

The FY 2016 Performance and Accountability Report for the Institute of Museum and Library Services comes as IMLS begins a yearlong celebration marking its 20th Anniversary. In the last 20 years, IMLS has worked to benefit libraries of all types: public, research, academic and tribal; and museums of all disciplines: history, botanic gardens, aquariums, science and technology centers, children’s museums and zoos. With the help of a range of partners, IMLS has inspired libraries and museums to advance innovation, learning and civic engagement. That work will continue into the coming years as libraries and museums are urged abd encouraged to “Reimagine the Future” and how they can best serve the communities in which they reside. Those goals are reflected in this year’s report: to continue to focus on creating a nation of learners by preserving and providing broad public access to collections and content; and promoting policies that ensure robust library, museum, and information services for all Americans. IMLS continues to be an outstanding steward of federal funds and will continue to look for ways to achieve even greater impact on library and museum services throughout the United States.

Many libraries and museums have recently invesetd resources to implement maker programs or makerspaces. This project defines “making” as building or adapting objects using real tools and real materials and engaging learners in the process of using these tools and materials. While these programs and spaces serve a variety of goals, they overwhelmingly serve as sites of ambitious learning. As the maker movement grows by leaps and bounds, the field itself knows relatively little about how to support learning within these spaces. This report introduces a framework to support learning in library and museum makerspaces. There are three elements to the framework: purpose; people; and pieces and parts. Through a description of the framework, as well as case studies on how making and makerspaces are being implemented around the country, this document aims to share ways that we can nurture and grow conditions for learning within making experiences.

Interest in digital preservation training and professional development opportunities is extensive, however, a common understanding of the open materials – ones that are freely available for use online – and how they might be used most effectively is still limited. The digital preservation community, those who shepherd digital collections through the lifecycle for a variety of organizations, would benefit from a common understanding of freely available open training materials. Digital preservation continuing education is valuable to a number of organization types, from small to large, as well as a wide range of practitioners at various points in their careers. Museums, libraries, and archives of all sizes benefit greatly from freely available continuing educational materials on digital preservation topics, as do many other organizations with an interest in preserving digital content for future use. Frequently, learners new to the profession are uncertain as to where to acquire specific digital preservation knowledge, issues, and skills. Similarly, working professionals may need to expand their roles or desire to broaden their knowledge and skill-set. Training to meet these needs necessarily occurs outside of formal educational settings, relying on the learner’s ability to locate resources that are relevant to their goals. It is the purpose …

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s approximately 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums and related organizations. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. As part of its mission, IMLS conducts policy research, analysis, and data collection to extend and improve the nation’s museum, library, and information services. IMLS research activities are conducted in ongoing collaboration with state library administrative agencies; national, state, and regional library and museum organizations; and other relevant agencies and organizations. IMLS research activities are designed to provide consistent, reliable, complete, and accurate indicators of the status and trends in library and museum services and to report timely, useful, and high-quality data to Congress, the states, other policy-makers, practitioners, data users, and the general public. Accordingly, IMLS is responsible for providing policymakers, researchers, and the general public with information about public libraries in the United States. Public libraries have a long tradition of serving as community anchors—providing a wide array of …

The NDP at Three report describes grants and explores themes which emerged from the first three years of grant-making under the national digital platform (NDP) funding area in the IMLS Office of Library Services.

A story set in England of an adventure involving thieves, ships, and travelers that follows several people as their fates become intertwined.

A story set in England of an adventure involving thieves, ships, and travelers that follows several people as their fates become intertwined.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is an independent grant making agency and the primary source of federal support for the nation’s approximately 120,000 libraries and 35,000 museums and related organizations. IMLS helps ensure that all Americans have access to museum, library, and information services. The agency supports innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement, enabling museums and libraries from geographically and economically diverse areas to deliver essential services that make it possible for individuals and communities to thrive. The agency’s mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, learning, and civic engagement and to provide leadership through research, policy development, and grant making.Those goals are reflected in this year’s report as IMLS continues to be an outstanding steward of federal funds. IMLS will continue to look for ways to achieve even greater impact on library and museum services throughout the United States.

