Institute of Museum and Library Services
CONNECTING TO COLLECTIONS BOOKSHELF

Application Round for Living Collections Only! October 19 - November 24, 2009

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and AASLH are holding a special competition for the living collection edition of the Connecting to Collections Bookshelf from October 19 through November 20, 2009. IMLS designed this set of conservation resources specifically for institutions that care for plants and animals, including zoos, aquaria, arboreta, botanical gardens, nature centers, and historic houses/sites with living collections. Institutions that do not care for plants or animals, or institutions that have already received the Bookshelf are not eligible to apply. AASLH is proud to partner with IMLS in this program and will manage the application process and the distribution of the Bookshelf to the awardees. Please direct questions to Terry Jackson at AASLH by phone 615-320-3203 or at jackson@aaslh.org.

IMLS has awarded over 2,800 sets of the Bookshelf in the three previous application rounds to museums, libraries, archives, aquaria, arboreta, botanical gardens, nature centers, and zoos. The awards have been made to collecting institutions in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. To see the list of recipients, click on the link in the box at the upper right.

What is the Bookshelf?

The Bookshelf is a set of collections care resources selected by conservation/preservation experts throughout the country. For more information, click here.

What does the living collections Bookshelf contain?

The Bookshelf for living collections comprises two sets of resources: a core collection of resources and six additional tests that address collections care issues related to plants and animals. For more information, click here.

Who will receive the Bookshelf?

Awards are made through a competitive, on-line application process. Applicants will be notified pf their application status by IMLS after the review process is complete.

• Priority will be given to smaller collecting institutions, but large institutions with living collections are also eligible to apply. The Bookshelf is intended as a permanent resource for individual institutions to help them improve the condition of their collections. Eligible institutions must be not-for-profit and cannot be federally funded.
• Pursuant to a cooperative agreement, AASLH is purchasing, promoting, and distributing the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf.

How to Apply

Read the following instructions carefully.

If you have an AASLH user name and password, click here to login.

If you have a user name and password, but do not know what they are, click here and follow the instructions to receive them by email.

If you do not have a user name and password, click here to create them. Please feel free to contact Terry Jackson with any questions.

Thank you for your interest in the Bookshelf.

If you have other questions about the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf,  please contact Terry Jackson at AASLH, 615-320-3203 or jackson@aaslh.org.

To learn more about the IMLS Connecting to Collections initiative, please see www.imls.gov/collections.