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For Immediate Release
Ohio Historical Society Hosts Museum Hearings March 10
COLUMBUS, Ohio March 3, 2008 – The U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a federal agency that provides grants to museums, will be holding two hearings on museum funding at the Ohio Historical Society on March 10, 2008, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend. The hearings will be held at the Ohio Historical Center at 1-71 and 17th Avenue in Columbus.
The hearings are part of the Institute’s national fact-finding effort to better understand the effect of public funding on the ability of museums to preserve cultural heritage, provide educational and civic opportunities, use technology, and serve the public.
IMLS Director Anne-Imelda Radice and Jeffrey H. Patchen, a member of the National Museum and Library Services Board and President/CEO of the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, will listen to testimony that will examine how public funding impacts the quality of museum services, and whether there are gaps in museums’ ability to provide excellent public service that could be addressed through alternative funding models.
The goal of the hearings is to gather and record a wide range of perspectives about the most effective way to use public dollars to encourage high-quality museum services.
The hearings will take place in two sessions. At each session the agency will hear from invited witnesses and from members of the community attending the hearings. The first session runs from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and will include testimony from the following individuals:
- Dr. William K. Laidlaw, Jr., Executive Director and CEO, Ohio Historical Society, Columbus, OH
- John Fraser, Director, Public Research and Evaluation, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY
- Bruce Harkey, Executive Director, Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus, OH
- Pat Murphy, Executive Director, Oberlin Heritage Center, Oberlin, OH
The second session runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m. with testimony from:
- David Chesebrough, Ed.D., President and CEO, COSI, Columbus, OH
- Julie Henahan, Executive Director, Ohio Arts Council, Columbus, OH
- Alicia Oddi, Grants and Services Director, Greater Columbus Arts Council, Columbus, OH
- Liz Bishoff, Special Assistant to the Dean, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
Hearings will also be held in Kansas City, MO, and Oakland, CA, on March 12 and 14, 2008. The outcomes of the hearings, in conjunction with the results of a national study funded by IMLS and conducted by the Urban Institute, will be part of report that will be released this summer.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.
The Ohio Historical Society is a nonprofit organization that serves as the state's partner in preserving and interpreting Ohio's history, archaeology and natural history. It administers the largest statewide network of sites and museum in the nation. For more information about the Ohio Historical Society and its programs, call 614-297-2300 or 800-686-6124 or visit www.ohiohistory.org.
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Ohio Historical Society Press Contact: Kim Schuette: 614.297.2314 or kschuette@ohiohistory.org
IMLS Press Contacts: Mamie Bittner: 202-327-4201 or mbittner@imls.gov
IMLS Press Contacts: Jeannine Mjoseth: 202-653-4632 or jmjoseth@imls.gov
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