    [House Hearing, 110 Congress]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

         EXAMINING THE ROLE OF MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES IN STRENGTHENING
                                  COMMUNITIES

    =======================================================================

                                    HEARING

                                   before the

                            SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTHY
                            FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

                                  COMMITTEE ON
                              EDUCATION AND LABOR

                         U.S. House of Representatives

                           ONE HUNDRED TENTH CONGRESS

                                 SECOND SESSION

                                   __________

               HEARING HELD IN WASHINGTON, DC, SEPTEMBER 11, 2008

                                   __________

                               Serial No. 110-109

                                   __________

          Printed for the use of the Committee on Education and Labor

                           Available on the Internet:
          http://www.gpoaccess.gov/congress/house/education/index.html

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                        COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOR

                      GEORGE MILLER, California, Chairman

    Dale E. Kildee, Michigan, Vice       Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon,
        Chairman                             California,
    Donald M. Payne, New Jersey            Senior Republican Member
    Robert E. Andrews, New Jersey        Thomas E. Petri, Wisconsin
    Robert C. ``Bobby'' Scott, Virginia  Peter Hoekstra, Michigan
    Lynn C. Woolsey, California          Michael N. Castle, Delaware
    Ruben Hinojosa, Texas                Mark E. Souder, Indiana
    Carolyn McCarthy, New York           Vernon J. Ehlers, Michigan
    John F. Tierney, Massachusetts       Judy Biggert, Illinois
    Dennis J. Kucinich, Ohio             Todd Russell Platts, Pennsylvania
    David Wu, Oregon                     Ric Keller, Florida
    Rush D. Holt, New Jersey             Joe Wilson, South Carolina
    Susan A. Davis, California           John Kline, Minnesota
    Danny K. Davis, Illinois             Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Washington
    Raul M. Grijalva, Arizona            Kenny Marchant, Texas
    Timothy H. Bishop, New York          Tom Price, Georgia
    Linda T. Sanchez, California         Luis G. Fortuno, Puerto Rico
    John P. Sarbanes, Maryland           Charles W. Boustany, Jr.,
    Joe Sestak, Pennsylvania                 Louisiana
    David Loebsack, Iowa                 Virginia Foxx, North Carolina
    Mazie Hirono, Hawaii                 John R. ``Randy'' Kuhl, Jr., New
    Jason Altmire, Pennsylvania              York
    John A. Yarmuth, Kentucky            Rob Bishop, Utah
    Phil Hare, Illinois                  David Davis, Tennessee
    Yvette D. Clarke, New York           Timothy Walberg, Michigan
    Joe Courtney, Connecticut            [Vacancy]
    Carol Shea-Porter, New Hampshire

                         Mark Zuckerman, Staff Director
                    Sally Stroup, Republican Staff Director
                                     ------

                SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTHY FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES

                     CAROLYN McCARTHY, New York, Chairwoman

    Yvette D. Clarke, New York           Todd Russell Platts, Pennsylvania,
    Carol Shea-Porter, New Hampshire       Ranking Minority Member
    Dennis J. Kucinich, Ohio             Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon,
    Raul M. Grijalva, Arizona                California
    John P. Sarbanes, Maryland           Kenny Marchant, Texas
    Jason Altmire, Pennsylvania          Luis G. Fortuno, Puerto Rico
    John A. Yarmuth, Kentucky            David Davis, Tennessee
                                         [Vacancy]

                                C O N T E N T S

                                  ----------
                                                                       Page

    Hearing held on September 11, 2008...............................     1

    Statement of Members:
        Altmire, Hon. Jason, a Representative in Congress from the
          State of Pennsylvania, prepared statement of...............    51
        Davis, Hon. Danny K., a Representative in Congress from the
          State of Illinois, prepared statement of...................    51
        Davis, Hon. David, a Representative in Congress from the
          State of Tennessee, prepared statement of..................    57
        McCarthy, Hon. Carolyn, Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Healthy
          Families and Communities...................................     1
            Prepared statement of....................................     2
            Additional submissions:
                Prepared statement of the American Library
                  Association........................................    69
                Prepared statement of Ford W. Bell, DVM, president,
                  American Association of Museums....................    74
        Platts, Hon. Todd Russell, Senior Republican Member,
          Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities, prepared
          statement of...............................................     4

    Statement of Witnesses:
        Jolly, Dr. Eric J., president, Science Museum of Minnesota...    30
            Prepared statement of....................................    32
            Additional submissions:
                Answers to questions submitted.......................    58
                ``Engagement, Capacity and Continuity: An Overview of
                  a Trilogy for Student Success''....................    76
                ``Family Learning in Museums: Perspectives on a
                  Decade of Research,'' by Kirsten M. Ellenbogen,
                  K.M., et al........................................    79
                ``Scientific Literacy--It's Not Just for
                  Scientists,'' by Dr. Jolly, St. Pioneer Press,
                  August 17, 2008....................................    86
                Memo: ``Report on Findings of Research,'' dated March
                  7, 2001............................................    87
                ``Learning Outside of Schools,'' by Kirsten
                  Ellenbogen, Ph.D., Science Museum of Minnesota.....    92
        LeBlanc, Suzanne, Long Island Children's Museum..............    13
            Prepared statement of....................................    15
            Additional submissions:
                ``Quick Response Memo, Be Together, Learn Together,''
                  dated July 28, 2008, Internet address..............    93
                ``Child's Play,'' by Heidi Waleson...................    93
                Letter of support from Louise Skolnik, DSW, director,
                  Health & Human Services, Nassau County, NY.........    97
                ``The Slender Golden Threat, 100 Years Strong,'' by
                  Suzanne LeBlanc....................................    98
                Diagrams of Supervised Visitation Room...............   104
                The Big Chair: Storytelling chair for Supervised
                  Visitation Room....................................   106
                Kick Start: Long Island Children's Museum............   106
                ``Be Together, Learn Together: A Partnership of the
                  Long Island Children's Museum,'' the Nassau County
                  Department of Health and Human Services and Nassau
                  County Family Court................................   107
                ``Suozzi Unveils `No Wrong Door' for Nassau County
                  Residents,'' dated November 29, 2004...............   114
        Nunez, Anna, Arizona Health Science Library librarian,
          University of Arizona......................................    26
            Prepared statement of....................................    28
            Additional submissions:
                Answers to questions submitted.......................    63
                ``Turning the Page: UA Program Helping Minority
                  Students Put New Faces on Librarians,'' Arizona
                  Daily Wildcat......................................   115
                Knowledge River Impact Study, December 22, 2006......   116
                ``WE Search Progress: Final, Appendix 2,'' by Aaron
                  J. Valdivia, et al.................................   130
                ``UA Pushes for More Minority Librarians,'' Tucson
                  Citizen, January 4, 2007...........................   134
        Radice, Anne-Imelda M., director, Institute of Museum and
          Library Services...........................................     7
            Prepared statement of....................................     8
            Additional submissions:
                Answers to questions submitted.......................    64
                ``Charting the Landscape, Mapping New Paths: Museums,
                  Libraries, and K-12 Learning,'' August 2004,
                  Internet address...................................   135
                ``InterConnections: The IMLS National Study on the
                  Use of Libraries, Museums and the Internet,''
                  February 2008, Internet address....................   135
                ``True Needs True Partners,'' 2002 survey highlights,
                  Internet address...................................   135
                ``Nine to Nineteen, Youth in Museums and Libraries: A
                  Practitioner's Guide,'' April 2008, Internet
                  address............................................   136
        Zales, Mary Clare, commissioner for libraries, State of
          Pennsylvania...............................................    19
            Prepared statement of....................................    21
            Additional submissions:
                Answers to questions submitted.......................    67
                ``New Report: Libraries Improve Technology Access for
                  Communities Nationwide,'' September 2, 2008........   136
                ``School Libraries Work!'' Research Foundation paper,
                  Internet address...................................   147

                             EXAMINING THE ROLE OF
                            MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES IN
                           STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES

                                  ----------

                          Thursday, September 11, 2008

                         U.S. House of Representatives

                Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities

                        Committee on Education and Labor

                                 Washington, DC

                                  ----------

        The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 9:29 a.m., in
    room 2175, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Carolyn McCarthy
    [chairwoman of the subcommittee] presiding.
        Present: Representatives McCarthy, Clarke, Kucinich,
    Grijalva, Sarbanes, Platts, and Davis.
        Staff present: Tylease Alli, Hearing Clerk; Adrienne
    Dunbar, Education Policy Advisor; ; David Hartzler, Systems
    Administrator; Fred Jones, Staff Assistant, Education; Jessica
    Kahanek, Press Assistant; Deborah Koolbeck, Policy Advisor,
    Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities; Rachel
    Racusen, Communications Director; Margaret Young, Staff
    Assistant, Education; Stephanie Arras, Minority Legislative
    Assistant; Cameron Coursen, Minority Assistant Communications
    Director; Chad Miller, Minority Professional Staff; Susan Ross,
    Minority Director of Education and Human Services Policy; Linda
    Stevens, Minority Chief Clerk/Assistant to the General Counsel;
    and Sally Stroup, Minority Staff Director.
        Chairwoman McCarthy [presiding]. A quorum is present. The
    hearing of the subcommittee will come to order. Pursuant to
    committee rule 12-A, any member may submit an opening statement
    in writing, which will be made part of the permanent record.
        Before we begin, I would like everyone to take a moment to
    ensure their cellphones and BlackBerrys are on ``silent.''
        I now recognize myself, followed by the congressman, Mr.
    Davis, from Tennessee, for an opening statement. I want to
    begin this hearing by recognizing this important day in
    American history.
        September 11, 2001 changed the life of each citizen, and
    the course of our nation. We have not forgotten, nor will we
    forget, the lives lost on that day. We extend our deep
    gratitude to the first-responders, who sacrificed their health
    and their lives to help the victims that day.
        Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends
    who lost loved ones in New York, Pennsylvania, and at the
    Pentagon. Please join me for a moment of silence in the
    remembrance of our fallen citizens. [Pause.]
        Thank you.
        I would like to welcome everyone to this hearing--as
    another school year gets underway--this hearing is of
    particular importance. Libraries and museums contribute to the
    health and the welfare of the community, year-round.
        This summer, many of us visited a museum while on vacation,
    or spent more time in our local library with our children,
    getting books or participating in programs. This fall, many
    teachers will engage in museum-based professional development,
    and students will attend museum programs and libraries that are
    filled with both teachers and students, busy with schoolwork
    and research.
        I wanted to hold this hearing now because it is a good time
    for members of Congress to examine the role that both libraries
    and museums play in strengthening our communities. Libraries
    not only provide a vast amount of knowledge, ready, available
    to the community, for free, but they also serve as locations
    for groups to meet and for people to connect to the Internet.
        Community members can also attend workshops and programs
    addressing everything from cake decorating to workforce
    development and professional education. Libraries are safe
    places for our children to go after school and on the weekends,
    and serve as a place where generations can gather and learn
    form each other.
        Museums serve the community in similar ways. Museums are
    diverse in their subject and form, and contribute to
    communities by collecting, interpreting, and preserving items
    and ideas important to this country and to the world. Museums
    engage visitors and they ignite the imagination of the young
    and the old alike.
        Part of the challenge of a museum is to store and preserve
    its collection for future generations to explore firsthand the
    world of today, and of our past. As with all institutions,
    libraries and museums evolve over time; for example, what was
    once card catalogs are now computer databases, searchable from
    home, on the Internet.
        The needs of our communities are also changing. And, thus,
    the role of libraries and museums must change to serve and
    strengthen the community in which it resides. In fact, many
    libraries and museums have seen communities expand through the
    use of the Internet. Thus, libraries and museum need to be
    innovative in the ways of serving the community in which a
    library or a museum resides as a fellow citizen and community
    member.
        Today, we will learn of innovation, creative activities
    undertaken by libraries and museums to serve communities, as
    well as to participate in addressing community needs and
    challenges.
        I now would like to recognize Mr. Davis, for his opening
    statement.

     Prepared Statement of Hon. Carolyn McCarthy, Chairwoman, Subcommittee
                      on Healthy Families and Communities

        I want to begin this hearing by recognizing this important day in
    American history. September 11, 2001, changed the life of each citizen
    and the course of our nation. We have not forgotten nor will we forget
    the lives lost on that day. We extend our deep gratitude to the first
    responders who sacrificed their health and their lives to help the
    victims that day. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and
    friends who lost loved ones in New York, Pennsylvania, and at the
    Pentagon. Please join me for a moment of silence in remembrance of our
    fallen citizens.
        Thank you.
        I'd like to welcome everyone to this hearing. As another school
    year gets underway and, this hearing is of particular importance.
    Libraries and museums contribute to the health and welfare of a
    community year round.
        This summer, many of us visited a museum while on vacation or spent
    more time in our local library with our children getting books or
    participating in programs, This fall, many teachers will engage in
    museum-based professional development and students will attend museum
    programs and libraries that are filled with both teachers and students
    busy with school work and research.
        I wanted to hold this hearing now because it is a good time for
    Members of Congress to examine the role that both libraries and museums
    play in strengthening our communities.
        Libraries not only provide vast amount of knowledge readily
    available to the community for free, but they also serve as locations
    for groups to meet and for people to connect to the internet. Community
    members can also attend workshops and programs addressing everything
    from cake decorating to workforce development and professional
    education.
        Libraries are safe places for kids to go after school and on the
    weekends, and serve as a place where generations can gather and learn
    from each other.
        Museums serve the community in similar ways. Museums are diverse in
    subject and form, and contribute to communities by collecting,
    interpreting, and preserving items and ideas important to this country
    and the world. Museums engage visitors and ignite the imagination of
    young and old alike. Part of the charge of a museum is to store and
    preserve its collection for future generations to explore first-hand
    the world of today, and of our past. As with all institutions,
    libraries and museums evolve over time.
        For example, what were once card catalogues are now computer
    databases searchable from home on the Internet. The needs of our
    communities are also changing, and thus the role of libraries and
    museums must change to serve and strengthen the community in which it
    resides. In fact, many libraries and museums have seen communities
    expand through the use of the internet. Thus, libraries and museum need
    to be innovative in the ways of serving the community in which a
    library or a museum resides as a fellow citizen and community member.
        Today we will learn of innovative, creative activities undertaken
    by libraries and museums to serve communities as well as to participate
    in addressing community needs and challenges.
                                     ______

        Mr. Davis. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
        Good morning.
        And let me extend a warm welcome to our distinguished panel
    of witnesses. Welcome.
        Before we begin, I would like to take a moment to reflect
    on the somber anniversary being marked today. Seven years ago,
    our nation was forever changed by the murderous acts of a band
    of terrorists, determined to undermine our very way of life.
        I am proud of how our nation responded, with selfless acts
    of patriotism and courage, and a determination to maintain our
    freedom, and to defeat those who attack our citizens and our
    values.
        As we take this opportunity today to look at institutions
    that strengthen our communities, we must all remember that
    those strong communities have stood in the face of terrorism,
    and maintained the power of the American spirit.
        We are here early this morning to discuss the tremendous
    roles that museums and libraries play in strengthening our
    nation's local communities. I particularly look forward to
    hearing from the Institute of Museums and Library Services, who
    will discuss their support of IMLS programs, and how they
    assist various museums and libraries with achieving their
    missions and goals.
        Our nation's museums and libraries have, historically,
    played a vital role in helping society experience, explore,
    discover, and make sense of an ever-changing world. Today,
    their role is more essential than ever.
        Through building technology infrastructure and
    strengthening community relationships, museums and libraries
    can offer the public unprecedented access and expertise in
    transforming information overload into knowledge.
        In many communities across America, the local library is
    the only place people of all ages and backgrounds can find and
    freely use the diverse set of resources, with the expert
    guidance of librarians. And far too often, the hometown library
    serves as the only public access to the Internet.
        Not to be left out, the treasures of our nation's museums
    enable people to explore collections for inspiration, learning
    and enjoyment. They are institutions that collect, safeguard
    and make accessible artifacts and specimens, which they hold in
    trust for our society.
        As you know, Madam Chairwoman, I am sitting in today for
    Mr. Platts. I would like to ask unanimous consent to submit his
    opening statement for the record.
        Chairwoman McCarthy. Granted.
        [The statement of Mr. Platts follows:]

      Prepared Statement of Hon. Todd Russell Platts, a Representative in
                    Congress From the State of Pennsylvania

        Good morning. Welcome to our hearing on ``Strengthening Community
    Museums and Libraries.''
        Almost five years ago, Congress reauthorized the Museum and Library
    Services Act. This legislation provides federal support for museums and
    libraries across the country. I believe this law made positive
    improvements to federal programs for libraries and museums by ensuring
    coordination between library and museum programs, as well as
    consolidating smaller programs to increase government efficiency.
        I am pleased that we are holding this hearing today to learn more
    about how the legislation has impacted the Institute of Museums and
    Libraries. Both libraries and museums provide substantial benefits to
    the communities in which they reside. Libraries are especially valuable
    in rural communities in which individuals have less access to research
    resources. In addition, libraries provide disabled individuals with
    specialized materials and resources that they may not be able to access
    elsewhere. Museums ensure that citizens stay connected to their
    communities by providing opportunities for families to engage in
    history. I am honored to represent Gettysburg National Military Park,
    which just opened a new museum featuring artifacts and stories from the
    Civil War.
        I look forward to hearing testimony regarding the innovative ways
    by which community libraries and museums have provided resources to
    families across the nation. I also look forward to hearing from Ms.
    Mary Clare Zales regarding the many library programs across my home
    state of Pennsylvania.
        Finally, I would like to thank our distinguished panel for joining
    us today and providing us with their insight and first hand experiences
    with library and museum programs. With that, I yield back to Chairwoman
    McCarthy.
                                     ______

        Mr. Davis. Once again, I would like to thank the witnesses
    for being here to discuss this important topic. I look forward
    to your testimony.
        Thank you, Madam Chairwoman McCarthy. And I yield back.
        Chairwoman McCarthy. Thank you, Mr. Davis.
        Without objection, all members will have 14 days to submit
    additional materials or questions for the hearing record.
        I would like to introduce our witnesses. Today, we will
    hear from a panel of witnesses.
        Your testimonies will proceed in the order that I introduce
    you.
        I would like to introduce our first witness, Dr. Radice--
    great.
        Let me explain something. I just got hearing aids on
    Monday, so I have got a terrible feedback going into my ears.
    So I am having problems adjusting to the mic, and to my ears.
        She has been the director of the Institute of Museum and
    Library Services, better known as IMLS, since 2005. She comes
    to IMLS as a distinguished art and architectural historian,
    museum professional and administrator. Immediately prior to
    directing IMLS, she served as acting assistant chairman for
    programs of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
        Among her many other positions, she has served as the first
    director of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, the only
    museum in the world exclusively dedicated to displaying works
    by women of all periods and nationalities. Today, she will give
    us an overview of the mission and the programs of IMLS, sharing
    with us how IMLS connects people to information and ideas.
        I am proud to introduce our next witness, a constituent of
    mine, from Long Island, Ms. LeBlanc. She is the director of the
    Long Island Children's Museum, located in Nassau County. Before
    coming to Nassau County, she served as executive director of
    the Discovery Children's Museum in Las Vegas.
        Throughout her career she has been a strong advocate for
    the importance of the arts in the lives of children and
    families. She is among the 50 most influential businesswomen on
    Long Island. Today, she will tell us about IMLS, a funded
    program, where the Long Island Children's Museum has been
    working with the Nassau County Department of Social Services
    and Family Court.
        Welcome.
        Our next witness is Ms. Mary Clare Zales. She was appointed
    by the governor of Pennsylvania in 2004 to serve as the deputy
    secretary for libraries at the Pennsylvania Department of
    Education. In this position, she provides leadership and a
    vision to school, public and the academic libraries, in meeting
    the information, education and enrichment needs of all
    Pennsylvanians.
        As deputy, she oversees the state library of Pennsylvania,
    one of four major research libraries of the state. The state
    library has recently completed a refocus of its mission,
    placing an emphasis on its historical collections, and becoming
    the designated library for Pennsylvania-related materials and
    resources. Today, she will discuss the activities of libraries
    to strengthen both rural and urban communities across
    Pennsylvania.
        Next, I will yield to my colleague, Congressman Grijalva,
    to introduce the next witness.
        Mr. Grijalva. Thank you so much, Madam Chair, and let me,
    at the outset, extend my apologies to the witnesses, and to
    yourself, Madam Chair, for having to leave this meeting. I am
    chairing a subcommittee meeting that won't be as enlightening
    and as informative as this one. But I need to be there.
        Let me just say that it is an honor for me to introduce our
    next witness, who is a dear friend of mine and my family's, and
    a strong community advocate on behalf of neighborhoods,
    fighting the issue of health disparities, and making education
    and library services accessible to all.
        Annabelle Nunez is from my hometown of Tucson, and my
    neighborhood. I have to be particularly gracious. She is also
    the president of our neighborhood association.
        She is a graduate of the University of Arizona and the
    School of Information Resources and Library Science, Knowledge
    River program--a graduate of that first cohort of students that
    went through that program. Well, she was a student in the
    program, and she was actively involved in the recruitment and
    retention activities for Knowledge River students, served as a
    peer advisor to other Knowledge River students.
        She continues to work with that--mentoring Knowledge River
    interns. She is a co-advisor and program manager to Knowledge
    River Student Mentors, who work with Native American and Latino
    youths in a teen-community health-information institute to
    explore health-sciences librarianship, and provide community
    health services.
        I think Annabelle's experiences--work--is a shining example
    of the benefits of investing in our libraries, and working on
    programs that expand diversity and increase the professional
    capacity of our libraries. Our community advocacy has increased
    in different avenues because of her work in Knowledge River.
        She currently works at the University of Arizona, Arizona
    Health Sciences Library, where she works to reduce cultural and
    financial barriers to a good health and preventive care among
    Latinos.
        I am very proud of her work in our community. I am very
    proud of the work that the University of Arizona is doing with
    Knowledge River.
        And thank you, Madam Chair, for this opportunity to
    introduce a constituent, and a friend, to this hearing. And
    please accept my apology for having to leave the meeting early.
    Thank you very much.
        Chairwoman McCarthy. You are quite welcome. Thank you.
        Our next witness, Dr. Eric Jolly, comes to us from the
    Science Museum of Minnesota, where he serves as the first
    Native American president of that institution. He is also known
    nationally and internationally for his contributions to
    mathematics and science education, and is a published author in
    these areas.
        Dr. Jolly also serves on numerous advisory boards,
    including those for the National Academy of Sciences, the
    American Association for the Advancement of Science and the
    National Task Force on Technology and Disability.
        Today, he will share with us the work of the Science Museum
    of Minnesota to strengthen not only the local community, but
    the state of Minnesota and the nation.
        I want to thank you all for being here. Please do not take
    as an insult that we don't have a lot of members here. As many
    of you know, there is a memorial service going on at the
    Pentagon, and most of our colleagues are there.
        For those of you who have not testified before the
    subcommittee, let me please explain our lighting system. In
    front of you, there is a lighting system that will be green,
    yellow and red. Members and panelists will have 5 minutes. That
    will be either questionings or explaining the answers.
        When you see the yellow light, please start to look to
    winding down your testimony. We will probably be a little more
    flexible; I am, on this committee. We will give you an extra
    minute or so. But we do want to hear from your testimony.
        I already did that.
        Please be certain, as you testify, to turn on the mics so
    that everybody in the audience can hear you.
        We now will hear from our first witness.