In April 2015, President Obama launched the ConnectED Library Challenge to ensure that all school children have access to the learning resources available in public libraries. The report highlights the responses of communities across the nation to answer the White House’s challenge to public librarians, superintendents, and public officials to collaborate so that every student has access to the many learning resources of their local library. The report outlines the conditions gleaned from these responses that point to indicators of successful partnerships and some of the many different forms these collaborations are taking.

A story that follows the journey of sailors at sea, one of whom is very ill, who all encounter both a dangerous storm and a mutiny.

The Museum Assessment Program (MAP) is a cooperative agreement between IMLS and the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). Since its inception in 1981, MAP has helped more than 5,000 small and mid-sized museums of all types strengthen operations, plan for the future, and meet standards. In the spring of 2017, AAM commissioned an evaluation of the program. The final report includes an executive summary, background and methodology, data analysis, and case studies.

IMLS convened a meeting in November 2017 to discuss strengthening the formal education component of the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program. The report summarizes issues and themes from that meeting.

The report provides details on IMLS digital library funding since 2015 and explains three focal areas identified within the digital library infrastructures and initiatives portfolio of the National Leadership Grants for Libraries Program and the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program.

The Public Libraries in the United States Survey (PLS) examines when, where, and how library services are changing to meet the needs of the public. This FY 2015 PLS summarizes the reported data provided by 98 percent of public libraries and outlets in the United States.

The State Library Administrative Agencies Survey: Fiscal Year 2016 report provides highlights of the Fiscal Year 2016 State Library Administrative Agencies (SLAA) Survey, which collects financial, staffing, and service information from every SLAA in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The Performance and Accountability Report (PAR), an annual agency requirement from the Office of Management and Budget, presents the agency’s program and financial management results, key accomplishments, and new initiatives during FY 2018.

This collection of writings from preservice teachers at the University of North Texas is intended as a brief guide to special education. Through an interview with special education expert and diagnostician, Jennifer Cantu, M.Ed., unpack nuances within the field of special education. Intended to be both a starting point and an ongoing reference source for educators new to service of special needs students, this book seeks to instill a sense of direction, pride, and accomplishment as ones take some early steps toward effectively serving special education learners. The book also show what special needs students can achieve through individualized accommodations and modifications. The four main sections of the book include: Understanding the basic rights and language of special education -- Understanding disability conditions and demonstrating how to meet the individual needs of a student -- Interview with a special education expert, Jennifer Cantu, diagnostician, Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, Texas -- Acquiring special education certification in Texas.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of information about an item's creation, name, topic, features, and more updates NISO's 2004 advice on the subject and follows on the Research Data Management Primer published in 2015. It demystifies a type of information that is ubiquitous in our lives but that can be challenging to produce, store, and understand. Coverage includes topics such as metadata types, standardization, and use in the cultural heritage sector and in the broader world. The Primer is accompanied by plentiful examples of metadata at work.

The publication summarizes the results of a needs assessment and gap analysis of digitization activities by public libraries and state library agencies in the United States. The report outlines key findings from surveys of U.S. public libraries and state library agencies, and provides observations and recommendations for future exploration in the area of supporting digitization efforts in public libraries.

The State Library Administrative Agencies Survey: Fiscal Year 2014 report provides a view of the condition of state library administrative agencies in the 50 states and the District of Columbia for Fiscal Year 2014. The data includes state library agency identification, governance, public service hours, service outlets, collections, library service transactions, library development transactions, services to other libraries in the state, allied operations, staff, income, expenditures, and electronic services and information. State libraries administer federal funds through the IMLS Grants to States program and play a crucial role in helping libraries within their state meet the demand for content and services by establishing statewide plans for library services, investing in technology and content, and providing support for local programming. While the state libraries continued to offer a wide array of library services in 2014, the study results showed a multi-year pattern of decreases in revenues, expenditures, and staffing that coincided with the Great Recession of 2007-2009. The revenue from federal, state, and other sources to state library agencies totaled $1.1 billion in FY 2014, a 17 percent decrease in revenue from FY 2004.The report is useful to Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA), policymakers in the executive and legislative …