The Kaho’olawe Island Reserve Commission was awarded $49,935 as part of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) program. IMLS, the nation’s primary source of federal funding for museums and libraries, recently announced it will be granting more than $2 million for three programs: Museum Grants for African American History and Culture (AAHC), Sparks! Ignition Grants for Museums, and Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services (NANH).
The NANH services program is designed to provide opportunities to federally recognized Indian tribes, Native Alaskan villages and corporations, and organizations primarily representing Native Hawaiians to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge through strengthened museum services.
“These grant projects have immense potential to serve local communities and the nation in advancing education and preserving cultural heritage,” said IMLS Director Susan H. Hildreth. “Programs that are being funded will strengthen museum services through professional training, improved care of collections, and the testing of creative solutions to challenging problems. We are delighted to announce these awards, and we are eager to see the visions for these unique opportunities and experiences brought to life.”
KIRC houses a collection of archival materials, including over 8,500 photographs, 2,500 texts (reports, papers), and 10,000 artifacts/samples that are available for research but generally unknown to the community. IMLS funds will be used to train interns on the process of scanning KIRC’s archival documents, labeling digital files, and applying proper archival standards for storage of these items. This information will be organized into a searchable database that will be accessible to researchers and the community via a pilot online museum portal, and a series of outreach events will introduce the community to the available online resources.
The overall goal of the project is to sustain Hawaiian heritage, culture, and knowledge for future generations through collections stewardship and educational outreach.
Additional Hawaii grants were given to the Hula Preservation Society and Papahana Kuaola. Detailed descriptions of the 20 Native American/Native Hawaiian projects can be found online here.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Its mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. The IMLS’s grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit Imls.gov.
Photo: Forest & Kim Starr/Wikimedia Commons
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