      STATEMENT OF ANNE-IMELDA M. RADICE, DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE OF
                   MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES (IMLS)

        Ms. Radice. Madam Chairwoman and members of the
    subcommittee, American libraries and museums are institutions
    trusted by our local, national and international communities.
    They are depositories of great treasures, knowledge and centers
    of learning that engage communities and give stability to our
    culture.
        Today, we pause, and we reflect about horrible events 7
    years ago. However, museums and libraries were some of the
    first institutions that began a process to heal, contextualize
    and provide forums for dialogue to help us reunite with the
    world.
        Whether through the simple and beautiful connections made
    between the Louisiana Children's Museum and that of New York,
    or providing places to just be together, these community
    institutions engage. They continue, now, to use knowledge and
    community interaction to battle prejudice and ignorance.
        I am proud to serve as the director of the Institute of
    Museum and Library Services, the primary source of federal
    leadership and funding for almost 18,000 museums, which range
    from zoos and aquaria to those that serve art, history and
    science, and of the over 122,000 libraries.
        Through grants, convenings, research and real partnerships
    with other private organizations and federal agencies, such as
    the Arts Endowment for the Big Read, or the Humanities
    Endowment for Picturing America, just to name two of the over
    20 real partnerships we have; through innovative initiatives, a
    lively Web site, activities of an engaged board, our national
    medal recognition of the best of the best, we have been, and we
    are strategic in how we expend taxpayer dollars; we expand
    capacity.
        Our administrative operations emphasize accountability and
    transparency. We expect that of our grantees, and we have to
    set the example. And during my tenure, I am very proud to say
    we have clean audits. We have received clean audits.
        We encourage learning and innovation. An excellent example
    is a grant we announced this week to Southern New Hampshire
    University to establish a digital repository that will provide
    open worldwide access to the University's research.
        The first collection to be digitized will be about building
    better practices and policies that serve low-income and
    marginalized communities around the globe. Further, it will
    provide a replicable model for other institutions, which expand
    the positives of this project exponentially.
        We prepare library and museum professionals for the future.
    A good example is a grant we just announced for SUNY's
    Cooperstown Graduate Program. An institute will be created to
    train the next generation of museum professionals to be
    cultural entrepreneurs.
        Coursework will be designed to spark innovation and
    creativity in the planning and execution of all aspects of
    museum work, and to refine leadership abilities.
        Our agency, through strategic leadership, is fostering
    innovators and innovations to help change the way libraries and
    museums meet the new challenges in the world. We seek big
    ideas, and we help those who take leadership roles in their
    communities and in their professions.
        IMLS helps to sustain cultural heritage. When I took
    office, I acted swiftly to address the significant and alarming
    trends in the lack of preservation of America's collections. We
    began a seminal initiative called ``Connecting to Collections:
    A Call to Action.''
        Well, we called, and American institutions have acted. We
    were on the ground following the Iowa floods, with help, within
    1 day, with partners such as Heritage Preservation and the
    American Institute for Conservation. And we continue to be
    there for the Gulf States.
        One part of this program is a conservation bookshelf; a set
    of essential collections, care books and other resources that
    we have, so far, distributed to over 2,000 institutions
    nationwide. And I know that they have helped even proactively
    prepare for the most recent, and continuing, weather changes
    and challenges.
        And that is what we hear in our ``Thank You'' letters. One
    letter came recently from Jacksonville, Florida, from the
    Mandarin Museum and Historical Society. They said to us, ``We
    were able to ascertain quickly what we needed to do to prepare
    for Tropical Storm Fay.
        ``There was substantial flooding, as well as a major tree
    fall, debris and a couple of displaced alligators. But we came
    through this with our structures and collections intact.''
        Madam Chairwoman, our goals are ambitious, but
    appropriately so. And I look forward to answering your
    questions.
        [The statement of Ms. Radice follows:]

      Prepared Statement of Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director, Institute of
                          Museum and Library Services

        Madame Chairwoman and Members of the Subcommittee: Thank you for
    the opportunity to appear before this subcommittee today to report on
    the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the ways in which it
    helps museums and libraries strengthen communities.
        My name is Anne-Imelda Radice and it has been my privilege to serve
    as the Director of IMLS since May of 2006. Previous federal positions I
    have held include Acting Assistant Chairman for Programs at the
    National Endowment for the Humanities, Chief of Staff to the Secretary
    of the United States Department of Education, Acting Chairman and
    Senior Deputy Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, Chief of
    the Creative Arts Division of the United States Information Agency,
    Curator and Architectural Historian for the Architect of the Capitol,
    and Assistant Curator at the National Gallery of Art. I was also the
    first Director of the National Museum of Women in the Arts from 1983
    until 1989.
    The Mission and Goals of 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 impact of our funding reaches into nearly every community
    in America.
        We involve hundreds of library and museum experts from communities
    across the nation in our stellar peer review process for our
    competitive awards. And we work in close partnership with every state
    and the territories to support library services through a population-
    based grant to every state. We provide federal leadership that helps
    institutions connect with the expertise they need to make a difference
    in their communities.
        Each year we make hundreds of grants that go beyond supporting
    individual projects. We are strategic. By encouraging great projects,
    innovative ideas, and solid research we are changing the way library
    and museum services are delivered in the United States.
        Our mission is to support these essential institutions in their
    efforts to connect people to information and ideas, the fundamental
    purpose of all museums and libraries. In carrying out that mission we
    have four major goals.
        Goal One: Attaining Excellence in Federal Management, Operations,
    and Service
        This first goal is the one that undergirds all the others. The
    Institute is focusing on its administrative capacity in order to
    fulfill its statutory grant making, research, evaluation, and policy
    activities. We continue to implement the consolidation of federal
    responsibilities for library statistics activities and provide advice
    on library and information policy. My management team and I are
    committed to meeting growing expectations to demonstrate
    accountability. Strategic planning and evaluation, as well as
    implementation of the President's Management Agenda (PMA), are a
    priority at the Institute and will enable the Institute to continue
    achieving high-quality management and performance. I am proud to report
    that IMLS has received only clean audits since my tenure as Director.
    Goal Two: Sustaining Heritage, Culture, and Knowledge
        The Institute's second goal is to help sustain heritage, culture,
    and knowledge. The collections in libraries and museums connect people
    to the full spectrum of human experience: culture, science, history,
    and art. By preserving and conserving books, artwork, scientific
    specimens, and other cultural artifacts, libraries and museums provide
    a tangible link with humankind's history.
        Late in 2005, Heritage Preservation, the national not-for-profit
    organization dedicated to saving the objects that embody our history,
    issued the Heritage Health Index, a study funded by IMLS. The findings
    of the Heritage Health Index were sobering:
         190 million objects in the United States are in need of
    conservation treatment.
         65 percent of collecting institutions have experienced
    damage to collections due to improper storage.
         80 percent of collecting institutions do not have an
    emergency plan that includes collections, with staff trained to carry
    it out.
         40 percent of institutions have no funds allocated in
    their annual budgets for preservation or conservation.
        IMLS, which has always supported conservation and preservation
    activities through conferences, publications, and millions of dollars
    in grants each year, responded with the Connecting to Collections
    initiative, or C2C. The purpose of this initiative is to raise public
    awareness of the importance of caring for our treasures, and to
    underscore the fact that these collections are essential to the
    American story. Moreover, through C2C we are providing direct
    assistance to the collections care efforts of museums and libraries in
    ways we never had before. The initiative has included a national summit
    on conservation with representatives of libraries and museums from
    every state, forums in different parts of the country on different
    aspects of collections care, statewide planning grants to promote
    collaborative efforts, and grants of an essential collection of books
    and other resources on conservation. This Connecting to Collections
    Bookshelf has been particularly well received. I have received hundreds
    of heartwarming expressions of thanks.
        I will excerpt briefly just a few:
        The Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium wrote, ``We * * * appreciate
    the resources that help us prepare for emergencies. Our collection
    contains representatives of 22 threatened or endangered species, and
    the loss of those animals--some of whom are among the most genetically
    valuable in American zoos--would be of incalculable harm to the cause
    of conservation.''
        Expressing a sentiment echoed by many of the Bookshelf recipients,
    the curator of the Goldsmith Museum in Baltimore wrote, ``Since we are
    a small museum with a limited budget, this library of resources is one
    that we could only have dreamed of owning.''
        It was particularly gratifying for me to read the following from
    the Mandarin Museum & Historical Society in Jacksonville:
        ``We received our Bookshelf a couple of days before [Tropical
    Storm] Fay hit near Jacksonville, Florida. Although we have a disaster
    plan in place, it is fairly limited * * * Through the Bookshelf, we
    were able to ascertain quickly what we still needed to do to prepare
    our museum for the storm. After the storm, our historical park received
    substantial flooding, as well as a major tree fall, a sizeable amount
    of debris, and a couple of displaced alligators. With the guidance of
    the bookshelf, I am happy to say that we came through the storm with
    our structures and collections intact.''
        The collections we are working to protect are the tangible link to
    every aspect of our culture. They are as significant to the American
    identity and character as any natural resource. That is why we have
    made this work such a high priority.
        Many IMLS grant programs can support some component of collections
    care. Conservation Project Support (CPS) is the one that is entirely
    focused on this area. CPS grants may be used to fund surveys of
    collections, improvements to environmental conditions, and the
    treatment of all types of collections, both living and non-living. To
    be eligible for a grant, the project must be addressing the
    institution's top conservation priority. Members of the subcommittee
    might be aware of some of these IMLS grants that have been awarded in
    recent years.

    Goal Two Examples
         The Tucson Museum of Art and History received $66,000 to
    properly rehouse the museum's collections, which include Mexican folk
    art and a collection of masks, pre-Columbian textiles, framed works on
    paper, regional sculpture, and a 50-piece furniture collection.
         The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum was awarded $27,000
    to conduct a detailed condition survey of the museum's vast historic
    paper-based and audiovisual collections, which include motion picture
    film, videos, sound recordings, photographic prints, slides,
    transparencies, and glass plate/film negatives related to early
    American railroading.
         The National Aquarium in Baltimore will use a $150,000
    grant to upgrade the Life Support System of its Atlantic Coral Reef
    exhibit.
         With a $9,000 CPS grant, the Currier Museum of Art in New
    Hampshire treated the Weare Press Cupboard, the most important piece of
    New England furniture in the museum's collection.
         The Brooklyn Museum received $80,000 this year to complete
    Phase I of an Art Storage Master Plan, consolidating existing storage
    areas, eliminating storage shortages, creating a textile center and
    viewing area, and transporting the collection of textiles and Asian
    screens into these newly reorganized units.
         In response to a 2005 tribal resolution, the Big Pine
    Paiute Tribe of the Owens Valley will establish a museum/cultural
    center on its reservation in southeastern California. In anticipation
    of this event, an outside consultant will provide training in
    collections management techniques and will help draft a collections
    management policy. The tribe currently has several ethnographic pieces,
    mainly in the form of baskets, as well as 14,442 archaeological
    artifacts from excavations on its property that will form the core of
    the material for the museum/cultural center. In addition, a case in the
    office if the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer will host an exhibit
    of material from the Papoose Flat Archaeological District that is on
    loan from Inyo National Forest. This exhibition will be designed to
    creatively depict the cultural heritage of the Big Pine Paiute Tribe.
    Goal Three: Enhancing Learning and Innovation
        The third goal of IMLS is to enhance learning and innovation.
    Success in today's society requires information literacy, a spirit of
    self-reliance, and a strong ability to collaborate, communicate
    effectively, and solve problems. Combining strengths in traditional
    learning with robust investment in modern communication
    infrastructures, libraries and museums are well equipped to build the
    skills Americans need in the 21st century. Libraries and museums bring
    tremendous learning assets to communities engaged in a wide range of
    concerns, from workforce issues and parenting to cross-cultural
    understanding and student achievement. As partners in the exercise of
    civic responsibility, libraries and museums are part of larger efforts
    to weave a stronger community fabric.
        Much of the work we do at the Institute serves this important goal.
    Through grants, convenings, and research, we are constantly striving to
    push the fields of museum and library services in ways that enhance the
    learning opportunities of all Americans.

    Goal Three Examples
         Dr. Patricia Montiel Overall at the University of Arizona,
    in partnership with Sunnyside Unified School District and Tucson
    Unified School District, is examining the effect of teacher/librarian
    collaboration on science information literacy of Latino students. Using
    qualitative and quantitative methodologies over three years, this study
    will look at teacher/librarian collaboration in the preparation of
    science instructional modules for third, fourth, and fifth graders in
    predominantly Latino elementary schools. This research will examine
    questions about the relationship of teacher/librarian collaboration to
    Latino students' performance on standardized tests of science
    proficiency and information literacy.
         The Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico partnered with Operacion
    Exito (OE) to create an Art-Science-Technology Project that to bring to
    the museum top high school students from low-income areas, providing
    previously unavailable education opportunities. The project was to
    develop an enhanced computer lab at the museum through OE, an
    innovative education initiative in science and math supported by the
    Puerto Rico Department of Education. Through the enhanced curriculum,
    students from the Central Visual Arts School will use new learning
    tools that integrate art and science using new technologies. A key
    component is the integration of multiple resources at the museum,
    including use of museum collections, space to engage with other
    students, and interaction with artists. There will also be teacher
    workshops to further integrate the museum resources into the
    curriculum.
         The York County (Pennsylvania) Heritage Trust (YCHT) will
    develop communications and activities with local educators to
    facilitate creative methods of teaching history to children in grades
    four through six. The museum will hire an experienced educator with a
    working knowledge of Pennsylvania Commonwealth curriculum standards for
    two years to compile a contact list of educators and education
    advocates, establish and build a network with schools and educators for
    future cooperation in lifelong learning activities, increase YCHT
    visibility in the schools through an electronic newsletter, conduct
    workshops in which teachers and administrators develop new programming,
    create and implement a list of traditional and electronic outreach
    products that schools can use, and publish and distribute an education
    service guide.
         The Frazier Arms Museum in Louisville will use
    videoconferencing capability to expand its education resources and
    provide the local community access to museum activities they would not
    normally encounter. A collaboration with the British Royal Armouries,
    this project will serve as a model, demonstrating how, using
    partnerships and the adaptation of some common technologies, museums
    can play a vital role in engaging local teachers and students in new
    learning opportunities.
         The Jonesborough--Washington County (Tennessee) History
    Museum is a major source of heritage education for this region of
    southern Appalachia. The objectives of the project are (1) to construct
    a Storytelling Porch in the museum gallery to provide an engaging and
    interactive experience for visitors and to achieve greater flexibility
    for special exhibits, and (2) to tell the story of Jonesborough through
    interpretive panels, using the National Register Historic District as
    an outdoor exhibition space and tying specific panels to stories
    visitors can listen to on the Storytelling Porch. Through this project,
    the museum aims to make its exhibits more engaging and to make use of
    the historic downtown as a unique resource for outdoor interpretation.

    Goal Four: Building Professional Capacity
        The fourth goal is building professional capacity in the museum and
    library fields. The need for lifelong learning applies to the staff of
    museums and libraries as well as their users. The Institute places a
    priority on building leadership capacity to address societal changes by
    supporting the development of a highly skilled workforce in libraries
    and museums. The Institute helps to spur innovation, support diversity,
    and build traditional library and museum service expertise.
        Several of the Institute's grant programs address this goal. We
    have two programs in particular that focus on it exclusively. The Laura
    Bush 21st Century Librarian program and the 21st Century Museum
    Professionals program fund projects that anticipate the needs of the
    next generation of library and museum professionals. These projects
    recruit and educate new professionals and enhance the training
    opportunities of those already in the field.

    Goal Four Examples
         The University of Arizona School of Information Resources
    and Library Science recruited 48 Native American and Hispanic students
    to a master's program in library and information science as part of its
    Knowledge River initiative. The initiative also involves 12 second-year
    scholars for the Knowledge River program and 24 Native American and
    Hispanic high school students in a Teen Community Health Information
    Institute to explore health sciences librarianship and provide
    community health services. The Knowledge River program helps students
    develop valuable skills such as leadership, professional contribution,
    and community service as well as improve their job preparation and job-
    seeking skills by providing workshops, community learning experiences,
    and opportunities to interact with library leaders.
         The Weeksville Heritage Center in Brooklyn has
    strengthened its institutional capacity by professionalizing its
    collections practices. As the only museum interpreting African American
    history in the 19th and 20th century in the Northeast, Weeksville
    Heritage Center needed to preserve its collections, while identifying
    ways to use them more effectively in exhibits and programs. IMLS
    funding supported the creation of a part-time position of Collections
    Manager, responsible for evaluating the 450 artifacts in the center's
    collections, developing and implementing a collections management
    policy, overseeing the initiation of an environmental monitoring
    system, and collaborating with program staff to utilize collections
    more effectively in public programming.
         The Cleveland Zoological Society will begin a conservation
    medicine program to enhance institutional capacity for research,
    training, and staff development. The program will allow the zoo to
    better understand the causes of health problems in captive animals
    through scientific research for improving animal management, health,
    and welfare. The proposed expansion of the project will support the
    zoo's veterinary epidemiologist (one who studies factors affecting the
    health and illness of populations) and add a master's degree student
    position and a three-year residency program in conservation medicine.
    By providing information to be shared with both public and professional
    members of the local, national, and international community, the zoo
    hopes to establish programs and initiatives to enhance conservation
    efforts and create a direct link to conservation programs in the field.
         The Beaver Area Memorial Library (Pennsylvania) used IMLS
    funds to subsidize the tuition cost of a student who will receive a
    master's in library science degree and work at the library.

    Policy, Research, and Statistics
        The 2003 reauthorization of the Museum and Library Services Act
    directed the Institute to conduct and publish analyses of the impact of
    museum and library services. IMLS responsibilities in this area were
    expanded with the passage of the FY 2008 Consolidated Appropriations
    Act.
        In fiscal year 2008, the transfer of responsibility for national
    collection of data about public and state libraries from the National
    Center for Education Statistics to IMLS was completed. These data are
    essential to inform good management practices in libraries as well as
    to inform policy. The collection and use of these data is a core factor
    in the delivery of high-quality library services in the United States.
    The data provide ongoing basic information about libraries and library
    service. Over the years, these data have been collected consistently
    and with an astounding 100 percent rate of public and state library
    participation. IMLS is continuing this record of participation and
    striving to ensure that the data collected are accurate and delivered
    to the public as quickly as possible so that they can be of maximum
    use. We are also hopeful of having funds appropriated to begin ongoing
    national data collection about museums.
        Also in FY 2008, the role of advising the President and Congress
    about libraries and information policy was transferred from the
    National Commission on Libraries and Information Science to IMLS. This
    responsibility fits well with the mission of the agency; the Institute
    has been a source of support for examination of library and information
    policy issues both nationally and internationally for more than 10
    years. In the years to come, the Institute will continue to support
    research and convene experts to help inform public debate in a range of
    policy issues, such as the new role of libraries and museums in the
    Internet age, the ways that communications policy affects public access
    to information, and the role of libraries and museums in supporting
    learning throughout the lifetime.

    National Medals for Museum and Library Service
        All of the library and museum activities IMLS supports have the end
    user of those institutions in mind. All of the technology and education
    in the world means nothing unless it is put to use in the service of
    the communities museums and libraries serve. To emphasize this
    fundamental principle, the Institute established the National Medal for
    Museum and Library Service.
        The National Medal honors outstanding institutions that make
    significant and exceptional contributions to their communities.
    Selected institutions demonstrate extraordinary and innovative
    approaches to public service, exceeding the expected levels of
    community outreach and core programs generally associated with its
    services.

    Youth Initiative
        The Institute's Engaging America's Youth initiative shines a
    spotlight on the role libraries and museums play in bringing about
    positive change in the lives of young people. The initiative included a
    study on youth programs in museums and libraries, the results of which
    showed that these institutions are unique in their ability to influence
    and educate youth. IMLS published a report on the study in December
    2007. In May 2008 we published Nine to Nineteen: Youth in Museums and
    Libraries; A Practitioner's Guide, which features several examples of
    successful youth programming from around the country, as well as useful
    information for planning exemplary youth programs. I submit these two
    publications for the record.

    21st Century Skills
        IMLS is undertaking a landmark project to create tools that will
    enable museums and libraries to become effective 21st century
    institutions. This work will highlight the ways in which museums and
    libraries can use their resources to help communities develop the 21st
    century skills they need to succeed in the new global economy.

    Conclusion
        The Institute of Museum and Library Services is a small agency that
    makes a big difference. And that difference is felt in communities all
    over the United States. Museums and libraries are more than buildings
    with artwork or books or historic artifacts. They are integral parts of
    their communities and, as much or more than any other entity, they are
    crucial to the community's quality of life. It is my privilege, and
    that of everyone who works at IMLS, to help libraries and museums in
    essential work.
        Thank you again for this opportunity. I look forward to answering
    any questions you might have.
                                     ______

        Chairwoman McCarthy. Thank you very much.
        I now would like to play a video on the conservation of the
    collectibles. [Video played.]
        Excellent piece. And I think people don't realize how
    important it is to preserve that. I have to say, here in
    Congress, we have a tremendous amount of paperwork. And our
    House administration has really been pushing all of us, as
    members, to start collecting, filing, so when we leave--to give
    it to a library or give it to a university school so there
    could always be research on that. And many of us have started
    doing that.
        Ms. LeBlanc?

     STATEMENT OF SUZANNE LEBLANC, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LONG ISLAND
                           CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

        Ms. LeBlanc. Good morning.
        Chairwoman McCarthy, Ranking Member Platts, Congressman
    Davis and members of the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and
    Communities, I am pleased and honored to be here to offer
    testimony on the theme, ``Examining the Role of Museums and
    Libraries in Strengthening Communities.'' I offer this
    testimony on behalf of the Long Island Children's Museum in
    Garden City, New York.
        I have spent my entire career of 34 years working in
    children's museums and believe strongly in the potential of
    museums and libraries to anchor communities and to offer lively
    and engaging resources for lifelong learning.
        Children's museums have a long history of providing
    resources for children and families in need. From the start, in
    1899, when the Brooklyn Children's Museum opened its doors,
    children's museums saw themselves as filling a gap in the
    education of children and the support of families.
        Anna Billings Gallup, one of the founders of the American
    Association of Museums, in 1906, and a curator-in-chief of the
    Brooklyn Children's Museum, wrote, ``The Children's Museum idea
    is Brooklyn's gift to the world.''
        Following in these historical footsteps, the founders of
    the Long Island Children's Museum, from its very beginnings,
    had a keen sense of commitment to community, and an
    understanding of the important role the museum could play on
    Long Island.
        In 2005, an opportunity presented itself for the museum to
    respond to the needs of the most vulnerable of families by
    entering into an innovative partnership with Nassau County's
    Department of Health and Human Services and Family Court.
        The county opened a new Welcome Center less than a 10-
    minute walk from the museum that consolidated eight agencies
    under one roof. This initiative was christened, ``No Wrong
    Door.'' No matter where a client would enter the human-services
    system, that person would now have access to any other needed
    service.
        Shortly thereafter, I received a call from the head of the
    youth board. He wanted to tour the museum with a few of his
    colleagues. To my surprise, about 15 people arrived with him.
    They included the director of human services for the county,
    key Department of Social Services department heads, and a
    Family Court judge.
        After this initial meeting, it became clear that several
    factors were converging that provided an opportunity for a
    sustained, invaluable partnership: The proximity of the museum
    and the Welcome Center, the mission and core values of the
    Children's Museum, the county's ``No Wrong Door'' initiative,
    and the passion and enthusiasm of county and museum staff.
        It was clear that funding would be necessary for the museum
    to launch the staff-intensive initiative. I was familiar with
    the Institute of Museum and Library Services ``Museums for
    America'' program, as well as with the work of the Providence
    Children's Museum that brings court-separated families together
    in the museum.
        The museum approached the county with the idea of
    developing a long-term partnership, submitted a proposal, and
    was awarded funding in September of 2007, for ``Be Together,
    Learn Together.'' We determined early on that the development
    of the partnership itself would be of the utmost importance.
        Project components and activities have taken shape as the
    project has proceeded, and include a redesign of the Welcome
    Center's supervised-visitation rooms--this is one of the more
    exciting things that is happening right at this moment--
    supervised visitations at the Children's Museum, weekly family
    activities at the Welcome Center, parent-and-family workshops,
    foster-care-awareness days at the museum, free museum passes
    for families and caseworkers, caseworker-appreciation nights at
    the museum, services to preventive providers, such as those
    serving teen parents, and collection days at the museum to
    support resource needs identified by the Welcome Center.
        There are, of course, challenges in effectively
    implementing this collaboration. Caseworkers are dealing, on a
    daily basis, with children and families in great need and,
    often, in crisis. It takes enormous commitment on the part of
    these staff to put time and effort into implementing new
    procedures and programs in the face of their daily challenges.
    This was a really important thing that we realized.
        For this reason, the development of the partnership was
    considered an integral part of the important work of ``Be
    Together, Learn Together.'' ``Be Together, Learn Together,'' is
    neither the only, nor the first, major program initiative the
    museum has implemented to serve low-income or otherwise
    vulnerable children and families. I have discussed some of
    these other programs briefly in my written testimony. They,
    too, are part of the fabric and culture of the museum.
        In closing, I would like to add a personal note and say
    that I remember the day when I first discovered libraries,
    realizing that I could read these books whether or not my
    family could afford to buy them. I also remember my first
    museum experience, as a teenager, visiting the Peabody Essex
    Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, with a friend.
        I was hungry to learn about the world. And these
    institutions helped provide me with the resources that have
    guided me throughout my life.
        Museums and libraries are important institutions that can
    have great impact on families and communities. IMLS plays a key
    role in enabling these institutions to pilot unique programs,
    to work together in museum-library partnerships, and to take
    leadership roles in strengthening their communities.
        As a recipient of IMLS funds in Las Vegas, as well as now,
    in New York, I am familiar with, and deeply appreciate to
    impact of IMLS funding toward the creation of strong and
    vibrant community partnerships. Thank you.
        [The statement of Ms. LeBlanc follows:]

