Library receives IMLS funding for recon project

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 12, 2008

Fairfield Museum Contact:
Laura Roberts,
203-259-1598 or
Laura@fairfieldhs.org

IMLS Contact:
Jeannine Mjoseth,
202-653-4632 or
jmjoseth@imls.gov


Fairfield Museum and History Center Awarded Prestigious Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services

FAIRFIELD, CT (August 12)- Fairfield Museum and History Center has received a prestigious 2008 Museums For America grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). More than 370 museums and libraries submitted applications to this federal granting agency and the Fairfield Museum’s grant received a high score.

Through this grant, the Fairfield Museum and History Center will digitize its library card catalog and make it available through the Fairfield Public Library's online catalog. When completed, the project will provide researchers with online access to the Museum's 12,000 books. The Fairfield Museum's library holds rare and important works on the region's history, decorative arts, manufacturing and trade, maritime studies, and Fairfield genealogies which will soon be more widely available to the community.

"The Fairfield Museum and History Center is honored to receive this important grant from IMLS," said the museum's executive director Michael Jehle. "It is a strong endorsement of the museum's efforts to make its collections and resources more freely available so that Fairfield and surrounding communities can learn more about their fascinating history."

“This project is a model for community collaboration,” said Regine Heberlein, the museum’s Librarian. “The museum’s holdings complement the Public Library’s in wonderful ways, and the Public Library has given the project its wholehearted support. As a result, we’re effectively creating a union catalog for the community, where the holdings of the Public Library, the Pequot Library Association, and the Fairfield Museum are all searchable through one easy portal.”

"As repositories of our nation's treasures and our nation's history, museums are positioned to play an integral role in the education of their communities. Museums for America grants support projects and ongoing activities that build museums' capacities and help these institutions serve their diverse constituencies to the best of their abilities," said Dr. Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services

"I am grateful the Institute of Museum and Library Services has awarded this funding to the Fairfield Museum and History Center. This project will enable the entire community, including families, students, and teachers, to access the region's rich history through a diverse collection of digitally archived materials,” said Congressman Christopher Shays. “I am supportive of increased investment in our communities' libraries, which provide access to technology, promote literacy and serve as a center for community learning."

Museums for America is the Institute's largest grant program for museums, providing more than $17 million in grants to support the role of museums in American society to sustain cultural heritage, to support lifelong learning; and to be centers of community engagement. Museums for America grants strengthen a museum's ability to serve the public more effectively by supporting high-priority activities that advance the institution's mission and strategic goals.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services

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.

About Fairfield Museum and History Center

The Fairfield Museum and History Center was established in 2007 by the Fairfield Historical Society. The 13,000 square-foot museum presents engaging exhibition galleries, a special collections library and reading room, a family education center, an 80 seat theater overlooking Fairfield's Town Green and a delightful museum shop. The Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of Fairfield, Connecticut and surrounding regions for present and futuregenerations. The museum provides educational programs to schools in and
around Fairfield County, and helps to enrich the cultural and social life of the area. The Museum has quickly become an integral part of Fairfield, serving nearly 10,000 visitors in its inaugural year.

The museum, located at 370 Beach Road in Fairfield, CT, is open seven days a week. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students and seniors, members of the museum and children age 5 and under are free of charge. For current program and exhibition information, visit www.fairfieldhs.org and for group tour reservations and information, please call 203-259-1598.