      Prepared Statement of Suzanne LeBlanc, Long Island Children's Museum

        I am pleased and honored to offer this written testimony
    highlighting the role of museums in strengthening communities, on
    behalf of the Long Island Children's Museum in Garden City, New York.
        As someone who has spent her full adult career working in
    children's museums in Boston, Brooklyn, Las Vegas and now Garden City
    on Long Island in New York, I have had the opportunity to witness
    firsthand, participate in, create and direct museum programs and major
    initiatives that have thoroughly inspired and engaged young people,
    supported family learning in important ways, and had a deep and lasting
    impact on families who began to view and use the museum as an important
    lifelong resource.
        Children's museums have a long history of providing resources to
    children and families in need and of being trusted community
    institutions. To put our current discussion into context--December16,
    1999 marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the first
    children's museum in Brooklyn, New York. Anna Billings Gallup, one of
    the founders of the American Association of Museums in 1906 and a
    curator-in-chief of the Brooklyn Children's Museum said, in the
    Brooklyn Daily Eagle, ``The Children's Museum idea is Brooklyn's gift
    to the world.'' In 1917, during World War I, the Children's Museum in
    Boston (the second oldest children's museum) briefly considered closing
    its doors because of the challenges of raising funds during wartime.
    But the museum's trustees ``realized that * * * to close [the museum's]
    doors when thousands of children were looking to it for mental stimulus
    and satisfaction would be wrong.'' Shortly thereafter, during an
    extremely cold winter in 1918, Boston's schools were closed because of
    a shortage of coal. Many children had nowhere to go but the streets.
    The museum responded to this crisis by scheduling a series of daily
    lectures for young people. (See Appendix 1--``The Slender Golden
    Thread, 100 Years Strong.'')
        The Long Island Children's Museum (LICM), was conceived over dinner
    conversation among three couples in 1989 and first opened to the public
    in November of 1993 in 5,400 square feet of donated space in an office
    building that could only accommodate 98 people at one time and was
    intended to serve a demonstration site. Community response was
    immediate. LICM's first newsletter ran two headlines: ``Museum Opens!''
    and ``Board Begins Search for Larger Quarters.'' LICM is now housed in
    a 40,000 square foot former Navy airplane hangar on Nassau County land
    in Garden City. It has a $5 million annual budget, 100 employees and 65
    volunteers. The Museum welcomes 265,000 visitors per year, including
    40,000 schoolchildren. The founders of the Museum, from its inception,
    had a keen sense of commitment to community and an understanding of the
    important role the museum could play on Long Island. Robert Lemle,
    founding board member and current co-chair of the museum's board of
    trustees, said in a recent interview for the Oberlin Alumni Magazine,
    `` This was a civic contribution that we could make: an institution
    that would be accessible to everyone and have an important impact on
    Long Island and our community.'' (See Appendix 2--``Child's Play.'')
        In late 2005 an opportunity presented itself for the Museum to
    respond in a significant and positive way to the needs of the most
    vulnerable of families by entering into an innovative partnership with
    Nassau County's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and
    Family Court. In September 2005 Nassau County opened a new 219,000
    square-foot Health and Human Services Welcoming Center across the road
    and less that a 10-minute walk from LICM. The new facility houses eight
    agencies under one roof--previously located in five different sites
    throughout the county. Receiving an average of 1,000 visitors each day,
    and some days as many as 2,000, the building is bright, positive and
    welcoming and includes a small staffed children's playroom and a
    library where books are given away. Most importantly, the new center
    provides ``a single point of entry into the Health and Human Services
    system'' for individuals and families in Nassau County. This initiative
    to consolidate the intake process, increase the efficient delivery of
    services and ensure an ``outcome-driven approach to case management''
    was christened the No Wrong Door program. No matter where a client
    enters the human services system, that person will now have access to
    any other county or community service they need. (See Appendix 3--
    Nassau County Press Release.)
        Shortly after this opening, Dr. Louise Skolnik, director of human
    services for Nassau County, key Department of Health and Human Services
    department heads and Family Court Judge Hope Zimmerman approached the
    Museum to meet and discuss ways to work together on behalf of families
    visiting the new Welcoming Center as well as those engaged with Child
    Protective Services, Preventative, Foster Care and Adoption Services
    and Family Court. After this initial meeting it became clear to museum
    and county staff that several factors were converging that provided an
    opportunity for a significant and sustained partnership between the
    county agencies and the Long Island Children's Museum. The proximity of
    the Museum and the new Welcoming Center, the mission and core values of
    the Children's Museum, the County's No Wrong Door initiative, and the
    passion and enthusiasm of DHHS, Family Court and Museum staff on behalf
    of families, formed a perfect situation for something groundbreaking to
    develop.
        As a 501c3 not for profit agency, with 50% of its yearly budget
    raised from corporate, foundation and individual donations, it was
    necessary for the Museum to raise funds to launch this kind of staff
    intensive initiative and partner in such a significant way. The
    Museum's Executive Director, Suzanne LeBlanc, was familiar with the
    federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Museums for
    America program. She approached the county agencies with the idea of
    developing a long-term, sustained collaboration. The Children's Museum
    submitted an application for funding from IMLS in November 2006 and was
    awarded funding in September of 2007 for the program--Be Together,
    Learn Together. (See Appendix 4--LICM Community Access Fact Sheet--Be
    Together, Learn Together and Appendix 5--IMLS Grant Narrative.)
        Several decisions and factors have contributed to the success to-
    date of this collaboration: an intensive pre-proposal planning process
    involving museum, social services and family court staff; the
    establishment of a joint planning committee (county agency and museum
    staff) that would meet monthly throughout the project, including the
    participation commitment of Dr. Louise Skolnik and Suzanne LeBlanc; the
    Children's Museum's hire of a full-time program manager, with
    substantial community programming experience, to coordinate all aspects
    of the project; an initial decision that this two-year project would be
    designed as a planning and prototyping phase, allowing program
    components to be adequately tested and evaluated, and the formation of
    a national advisory committee with local representation that would add
    expertise and national perspective to the project. The development of
    the collaboration itself is of paramount importance; allowing each
    partner to contribute talents and expertise that serve their shared
    audience.
        The project components and activities have developed as the project
    has proceeded and include:
         a re-design of the Welcome Center's supervised visitation
    rooms by museum exhibit designers with input from caseworker focus
    groups and welcome center staff administrators, and utilizing
    prototyping of individual components with families before final design
         supervised visitations at the Children's Museum taking
    advantage of this positive, non-judgmental setting and fun learning
    environment
         weekly activities at the Welcome Center, taught by museum
    staff, for children and families waiting to be seen by Health and Human
    Services staff
         parent workshops focused on play, childhood development,
    and supporting pre-and early literacy skills
         Museum-led workshops for children and parents that
    incorporate activities that enable modeling of positive parent/child
    interaction skills
         awareness days at the Museum that increase public
    understanding of the urgent need for more foster care families
         free museum passes distributed at the Welcome Center to
    families, as well as to case workers
         caseworker appreciation nights at the Museum
         services to preventive providers such as to Long Beach
    Reach, which among other activities serves pregnant teens and teen
    parents
         collection days at the Museum for children's books, art
    and craft supplies, winter coats, back to school supplies and other
    drives to support resource needs that the Welcome Center identifies
        I would like to discuss the re-design of the supervised visitation
    rooms in more depth as they are illustrative of the advantages of our
    unique collaboration. There are two rooms in the Welcome Center and
    while clean, they were small, with bare white walls and sofas that are
    difficult to clean, and that do little to encourage family interaction.
    The museum's director of exhibits, the Be Together, Learn Together
    program manager, and the administrator of the Welcome Center formed the
    nucleus of a project team to work on this environment. It was decided
    that before making significant changes it would be important to create
    a focus group to gather input from caseworkers who use the room for
        supervised visitations. The buy-in of caseworkers and cleaning
    staff would be critical to the success of the room changes.
        The Museum donated staff time and some funds for the changes and
    the Welcome Center accessed a small state grant to supplement the funds
    that would be needed. With feedback gathered, design drawings were
    created and prototyped components were developed to try-out with
    families and caseworkers in the supervised visitation rooms. A final
    design was approved at a meeting of the Joint Planning Committee, which
    included a new parent participant. Changes to one room are now being
    implemented; changes to the second room will follow after observation
    and feedback from families and caseworkers about the success of the
    changes to the first room. Training for caseworkers and cleaning staff
    will be conducted by the Museum. (See Appendix 6--Floor Plans and
    Rendering.)
        Components of the new supervised visitation room include:
         a big, inviting, fanciful and colorful storytelling chair
         a collection of framed children's art on the walls with a
    mechanism for installing art done by children who use the room
         a large-size tic tac toe inset in the floor, with giant
    playing pieces
         a loveseat, kids round table with chairs, and the
    storytelling chair form the parent/child interaction zone
         Ceiling murals (4) that represent different kinds of
    skies--starry, cloudy, sunny and stormy with lightning
         A toy bench with a small number of developmentally
    appropriate toys in good shape
         An art supply cart
         A bookshelf filled with books to use with the storytelling
    chair
         A food prep counter
         A caseworker chair
         Rooms painted an inviting color
         New linoleum and rugs (with tic tac toe inset)
         Softer, colored lighting
         New furniture colorful, attractive, child-friendly and
    easy to clean
        The redesign of the supervised visitation room is a wonderful
    example of a contribution that a museum, with exhibit designers on
    staff who are experienced in designing for children, can make to a
    social service agency. The redesigned room invites and welcomes
    families in, naturally encourages parent/child interaction, and
    communicates respect for the families who must visit with each other in
    this supervised setting.
        There are of course challenges in effectively implementing this
    collaboration. In particular, caseworkers and administrators are
    dealing on a daily basis with children and families in great need and
    often in crisis. It takes enormous commitment on the part of these
    staff, to make time for meetings with the Museum and to put time and
    effort into implementing new procedures and programs in the face of
    their daily challenges. It also takes a strong commitment, tempered
    with understanding and consistency, on the part of museum's staff to
    keep moving forward when things get preempted or delayed or move more
    slowly than desired. For this reason, the development of the
    partnership between the two institutions was considered an integral
    element of the important work of the Be Together, Learn Together
    program. (See Appendix 7, Letter of Support from Dr. Louise Skolnik)
        The partners are currently in Year One of a two-year funded project
    and are committed to continuing to work together. Independent program
    evaluation, conducted by the Institute for Learning Innovation (see
    Appendix 8, Quick Response Memo, Year One Evaluation) was designed into
    the program to guide partners toward their goal of full program
    implementation and to ensure long-term program sustainability,
        Be Together, Learn Together is neither the only nor the first major
    program initiative the Museum implemented to serve low income or
    otherwise vulnerable children and families. In 2002, with substantial
    corporate funding, Long Island Children's Museum initiated the
    KICKstart (Kids Ideas Create Knowledge) program, a multi-year
    initiative developed to deliver museum and outreach programming to all
    Head Start, second and third grade (and some fourth grade) students and
    their families in four of Long Island's most high-need school
    districts--Hempstead, Roosevelt, Central Islip and Wyandanch. This
    multi-year grant allowed the Museum to build trust in these communities
    with families, administrators and teachers and to offer consistent
    staffing, programming and services over several years. (See Appendix
    9--Community Access Fact Sheet--KICKstart.) A program evaluation,
    looking at impact over time, was conducted this year by the Institute
    of Learning Innovation, who also conducted yearly evaluations of the
    last few years of the program. (See Appendix 10--KICKstart Critical
    Review Year 6 Evaluation.)
        The Children's Museum has a multi-faceted early childhood program
    initiative that includes an exhibit for children from birth to five and
    their families, daily workshops for very young children and their
    families (Music and Movement, Story and Art, Creative Connections and
    Messy Afternoons). Parent workshops are offered on such topics as
    Parenting a Strong-Willed Child, and Living with Autism: A Team
    Approach. In addition, the Museum has begun offering a kindergarten
    readiness program for low-income families, which includes daily classes
    for children about to enter kindergarten and weekly classes for parents
    to prepare them for their role as their child's educational advocate.
        The Children's Museum has a substantial Access program that
    subsidizes visits by individuals and community groups unable to afford
    the admission fee. Relationships have been developed with family
    shelters, boys and girls clubs, groups that serve children with autism
    and their families, groups that serve returning veterans and their
    families and others. This program also subsidizes outreach programs to
    schools, libraries and community groups in low-income areas. LICM
    offers museum family passes to all libraries for purchase that provide
    free admission for library patrons. The passes can be taken out just
    like books; they have been extremely effective in communities that
    serve middle and low-income families, sometimes with a waiting list
    months long.
        The Long Island Children's Museum views itself as a community
    gathering place for important issues involving children and families to
    be discussed and presented. The Museum has a professional 150-seat
    theater offering an ideal location to host meetings, training seminars
    and other types of events. In the last few years, the Museum has hosted
    the launch of the Early Years Matter campaign, a two-day training for
    teachers and community workers on bullying, a Department of Health and
    Human Services county-wide meeting for all school district personnel to
    provide an update on Child Protective Services Laws and Protocol, the
    launch of the Long Island Index--an annual report on the state of the
    communities of Long Island, an annual expo featuring the programs and
    services of all Nassau County libraries, and recently, an Institute of
    Museum and Library Services meeting to outline grant opportunities for
    museums and libraries.
        The title of this subcommittee session--``Examining the Role of
    Museums and Libraries in Strengthening Communities'' is very relevant
    to the ways that museums are increasingly viewing themselves--as
    institutions with much to offer their respective communities in ways
    that serve the whole family, build partnerships, address community
    needs and serve as a vehicle for groups to come together and find
    common ground. Sally Osberg, previously the executive director of the
    Children's Museum of San Jose, noted ``Children's museums speak to a
    deep desire to be anchored in a community and to see your children
    anchored in a community.'' (See Appendix 1.) Museums and libraries have
    been and continue to be important institutions that can have great
    impact on families and communities. The Institute of Museum and Library
    Services play a key role in enabling these institutions to pilot unique
    programs, to work together in museum/library partnerships and to take
    leadership roles in strengthening their communities. As a recipient of
    IMLS funds, both at the Long Island Children's Museum and at the Lied
    Discovery Children's Museum in Las Vegas, I am familiar with, and
    deeply appreciate the impact of IMLS funding toward the creation of
    strong and vibrant community partnerships.

                               LIST OF APPENDICES

    Appendix 1. LeBlanc, Suzanne. ``The Slender Golden Thread, 100 Years
            Strong.'' Museum News, Nov. /Dec. 1999, 49-55, 63.
    Appendix 2. Waleson, Heidi. ``Child's Play.'' Oberlin Alumni Magazine,
            Spring 2008, 18-21.
    Appendix 3. ``Suozzi Unveils ``No Wrong Door'' for Nassau County
            Residents''--Nassau County Press Release, November 29, 2004
    Appendix 4. LICM Community Access Fact Sheet--Be Together, Learn
            Together
    Appendix 5. LICM--2007 IMLS MFA--Grant Narrative
    Appendix 6. Floor Plans and Rendering for proposed transformation of
            Nassau County Department of Health and Human Services'
            Supervised Visitation Rooms.
    Appendix 7. Skolnik, DSW, Louise. Letter of support for Be Together,
            Learn Together 2007 IMLS MFA Grant Request.
    Appendix 8. Institute for Learning Innovation--Quick Response Memo:
            Year One Evaluation
    Appendix 9. LICM Community Access Fact Sheet--KICKStart
    Appendix 10. Kessler, Cheryl and Storksdieck, Ph.D, Martin--KICKstart
            Critical Review Year 6 Evaluation. Institute for Learning
            Innovation, February 2008.
                                     ______

        Chairwoman McCarthy. Thank you.
        Ms. Zales?

     STATEMENT OF MARY CLARE ZALES, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF EDUCATION,
         COMMONWEALTH LIBRARIES AND COMMISSIONER FOR LIBRARIES

        Ms. Zales. Good morning. Madam Chair McCarthy,
    Representative Platts and honored members of the committee,
    thank you for allowing me to testify today. I appreciate the
    opportunity to discuss the essential impact libraries have on
    America's 21st century communities.
        I would like to focus on the innovative and creative ways
    libraries have reached far beyond their traditional role, to
    incorporate emerging technologies so they can better meet the
    changing needs of changing populations, and how, as a result,
    the library has a new and expanding role in the community.
        Libraries are the information and cultural hub of the
    community. And all are welcome at the library, regardless of
    age, income, education, physical ability, or address. Libraries
    strive to serve their patrons throughout the lifecycle, from
    birth through end of life. And children have always been a
    priority for the libraries, and the work we do on their behalf
    will always be our most important work.
        This committee, in particular, is aware of the emerging
    brain research which shows that pre-literacy experiences are
    irreplaceable in a child's brain development. Successful pre-
    literacy experiences influence academic success, which leads to
    career success, which, ultimately, impacts the health and
    vitality of our families, our communities and our nation. And
    libraries are uniquely positioned to help.
        To help meet this need, and in so doing, they have an
    indelible impact on child development. In Pennsylvania, we
    incorporated this research into our children's programs, ``One
    Book Every Young Child'' and ``Family Place,'' where libraries
    bring together children and their parents with community
    resources and professionals in child development.
        Pennsylvania also participates in the Summer Reading
    program, where over 280,000 children read through the summer
    and return to school ready to learn. This is more children than
    participate in Little League.
        A recent Pew Foundation study on how Americans search for
    information showed people who used the Internet are more likely
    to use the library. This was true regardless of income.
        This report is valuable because it refutes the lingering
    opinion that the Internet will replace the library. As public
    libraries provide many essential services to their communities,
    our school libraries have become sophisticated 21st century
    learning environments.
        Across the United States, studies have documented that
    students score higher on standardized tests where there is a
    strong school library program. In Pennsylvania, middle schools
    with the highest state reading scores spend twice as much on
    their school libraries as the lowest-scoring schools.
        States like Pennsylvania invest well in technology when
    they invest in programs that offer access statewide to vetted
    databases beyond what is available free on the Internet. And we
    share resources through shared online catalogs of schools,
    public and academic libraries. And to satisfy the public and
    the middle-of-the-night student, we offer around-the-clock
    virtual reference. For Pennsylvanians, and for a growing number
    of Americans, the library is never closed.
        Services on behalf of libraries are more valuable and more
    heavily used during times of economic downturn. This is true
    whether it be personal or national. One Pennsylvanian noted,
    ``The savings from borrowing one hardback book equals half a
    tank of gas.''
        And patrons are coming to the library for more that
    borrowing free books. They come for the computer, for Internet
    access, databases with job listings, training on resume
    development, techniques for interviewing and learning 21st
    century skills needed to find a new or a better job.
        Recent statistics show nationwide libraries host 1.3
    billion visits, and loan 2 billion items each year. This
    increase in activities equivalent is echoed in Pennsylvania--
    for, half the adult population, those over 18, physically
    visited their library last year.
        Obviously, to meet the changing needs of our communities,
    libraries need adequate funding from all sources--local, state
    and federal. Allow me to state strongly: The innovation, the
    outreach, the spark of idea, the creative solutions that are
    responsible, in large measure, for the contribution by
    libraries to education and communities nationwide, would not
    have been possible without the Library Services and Technology
    Act.
        In closing, I thank you for this opportunity. I report to
    you with confidence the funding invested in public libraries is
    a wise and fruitful investment, as all aspects of a community
    benefit. Libraries are continually advancing to meet the
    information, education and enrichment needs of our nation. And
    as we can all testify, learning begins at the library. I thank
    you.
        [The statement of Ms. Zales follows:]

      Prepared Statement of Mary Clare Zales, Commissioner for Libraries,
                             State of Pennsylvania

        Chairwoman McCarthy and Ranking Member Platts, thank you for
    allowing me to testify today. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss
    how libraries are essential to America's 21st Century communities.
        My name is Mary Clare Zales. I am the Commissioner for Libraries in
    Pennsylvania which is the position equivalent in other states to the
    state librarian.
        I am also a member of the American Library Association, the oldest
    and largest library association in the world with 66,000 members who
    are primarily school, public, academic, and some special librarians,
    and also trustees, publishers and friends of libraries.
        As Pennsylvania's state librarian, I am a member with my
    counterparts nationwide of the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies
    (COSLA). Its purpose is to identify and address issues of common
    concern and national interest; to further state library agency
    relationships with federal government and national organizations; and
    to initiate cooperative action for the improvement of library services
    to the people of the United States.
        As Deputy Secretary for Libraries I lead the development of library
    services in Pennsylvania and oversee the State Library of Pennsylvania,
    one of four major research libraries of the state, that has recently
    completed a refocus of its mission placing an emphasis on its historic
    collections and becoming the destination library for Pennsylvania
    related materials and resources. Working most recently with various
    Commonwealth agencies and stakeholders, Pennsylvania completed the
    construction of a Rare Collections Library in preserving thousands of
    Commonwealth and national treasures. Among them is the 422-volume
    Assembly Collection purchased in 1745 by Ben Franklin and Franklin's
    1754 Pennsylvania Gazette in which he describes his ``Key & Kite
    Experiment.''
        I am here today representing the American Library Association, the
    Chief Officers of State Library Agencies, and most personally to
    represent library service in Pennsylvania.
        I am proud of the role libraries play nationwide and of the role
    libraries play in improving and enriching the lives of Pennsylvanians.
    Pennsylvania has 458 public library systems with 635 library locations
    and 35 bookmobiles to serve our twelve million residents. There is a
    state-funded library meeting state standards in every one of our 67
    counties with 97% of our population eligible for a library card without
    charge. Pennsylvania represents 4% of the country's population, and we
    have 5% of the nation's public libraries. As it is true nationwide it
    is true in Pennsylvania, there are more public libraries than
    McDonalds!
        With this testimony, I would like to focus on how libraries are
    reaching new populations in new ways; and how their presence in the
    community is growing. First, I would like to say the time honored and
    traditional role of the library is intact. We remain a resource and
    repository of the printed word. I believe reading and lending books
    will continue to be the fundamental role of libraries. That said, let
    us open the door of today's library and see the many ways they serve
    our communities.
        Every day across the country knowledgeable librarians provide
    culturally diverse communities with a broad range of services for
    people of all ages and backgrounds. In Pennsylvania, anyone can come
    into a state-aided library and access the materials before them. This
    is true regardless of income, education, physical ability or address.
    Actually, even if you don't have an address, you are welcomed. And you
    are welcomed to remain anonymous. We only ask that you apply for a
    library card if you choose to borrow from the library or participate in
    programs.
        Libraries in Pennsylvania, like libraries nationwide exist to
    serve. This means at the core, the mission of every library regardless
    of type or location is the same: to meet the information, education and
    enrichment needs of those they serve. And libraries serve the full
    community throughout the life cycle * * * from birth through the end of
    life.

    Services to Children
        Libraries are often the first opportunity a child has to interact
    with books. Libraries across the country are providing important early
    literacy services for young children as well as a wide assortment of
    books, music, audiobooks, DVDs, computer programs, and so much more
    that can be used in the library or at home. Story times are popular as
    they offer preschoolers an engaging experience with books.
        In Pennsylvania, we have a strong focus on infants, toddlers and
    children. I suspect this committee in particular is aware of the
    emerging brain research which demonstrates that pre-literacy
    experiences are irreplaceable in a child's brain development and
    influences academic success. The absence of pre-literacy experiences
    has an impact on career success and ultimately impacts the health and
    vitality of our families, communities and our nation
        The library community of Pennsylvania recognized the need to
    incorporate these findings in our programming. As a result, we
    initiated the One Book, Every Young Child program using the one-book-
    one-community model. Every April we select a pre-literacy book that
    will be read to young children across the Commonwealth. The program
    prompts child care centers, pre-schools and libraries to plan events
    and activities related to the theme of the selected book which will
    engage children, parents and caregivers in early reading practices.
        This year's title was read to 21,000 children in home-based child
    care and class-based early care and education programs in addition to
    being read in virtually all our public libraries. All 67 counties
    participated in One Book Every Young Child events and over 90,000
    copies of the book were distributed through libraries and their
    community partners. In all, approximately 560,000 preschool children
    were reached this year by the program. We are working with
    pediatricians and health care clinics to put a copy of the One Book
    title in waiting rooms across the state. I am proud to report our One
    Book Every Young Child program won the 2007 John Cotton Dana award, one
    of the most prestigious awards bestowed by the American Library
    Association. Since 2004, we have sponsored an Early Learning Forum and
    Best Practices Awards program each year. Identifying best practices and
    providing evidence of the importance of early literacy has elevated
    children's programming statewide. Over 30 years of research confirms
    the foundational importance of early education and care for children's
    school and life success.
        If we expect our students to achieve high levels, we must start
    them off early and start them off right. Early education and care
    provide a critical focus for our efforts. Strong libraries play a vital
    role in this early learning for tens of thousands of Pennsylvania
    families.
        Pennsylvania is proud to participate in the national Family Place
    Program that builds on the role of the library as the core of the
    community. Family Place Libraries reserve physical space in the library
    to conduct programs for young children and their parents, bringing them
    together with community resources and professionals in child
    development. In Doylestown, Pennsylvania, a parent attending Family
    Place Programs at the Bucks County Free Library commented that ``I
    thought that the library just had to do with reading and books. This
    was a different opportunity for using toys, play and social
    interaction. The library has a bigger role. You went beyond what I
    expected.''
        The Yeadon Public Library in Delaware County reported that during a
    Family Place workshop a mother expressed strong concern about her son
    who was diagnosed with autism. The library connected the parent with
    child development specialists and the next week her son was receiving
    assistance. Pennsylvania leads the nation in the number of Family Place
    Libraries.
        A perennially popular children's program is the Summer Reading
    program which is now more than one hundred years old. It is also the
    very first program public libraries offered and it began in Pittsburgh,
    Pennsylvania. This summer in Pennsylvania, more than 280,000 children
    of all ages joined with children nationwide and in American military
    bases to read under a common theme.
        The work on behalf of our children is the most important work we
    do. This emphasis in Pennsylvania is reflected in the Sullivan Award
    for Public Library Administrators Supporting Services to Children
    having been awarded in 2006 to Janice Trapp, Director of the Lycoming
    County Library System in Williamsport, PA. An example of one program at
    her library is ``Celebrating the Birth of Each Child.'' When each of
    the 1,500 or so babies born each year in Lycoming County leaves the
    hospital, mom takes home a tiny backpack, courtesy of a community-
    funded program of the library. Inside is information about library
    programs, a book, a stuffed animal--and a Baby Library Card.

    Services to Seniors and Special Populations
        Older adults enjoy the many services and resources of the public
    library. From book clubs to health seminars to travel and medical
    resources, older Pennsylvanians like older adults nationwide feel right
    at home in their public library. For example, the Adams County Library
    System is one of many libraries that partner with American Assoication
    of Retired People (AARP) to offer seniors tax services to more than 500
    seniors. In Cumberland County the library system and Hospice of Central
    Pennsylvania developed a partnership to provide homebound service to
    hospice clients and their families.
        Libraries also provide important community services and programs
    for non-English speakers. Nationwide 78% of libraries reported Spanish
    as the main non-English language used in the library. Libraries work
    with the Spanish-speaking community by offering specially developed
    story times and Spanish and bilingual library materials.
        Public libraries partner with the National Library Services for the
    Blind and Physically Handicapped in the Library of Congress to serve
    those who cannot use a traditional book due to visual or physical
    handicaps. This program opens up the world of books to Americans with
    disabilities that would otherwise make it impossible for them to read.
    Though traditionally viewed as a service to the aging community, in
    Pennsylvania alone there are 261,000 children between the ages of three
    and eighteen, many of whom would not be able to succeed in school
    without recorded materials.
        The two Regional Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
    in Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh lend two million
    recorded, Braille and large print books and magazines each year. The
    Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped reach out to those
    in short term and long term need with the most recent outreach being to
    returning soldiers
        Currently the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically
    Handicapped is undertaking a transition from a cassette based format to
    a new digital format that will be much easier to use and offer a
    downloadable option.
        Helen Jane Kane of Butler County in Pennsylvania captured the
    intrinsic value of this service when she said: ``The books have really
    helped me keep a more positive mental attitude and added another
    dimension to my life.'' Grace Bussler, also from Butler County, added
    ``These books have been a godsend to not just me but my family also,
    because if I'm happy and satisfied, so are they.''

    Libraries and Technology
        While computer use has increased substantially in the United
    States, many American households still do not have home computers or
    home Internet access. Libraries are working to close this ``digital
    divide'' in many of our nation's distressed communities by providing
    no-fee, public access to computers and the Internet. Nationwide 73% of
    all libraries report they are the only provider of free Internet access
    in their communities. In rural areas, the role of the library is even
    more critical as 83% of libraries are the only free Internet provider.
        The report ``Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding
    & Technology Access Study 2007-2008'' was released last week. This
    report assesses public access to computers, the Internet and Internet-
    related services in public libraries of the United States, and the
    impact of library funding changes on connectivity, technology
    deployment and sustainability. Chairwoman McCarthy, I request the
    executive summary of the report be submitted into the record as
    Appendix A of this testimony.
        The report found that America's 16,543 public library buildings are
    leveraging technology to help students of all ages succeed in school
    and support lifelong learning. More than 83% of libraries now offer
    online homework resources, including live tutors and collections of
    reliable Web sources--an increase of 15% in one year. Libraries also
    reported significant increases in the number of audiobooks and podcasts
    (33% increase) videos (32% increase), e-books (13.5% increase) and
    digitized special collections (13% increase). As Americans are changing
    the ways they meet their educational, entrepreneurial and entertainment
    needs, libraries are changing with them and making access more
    convenient in person and with expanding services online.
        As stated in the report, a student in Kentucky without a computer
    or Internet at home used her public library and the free online
    tutoring program every week of her last two years of high school to
    assist with AP level courses in algebra and physics. Heather told
    library staff her grades went up and her stress levels went down
    because of the library services and resource. Heather is now in college
    and has plans for medical school.
        A Pew Foundation study on how Americans search for information was
    released in December.\1\ The study showed people who used the Internet
    were more likely to use the library than people who do not use the
    Internet. This was true regardless of income.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ Leigh Estabrook, Evans Witt, and Lee Rainee, ``Information
    Searches That Solve Problems: How people use the Internet, libraries,
    and government agencies when they need help,'' (Pew Internet and
    American Life Project, December 30, 2007). Available on the Internet at
    http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/231/report--display.asp.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        This refutes the supposition by some that the Internet will render
    libraries obsolete. This study also revealed significant new
    information on who is using our libraries. Traditionally, the profile
    of the library user was a middle-aged female. This study shows a
    dramatic shift in that profile to young people ages 18 to 30. This
    shift indicates two current realities about our libraries 1) libraries
    are successful in offering technology that attracts younger users and
    2) it charges libraries with keeping pace with emerging technologies to
    continue to support the information needs of young adults as they grow
    into adulthood.
        Libraries use technology to link communities around the country and
    provide users access to information through state, regional, national
    and international networks. Many states offer a statewide network to
    provide enriched content databases and to open access to resources
    statewide. Pennsylvania offers three major programs that support the
    use of emerging technology and open access to on-line, vetted
    databases.
        The Pennsylvania On-line World of Electronic Resources--POWER
    Library--allows access to authoritative resources for children,
    students and adults through their school or public library or remotely
    through the public library website. The POWER Library extends access to
    journals, e-books, dictionaries, encyclopedias, the AP photo archive
    and much, much more. Last year over 35 million articles and items were
    examined, which is a 71% increase in usage over the past three years.
        Pennsylvania also offers a statewide electronic library catalog
    called the Access Pennsylvania Database. This on-line catalog shows the
    holdings of more than 3,000 school, public, academic and special
    libraries throughout Pennsylvania. The database has more than 67
    million holdings and 15 million unique titles.
        Virtual reference service is a relatively recent addition to
    Pennsylvania's on-line services. The Ask Here PA program was launched
    in September 2006 as a virtual reference service available to all
    residents twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. There is a second
    tier to the Ask Here PA program for college level and more in-depth
    questions. To date, over 42,000 live chat questions were asked. If this
    level of activity continues through December 2008, as it is expected
    to, Ask Here PA will be the most active virtual reference service in
    the nation. Greater than 50% of the activity is from Pennsylvania's
    students.
        Through these programs in particular, Pennsylvania's libraries,
    like a growing number of libraries nationwide, are now serving our
    communities 24-7--The library never closes!

    Libraries and Economic Development
        Libraries play a valued role in the business community. In a
    growing number of communities, libraries are opening business branches
    offering specialized collections, providing business-specific training
    in discerning credible research, studies, even grant opportunities as
    well as assisting with business development initiatives.
        For many small businesses, the library is the source for research
    and a specially trained and experienced staff they could not otherwise
    afford. Greg Skoog credits the Hickory Public Library in North Carolina
    for getting his transport company started. He used books from the
    library on writing a business plan and cash flow analysis; he used the
    Internet for research and wrote his business plan. Mr. Skoog said that
    basically, the library was his office for three weeks. He now employs
    135 people.

    Libraries in Tough Economic Times
        The public library plays an even more important role as Americans
    are facing tough economic times. Library usage is up ten percent from
    the last economic downturn in 2001. Debbie Long of West Goshen in
    Chester County, Pennsylvania noted the price of borrowing one hardback
    book from the library saves her enough to fill her gas tank halfway. So
    this year, she is frequenting the West Chester Public Library instead
    of the bookstore. ``Between the price of gas and that little extra
    money that we've lost, I'm not buying books and music like I used to.''
    She is driving to her nearby library and using its free services. ``I
    love it,'' she says.
        Patrons are visiting their library for more than the borrow of free
    books. Libraries offer databases with job listings, training on resume
    development, techniques for interviewing and 21st century skills needed
    to get that new job. The Washoe County Library System's Community
    Resource Center in Nevada helped Stephanie D'Arcy, who hadn't had full-
    time employment for several months; successfully get a job with the
    local parks and recreation department. ``I needed guidance,'' D'Arcy
    said. ``The library staff offered me encouragement and assistance
    filling out the application, including pointing out the transferable
    skills I could list, plus some tips for interviewing. If it were not
    for the library's help, I wouldn't be where I am today.''
        That library attendance has increased is not a surprise. Studies
    from generation to generation have shown that in times of economic
    downturn, libraries become busier.
        Looking at Pennsylvania for example, the number of items lent
    continues to increase. Since 2000 there has been a 24% increase in the
    lending of library materials in Pennsylvania from 54 million to 67
    million books and other items. Unfortunately, this increased use comes
    at the very time communities are least able to support their libraries.
    Many states across the country will be struggling to meet their
    maintenance of effort requirements to maintain eligibility to receive
    LSTA funds.

    Increasing Use
        In states across the nation and in counties across Pennsylvania,
    the role of the library has emerged as both a destination for resources
    and a place to engage with the community.
        In Pennsylvania, libraries are becoming better and better at
    identifying and meeting the changing needs of their communities, and
    are becoming the information and social center of that community. This
    role is a natural fit for libraries as they open access, expand
    services, offer targeted programs and invest in technology that is
    valued by the community--from the youngest to the oldest. The effort
    shows as more people are visiting and using libraries than ever before.
    Nationwide, recent statistics show libraries host more than 1.3 billion
    visits and circulate more than 2 billion items in each year.
        Attendance figures continue to go up in Pennsylvania as well. Last
    year there were 45 million visits to libraries, including 3.5 million
    people attending library programs. We are also pleased to note that
    last year in Pennsylvania half the population aged 18 and over
    physically visited a library. This does not include those who used the
    library remotely only.

    Libraries Contribute to the Economic Community
        An investment in libraries is an investment in the community. In
    Pennsylvania a study conducted by the University of North Carolina at
    Chapel Hill recently showed that for every dollar invested in the
    public library, the community receives a return on investment of $5.50.
    Studies in other states across the country have shown similar results.
        Not only is there an economic return on investment to citizens and
    organization users, the surrounding communities receive an economic
    return in ripple effects from salaries and wages paid to staff, library
    purchases made, and a halo effect from spending in the nearby community
    by visitors during their trips to the public libraries.

    The Significance of LSTA Funds
        In addition to state and local funding, libraries would not be able
    to have the enormous social impact on their communities without the
    Library Service and Technology Act (LSTA). LSTA is the only federal
    program exclusively for libraries, and it is administered by the
    Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
        LSTA expands services for learning and access to information
    resources in all types of libraries for people of all ages.
    Pennsylvania, for example, uses LSTA funds to support their summer
    reading program in which more that 280,000 children and teens
    participated--the largest number to date. More Pennsylvania students
    participated in the summer reading program than played Little League!
        Other significant uses of LSTA funds in Pennsylvania include grants
    to libraries to develop innovative services including state of the art
    electronic networks, training programs for school, academic and public
    librarians and for library trustees. A School Librarian Toolkit was
    developed to alignthe school library resources and services with
    Pennsylvania's academic standards. LSTA also made possible the POWER
    Library online databases, the One Book Every One Child program, and
    collection development grants for public and school libraries.

    The Contribution of our School Libraries to Student Achievement
        At the same time public libraries provide many essential services
    to their communities, school libraries have become the cornerstone of
    the school. School libraries are no longer just for books. Instead,
    they have become sophisticated 21st century learning environments
    offering a full range of print and electronic resources that provide
    equal learning opportunities to all students, regardless of the socio-
    economic or education levels of the community.
        Across the United States, numerous studies have shown that students
    in schools with strong school libraries learn more, get better grades,
    and score higher on standardized tests than their peers in schools
    without libraries. A recent study showed that Pennsylvania middle
    schools with the best PSSA reading scores spend twice as much on their
    school libraries as the lowest scoring schools.
        The skills needed to function successfully in a 21st Century global
    workforce have gone beyond reading. Business leaders are concerned that
    too many workers are entering the workforce without information
    literacy skills--those skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze and use
    information. These are the skills that equip workers with the ability
    to think critically and work proficiently. Who better to teach
    information literacy than librarians, the information experts?
        Some of the major skills that school library media specialists
    teach are the techniques and methods for locating and answering
    curriculum needs through critical thinking. Using the library's many
    and varied resources, school librarians also teach students how to work
    collaboratively, which, combined with the information literacy skills,
    is ideal for ensuring college readiness and success in the workforce.

    In Closing
        Thank you again for this opportunity to share with you the
    traditional and emerging roles of our libraries and their dedication in
    meeting the needs of our communities nationwide. I report to you with
    confidence, the funding invested in public libraries is a wise and
    fruitful investment as all aspects of the community benefit. Libraries
    support the development and care of young children and families,
    support formal education and strengthen local economies. Libraries add
    richness and quality to the life of adults and seniors and special
    populations. There is so much more libraries do for our communities
    that cannot be quantified in data or studies. Libraries satisfy the
    curiosities of the lifelong learner throughout life--and as we can all
    testify, learning begins at the library.
        An investment in libraries is an investment in communities.
                                     ______

        Chairwoman McCarthy. Thank you very much.
        Ms. Nunez?

        STATEMENT OF ANNA NUNEZ, ARIZONA HEALTH SCIENCE LIBRARY
                    LIBRARIAN, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

        Ms. Nunez. Good morning, Chairwoman McCarthy, and members
    of the Healthy Families and Communities----
        Chairwoman McCarthy. Is your mic on?
        Ms. Nunez. Thank you, Chairwoman McCarthy, and members of
    the Healthy Families and Communities Subcommittee. I am honored
    to be here this morning on behalf of Dr. Jana Bradley, Director
    of SIRLS, the School of Information Resources and Library
    Science, at the University of Arizona, in Tucson.
        I am a medical librarian at AHSL, the Arizona Health
    Sciences Library. I am a graduate of K.R., the Knowledge River
    program, at the School of Information Resources and Library
    Science. This program is IMLS-funded, designed to recruit
    Hispanics and Native Americans to the field of librarianship.
        Over the past 2 years, I have served as co-advisor to the
    SIRLS Wellness Education program, known as ``WE Search,'' an
    initiative funded by the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian
    Program. I have personally experienced the benefits of this
    federally funded initiative.
        I was accepted into the SIRLS Masters of Library Science
    Degree Program as part of the first cohort. As a student, I
    served former Knowledge River Director Patricia Tarin, as a
    graduate research assistant and program manager. We developed a
    strategy for recruitment and retention.
        Shortly after graduating, I was employed at the Arizona
    Health Sciences Library. The course of study provided by the
    K.R. program focuses on training Hispanic and Native American
    students to enter the profession of librarianship, and, in
    doing so, to improve information access and services to these
    communities from a culturally and linguistically appropriate
    perspective.
        My own path led to a newly created position at the Arizona
    Health Sciences Library, as the Arizona Hispanic Center of
    Excellence services librarian. As the first HCOE librarian, I
    serve the university's College of Medicine in its goal to
    recruit and retain Hispanic medical students and faculty, to
    provide research support to faculty, and to provide support for
    researchers and research conducted on and in the Hispanic
    community.
        My work included creating a Web site of Hispanic health
    resources, to increase the library's collection of culturally
    and linguistically appropriate materials, and to expand the
    library's outreach services to community and health-care
    organizations that serve the Hispanic population in Arizona and
    along the U.S.-Mexico border.
        In all of my work at the Arizona Health Sciences Library, I
    have remained committed and involved in Knowledge River. The
    Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grant has supported the WE
    Search program, a component of the Knowledge River program.
        During their summer recess, both Knowledge River students
    and high-school students from Sunnyside High School, our WE
    Search partner, participate in a weeklong institute. They learn
    to use information technology and tools, and developed
    information-seeking skills to serve as peer-health-information
    advisors.
        They provided classroom presentations and community
    presentations, and health-information resources targeting
    health issues of concern for the community. The teams worked
    with their Knowledge River mentees to develop information
    resources, making them available to high-school teachers, and
    having them at health fairs and community events.
        The WE Search blog truly chronicles some of the successes
    of the program. To quote, ``WE Search taught me that the
    library is not just a place for reading, but is also a place
    that offers fun activities for all ages, and is well equipped
    with good resources. WE Search has also prepared me for
    college.''
        Another student states, ``After WE Search is over, I plan
    on continuing on helping students, as well as my community, by
    informing them about how useful the library is, and also about
    how useful many Web sites can be, such as MedLinePlus and
    KidsHealth.''
        I, personally, have seen a transformation in the students.
    They have become confident public speakers and well informed
    health-information purveyors. A former WE Search teen is now
    employed as a page at the neighborhood public library. During
    WE Search, several students had expressed an interest in
    pursuing a health career--of course, one of which is a medical
    librarian.
        Since this grant was awarded, over 50, if not more,
    Hispanic and Native American librarians have joined the library
    workforce. We are in a variety of library-information
    environments, and are serving these two cultural communities
    bilingually and biculturally.
        As a Knowledge River graduate and a WE Search advisor, I
    truly believe these programs have contributed to the diversity
    of libraries, has increased the access to information for these
    two cultural communities, and has laid the foundation for a
    model for other institutions to adopt or to adapt, for
    successful connection to their community.
        I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to share with
    you the contributions of our programs, and I would be happy to
    answer any questions you may have. Thank you.
        [The statement of Ms. Nunez follows:]

       Prepared Statement of Anna Nunez, Arizona Health Science Library
                        Librarian, University of Arizona

        Thank you, Chairman George Miller and members of the Committee, for
    the invitation to be a witness at the Subcommittee on Healthy Families
    and Communities of the Committee on Education and Labor of the U.S.
    House of Representatives, hearing on ``Examining the Role of Museums
    and Libraries in Strengthening Communities.''
        I am honored to contribute to your examination of the roles that
    libraries play in strengthening communities, and in particular, on the
    contribution of the program at the School of Information Resources and
    Library Science, funded by the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian
    Program and titled ``Knowledge River. This program recruits Native
    American and Latino students in a program leading to a master's degree
    in library and information science and includes community outreach to
    teens to address health concerns in Tucson.
    Background
        Libraries and librarians have changed greatly in the last several
    decades. They now see their role as connecting individuals and
    communities with information, both print and electronic, to improve and
    enhance their lives. Public libraries see themselves as service
    agencies, often working with other service agencies to use information
    as part of a unified strategy to address community problems. Public
    libraries also work with health agencies and with health libraries, as
    a distribution and outreach point for consumer health information. And,
    increasingly, public libraries have after school programs, providing a
    safe place for children and teens to gather, have fun, and learn.
    Libraries in high schools, community colleges and universities see
    their role as information coaches, providing students, often first
    generation college students, with help to find and use information.
        Additionally, as our society has become increasingly digital,
    libraries are a public resource for providing computers to those who
    don't have other access to them. Access to computers alone is not
    enough. Librarians also provide instruction in how to use computers to
    find accurate and trustworthy information. In the information world of
    the Internet, with its chaotic mix of fact, advertising, and
    misdirection, learning to find and identify trustworthy information is
    probably one of the new literacies Americans need to improve their
    lives.
        Education to be a professional librarian requires a master's
    degree. Any subject studied at the undergraduate level can be the
    foundation for graduate work in library and information science.
    Schools that grant a master's degree in library and information science
    are accredited by the American Library Association (ALA). The grant
    that is the subject of this testimony, the Knowledge River grant, was
    given to the School of Information Resources and Library Science, at
    the University of Arizona, as part of its ALA accredited master's
    program

    Knowledge River
        The Knowledge River (KR) grant, awarded by the Institute of Museum
    and Library Studies in 2005 to the School of Information Resources and
    Library Science (SIRLS), had as its overarching goal to ensure that the
    work of librarians, described above, extends into Hispanic and Native
    American communities, historically communities that have not had access
    to library and information services, and also communities where
    information is vital to improving and enhancing their lives.
        KR employed two strategies to achieve this goal:
         Recruiting and educating Hispanic and Native American
    graduate students to be librarians, including coursework that focuses
    on library and information issues and services from Hispanic and Native
    perspectives.
         Providing opportunities for KR students to participate in
    outreach and workforce development by mentoring high school students in
    health information-seeking skills and showing them firsthand the power
    of information to change lives. In addition, the mentor/mentee
    relationship provides role models for Hispanic and Native American
    teens and makes them aware of the routes through college and graduate
    school available to be health care professionals or library and
    information professionals.
        Each of these strategies will be described briefly.
        1. Recruiting and educating Hispanic and Native American graduate
    students to be librarians, including coursework that focuses on library
    and information issues and services from Hispanic and Native
    perspectives.
        During the period of this grant, 52 Knowledge River scholars were
    recruited, 19 Native Americans and 33 Hispanic/Latinos. The grant
    exceeded its projected outcome by four students. Thirty students have
    already graduated, and when the remaining students graduate, we will
    have met our target goal of graduating 45 Hispanic and Native American
    librarians. These librarians are well trained in the fundamentals of
    Library and Information Science, in library and information services
    from Hispanic and Native American perspectives and in the use of
    information technology to find and use information.
        The importance of adding nearly 50 Hispanic and Native American
    librarians during this grant to the workforce of trained professional
    librarians cannot be underestimated as an essential part of providing
    library and information services to these cultural communities. Only 2%
    of librarians are Hispanic and less that 1% are Native American,
    according to a recent study by the American Library Association based
    on the 2000 census. Increasing the number of these librarians is vital,
    because ``institutions must have the face of the communities they
    serve,'' according to Patricia Tarin, who helped start the program and
    was its director from 2001 to 2007. Again from Patricia Tarin: ``For
    many people who don't have access to books and technology, libraries
    can be the gateway for information, knowledge and empowerment. But many
    won't use a library if there's nobody there who shares their culture or
    speaks their language.'' (Appendix 4: Tucson Citizen, January 4, 2007).
        And a 2006 study conducted by researchers at the School of
    Information Resources and Library Science demonstrates that having
    Hispanic and Native American librarians in libraries DOES increase
    services to these communities. Although the data indicate that
    information services to Latino and Native American cultural communities
    among institutions employing Knowledge River graduates remains
    problematic, fully 80% of the respondents indicated that they
    personally provide information services to these cultural groups, and
    more than half report that they or their institutions are offering new
    services to these communities since beginning their employment.
    (Appendix 1: Fulton, Tarin, Bradley, 2006).
        2. Providing opportunities for KR students to participate in
    outreach and workforce development by mentoring high school students in
    health information-seeking skills and showing them firsthand the power
    of information to change lives.
        The WE Search (Wellness Education) program is one of the highlights
    of the Knowledge River program. I strongly suggest that you glance
    through Appendix 3, which is the summary of the program in the KR
    students' own voices. This is authentic testimony to the truly amazing
    accomplishments of both the KR graduates and the WE Search high school
    students in the six-month program.
        I also suggest that you visit the website created by the KR
    graduate students and the WE Search high school students, showing
    graphically who they are, what they did, and an annotated list of
    trustworthy health information resources they discovered. The url is
    http://wesearch07.googlepages.com/. Another way to experience the
    authentic voices of both the KR graduate students and their high school
    mentees is to visit the blog they created as the course progressed.
    http://wesearch.wordpress.com/
        Highlights of the program are described below:
         The WE Search program is a partnership of the Knowledge
    River program and Sunnyside High School, a high school of predominantly
    Latino and Native American students. The KR graduate students served as
    mentors to the high school students.
         The KR graduate students prepared for their role by taking
    two graduate courses during the summer, one on health disparities and
    cultural competencies, and another on health information resources.
         The KR graduate students and their high school mentees
    participated in a week-long summer institute, filled with bonding
    activities, fun and games, and also serious learning. The high school
    students learned presentation skills and other information technology
    skills, while the KR graduate students were instructed in teaching
    skills.
         During the fall semester, the KR mentors and mentees met
    in small groups once a day. The KR graduate students themselves met and
    planned the curriculum and the teaching modules so that all the high
    school students received the same material.
        Topics and activities were:
         Health disparities and valid resources documenting these
    (Center for Disease Control, U. S. Census Bureau, etc)
         Learning about free, authoritative resources addressing
    health disparities (Medline Plus from the National Library of Medicine,
    etc)
         Creating information pamphlets for their peers and giving
    presentations to classes
         Taking information to the community through outreach
    events, such as
          - Junior Scientists Kids Day at the University of Arizona
          - Tucson Hopefest
          - Academic Night at Sunnyside High School
         Creating a permanent web resource documenting what they
    had done
         The KR graduate students took their high school mentees on
    a field trip to a predominately Latino neighborhood library that had an
    after school program for children and teens. The high school students
    got right into the spirit, playing games and Dance Revolution with the
    kids. This gave them a firsthand view of the role many libraries are
    playing in their communities by providing safe places for children and
    teens to congregate and constructive games and activities for them,
    often when there are no other such services in the community.
         Outcomes: All the high school students reported that they
    had a new understanding of the importance of health information and the
    roles librarians could play. Several indicated interest in health
    careers or careers as librarians or information professionals. All the
    KR graduate students can serve as consumer health information
    resources, no matter what type of library they choose.
        We at SIRLS and Knowledge River are very proud of our Knowledge
    River graduates and all they have accomplished, and will accomplish,
    and it is our pleasure to share these accomplishments with you.

                                  APPENDICES:

    1. Knowledge River: Community Impact and Service to Latino and Native
            American Cultural Groups. This is a study of the impact of KR
            graduates on their workplaces and communities after graduation.
    2. WE Search Final Report. This is a report written by the Knowledge
            River graduate students, summarizing what they and their
            mentees did, and their evaluation of the success of the
            program.
    3. Turning the Page. This is an article that appeared in the student
            newspaper, the Arizona Wildcat, in 2007 about the Knowledge
            River program
    4. UA Pushes for More Minority Librarians. This is an article that
            appeared in the Tucson Citizen, a local Tucson newspaper, about
            the Knowledge River Program
                                     ______

        Chairwoman McCarthy. Thank you for your testimony.
        Dr. Jolly?

    STATEMENT OF ERIC JOLLY, PRESIDENT, SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA

        Mr. Jolly. Madam Chairwoman, Mr. Davis, distinguished
    members, counsel, and guests, thank you for allowing me to be
    here today to talk about what I believe is one of the most
    essential parts of serving our community, helping us advance
    all forms of literacy. And for the Science Museum of Minnesota,
    that literacy includes science, technology, engineering, and
    math. And when I speak of science, I refer to all of these
    literacies as essential literacies.
        We believe these literacies are essential on many
    dimensions, too; chief among them, these literacies are
    essential for civic engagement. At a time when our nation is
    confronting issues about E-85 ethanol, about the use of
    genetically modified organisms, nanotechnology, stem-cell
    research, vaccination challenges in our schools, having a
    citizenry that is informed on issues of science literacy is
    essential.
        It is also essential not simply for civic participation,
    but for economic participation. We are looking at--three out of
    five jobs in the future economy that will pay more than minimum
    wage are going to require more than a passing knowledge of the
    STEM disciplines. Yet, this essential literacy is neither
    equitably nor broadly distributed.
        It is a shame that when surveyed by the National Science
    Foundation, fewer that 48 percent of Americans could identify
    accurately that it takes the earth 1 year to revolve around the
    sun. These are our voters. We owe them better than that.
        Civic participation, economic participation, needs to be
    broadly disseminated, and it needs to be equitably
    disseminated. We see an equity challenge in the achievement gap
    between minority and non-minority students in math and science
    scores, between rich and poor. But we also see an aspiration
    gap, with fewer women entering engineering today than any time
    in the last decade.
        The role of museums has never been more relevant to the
    future of this country's well-being. And the opportunities that
    they have to enforce change is dramatic. Consider this: School
    day is 6 hours, school year 180 days; less than half a year,
    less than a quarter of day. Add in some absenteeism, and by the
    time a child graduates from high school, they will have spent a
    remarkable 9 percent of their life in school.
        Schools do a remarkable job with 9 percent of a child's
    life. They spend more than a third sleeping. Roughly 3 percent
    eating, occasionally bathing and other life skills, leaving
    more than 42 percent of their life un-programmed, with an
    opportunity for museums and libraries to reach into their homes
    through their community and through their experience, to
    inspire them.
        We could do many things. When researching what it takes to
    help students achieve in the stem disciplines, it was very
    clear--research funded by the G.E. Foundation that there are at
    least three essential elements that must appear at some level
    in every child's life. There must be engagement. They must have
    the spark, the curiosity, the interests to pursue these
    disciplines.
        But if they are engaged but we haven't given them the
    capacity, if we haven't given them the knowledge and skills to
    advance to more rigorous disciplinary content, they can't go
    on.
        If you fail algebra I, you are not going to pass A.P.
    Calculus. We need to get kids excited and engaged. We need to
    give them the capacity, and we need to point the way for
    continuity, so that they have taken the programs necessary to
    advance to the next level.
        We need children on track for the mathematics of their
    future, not the mathematics of our past. And we need to, at the
    level of each child, partner with institutions that can, like a
    science museum, spark that engagement and curiosity; that can,
    like a library, assure a level of capacity; that can, like any
    other community center, provide continuity.
        We need to do this in many ways. We need to do this out of
    our building, as well as in our building. At the Science Museum
    of Minnesota, we placed learning centers in low-income-housing
    community centers, so that preschool children can come in and
    just play with science and the ideas of science; their own
    laboratories, their own places to learn.
        We involve parents in giving them hopes and dreams for
    their children's future. We work with over 100 United Way
    agencies and allow them to deliver tickets to the Science
    Museum--low-income memberships--so that everyone who walks
    through the door with a ticket to our museum, whether they get
    it through an agency that served them, or through our box
    office, walks in with the same ticket and the same credibility.
        We want to serve our people by being in their community.
        In summary, we know that we have a tremendous opportunity
    to advance what I believe is the most liberating force in human
    development, education; whether it happens formally or
    informally, in the 9 percent or the 42 percent. And we can
    advance that when we start attending to who informs our work
    and diversify who gets to set our agenda and tell us what is
    needed next--who forms our work; who actually constructs the
    product that we bring into our communities, and we start
    measuring who benefits from the work.
        We will close the achievement gap. We will close the
    aspiration gap. And we will do it because we are a trusted
    member of a community, and we have the passion to serve. Thank
    you.
        [The statement of Mr. Jolly follows:]

     Prepared Statement of Dr. Eric J. Jolly, President, Science Museum of
                                   Minnesota

        Chairwoman McCarthy, Ranking Member Platts, and members of the
    subcommittee, thank you for inviting me here today. My name is Eric
    Jolly, and I am the president of the Science Museum of Minnesota. I'm
    grateful for the opportunity to discuss the role that museums and
    libraries can play in strengthening our communities. At the Science
    Museum of Minnesota, we reach well over a million people each year
    through visits, training, classes and outreach, but we strive to always
    increase the quantity and quality of our relationships. Our challenge
    and opportunity is to use our deep capacity, even more fully, in
    response to the nation's quiet crisis in science and math education: We
    continue to believe deeply that science is an essential literacy for
    civic and economic participation.
        Science and technology based industries represent the fastest
    growing segment of our economy and the highest paid jobs in our future.
    In the next decade, three out of five leading employment growth
    opportunities will require a capacity in science and mathematics. We
    must equip the next generation for their future, not our past; it is a
    future highly reliant on science and mathematics literacy. Citizens
    must be able to ask the important questions and engage in sound and
    equitable public policy. Science is an essential literacy and we must
    address the fact that this literacy is neither widely nor equitably
    distributed and this deficit threatens the quality of life for our
    nation.

    Nine Percent
        Science museums--like libraries and other places of informal
    learning--play a critical role in education. Consider that, by the age
    of eighteen, a child will have spent, at most, nine percent of his or
    her lifetime in school. If a child spends about six hours a day in
    school, for each of the one hundred and eighty days of the school year,
    he or she will spend little over one thousand hours in school in a
    year. And that doesn't include homework. And it assumes perfect
    attendance.
        Nine percent of a childhood is a great deal of time for one single
    activity such as schooling. But from the perspective of examining all
    opportunities for learning, it's a small number. I consider it
    commendable that schools have such an impact after only taking nine
    percent of childhood. But even allowing for sleep, play, and social
    development, that still leaves a large portion of a child's life that
    can be filled with joyful learning. The kind of learning that happens
    with their families, in the community, in libraries, in museums.

    Trust
        Museums have earned a place of trust in the community. A seminal
    study in 1999 by Lake Snell Perry & Associates found Americans trust
    museums above all other sources of objective information--above books
    and television, and far above newspapers, the Internet, radio, and
    magazines. Why this high level of trust? Because museums care for our
    most precious collections, interpret our history, are research-
    oriented, and they deal in facts. And families follow through with
    action--one-third of Americans say they have visited an art museum, a
    history museum, an aquarium, zoo, botanical garden, or science and
    technology center within the past six months.
        I think I can speak for my colleagues across the country when I say
    that we take that trust very seriously. And we're working to leverage
    it, and find new ways to increase the quantity and quality of science
    learning and nurture healthy communities. Not surprisingly, most
    people's impression of museums is of our exhibit galleries, and we
    continue to develop exhibits that engage and excite. But some of the
    most innovative work is being done outside our institutions, in our
    communities, and beyond.

    Relevancy
        Relevancy is at the core of what we do. How do we achieve
    relevancy, and to whom? Museums are always striving to increase the
    value and reach of our programming to support individual engagement in
    the sciences--especially through families. Being relevant and
    interesting to an adult audience, we're expanding the range of those we
    serve through our exhibits and public programs. At the same time we are
    working to broaden the diversity of the community we reach both inside
    our facilities and beyond.
        In addition to individuals and families, we've created partnerships
    that provide relevancy to formal education, at its core a focus on
    educators, administrators, and the programming that supports student
    outcomes.
        And we're making new strides in our relevancy to policy makers--
    governing officials, business leaders, foundations, and individual
    thought leaders in our community who can use our expertise to make
    informed decisions with respect to public policy.
        I'd like to share some examples of partnerships and programs that
    have been especially innovative, successful, and worthy of replication.

    Achieving Relevancy to Individuals: Talking Circles
        One of my proudest moments in our museum's galleries was when we
    opened the world premiere of the RACE exhibit last year. This touring
    exhibit--created in partnership with the American Anthropological
    Association will open later this month in Cleveland. It explores three
    themes: the everyday experience of race, the contemporary science that
    is challenging common ideas about race, and the history of this idea in
    the United States. As part of the planning for this exhibition, we
    created a program of Talking Circles.
        Talking Circles, as they were used in the RACE exhibit, are
    facilitated discussions for groups of 20 or less based on Native
    American traditions in which all participants are invited to reflect on
    their experiences in learning about and experiencing race as a factor
    in their lives and communities. The Department of Corrections in
    Minnesota has used this format successfully, and we saw it as a way to
    extend the learning in the exhibit to a group setting. Designed for
    business, community and government groups, and schools, the RACE
    Talking Circles are a valuable, non-confrontational way to explore
    difficult issues in a safe environment, as well as to learn a valuable
    communication technique.
        The museum offered two private rooms next to the exhibit for groups
    visiting the RACE exhibit to continue the learning opportunity afforded
    by the exhibit experience. Because the museum trained Circle Keepers
    from local United Way agencies to facilitate the discussions those
    skills are now used in dozens of non-profit agencies across the
    community, creating an enduring legacy of capacity-building. The
    results were deeply gratifying--more than 4,000 visitors participated
    in Talking Circles, and nine out of ten participants would recommend a
    Talking Circle to others coming to see the exhibit. The Talking Circles
    were funded in part by an IMLS grant, and we appreciated the
    opportunity to bring a new form of learning to the museum experience,
    and one that has gone on to other communities across the country.
        I learned how I want to be treated and how others want to be
    treated. We are not all the same but shouldn't be treated differently.
    (Age 12, African American/White female)

    Great Partners and Great Tix
        Museums are always striving to serve as many visitors as possible,
    and we don't want income to be a barrier. Since 1996, the Science
    Museum of Minnesota has offered reduced-rate admission to families with
    limited-incomes. The museum is theirs for a dollar. The Great Tix
    program encourages them to visit the museum on any day and any time of
    their choosing.
        In 2002, the museum began collaborating with community
    organizations across the Twin Cities and the state in a program called
    Great Partners. In exchange for recruiting at least 10 families to sign
    up for the Great Tix programs, these Great Partner agencies receive a
    batch of free vouchers to be used as they wish for their clients, their
    staffs, or their supporters. Some organizations use the vouchers to
    bring clients as a group, some distribute them to individuals--we don't
    care how they're used. We see ourselves as a resource to our
    community--ALL of our community. The majority of low-income visitors
    who come the first time through one of our Great Partners then sign up
    to be a part of the Great Tix program. A second program for families
    with limited incomes--Great Membership--offers the same benefits as our
    regular membership, but at half price.
        Thanks to the active engagement of the Great Partners the museum is
    signing up 240 families or individuals a month for the discount cards,
    and 50 families a month for memberships. And those card holders are
    using the museum--21,000 parents and children each year, people who
    would otherwise not visit this museum.
        PRISM is also delighted to request a Great Partner status with the
    Science Museum of Minnesota. The families we work with are very
    deserving and are struggling to maintain a sense of dignity about their
    situations. I find it truly gratifying that you have designed this
    Great Tix program to encourage use of your center by a wider and
    perhaps more economically diverse audience. Not identifying our
    families as ``different'' from any other family visiting your museum
    will add to their enjoyment and ultimate success of your program. PRISM
    (People Responding in Social Ministry), Minneapolis

    Mentor Buzz
        There is tremendous resource in the community in the form of
    dynamic, experienced adults with a wealth of knowledge to share. Mentor
    Buzz, a collaboration among the Science Museum of Minnesota and the
    Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota and GE Foundation, is a unique, web-
    based program to bring those adults together with youth in search of
    knowledge and guidance. Mentor Buzz creates on-line features and
    resources for mentors and youth, designed to increase exploration and
    interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
    The mentors and youth engage using Science Buzz, an award-winning
    website devoted to developing, growing, and sustaining an informal on-
    line learning community centered on current science topics.
        Mentor Buzz builds upon the ongoing efforts of the GE Capital
    Solutions employee volunteer mentoring program with Minneapolis
    Roosevelt High School. With funding support from GE, mentors will
    continue to play a critical role in piloting and evaluating the use and
    impact of Mentor Buzz. Other GE sites across the country will be
    invited to participate in a national rollout of Mentor Buzz in 2009 &
    2010.

    Learning Places
        It can be challenging to reach deep into communities to provide
    support. Learning Places brings learning home--literally. Funded by the
    National Science Foundation this program hires teenagers from local
    community organizations serving underserved populations to work in
    teams to design science learning environments for children. Through
    this work teen participants bridge the museum and community
    organization cultures to make science learning accessible to their
    communities. SMM has recruited and hired teens from community centers
    in St. Paul, MN that largely serve low-income, African American, Hmong,
    Somali and Hispanic populations. Once hired, teens receive extensive
    training and support as they work collaboratively with museum and
    community partners to design, develop, evaluate and create hands-on
    activities and environments rich in STEM content for nine after-school
    centers. The Joe Eriggo award was given to the Learning Places team by
    Common Bond in fall 2007 in recognition of contributing to community
    well-being.
        CommonBond Communities in St. Paul, a nonprofit that develops and
    manages affordable housing and supports education and health--was our
    partner in using their staff of 150 to guide the team of 9 teens who
    over a year's time engaged more than 150 youth in hands on activities.
    For instance, one activity used an air tube in which a fan blows air
    through a vertical plexiglass tube. Children made simple air foils of
    different shapes to see what would happen when they were dropped into
    the tube. They made predictions, experimented to see what would happen,
    and then changed the shape of the object to experiment again.
        In this, the final year of the project, the youth team's work will
    end and the focus will move to supporting 5 small science centers
    nationally who will draw from lessons learned in the first 3 years and
    develop their own unique projects. We look forward to helping launch
    Learning Places at museums including Explora! In Albuquerque, New
        Mexico, Headwaters Science Center in Bemidji, Minnesota, Sci-Port
    Discovery Center, Shreveport, Louisiana, Lower Hudson Valley Challenger
    Learning Center, Airmont, New York, and the Pacific Science Center in
    Seattle, Washington.

    Collector's Corner
        One of the most popular exhibit areas of the Science Museum of
    Minnesota is a unique participatory program called the Collector's
    Corner. It is a natural history trading post for kids of all ages where
    participants can explore natural science by bringing in things they
    find in nature: rocks, shells, snake skins, skulls and bones, insects,
    or plant pieces.
        Traders tell the museum staff what they know about the objects they
    bring in and earn points for their objects and their knowledge about
    them. The more they know, the more points they earn. Traders can then
    use those points to trade for other natural objects displayed in the
    Collector's Corner, or they can save their points for a future visit.
    There are more than 11,000 active traders, with 45% being girls, 55%
    being boys and most between the ages of 4-14. The Collectors Corner
    reinforces both children's and adult's natural curiosity about the
    world, and teaches important lessons about the ethics of collecting,
    conservation, and environmental stewardship.
        As a tribute to its success, the museum is initiating a pilot
    project to establish several satellite Collector's Corners to be run
    collaboratively through urban and rural Minnesota libraries. Libraries
    are the perfect partners for the museum: they are highly popular and
    accessible destinations for families (including large numbers of under-
    served families), they are reference repositories, and they boast
    knowledgeable staff that can help children find more resources. Library
    administrators are strongly interested in offering more programming
    related to science, technology, engineering and math, and the
    Collectors Corner offers a unique opportunity for serving that
    important public education agenda.

    Achieving Relevancy to Educators: Science House: A Resource for
            Teachers
        Our relationship with teachers goes back decades. But we recently
    started an exciting new chapter in our partnership with formal
    educators. Science House was created to provide a vibrant, professional
    home for teachers at the Science Museum of Minnesota. The resource
    center provides curricular materials loans, formal and informal
    consultation, professional development program support, and community-
    building.
        In its inaugural year, it has been very well received by
    participating school districts, and we are confident this program will
    create fruitful partnerships between the museum and teachers, and among
    teachers themselves.
        Curricular Materials Loans: The museum provides loans of materials
    that can be used in the classroom, but may not be available to district
    instructors--materials like 15 medical-school grade Leica compound
    microscopes, 40 student field microscopes, three 6-inch reflector Orion
    telescopes, skulls of 120 different animal species, and 184 Vernier
    probes. Current materials focus on science standards and amplify
    resources through the Museum that would either not be available (such
    as de-accessioned artifacts from SMM collections) or be cost-
    prohibitive from a school or district standpoint.
        Informal & Formal Consultation: Teachers can drop-in for support on
    lesson design, identification of resources, and potential partners or
    programs. After-school and in-service workshops and seminars on
    specific topics or grade levels are available for more formal support.
        Program Support & Integration: Science House is integrated with
    professional development programs from our museum and our partner
    institutions to provide seamless continuity of service. Follow up
    workshops are vital to incorporating the skills and relationships that
    begin at Science House.
        Social Networking & Community-Building: Science House is a place in
    which educators can network across grade-levels, schools, districts,
    and institutions. We strive to support new teachers and promote teacher
    retention
        Initial support from 3M launched the program, and a special state
    appropriation for teacher professional development has allowed to allow
    the Museum to expand our discipline focus so math and engineering
    instructors, as well as science teachers, can be part of our
    programming.

    TRIBES
        TRIBES (Teaching Relevant Inquiry-Based Environmental Science)
    works to increase the number of Native American middle-school students
    taking science courses and going on to pursue post-secondary science
    degrees, ultimately to have careers in the science disciplines. In
    2004, the museum began working with public schools, tribal colleges,
    and universities in northern Minnesota on an innovative program to
    better serve Native American science learners. TRIBES was designed to
    enhance science teachers' ability to teach inquiry-based science and
    increase cultural awareness by integrating indigenous ecological
    knowledge of the Anishinaabe into science curricula, with the
    environment of the Headwaters region--the source of the Mississippi
    River--as the unifying context.
        The 24-member cohort of TRIBES teachers met each summer in July for
    two weeks and on three Saturdays during the school year, usually on the
    Bemidji State University campus in northern Minnesota. During the
    summer institutes, faculty from BSU led participants in a variety of
    field and laboratory investigations, including sessions on cultural
    knowledge and on classroom practice. School year sessions mostly
    focused on cultural topics or activities, featuring stories, a day
    harvesting wild rice, and another day maple sugaring.
        The partnership has recently been expanded to include a much
    broader geographic reach and to include teachers of younger students.
    The new cohort includes 30 teachers; twenty of the participants are new
    to the program, 10 are returning. The summer program is now split
    between Bemidji and Saint Paul, continuing to use the Mississippi River
    as the central context, now using different points on the river to
    explore spatial and temporal differences.

    Achieving Relevancy to Policy Makers Brighter Futures
        We all know there is a period of tremendous opportunity in the
    first years of a child's life. A new program promises to draw together
    early childhood efforts in exhibits, research, and public policy in
    exciting new ways. The Science Museum of Minnesota, partnering with the
    Center for Early Education and Development at the University of
    Minnesota is launching Brighter Futures: Public Deliberation about the
    Science of Early Childhood Development. This ambitious project will use
    small group conversations, citizen conferences, and public forums,
    along with a highly interactive 1,600 square-foot, exhibition, and two
    research studies. We aim to engage policymakers, the general public,
    and caregivers in conversations around the latest early childhood
    development research. And as each component is completed, audiences
    will better understand how environment and experience impact a child's
    development and what we as a society can do to support our youngest
    citizens.
        Brighter Futures specifically addresses the needs of caregivers in
    the region who are supporting the young children of a rapidly growing
    Hmong, Somali, and Liberian immigrant communities. Partnerships are
    critical to reaching the community, so we are collaborating with
    Minnesota Head Start and the Minnesota Brain Conference led by the
    White Earth Band of Ojibwe, to extend our impact. I'm excited about how
    it can be useful to our visitors and our community, but beyond its
    impact in Minnesota, the study will shed light on how museums can
    engage the public in dialogue on science-related issues, and how
    legislators apply the exhibit and programming experiences to policy.
    Brighter Futures is driven by an underlying commitment to expanding the
    civic engagement role around this urgent social issue of early
    childhood development.

    Plotting a Course for the Future
        So taken together, what do all these projects mean? Museums are
    working to take science learning beyond our walls and into communities
    around the nation, and we're doing it with a guiding philosophy of
    integrated community involvement.
        In 2006, I co-authored a study on education and careers in science,
    technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The report, titled
    Engagement, Capacity and Continuity: A Trilogy For Student Success,
    analyzed why successful individual reform efforts have not led to
    broader increases in students achieving at high levels nor entering
    science and math oriented careers and identifies three components
    necessary to increase success in quantitative sciences:
        Engagement--an awareness, interest, or motivation (the spark)
    Capacity--the knowledge and skills to advance in increasingly rigorous
    subject matter (the skills) Continuity--opportunities, resources, and
    guidance to support advancement (the pathways)
        The report maintained that when any one of the ECC components is
    missing, student achievement falls off. Essentially, while many
    programs have supported individual components of engagement, capacity,
    and continuity, there has never been an effort to integrate all three.
        My co-authors and I gave recommendations based on the ECC Trilogy
    for what educational policy makers, sponsors, curriculum/program
    directors, evaluators, district/school administrators, teachers,
    museums and other informal science institutions can do to bring about
    student success in the sciences and quantitative disciplines in their
    realm of influence.
        That study has helped direct my leadership of the Science Museum of
    Minnesota, as I've sought the kind of partnerships that can guide
    students from the earliest awareness of science to gaining the
    necessary skills and then the fulfillment of the potential as they
    navigate challenges in academics and careers.

    Building Healthy Communities
        At every turn, libraries and museums offer the resources to spark
    imagination, access greater knowledge, and learn where to go next for
    mastery of skills. The ECC trilogy of success outlines the strategies
    at the core of how museums and libraries can strengthen their
    leadership in partnership, and nurture a healthier community.
        Museums can and must grow and change, providing real value as part
    of a larger effort in order to remain relevant. We will never stop
    being a destination, but must also be a part of the fabric of learning
    throughout the community--partnerships with libraries, formal learning,
    community groups. We are committed to being at the forefront of making
    our communities more scientifically literate, more engaged, and
    prepared for the challenges of the 21st Century.
                                     ______

        Chairwoman McCarthy. Thank you very much, Mr. Jolly.
        I have to say, after hearing your testimony--and I have had
    the privilege of, because of the position of my job, going into
    libraries, going into our museums--especially, our children's
    museums--they are certainly not the museums that I grew up
    with. Everything is hands-on, opening up the eyes of our young
    children, and our adults, by the way, when they bring their
    children to be able to see science physically, and touching.
        I find it a just totally amazing. So we are making a good
    step. We have a long way to go, especially with the young
    people, and with the way they are learning today versus the way
    I learned as a child. And we have to keep pace, because the
    world they are facing--for the economy and the security of this
    nation--we have to go forward.
        And I do believe we are starting that track. And we have
    got to make sure that we continue. That is our job. And,
    hopefully, this committee and all the other committees of
    education will do that.
        I would like to start with my first question, as far as Dr.
    Radice.
        You stated in your written testimony that collections are
    at a risk. What are you doing to ensure that collections are
    maintained?
        And, obviously, with all the flooding that we have seen,
    the storms that we have seen--not even here in this country,
    but in other countries--seen things wiped away. I mean, we are
    not talking about 1 foot, 2 foot. We are talking about extreme
    flooding. New Orleans is probably a perfect example, when I
    think about what was lost there in the history of that
    particular area.
        Ms. Radice. As I mentioned, Madam Chairwoman, we began an
    initiative, and been very active in something called
    ``Connecting to Collections.'' And it is more than, you know, a
    lot of air time about the situation as we found it, but,
    rather, on-the-ground, practical help.
        We have taken our message across the country. We have five
    national forums that deal with very specific types of
    conservation issues. In Atlanta, we dealt with special
    collections--Native American, African American. In Denver, we
    dealt with how to digitize, and the whole--how to preserve
    information--especially useful for archives, libraries and, of
    course, the records of museums, and visual records.
        We will be dealing with living collections in San Diego. We
    will be dealing with job creation and training trustees and
    training new conservators and people to take care of objects in
    Buffalo, New York.
        But we have also developed a network. I am especially
    committed to small-to-mid-sized organizations. They don't have
    the funds readily available. They might not even have a staff
    member capable of doing some of the work that is needed for
    preservation.
        So we have developed a network. People get to know each
    other. We provide materials for reference. Bringing people
    together in these convocations--now, they have phone numbers.
    People will take their calls. It is really a very strong
    grassroots-type of operation.
        Also, we have been very fortunate. Bank of America has
    entered into a partnership with us to give small grants to
    these smaller organizations. So they can take an object, a
    book, whatever, that, in a way, synthesizes what that
    collection is about, and highlight it, restore it, show it to
    the world. It is about getting engaged and putting this kind of
    preservation as one of the priorities of collections
    management.
        So, yes, it is a hard row to hoe. And you saw the video.
    And thank you for presenting it. But we have made some real
    progress. And the next video, I think, will be even--we will be
    able to lower some of those figures.
        Chairwoman McCarthy. That is what we like, going forward.
        Ms. Radice. Yes.
        Chairwoman McCarthy. Ms. LeBlanc, in your written
    testimony, you discussed the necessary casework and staff buy-
    in of your collaborates to achieve program success. Can you
    describe to us the process and some of the challenges you
    encountered, and how you overcame those challenges?
        When you and I talked several months ago, and the program
    had, basically, started, I mean, number one, I thought it was
    brilliant. But if you could go into what the challenges you
    faced----
        Ms. LeBlanc. Sure.
        From the very beginning we realized, just before we wrote
    the proposal, that the development of the partnership was as
    important as anything else we were doing, because we were a
    museum entering a system--a government system--that has a
    certain way of doing things, and its own challenges.
        So we wrote the proposal with the county Department of
    Social Services and Family Court, and spent a lot of time with
    them in their proposal planning--started to build the
    relationship with all the department heads, that I talked
    about, that visited--Family Court judges.
        I went to Family Court with that judge to see what that was
    like. And it was really, emotionally, a very, very tough thing
    to see. But, also, what I saw was that this Family Court system
    was really trying to work with a very positive way. And it made
    it clear to me how strong the need was, and how much they
    wanted to work with us.
        As women came in, and most of the women who have had the
    children taken away, it is either because of drugs or partners
    who have been abusive to children. And the women I saw were
    all--had been in drug programs. And when they came in, all
    those agencies that are now together in that Welcome Center,
    were there in the court, and supported the women as they
    reported that they had had a drug test and that the drug test
    was, I guess negative, if they haven't had any drugs. And
    everyone clapped and gave support to the women.
        And I was really impressed with the people working in that
    system, and what they were trying to do, and he changes they
    were trying to make.
        So we worked together on a proposal. And then one of the
    important things we decided is that we needed to meet every
    month. We needed to form a joint planning committee and meet
    every single month. And the head of Social Services made a
    commitment; Louise Skolnick--Dr. Louise Skolnick, the
    director--myself. I am part of the meetings.
        All those department heads and the Family Court personnel
    are all part of those monthly meetings. And it is hard to have
    an afternoon every month, where we all get together, but it
    builds our relationship and it keeps everything moving,
    because, as I said, there are a lot of crises with families and
    overworked caseworkers. And it is hard to stop and really try
    to do some things differently. So that meeting that we have has
    been very important.
        We have put together our National Advisory Committee, which
    gives some expertise and, also, some real energy, when we bring
    them in, for local folks that we are working with. That was
    really important.
        The things I described--some of the programs, as we went
    along, came out of beginning the work. The redesign of the
    welcome center--we had thought about it, but hadn't put too
    much thought into it when we started the program. And it became
    one of the central things that we are doing.
        When we went to visit at--it is--there are two tiny rooms,
    white walls, bare, a box of toys with no organization--some of
    them broken, no one keeping them up. And then families come
    into that, that are already separated from their kids and
    having difficulty, and don't know what to do when they have a
    social worker watching them.
        So this has been one of the most exciting things that we
    have been working on. We had our exhibits designer work with
    their staff, and we did a prototype thing. We did focus groups.
    And they are installing it now. And there is this giant
    storytelling chair that parents can sit in. I mean, you press
    it, it says, ``Tell me a story.'' And there are books there.
    And kids can crawl underneath, as well, if they are active. And
    the minute you walk in, it is really--people have described it
    as being, really, a fun thing that they can start working with
    their kids on.
        There are ceiling murals that a designer painted; a
    different kind of paint and lighting; furniture that is easy to
    clean. The other furniture was hard to clean. That was one of
    the big challenges--was trying to get that supervised
    visitation at the county to be more positive.
        From there, we are working with families that are able to
    do supervised visitation at the museum.
        It is tough to enter that system and try to make change.
    And we had to be patient with--when things are, you know,
    preempted or slowed down. And they had to be really committed.
    And, I have to say, after a year, the relationships are very
    strong. But it is not the easiest thing we have done, but it is
    very rewarding.
        Chairwoman McCarthy. Thank you very much.
        My time has expired.
        Mr. Davis?
        Mr. Davis. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
        And I would like to say, of all the hearings that I have
    attended, this is one of the best panels that I have had the
    opportunity to hear from. You have done a wonderful job--great
    testimonies. Thanks for what you do in your communities.
        I would like to start with Dr. Radice, if I may.
        You talk about, in your testimony, ``IMLS is a primary
    source of federal support for all the nation's libraries and
    museums.'' Other than by financial means, how does IMLS support
    libraries and museums?
        Ms. Radice. Because of the expertise that is found at the
    agency, many of our program people are former museum directors
    or state librarians--we are able to provide assistance that
    way, which is very practical.
        We sponsor a great deal of research. Librarian Zales
    mentioned the report talking about attendance, and the fact
    that the Internet and visitation actually help each other. We
    are engaged in the presentation of materials that can be used,
    for example, in preservation.
        Our Web site is fantastic. Tons and tons of best practices
    are there. Convening people--it is all about keeping up to
    date, and I think we do that very, very well. Plus, I am always
    very proud to say, when you call our agency, you get to talk to
    people, as opposed to a recorded answer tape.
        Mr. Davis. Thank you so much.
        You stated one of the IMLS goals is to enhance learning and
    innovation. How do you encourage libraries to incorporate
    technology, as well as traditional methods in educating
    children and adults?
        Ms. Radice. Technology is simply part of the daily
    operation now, whether it is through digital programming or
    providing up-to-date equipment or training for that. The
    mention was made of the Laura Bush 21 Program, bringing new
    librarians in, very--being very supportive of having
    technological experts in libraries, and in school libraries as
    well. And, simply, we are just part of looking ahead, as
    opposed to looking behind.
        I share the frustration that Madam Chairwoman has, because
    the way we went to the library, or the way we learned
    technology, is a whole different scene. So we try to have some
    of our younger staff members involved with that.
        Mr. Davis. Thank you.
        Ms. Radice. You are welcome, sir.
        Ms. Nunez, you mentioned the Laura Bush grant. Could you
    talk to me a little about that--just enhance that a little bit
    so I can understand it better; how it would help districts
    across America?
        Ms. Nunez. Sure.
        The grant was received by the School of Information
    Resources and Library Science. And so they created the
    Knowledge River program as an institute to recruit Native
    Americans and Hispanics to matriculate and earn a degree in
    library science.
        So it supported that. It supported students by way of
    offering scholarships for financial need for students who were,
    otherwise, unable to, actually, attend and earn a degree. It
    helped offset the cost of tuition, as well. But it also
    provides financial support, in terms of an assistantship in,
    particularly, library environments. So they are working and
    earning a stipend, or earning money, being in an information
    environment.
        Mr. Davis. Sounds great. Thank you.
        Ms. Zales, you mentioned that you have 280,000 readers in
    the summer. How do you get children--280,000 children in
    Pennsylvania--interested enough to read in the summer?
        Ms. Zales. Our Summer Reading program is, obviously, very
    successful. And we are very pleased that the teens that are
    coming into our program are coming in in larger numbers.
        I think it is of great note that, in the city of
    Philadelphia alone, there were 10,000 teens who are
    participating in our Summer Reading program. So not only does
    it have the advantage of increasing their reading skills over
    the summer, it also has the secondary benefit--it is keeping
    them engaged in the library, in the safe place.
        The Summer Reading program is the very first program that
    public libraries offered. It is over 100 years old. And it
    actually started in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. So we have
    history on our side; that there are generations who have
    participated in Summer Reading, and now have their children
    interested in it.
        I think part of the wonderful appeals of Summer Reading is
    they chose a very interesting theme every year. And it is a
    theme that young children and teens can all participate and
    find something interesting. And it is finding an interesting
    and engaging topic that will pull teens into the library and
    get them reading.
        Mr. Davis. Thank you.
        I had one last question. It is for Dr. Jolly.
        Thank you. I have an interest in a health and science
    background myself. I am a respiratory therapist. I own a
    health-care business.
        You talk about the three components necessary to increase
    success in sciences. Could you expand on that just a little
    bit, because we are running out of time?
        Mr. Jolly. Certainly.
        A few years ago, the General Electric Foundation
    commissioned several colleagues of mine and myself, including
    Patricia Campbell, to look at what we knew about what was
    successful. What did research tell us about successful outcomes
    for transforming student success in the quantitative
    disciplines, through programming funded by independent
    organizations and federal organizations?
        We wanted to find out that there was more--what we found
    out in the first case, was that there was precious little
    research. A lot of reform in education happens according to
    what Tom Kibler calls the ``pure of heart'' model: ``If my
    heart is pure and my intentions are good, I must be doing the
    right thing.'' The right thing doesn't always--the pure heart
    doesn't always lead to good student outcomes.
        We found that when we had good student outcomes, generally,
    the programming that was trying to transform the educational
    process had one or more of three primary goals showing up. And
    as we looked at the research, it was even more apparent that
    those programs that succeeded following one of those three
    goals, the program officers supported one of those three goals,
    the participants thought of those three goals, or sometimes
    more.
        We thought we should look at those goals. And the goals
    were quite simple. Capacity: Achieving the requisite knowledge
    and skills to advance to more rigorous disciplinary content.
    And the National Science Foundation, Office of Systemic Reform,
    put hundreds of millions of dollars into teacher preparation,
    curriculum materials, development and other programming to try
    and allow us to give students the capacity to advance to more
    rigorous knowledge.
        But you can have the finest teacher in the world and the
    greatest curriculum; if the child believes math is hard and it
    is not for them, if they are looking out the window instead of
    attending to the class, it doesn't matter.
        And so what students also needed, we found out, was
    engagement; an orientation to an interest, and a belief in
    their own efficacy to learn about these areas; knowing that
    science could be for girls; that science and math could be for
    any child. And so we have put tens of million dollars into
    programs like Operation Smart and Head Start. Girl Scouts of
    America have spent millions to try and get young people
    engaged.
        Today, the secretary of education has a program in New
    York, Chicago and D.C. aimed at getting young people oriented
    to and engaged in math and science, because we have to have
    them interested. We have to have that spark. And if we give
    them that spark and that interest, and the course and rigor
    that they have to develop the capacity to move to more rigorous
    knowledge, then what we need to assure is that they have the
    more rigorous knowledge; they have the continuity.
        We have called it ``systemic reform.'' We have called it
    many things. Over $1 billion, in the last decade, was spent on
    this in America.
        But the question was: Why does so much success--because all
    of these things that you fund, of course, we will write a
    report and say just how successful we were--why is it that all
    this success doesn't add up to more progress?
        And what we found when we looked at the research was that
    when we did a program for engagement or capacity or continuity,
    it worked, if, by happenstance, the other dimensions were
    already there. And what we need is an intentionality that
    coordinates at the appropriate level for each child, an
    assurance that they are engaged; that the capacity is there,
    and that the continuity, whether it is a knowledgeable and
    caring adult who can help them manage the field, or a
    curriculum or advisors in school, or the existence of A.P.
    calculus--that those continuity aspects are also in place.
        Let us be certain. If a child doesn't take algebra in
    eighth grade--and only 27 percent of American students take
    algebra in eighth grade--they cannot be on track to take A.P.
    Calculus. And without A.P. calculus, they will not be able to
    enter into a traditional engineering for 4 years, in which we
    provide support. That means that three out of four American
    students are off-track to be engineers before they can spell
    the word, in eighth grade.
        And so we need to engage them; give them an interest, a
    spark, a joy. Museums and libraries do that well. We need to
    provide the capacity by supporting the teachers, formal
    education, parents and programs that give them the requisite
    knowledge and skills. And we have to assure that, in their
    community, is the continuity that will move them along, put
    them on track for the most successful mathematics.
        We know that the number one predictor of college graduation
    is the number of math courses taken in high school. The top
    five performing states in America--57 percent of their students
    are taking algebra in eighth grade. We can make a difference.
        And our student-graduation rate from college reaches 79.8
    percent in 4 years, for students who have had 4 years of high-
    school mathematics, regardless of whether that degree is going
    to be in fine arts, literature, biological sciences,
    respiratory therapy, or physics.
        It is a way to teach children how to think, gain
    discipline, and have an assurance that is staying in--in
    China--that trips off the tongue in far too many students--more
    than in the United States. In the United States, our students
    will tell you, ``Birds of a feather flock together,'' and,
    ``Opposites attract,'' and we know both can't be true. In
    China, they will say, ``With knowledge of chemistry, physics
    and math, I can stand anywhere without fear.''
        That confidence from being a successful learner comes when
    our institutions engage them, give them the spark, ignite the
    curiosity and put them into a system that can help them
    succeed--engagement, capacity and continuity in every student.
    Thank you.
        Chairwoman McCarthy. Thank you.
        Ms. Clarke, my colleague from New York?
        Ms. Clarke. Thank you very much, Madam Chair and Ranking
    Member Platts.
        This has been a very engaging hearing. And I am thankful to
    all of you for coming. I am a beneficiary of a very enriched
    environment. I happen to represent a district that has the
    Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Children's Museum, the Brooklyn
    Jewish Children's Museum, the main branch of the Brooklyn
    Public Library, and about 12 local branches, as well as the
    Weeksville Museum.
        And born and raised in this district, I was a beneficiary
    of all of those institutions, with the exception of the
    Brooklyn Jewish Children's Museum, which is one of our latest
    additions.
        So what we are talking about today is really, really--hits
    home for me. I was also a former New York City Council member.
    So I participated in the financing and the growth and
    development of all of these institutions.
        Coming from an environment that is rich, that has a long
    history of developing cultural institutions, museums and
    libraries, one of the challenges that I have found for our
    community is actually not just the preservation and growth and
    development of programming, but capital improvements. How do we
    maintain the facilities that house all of these programs, all
    of these materials?
        And so my question to you, Dr. Radice, is: What kind of
    grants does IMLS provide to support museums and libraries that
    implement programs for at-risk and disadvantaged communities?
    And is their preservation extending to capital improvements as
    well?
        Ms. Radice. Unfortunately, we do not support capital
    improvements. There are other avenues to pursue that. We often
    give hints to people on where they might seek some help. And,
    certainly, that is a real issue.
        With the preservation of collections, has to come good
    housing for them. You have to have a roof over you that is not
    going to collapse and is not going to have rain.
        We have, throughout the history of this federal agency,
    been very supportive of all programs that really go down into
    the communities, all kinds of communities. We also, most
    recently--it is now 3 years old--have supported a tremendous
    leadership program called ``African American History and
    Cultural Grants.''
        These grants are given to institutions--African American
    institutions--who are not only developing programs that are of
    special significance, that can be replicated and shared with
    all museums, but also to help establish a professional track
    for many of the museum workers, who might not have had that
    opportunity.
        So we are very aware that we have to be engaged at the--
    right at the beginning, the entry level. And I wish I could
    give grants to help keep the roof on, but we certainly try to
    help.
        Ms. Clarke. We have to take a look at that.
        Ms. Radice. Yes, ma'am.
        Ms. Clarke. When you have an institution that is much
    older, and, perhaps, the population around that institution is
    changed so you don't have the type of benefactors, it becomes a
    challenge for the communities to maintain and make sure that
    these collections that have been around for hundreds of years,
    in many cases, are maintained in the appropriate environment.
        For instance, our Brooklyn Museum has been trying to get a
    correct HVAC system to make sure that the pieces that they have
    don't fade away because the humidity or the heat or the--you
    know, the conditions are not right to maintain some of those
    older pieces.
        So I think this is something that we certainly need to take
    a look at. I commend you on specializing in areas of
    collecting, particularly the pieces that reflect the cultural
    diversity of the environments in which we find many of our
    cultural institutions.
        I am interested, from the rest of the panel--I am sure you
    all have been seeing that all--I am sure you all are--and
    seeing that all parts of our communities are included and can
    share in all that our museums and libraries have to offer.
        My question for all witnesses is: What kind of outreach is
    being done, and should be done to include people who don't
    traditionally visit museums or libraries. I mean, I have a
    knowledge of it. Again, I come from a multicultural
    environment. So, constantly, you are coming in--you have people
    coming in with English as a second language. You have folks who
    are immigrants, people who may be relocating back into the
    community because they were in prison for a certain amount of
    time, low-income, and seniors.
        What strategy is to be used to get them involved? And, just
    shortly, because I know my time is up.
        Chairwoman McCarthy. I am going to have to remind the
    witnesses to try to keep their answers short.
        Mr. Jolly. Madam Chairwoman, Member Clarke, if I may--some
    of the programs that we have done at the Science Museum of
    Minnesota include running a youth group which--in one of our
    groups, 12 young people have 16 languages, other than English,
    among them. We supported and paid them to develop 16 different
    language tours of our museum for their community.
        We have community advisory boards for all of our
    communities. We hold the largest Somali collection in the
    nation--or in the world--the largest public Hmong collection in
    the world; and celebrate our holidays with our community, treat
    our communities in the languages that they wish to be
    introduced to science for; and also helped to create outreach
    through our ticketing programs to community centers around the
    state.
        Ms. Zales. If I could answer on behalf of libraries,
    please, we have recent studies that show, nationwide, that 78
    percent of our libraries reported that Spanish is the main non-
    English language being spoken. And our libraries are responding
    in fine fashion to that.
        Not only are we working with those who are coming into the
    library to help them with their language skills, but we are
    catering our collections and tailoring them to have low
    literacy in English so that they can--or easy-reading materials
    in English that are at the adult level, so that we can keep
    adults coming into the library. We are certainly offering our
    program and our story times in Spanish.
        And we are, with the thanks of LSTA funds, investing in
    language labs, so many of our libraries, as in our schools--we
    have 15, 20, 30 different languages being spoken, now. And our
    libraries must respond to that in order to keep the libraries
    relevant in serving those communities.
        Ms. Nunez. Good morning.
        The Knowledge River program, I think, is the perfect
    example of what it is doing to increase the workforce from the
    perspective of the cultural communities. And we are seeing an
    increase of those libraries delivering services to meet the
    needs of those constituencies to come into the libraries from a
    culturally--and a language perspective.
        So I think we are increasing the capacity for libraries to
    serve those communities, particularly through the Knowledge
    River program.
        Ms. LeBlanc. Yes. Recently, we started doing all of our
    library--flower exhibitions in Spanish, as well as English. We
    have initiated a kindergarten-readiness program, a bilingual
    program, for our children about to enter kindergarten, as well
    as courses for their parents--for low-income families with--
    who--many of whom, whose children have not attended preschool.
        We work with many community agencies, different cultural
    groups, and do several things with them--give them free passes,
    again, so that they can come--families can come on their own
    and not feel like they have to come and say they don't have
    money. But I also try and give them--the people that are
    interested--memberships, so that they can develop long-term
    relationships with the museum.
        And some of what you have to look at is what--do your staff
    speak other languages? Are your staff culturally diverse? Are
    the images they are seeing in your museum reflective of their
    experience? And what kind of programs are you doing?
        Ms. Clarke. Thank you.
        My colleague, the ranking member of this committee, Mr.
    Platts?
        Mr. Platts. Thank you, Madam Chair.
        My apologies in not being able to be here at the beginning
    of the testimony, but I do appreciate all of our witnesses
    being here to share your knowledge and expertise, especially a
    fellow Pennsylvanian.
        Thank you for being here, representing the great
    Commonwealth.
        I do appreciate the insights shared, and, you know,
    appreciate the importance of our libraries and our museums;
    and, maybe, especially, as a parent of a 12-year-old and 9-
    year-old, in both numerous museum visits over many years now--
    sometimes my kids would say ``too many museum visits,''
    perhaps, depending on what type of museum we are visiting,
    whether it is a hands-on, engaging for them, or more of a,
    ``Look, don't touch'' museum, and more reading and learning.
        But we have seen the benefits of those visits, and
    especially with libraries--both my children have had their own
    library cards from early on, and have participated from infancy
    in the Summer Reading program at our local libraries in York
    and, in fact, just concluded this year's Summer Reading
    program, documenting their minutes every day of reading.
        And I think one of their rewards that they really
    appreciated was the oldest fair in the United States, York
    Interstate Fair, continuous operation--and they got some free-
    ride tickets for their participation in the Summer Reading
    program. So they not only benefitted from reading, but they got
    a few rides. I think, Tuesday night, they took advantage of
    those rides.
        So, as a family, we appreciate the importance of both our
    museums and our libraries. I have seen the benefit of that. And
    I know we still have a ways to go in educating our fellow
    citizens--especially, the great, great benefits of reading from
    early on.
        And one of my colleagues from Illinois and I are co-
    sponsors of the Education Begins at Home Act, which is to help
    new parents--especially, lower-income, single moms--you know,
    understand the challenges of parenthood, and how to best do
    right by their children. And one of those is reading to our
    infants. And the research we now have in brain development in
    the 0-to-3 years--and 85 percent of the neurons being developed
    then.
        And I remember sitting in the state capital, not far from
    our state museum, as a state representative with my, then,
    probably 6-month-old son, T.J., who is now 12--sitting there,
    taking a break when he was--spent a lot of time traveling with
    me those first 10 months--and reading a book to him--a
    children's book.
        And a staff member popped her head in the door and said,
    ``Todd, you don't really think he understands what you are
    reading, do you?'' And I said, ``I know he doesn't understand
    what I am reading to him in the story, but that brain is
    working and digesting what he is hearing. And that will
    strengthen him on the reading side.''
        And then, Dr. Jolly, your emphasis on math and science--
    equally important that we do better conveying the importance of
    that foundation.
        I had the great blessing, as a student--in the same
    building as my 12-year-old, who is now attending middle
    school--it was my junior high, when I went there--of having
    great math opportunities all the way up through calculus, in
    high school--matrix and probabilities, statistics--and know how
    much that benefitted me in my further studies in college and
    law school, and to this day.
        So what you are doing is wonderful. And the importance
    that, individually, and, then, collectively--that you are
    bringing to our nation--and, especially, I think, to our future
    generations--is so important.
        So most importantly, I want to just say thank you for your
    efforts and your leadership in your respective positions, and
    the benefit you are bringing and achieving.
        My one question, in a broad sense--and I know this is not a
    reauthorization hearing. But I know we will be looking ahead to
    the importance of reauthorizing the Museum and Library Services
    Act. Is there any one thing--and I am going to take off the
    table ``more money,'' because I know that is a given--that
    there is always a need for additional funding to expand the
    programs that we know are working, such as the Summer Reading
    program.
        But is there something just to put on the table as we look
    ahead to strengthening this important act, or other related
    acts, that any of you want to share that we should just kind of
    have on the radar as we go ahead next year?
        Mr. Jolly. Member Platts, one of the things that I find
    that has been very helpful in the last decade has been the rise
    of reasonable accountability. And that is asking us to evaluate
    outcomes that really do look at, ``How have we transformed who
    informs our work, who forms our work, and who benefits from our
    work?''
        And adding evaluation, and funding that evaluation within
    the general grant structure is something that is very valuable
    to our institution, and helping to create a collective
    knowledge that informs all of us towards better practices in
    the future.
        Mr. Platts. In my understanding that--the importance of
    that, if you--in requiring that evaluation--that is not an
    eligible expense under the federal act today?
        Mr. Jolly. It currently is, under many federal-government
    programs. But we need a practice that will allow for
    reasonableness in the amount of--and the balance between what
    program is being funded and what the evaluation is; recognizing
    that, in some very new and innovative programs, we may need to
    increase the percentage of our funding which goes towards
    evaluation.
        And we may not need to have higher scrutiny of those that
    are already proven.
        Mr. Platts. Okay.
        Mr. Jolly. And so broader flexibility in meeting those
    accountability guidelines and goals, and greater opportunities
    to support innovative research on cutting-edge programs;
    accepting that the very best science will fail before it
    succeeds.
        Mr. Platts. Okay. Thank you.
        Madam Chair, is it okay--I know I am at my time limit--if--
    follow up, here--any others?
        Ms. Radice. If I may just add a word, sir?
        We are listening. And, in fact, the process of
    reauthorization is very complex. And so the reason I am being
    mute is because these are the people who are on the ground.
    Sometimes when you are very close to something, you can't see
    the fine-tuning you need to do.
        And I would suspect that, as we approach reauthorization--
    that the stability that IMLS has provided, and the great
    programs and the way in which it is operated, will stay. But I
    am sure there are fine-tunings that we will learn from people
    in the field.
        So as you engage in the reauthorization process, I think it
    is essential to hear from, as they say, ``the field''----
        Mr. Platts. Yes.
        Ms. Radice [continuing]. And from, just citizens, and maybe
    even from some people who don't go to libraries and museums.
    What can we do to help them?
        Mr. Platts. Thank you.
        Ms. Radice. You are welcome.
        Mr. Platts. Ms. Zales?
        Ms. Zales. We thank the LSTA fund, the IMLS. In
    Pennsylvania, the funds have been synonymous with innovation.
    And we are satisfied, all in all, with the administration and
    reauthorization, and ask that the innovation and the creativity
    that is made possible through these funds remain a priority.
        In Pennsylvania, the LSTA funds have truly been the seed
    money for the most innovative and sustained programs. And
    evidence of the successful component of that dimension is, in
    all cases, those programs went on to be funded by a direct
    state appropriation to sustain and allow them to grow.
        So I underscore the significance of allowing these funds to
    be used in innovation.
        Mr. Platts. Okay.
        Ms. LeBlanc. I was involved in programs that were funded by
    IMLS for, maybe 15 years now, and I know that the agency has
    gone through changes in its guidelines and went through a
    process of getting a lot of feedback from its community. And I
    just want to reiterate that that has been very helpful; and
    that the current guidelines really, I think, support innovation
    in a way that it didn't emphasize so much before.
        Mr. Platts. Great.
        Thank you, Madam Chair.
        And if I could just close with a thank you, personally--not
    as a parent, in this case, but myself--I commute daily from
    York, so I spend a lot of time in the car. And the Village
    Library of Jacobus--our local library that we are members of--a
    very small community library--is where all of my books on tape
    or CDs come from--that I survive my 100-mile-each-way commute.
        So I, personally, benefit, and my wife and children are
    there every 2 weeks and pick three of four books for me that I
    get through over the course of the next few weeks. And that is
    what allowed me to stay sane on my daily commute here.
        So thank you, Madam Chair.
        Thank you, again, for your participation, each of you.
    Thank you.
        Chairwoman McCarthy. Thank you, Mr. Platts.
        Mr. Sarbanes?
        Mr. Sarbanes. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
        And thank you, to the panel.
        I have been scrolling through an email I got here from my
    staff that lists al the museums and libraries in my district.
    And I get more and more excited as I am going through the list,
    because I have been to most of them, but I haven't been to them
    all. So now I got some tasks ahead of me--make sure I cover
    those.
        A tremendous resource, obviously, to any community, is the
    libraries and museums that are there. And Baltimore is no
    exception to that. In fact, the spirit of the city has been
    lifted in recent years by the expansion of the Enoch Pratt Free
    Library, with two new branches having opened--brand-new
    buildings, which had not happened for 30 years. And it reflects
    a sense of invigoration in the city, which has got us all very
    excited.
        I had two questions; the first is--and this may have been
    touched on before I came, and, if so, I apologize--but I was
    just curious--your perspective on free admission to,
    particularly, museums. I mean, we think of libraries as being
    free, in most instances. But museums, I know, are experimenting
    with what ``free admission'' means in terms of the relationship
    with the community.
        And I thought you would be a terrific group to get a
    perspective on that--the sort of pros and cons of it.
        Ms. Radice. If I may say, it really depends on the
    community a little bit, sir, because, in some instances,
    museums--they just couldn't function if they didn't have some
    entry fee. Now, there are very creative ways--perhaps having a
    local business subsidize part of the entry fee, or having a
    couple days a week be free.
        In essence, when you get people through that door, you
    hope, not only, they are going to experience the importance of
    being in that place, but, maybe, spend a little money while
    they are there.
        So I agree you can't have the fees so high that once you
    have walked through that door, you have said, ``Well, I have
    spent it now. I have brought the family. That is it.'' But
    developing good business plans and working within your local
    communities as part of the economic engine of that community--I
    think helps a great deal.
        It is a huge, huge challenge. I certainly agree with you.
    And when people come to Washington and they get to see the
    Smithsonian, and it is all free, it is tough to go home. It is
    tough to go home and pay the entry fee. I know.
        Ms. LeBlanc. Yes, our museum receives half of its operating
    budget from earned income, the biggest portion of which is
    entry fees; the other half, from various donations.
        What we try to do is raise money from businesses,
    foundations, other kinds of sources to fund access for families
    and agencies that can't afford to pay the admission fee. And we
    distribute several thousand free tickets in that way, and
    establish relationships with groups. But, because of financial
    pressures, we need to charge the admission fee to people that
    can afford to pay.
        I did a little study from our Visitor Service computer. And
    the number of people that actually paid the full admission fee
    was a very small percentage of the number of people that came
    in. So people are coming at reduced rates, they are coming in
    for free.
        It would be great for everyone to be free, but it is
    unrealistic if you are not funded by a governmental entity.
        Ms. Zales. If I could speak to the libraries, there is a
    long tradition and a long philosophy that information in
    libraries is to be free. It is part of what makes the
    information in the library a common denominator of information
    and resources across the commonwealth.
        We also know that the library is not free, and a library
    card is of no charge to residents of Pennsylvania, if you
    reside in a municipality that contributes to your public
    library--again, the concept being that if you are participating
    from your municipality, giving money to your library, those
    resources are available to you.
        Libraries, like most other institutions, have costs. And
    those costs are increasing, as well. And libraries are trying
    their best to recover. But libraries in Pennsylvania have, and
    will remain--a library card will remain free.
        Mr. Sarbanes. Let me ask you real quick, because my time is
    going to run out: Where there have been strong partnerships
    between schools and museums or schools and libraries--what is
    driving that? Do you find that it is the individual school
    that--where the partnership sort of emanates from?
        Do you find that school systems make a commitment that
    makes it easier to access and build those partnerships--just
    quick thoughts, a couple----
        Ms. Radice. I would say all of the above.
        Of course, with a school, if you have a dynamic, terrific
    principal, you are going to have a leader right away who is
    going to understand those values. But I think the fact that
    museums and libraries are part of the education system, in
    general--I think it is a symbiotic relationship. So I think, at
    all levels, we would like to see that.
        Mr. Sarbanes. Great.
        Thank you all very much.
        Chairwoman McCarthy. I want to thank everybody for their
    testimony.
        And right before I go into my closing statement, I would
    like to put a challenge out to all of you. The collaboration,
    obviously, between all of you who are, in my opinion,
    educators--yes, in libraries, museums--but, next year, we are
    going to be reauthorizing ``Leave No Child Behind.'' Obviously,
    there has been some controversy about it.
        But if you had thoughts, especially on math and science,
    and how we get our young people to be more open to that--and I
    would appreciate it. I mean, you know, it is just information
    for us, because everybody here is on the full committee of
    eduction.
        So if you have any outside thoughts on what possibly could
    go--or how could we even work together a little bit more
    between our schools and between the libraries and museums--I
    would appreciate that information.
        I want to thank each one of you for coming here today to
    share with us the work being done by libraries and museums to
    strengthen our communities. Each of you shared with us strong
    programs happening across the country, which are encouraging
    and inspiring.
        It is through the continued support and strengthening of
    communities, and the people living in them, that our nation is
    growing stronger.
        Today, particularly, on 9-11, is a day for us to remember
    that we must continue to work together to aid our fellow
    citizens and improve the lives around all of us. Museums and
    libraries serve as a unique role in this endeavor, and to do it
    in creative ways unique to each community for which they serve.
        I hope that, as people watch this hearing and learn of
    these programs, that new connections are forged across the
    country and across the world, to connect people to information,
    to ideas and to each other.
        Again, I want to thank each of you for being here today.
        And I thank, to you, my subcommittee members, for their
    continued dedication and support.
        As previously was so ordered, members will have 14 days to
    submit additional materials for the hearing record. Any member
    who wishes to submit followup questions, in writing, to the
    witnesses, should coordinate with the majority staff, within
    the requested time.
        Without objecting, this hearing is adjourned.
        [The statement of Mr. Altmire follows:]

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Jason Altmire, a Representative in Congress
                         From the State of Pennsylvania

        Thank you, Chairwoman McCarthy, for holding this important hearing
    on the role of museums and libraries in strengthening communities.
        Today's hearing will focus on the Institute for Museum and Library
    Services (IMLS) and the important work they do to help museums and
    libraries connect people to information and ideas in communities across
    the country. In my district in western Pennsylvania, IMLS has provided
    three libraries with grants and, across the state of Pennsylvania, IMLS
    has provided nearly $6 million for the expansion and development of
    museum and library services.
        Museums and libraries provide our communities with a way to better
    understand our communities, our nation and our world. People of all
    ages can visit museums and libraries to gain a better understanding by
    learning from collections, exhibits and programs that are offered.
    Museums and libraries are one of the most important resources for
    education our children and, as we will hear today, offer services that
    no one else can.
        Thank you again, Chairwoman McCarthy, for holding this hearing. I
    yield back the balance of my time.
                                     ______

        [The statement of Mr. Davis of Illinois follows:]

    Prepared Statement of Hon. Danny K. Davis, a Representative in Congress
                           From the State of Illinois

        Chairwoman McCarthy and Ranking Member Platts, I am pleased that
    the Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities is holding this
    hearing on how museums and libraries strengthen our communities. The
    Seventh Congressional District of Illinois is home to some of the
    greatest museums in the country. As its elected official, I know first
    hand that these entities serve as integral elements of the fabric of
    Chicago. In addition to demonstrating how these institutions contribute
    greatly to our communities, I hope that this hearing will generate
    suggestions for how lawmakers can improve the ability of these
    organizations to promote the education of our citizens. For example,
    are there opportunities within the reauthorization of the Elementary
    and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to better support the high-caliber
    professional development programs operated by these institutions? The
    Chicago Public Library receives 92% of its funding from the City of
    Chicago and 8% from the State of Illinois, receiving minimal federal
    assistance. As Congress examines ESEA, are there provisions that can be
    adjusted to support public libraries in their efforts to educate the
    young and old? Can we develop ways to integrate the museums and
    libraries in improving our curriculum to better engage students to
    prevent drop outs? Are there changes to the Institute of Museum and
    Library Services Act that could facilitate community programming? Given
    the remarkable works taking place in Chicago, I want to take an
    opportunity to describe some of the successful programs operating in
    Chicago. I hope that this sample of programs offered in Chicago will
    help policymakers understand the fundamental value of these efforts.
    Thank you.

    Adler Planetarium
        The Adler Planetarium is committed to developing and implementing
    educational initiatives aimed at capturing children's interest in
    science at critical moments in their intellectual development. It
    offers an array of engaging programs, such as Astro-Science Workshops,
    Educational Camps, Scouts in Space Programs, and Professional
    Development Workshops for teachers. The philosophy connecting these
    programs is that there is amazing potential for transformation within
    the classroom and that developing teachers' skills in scientific
    disciplines and inquiry-based learning methodologies that are aligned
    with the Illinois Learning Standards will nurture and unleash this
    potential. The Adler's goal is to equip students with basic knowledge,
    skills and investigative strategies from the scientific world so they
    can succeed in school and the future workforce and understand the
    relevance of science in their daily lives.
        The Adler offers a variety of programs to support quality science
    education in Illinois and across the country. These include:
        Teacher Professional Development Workshops to help teachers further
    their knowledge of the science concepts they are teaching and equip
    them with hands-on learning techniques to use in the classroom. During
    the 2007-2008 school year, the Adler provided 18 teacher professional
    development workshops, which attracted 1,034 from nearly 180 Illinois
    schools.
        Distance Learning Programs via the Adler's website and
    videoconferencing sessions, such as Ask the Expert, give students
    opportunities to ask questions of museum astronomers. Nine hundred
    students at schools outside Illinois participated in one of 36
    videoconferencing programs during the 2007-2008 school year.
        Classroom Kits and Web-based Educational Resources for teachers
    that include everything they need to implement the hands-on learning
    techniques and classroom experiments demonstrated during Adler teacher
    professional development workshops.
        A Pilot 5-week Earth & Space Science Unit developed at the request
    of Loyola University Chicago to serve as part of the 11th grade physics
    course. The unit will be divided between earth and space topics and
    encompass a subset of the Illinois earth and space science learning
    standards. With oversight from Loyola, Adler education staff and
    astronomers also will provide training and professional development for
    science teachers using the unit. The Earth & Space Science Unit will
    encompass two and one-half weeks of astronomy and two and one-half
    weeks of earth science curriculum. This project will have district-wide
    impact, support the Chicago Public Schools' efforts to improve high
    school curriculum, and better prepare students for college.

    Chicago Children's Museum
        The mission of Chicago Children's Museum is to create a community
    where play and learning connect. With nearly 800,000 annual visitors
    within the museum and in programs throughout Chicago, Chicago
    Children's Museum is now the second most-visited children's museum in
    the country and the fifth most visited museum in Chicago. Collaborating
    with 400 community partners, a priority of Chicago Children's Museum is
    to represent and reach communities throughout Chicago to provide
    families with resources and access opportunities.
        The museum engages children and adults in culturally sensitive,
    first-person programs that foster an excitement for the arts, science,
    literacy and diverse cultures. This work comes alive in exhibits such
    as My Museum. For this exhibit, Chicago Children's Museum partnered
    with Street-Level Youth Media to unveil a new component ``My Community
    Matters,'' an inspiring audio/video compilation of children's first-
    person perspectives about their own communities.
        Chicago Children's Museum strengthens families through its
    implementation of programming in underserved areas and access
    opportunities for those in need. In ArtReach, an after-school,
    intergenerational program, museum educators offer dynamic, high-quality
    art instruction with a strong literacy component. ArtReach provides
    children and their families the opportunity to collaborate and learn
    together, and books and materials to extend the experience at home.
        To empower children from an early age to celebrate each other's
    similarities and differences, Chicago Children's Museum focuses on
    anti-bias education, which allows children to develop empathy, critical
    thinking skills, a comfort level with diversity, and a confident self-
    identity. Through programs like Passport to the World, the museum
    exposes visitors to a rich variety of people, beliefs and cultures to
    not only break down stereotypes, but also to help children and families
    build a strong and confident self-identity and an informed and proud
    group identity. Now in its 10th year, Passport is an opportunity for
    communities to explore and showcase the essence of their culture for
    the education of their own children and the children of Chicago.
        Chicago Children's Museum's Student Programs offer opportunities
    for pre-kindergarten through 5th grade students to participate in
    workshops facilitated by museum educators either at Chicago Children's
    Museum or directly in schools. All workshops are linked to state goals
    and standards and are intended to complement classroom curriculum. In
    workshops, such as smART Spaces, the Chicago Children's Museum
    educators help teachers and students turn their classrooms into a
    vibrant art studio, where young students re-shape, re-build, and re-
    invent everyday objects.
        A collaboration between the museum and community partners, Chicago
    Children's Museum's Initiatives for Latino and African-American
    Communities create unique, playful learning experiences for educators,
    community organizations, children, and families. Annually, these
    Initiatives engage thousands of children and adults in significant
    creative, cultural, and educational activities. Through these
    Initiatives, the museum offers Community Resource Fairs, which engage
    families in performances and workshops while connecting parents and
    caregivers with important resources in their community to support and
    strengthen families.

    The Chicago Public Library
        The Chicago Public Library is comprised of 79 neighborhood
    libraries which serve 2.9 million Chicagoans as well as residents of
    more than 200 surrounding Illinois towns and communities through
    reciprocal borrowing arrangements. More than 1.1 million people visit
    Chicago Public Libraries in person each month and more than 1 million
    visit its website each month to find books and other library materials
    in more than 40 languages; events; programs; and online research
    through more than 70 databases in various subject areas. In 2007, the
    Chicago Public Library provided more than 3.8 million free one hour
    Internet sessions and circulated more than 7.7 million items. The
    Library offers a variety of programs and services to meet the
    developmental needs of residents:
        Preschool Children: The Library offers instruction, special book
    and alphabet collections, and lapsit story times for teachers, parents
    and caregivers that emphasize the importance of reading aloud daily to
    children from birth in order to prepare students to enter kindergarten
    ready to read. Also, there are collection development workshops for
    Head Start and pre-K teachers and special lapsit story times and pre-
    literacy programs for infants and toddlers in multiple libraries.
        School Age Children: The Library's annual summer reading program is
    a core service to the community, serving more than 49,000 Chicago
    children who read more than 1.2 million books in 2008. In addition,
    science and conservation programs were taught in every library by
    educators from the City's Department of the Environment, the Museum of
    Science and Industry, and Garfield Park Conservatory. The Teacher in
    the Library program provides certified teachers to work with students
    on homework in 47 branch libraries everyday after school.
        Teens: The Library offers a few key programs for teens. Teen Volume
    provides reading, writing and financial literacy workshops for teens.
    There also are special book collections of fiction and nonfiction
    geared to teens, and the Readers Theater workshops provide teens an
    opportunity to adapt and present content from popular fiction for
    audiences citywide.
        Adults: Multiple programs help engage adults in reading and
    learning. For example, the One Book One Chicago program is a citywide
    reading initiative presented twice a year that is designed to encourage
    all Chicagoans from high school through senior citizens to read,
    discuss and attend cultural programs about the same book. Similar
    programs now offered in more than 150 cities around the world. The
    Museum Passports program allows library cardholders to check out free
    family admission passes to any of Chicago's museums and cultural
    institutions. This service is key to providing cultural opportunities
    to Chicago's citizens. Similarly, the Words and Music program improves
    access to classical music by distributing thousands of free lawn
    admission passes to Ravinia Music Festival's summer classical music
    programs. The Library also offers Adult Book Discussion Groups that
    meet monthly in more than 50 branches, plus a special Summer Reads for
    Adults program that attracted more than 5000 participants in 2008.
    Finally, the Money Smarts program provides free financial literacy
    classes for adults and families citywide, addressing topics such as
    money management, credit cleanup, home buying, investing and saving for
    college.

    Chicago Zoological Society's Brookfield Zoo
        Families throughout Chicagoland know that Chicago Zoological
    Society's Brookfield Zoo provides experiences and memories that can
    last a lifetime. These memories make it a valued community institution
    that provides unique educational experiences that foster connections
    with wildlife and nature. In 2007, 250,000 students participated in
    field trips to Brookfield Zoo. With almost 75 years of conservation
    leadership, both Chicago Zoological Society and Brookfield Zoo are
    sources of pride for our community. Less understood is that the
    Brookfield Zoo is a valuable community institution that employs
    hundreds of local residents and generates an economic ripple effect
    throughout Chicago and Illinois. In 2007, with a budget of $56.3
    million, Chicago Zoological Society employed 1,124 people with a total
    of $53.9 million in wages.
        Chicago Zoological education and community programs positively
    impact children and families throughout Cook County. These programs
    supplement existing science curricula for students and enhance the
    capacity and professional credentials of teachers. All content is
    aligned to Chicago Math and Science Initiative Scope and Sequence K-8
    and Illinois State Learning Standards. The Chicago Zoological Society's
    School, Group, and Teacher Programs are divided into three major
    service delivery areas:
        School Programs offer classes for students from preschool through
    high school. The Connections series of classes explores a wide array of
    topics, including animal survival, critter coverings, wetland wonders,
    animal behaviors, ecosystems, and primate populations. Classroom
    presentations offer hands on experiences, experiments, songs, live
    animals, and expert facilitators. Brookfield Zoo is used as a living
    classroom to offer engage students in animals and conservation. In
    2007, almost 19,500 students participated in Connections series at
    Brookfield Zoo. As part of the School Programs, inclusion is a focus.
    Several classes are designed with inclusion students specifically in
    mind; especially Every Student is a Scientist. In 2001, the program
    increased outreach to Chicago Public School as well as deepened our
    relationships with individual schools. Additionally, two programs, Good
    Works and Bridges, allow special needs citizens volunteer and work
    opportunities at the Zoo.
        Teacher Programs offer unique learning experiences that enrich
    educators' classroom curricula. Workshops, classes, exhibit previews,
    and Zoo experiences all provide professional development opportunities
    for teachers. As an approved Illinois State Board of Education
    provider, continuing education credits are offered. Graduate and
    undergraduate credits are offered through an academic partnership with
    Aurora University, National Louis University, and Triton College. In
    2007, 1,265 teachers participated in Chicago Zoological Society teacher
    training programs that annually will indirectly reach at least 38,000
    students.
        The School Partnership Program is a unique partnership with
    Riverside-Brookfield High School. An interdisciplinary curriculum for
    freshman combines algebra, biology, English, and physical education
    while focusing on local environmental issues and environmental
    literacy. Brookfield Zoo assists with coordination, science expertise,
    and the use of the Zoo as a living classroom. Students experience a
    coordinated approach to learning while enjoying such adventures as
    kayaking, rock climbing, fishing, orienteering, and water quality
    analysis.

    DuSable Museum of African American History
        The DuSable Museum of African American History is dedicated to the
    collection, documentation, preservation, interpretation and
    dissemination of the history and culture of Africans and Americans of
    African descent. Through its exhibitions, archives and a diverse array
    of education programs, the DuSable Museum seeks to interpret and
    illuminate their experiences and contributions to American and world
    history, culture and art. In fulfilling its mission, DuSable Museum
    presents continuing and special exhibits and installations,
    interpretive and educational programs including film screenings,
    theatre performances, concerts, lectures, and several special events
    each year. Public programs interpret exhibitions and/or celebrate
    important figures, events, periods and themes in African American
    history and elements of African culture. The DuSable Museum of African
    American History is the first museum of its type in the country and is
    the only major independent institution in Chicago established to
    preserve and interpret the historical experiences and achievements of
    African Americans. All of its programs are produced for underserved
    communities surrounding the Museum. They include:
        Martinmas Day/King Day is a weekend tribute in film and documentary
    screenings and performances that celebrate the life and legacy of Dr.
    Martin Luther King Jr.
        Juneteenth Celebration commemorates the 1863 Emancipation
    Proclamation.
        Annual Arts and Crafts Festival is an outdoor exposition of visual
    art by Chicago artists and artisans coupled with performances and an
    activities pavilion for children.
        Penny Cinema Series offers year-round screenings of youth-oriented
    films and videos.
        Kwanzaa Celebration examines and celebrates a family-focused
    observance of the year-end African American cultural holiday. In
    addition, there is a Kwanzaa Children's Penny Cinema Series--a special
    collection of films that celebrate and discuss the origins and values
    of the Kwanzaa season through traditional sounds of West Africa.
        Youth Docents Program trains high school and college students as
    gallery guides.
        African Storytelling involves weekday presentations of African
    fables, proverbs, and legends designed for younger children led by
    local storytellers.
        African Rhythm Series offers weekday demonstration workshops on the
    music and dances of various African cultures and their derivations in
    the Americas.
        Good Greens highlights the vibrant cultural tradition of African
    Americans through good food and food for thought, authorized by the
    passage of the 2008 Farm Bill by Congress, which included historic
    provisions for urban communities.
        Youth Advisory Program helps underrepresented high school students
    obtain work-based learning competencies, educational enrichment and
    leadership skills, along with tour guide and diversity training while
    gaining insight as to how museums operate.

    The Field Museum
        The Field Museum was established in 1893 to expand scientific
    knowledge about the earth and its peoples and to disseminate that
    knowledge to the public. The Field Museum continues to pursue these
    goals today through a variety of programs designed to foster deep
    personal interactions with the awe-inspiring, intricate realities of
    the natural world. Serving 1.5 million people annually, the Field
    Museum brings diverse communities within Chicago together to learn
    about conservation, biodiversity, and the history of life on earth. The
    Field's activities include:
        Education. The Field has a long-standing commitment to education.
    In 2008, its education department offered approximately 4,000 public
    programs that served over 700,000 people in 2008. In addition to its
    exhibits, the Field provides numerous other innovative educational
    programs that strengthen the Chicago community. For example, The Harris
    Educational Loan Center has served millions of Illinois school children
    and aided thousands of teachers in enhancing basic science education
    since 1911. The Center delivers collection materials and science
    curricula to classrooms at little to no charge. The Center is the
    longest-running and most comprehensive museum educational outreach
    program of its kind in the U.S., benefiting more than 250,000 students
    annually. Dozin' with the Dinos has provided an overnight adventure
    that provides family activities, lectures, tours, and performances for
    almost 20 years. Guests explore museum exhibits, such as ancient Egypt
    by flashlight and Sue the T. Rex, and sleep near popular exhibits. The
    High School Transformation Project improves student achievement and
    graduation rates at Chicago Public Schools by developing high-caliber
    curricula and professional development programs, constituting a vital
    partner in urban education reform. In collaboration with the Illinois
    Institute of Technology and the Chicago Public Schools, the Field
    develops engaging, inquiry-based curricula in the areas of biology,
    chemistry, and physics.
        Conservation. The Field Museum maintains a comprehensive commitment
    to science-based conservation. Its Environment, Culture and
    Conservation department (ECCo) was established in 1994 to help deploy
    The Field Museum's collections, scientific research, and educational
    resources to the immediate conservation needs at local, national, and
    international levels. Successful programs include: (1) collaboration
    projects with local and regional governments and others to create new
    and self-sustaining conservation parks (Chicago, Peru, Guatemala) to
    preserve endangered biospheres and help address global ecological
    challenges; (2) conservation education programs that engage local
    students in hands-on restoration stations at three sites: Wolf Lake,
    Eggers Woods, and Hammond, IN; and (3) the ``Cultural Connections''
    program, which is a partnership of ethnic museums and cultural centers
    that is engaged in exploring common cultural themes and experiences in
    Chicago's vastly diverse urban cultural fabric.
        Basic Science and Research. The Field is a world-class center for
    collections-based scientific research. These collections are the core
    and essence of the Museum and contain the raw data that allow us to
    trace the history of the earth through the complex waves of
    evolutionary development of plant and animal life. The Field employs
    over 200 scientists, and houses more than 24 million scientific
    specimens. It is an international leader in research related to
    evolutionary biology, molecular systematics, paleontology, archaeology
    and ethnography.

    Museum of Science and Industry
        The Museum of Science and Industry's vision is to inspire and
    motivate all children to reach their full potential in the fields of
    science, technology, medicine and engineering. The new Center for the
    Advancement of Science Education goes beyond the Museum walls into
    schools and community organizations across the Chicago area. The
    Center's programs empower teachers, engage the community and excite
    students. Programs are designed to provide support to teachers, reach
    children in a variety of settings, and make it easy to participate. The
    Center offers programs through three divisions: The Institute for
    Quality Science Teaching; Community Initiatives; and Student
    Experiences.
        The Institute for Quality Science Teaching helps educators teach
    science with greater passion and confidence. Professional development
    workshops increase teachers' knowledge of science, improve their
    teaching skills and demonstrate how to use Museum programs and exhibits
    to enhance science curriculum. Approximately 250 teachers participate
    in workshops annually, ultimately impacting science education for about
    10,000 students each year. Workshops are offered at no cost to
    teachers, who typically work in Chicago Public Schools. The program
    targets schools most in need of resources, with 42 of the 50 schools
    that participated in the 2007-08 yearlong workshop series primarily
    serving low-income children.
        Community Initiatives expand the Museum's reach by providing
    children from diverse backgrounds with early exposure to exciting
    ideas, opportunities and career paths. Demand for these programs is
    great, and there are waiting lists for acceptance. The After-school
    Science Minors Clubs were developed to help increase science literacy
    and increase interest in science in underserved Chicago neighborhoods.
    The Museum partners with schools and community-based organizations to
    provide science clubs to about 4,000 8- to 13-year-olds. Currently,
    there are 36 clubs throughout the Chicago region. The Science Minors
    youth development program targets 14- to 17-year-olds in underserved
    communities and provides the opportunity to learn about science, meet
    scientists, develop public speaking skills and earn service-learning
    hours. Three sessions each school year involve 45 students each time.
    Since its debut in 2003, about 400 teens have participated. The Science
    Achievers program allows teens who have completed Science Minors to
    deepen their work with the Museum and prepare for college and careers.
    Students participate in internships, mentor new classes of Science
    Minors and facilitate science clubs. About 100 students are currently
    participating. All 23 Science Achievers who graduated from high school
    last spring are attending college this fall with full or partial
    scholarships.
        The Student Experiences program invite nearly 300,000 students on
    field trips each year to experience the passion and thrill of
    scientific discovery. Beyond great, interactive Museum exhibits,
    dedicated Learning Labs provide facilitated learning experiences that
    allow students to explore science in exciting ways. About 12,000
    students each year in grades 3 through 12 participate in hands-on lab
    activities that are aligned with Illinois Learning Standards in
    science. Labs have pre- and post-visit activities along with additional
    resources to enhance what students learn. Since the program debuted in
    2003, more than 10,000 students have participated. The Museum of
    Science and Industry's Programs are evaluated routinely with strong
    outcomes. For example, a 2007 evaluation of Learning Lab Programs
    showed that 85% of teachers were satisfied with the programs and
    students participation and motivation improved in the classroom.

    The Shedd Aquarium
        Shedd Aquarium has served Chicago communities for more than 75
    years. Its philosophy is that animals connect an individual to the
    living world, inspiring one to make a difference. Shedd Aquarium
    fosters this ethic by building peoples' appreciation, learning and
    understanding of the aquatic systems in their own neighborhoods and
    beyond; strengthening science literacy; and encouraging direct
    conservation action. The Shedd offers many wonderful programs that
    strengthen the Chicago community:
        The Neighborhood Initiatives project creates partnerships with
    community organizations that serve at-risk youth in afterschool
    settings to provide intense educational programming concerning local
    environments, eventually leading to self-sustaining stewardship
    programs, including beach and park clean-ups and the restoration of
    native plants.
        The Park Voyagers program is a collaborative effort with Chicago
    Park District since 1997 to provide education programming for families
    across the city as part a three-year cycle designed to increase
    engagement with and use of museums in the Chicago area. It equips
    children for full participation in the civic and cultural life in the
    city of Chicago and helps families gain confidence with using museums
    as educational and recreational resources.
        Student Mentoring Programs help students explore career interests
    in aquatic science, animal care and conservation, as well as receive
    academic and social support from like-minded peers and trained staff.
    Students from diverse backgrounds participate in these programs
    beginning with lower impact experiences, such as an after school club,
    and then deepening their engagement with Shedd through intensive field
    programs on the Great Lakes, in the Bahamas and internationally.
        Teacher Mentoring Programs help teachers learn how to engage
    students in learning science via hands-on exercises. After
    participating in this program, teachers are more likely to incorporate
    hands-on science investigations into their teaching strategies and to
    rely less on textbooks as their sole means of teaching science.
    Approximately 200 public school teachers in 11 Chicago Public Schools
    participate in this three-year program.
        Community Festival Programming allows the Shedd to engage
    Chicagoans about issues facing the Great Lakes at events and community
    festivals, such as the Chicago Folk and Roots Festival and the Fourth
    Annual Great Lakes Surf Luau. Conversation topics include sustainable
    water use and maintaining water quality, as well as stresses on the
    lakes from invasive species and habitat destruction. Tools to help
    community members monitor their water use, such as shower timers and
    rain gauges, are given away.
        Sustainable Practices Technical Assistance programming assists a
    number of Chicago businesses and nonprofits (e.g., museums, law firms,
    sports stadiums) in their efforts to reduce energy costs and waste
    production through green practices. The Right Bite program works with
    local seafood wholesalers, restaurants, catering and retail outlets,
    and culinary schools to provide more sustainable and healthy seafood
    options to consumers in the Chicago market.
                                     ______

        [The statement of Mr. Davis of Tennessee follows:]

     Prepared Statement of Hon. David Davis, a Representative in Congress
                          From the State of Tennessee

        Thank you Madame Chairwoman, good morning, and let me extend a warm
    welcome to our distinguished panel of witnesses.
        Before we begin, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on the somber
    anniversary being marked today. Seven years ago, our nation was forever
    changed by the murderous acts of a band of terrorists determined to
    undermine our very way of life. I'm proud of how our nation responded,
    with selfless acts of patriotism and courage, and a determination to
    maintain our freedom and defeat those who attack our citizens and our
    values. As we take this opportunity today to look at the institutions
    that strengthen our communities, we must all remember that those strong
    communities have stood in the face of terrorism and maintained the
    power of the American spirit.
        We are here early this morning to discuss the tremendous roles that
    museums and libraries play in strengthening the nation's local
    communities. I particularly look forward to hearing from the Institute
    for Museum and Library Services who will discuss their support for IMLS
    programs and how they assist various museum and libraries with
    achieving their missions and goals.
        Our nation's museums and libraries have historically played a vital
    role in helping society experience, explore, discover, and make sense
    of the ever changing world. Today, that role is more essential than
    ever. Through building technological infrastructure and strengthening
    community relationships, museums and libraries can offer the public
    unprecedented access and expertise in transforming information overload
    into knowledge.
        In many communities across America, the local library is the only
    place people of all ages and backgrounds can find, and freely use, a
    diverse set of resources, with the expert guidance of librarians. And
    far too often, the hometown library serves as the only public access to
    the Internet.
        Not to be left out, the treasures of our nation's museums enable
    people to explore collections for inspiration, learning and enjoyment.
    They are institutions that collect, safeguard and make accessible
    artifacts and specimens, which they hold in trust for society.
        As you know madam chairwoman, I am sitting in today for Mr. Platts,
    and I would like to ask unanimous consent to submit his opening
    statement for the record. Once again, I want to thank our witnesses for
    being here to discuss this important topic. I look forward to your
    testimony. Thank you Chairwoman McCarthy, and I yield back.
                                     ______

        [Questions for the record and their subsequent responses
    follow:]

                                                 U.S. Congress,
                                    Washington, DC, September 17, 2008.

    Dr. Eric J. Jolly, Ph.D., President,
    Science Museum of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN.
        Dear Dr. Jolly: Thank you for testifying at the September 11, 2008
    hearing of the Committee on Education and Labor on ``Examining the Role
    of Museums and Libraries in Strengthening Communities.''
        Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), chairwoman of the Healthy
    Families and Communities Subcommittee has asked that you respond in
    writing to the following questions:
        1. Please describe how museums and libraries can work together with
    Congress, schools, and other stakeholders to improve math and science
    education both inside and outside the classroom in the context of the
    reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965,
    better known as NCLB? If you have thoughts outside NCLB those are also
    welcome.
        2. In your written testimony you describe many collaborations that
    your museum has in your community, in your state, and across the
    nation, including with corporations, non-profits, and schools. What
    efforts do you put forth to reach out to these organizations and what
    do you do to share lessons learned in such connections and
    collaborations with other museums and libraries?
        3. You stated in your testimony that incorporating relevant
    information into your museum causes people to attend. How do you decide
    what is relevant and what is not and to whom?
        Please send an electronic version of your written response to the
    questions to the Committee staff by close of business on Tuesday,
    September 23, 2008--the date on which the hearing record will close. If
    you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the
    Committee.
                Sincerely,
                                                 George Miller,
                                                              Chairman.
                                     ______

                   Dr. Jolly's Answers to Questions Submitted

        Chairwoman McCarthy, Ranking Member Platts, and members of the
    subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to provide additional
    information about the important role that museums and libraries can
    play in strengthening our communities.
        I am pleased to offer the following comments in response to the
    three questions posed by Representative McCarthy:
        1. Please describe how museums and libraries can work together with
    Congress, schools and other stakeholders to improve math and science
    education both inside and outside the classroom in the context of the
    reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965, better
    known as NCLB? If you have thoughts outside NCLB those are also
    welcome.
        2. In your written testimony you describe many collaborations that
    your museum has in your community, in your state, and across the
    nation, including with corporations, non-profits, and schools. What
    efforts do you put forth to reach out to these organizations and what
    do you do to share lessons learned in such connections and
    collaborations with other museums and libraries?
        3. You stated in your testimony that incorporating relevant
    information into your museum causes people to attend. How do you decide
    what is relevant and what is not and to whom?
        Q1: Please describe how museums and libraries can work together
    with Congress, schools and other stakeholders to improve math and
    science education both inside and outside the classroom in the context
    of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965,
    better known as NCLB. If you have thoughts outside NCLB those are also
    welcome.
        As places of informal learning, museums and libraries are uniquely
    positioned to spark children's excitement about science and math
    through hands-on learning that ties directly back to classroom lessons,
    to local and national standards in math and science, and to 21st
    century learning skills. Museums are natural partners with school
    districts to substantially increase the level and frequency of
    professional development opportunities for in-service teachers.
        According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers,
    one in four engineers directly attribute their career choice to museum
    experiences as a child.
        In response to declining student interest and achievement in the
    STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines,
    some science museums, like the Science Museum of Minnesota, are raising
    the bar on the scope and rigor of their education initiatives, both in
    the classroom and in after school, weekend and summer programs. We have
    increased our level of intentionality, built infrastructure to conduct
    rigorous evaluation of our efforts, and launched initiatives that serve
    individual students and teachers, entire districts, and cross-district
    collaborations and networking. The National Council of Teachers of
    Mathematics has recognized these efforts, and our work was featured in
    the cover article of NCTM's Teaching Children Mathematics in February
    2007.
        We know that it is not enough simply to repackage our existing
    cadre of school programs; we must rethink, recreate and revitalize
    them.
        NCLB funding--should it be expanded to include experiences offered
    by museums and libraries--could play an important role in giving
    students access to these critical out-of-school enrichment experiences,
    provided that the programs can demonstrate they meet the following
    criteria:
         Direct ties to the relevant standards.
         Existing and ongoing professional evaluation.
         Connections to classroom practice.
        Partnerships with school systems are critical for museums and NCLB
    could support those connections. A broadening of NCLB funding
    guidelines could also support programs that help develop high-
    performing science and math teachers. It is those teachers who inform
    and inspire the next generations of science learners.
        We are doing just that at the Science Museum of Minnesota with
    efforts that are closely tied to a vision of STEM education that is
    driven by state and national standards.

    Example: MUSE Project
        Materials & Understanding for STEM Educators (MUSE) in Minnesota is
    a statewide education initiative in STEM. MUSE in Minnesota is driven
    by a vision of a STEM-literate Minnesota citizenry and a mission to
    promote rigorous STEM education for all and eliminate the racial
    achievement gap. MUSE encompasses a unified program of change focused
    on 1) providing material and intellectual support for STEM educators
    through Science House, home of the Museum's Teacher Resource Center and
    related programs, and 2) the expansion and support of middle school
    math and science initiatives, including professional development for
    STEM educators, district leaders and university faculty and expanded
    outreach programs in classrooms throughout Minnesota.
        MUSE is funded by the Minnesota State Legislature with the
    Minnesota Department of Education, initiated through support from 3M
    and Medtronic, both of which continue to provide funding.
        MUSE is given meaning through a set of Guiding Principles:
         STEM Integration: Science is the study of the natural
    world using scientific habits of mind. It creates an authentic context
    for the development and application of mathematical problem solving.
    Mathematics is the study of pattern and abstraction and allows us to
    see complex relationships in the natural world and to make powerful,
    accurate predictions. Engineering and Technology use the outputs of
    science and mathematics to solve issues and problems for society. In
    addition, they produce instruments and process that further scientific
    and mathematical inquiry.
         Effort-Based Learning: Learning is the arbiter of success.
    Learners' beliefs and theories about intelligence greatly influence the
    kinds of goals they set and effort they employ. Incremental self-
    theories of intelligence--one can get smarter through effort--are
    essential in teaching, learning, and doing STEM.
         Equity and Access: Closing the racial achievement gap is
    an imperative for Minnesota's workforce, economic health and civic
    participation. Access involves implementing culturally relevant STEM
    curricula and culturally competent instruction for Minnesota's
    increasingly diverse students.
         Systems-Based Approaches: Meeting the Minnesota Academic
    Standards in Science involves vertical integration of concepts across
    grade levels, coherency across schools and within STEM, and sensitivity
    to local contexts and resources.
        Q2: In your written testimony you describe many collaborations that
    your museum has in your community, in your state, and across the
    nation, including with corporations, non-profits, and schools. What
    efforts do you put forth to reach out to these organizations and what
    do you do to share lessons learned in such connections and
    collaborations with other museums and libraries?
        We approach our work with a set of values that includes
    collaboration among our partners to advance our shared missions and
    goals. Most of our work is done in partnership with others.
                Examples of partner organizations and individuals
         Organizations: more than 100 community-based science
    organizations across the state, 100 museums across the country involved
    in our nano science education collaborative, and professional
    associations such as:
         American Association of Museums
         American Association for the Advancement of Science
         Association of Science-Technology Centers
         Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota
         National Center for Earth-Surface Dynamics
         National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
         National Science Teachers Association
         SciMath MN (Science and Math for Minnesota)
         University of Minnesota
         Individuals: community advisers and committees, STEM
    content experts, and 35,000 member households
         Businesses: 3M, Flint Hills Resources, GE Foundation,
    Medtronic
         Government: Minnesota State Department of Education,
    Department of Natural Resources, National Park Service, National
    Science Foundation
        Openly sharing our work and lessons learned is another of our
    values. We work logically and consistently with a wide range of partner
    organizations to achieve common goals. We do so in a number of ways:
         Our leadership in the Nanoscale Informal Science Education
    Network (NISE Network) connects us to hundreds of museums, science
    centers, research centers and universities across the country that are
    learning together how to engage the public in the ever advancing field
    of nano science and technology.
         Using new technologies, like the web, to create places for
    conversation and information sharing. Science Buzz, our current
    science, social-network based website, has build an online community of
    70,000 to 100,000 unique visitors per month who engage in dialog about
    current science topics and events.Participation in conferences, such as
    the Association of Science-Technology Centers, the American Association
    of Museums, the Visitor Studies Association, the American Educational
    Research Association, the National Association for Research in Science
    Teaching and the International Conference of the Learning Sciences, as
    well as regional museum and education research conferences.
         Articles in professional publications and journals, the
    Association of Science-Technology Center's ASTC Dimensions, Society for
    Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science's SACNAS News,
    Science Education, Visitor Studies, and Museums and Social Issues
         Speeches and networking events at the conferences
    identified above as well as the National Coalition for After-School
    Science, the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics, National
    Science Teachers Association and the National Council of Teachers of
    Mathematics.
         Hosting the Experiment Bench Workshop, which extended the
    field's efforts to engage the public in calculus, other complex
    mathematics, and wet lab experiments.
         Hosting conferences that support national science learning
    efforts, such as NSF's Science Technology Centers Conference, and the
    upcoming NIH Science Education Partnership Awards Directors meeting.
         Participation on national task forces/activities,
    including the IMLS Youth Action Committee, National Academy of
    Science's Study Panels, and NSF, IMLS and HHMI review panels.
         Partnerships with other organizations, such as local
    library systems, University of Minnesota, Mentoring Partnership of
    Minnesota, local youth-serving agencies, and various museums across the
    country.
         Hosting conferences on highly relevant issues:
         2006 Governor's Roundtable and Summit on STEM education
         2008 Nano Science
         2002 conference on the public understanding of research
         2009 Workshop to be co-sponsored with SciMath MN on the
    analysis of the TIMMS data

    Proof of Concept
        Perhaps the most intriguing way we share information is through
    projects and partnerships that are ``proof of concept'' models. We
    create a pilot program and build upon it through community and business
    partnerships. Once the concept has proven to be successful, we can then
    customize expand the program to a regional, statewide, national or even
    international scale.
        Here is a sample of two ``proof of concept'' programs currently in
    progress:
         Proof of Concept: Mentor Buzz
        In the current 2008-09 school year, the Science Museum of Minnesota
    is conducting two pilot programs around Mentor Buzz, a unique web-based
    resource for mentors and youth that is designed to increase exploration
    and interest in STEM disciples. 500 student/mentor pairs will test the
    program, provide feedback and demonstrate the impact the program has on
    student/mentor pairs. Information gathered during the pilot will be
    used to launch a national roll out in Fall of 2009. Mentor Buzz is
    designed to augment established mentoring programs by providing content
    and engagement experiences that are specific to STEM disciplines.
    Because of the web-based nature of Mentor Buzz, and its tie to existing
    successful mentoring programs, the potential for growth and expansion
    after the national roll out is virtually unlimited.
         Proof of Concept: Collector's Corner
        The Science Museum of Minnesota is initiating a pilot project to
    test the efficacy of placing a version of the museum's natural history
    trading post called Collector's Corner into a community library. This
    program will engage youth of all ages to explore natural science by
    bringing in and learning about things they find in nature, including
    items like rocks, shells, leaves and insects. Libraries are strongly
    interested in offering more active programming related to STEM. The
    Collector's Corner offers a unique opportunity to engage young library
    patrons in hands-on natural sciences exploration within the accessible
    learning environment of a community library. These efforts are then
    supported by the collections and expert staff from a local museum.
    Libraries and science museums can create enhanced science learning by
    working collaboratively to support STEM learning in and out of school
    contexts. If successful, the Collector's Corner--Natural History
    Trading Post can be scaled up across the state of Minnesota to reach an
    enthusiastic youth and family audience looking for ways to enrich
    standard in-classroom science learning. This model has national
    potential to encourage greater museum and library partnerships to
    support greater science literacy by the public.
        Q3: You stated in your testimony that incorporating relevant
    information into your museum causes people to attend. How do you decide
    what is relevant and what is not and to whom?
        We recognize that science is the literacy of the future not just
    for the audiences we currently serve, but also for those we aspire to
    serve.
        Therefore, it is imperative that places of informal learning build
    sustained relationships with a broader, more diverse array of local,
    regional and national communities. We do this in three ways:
         By broadening who informs our work by increasing and the
    number and variety of new partnerships formed, as well as the length
    and depth of those partnerships
         By broadening who forms our work through increased
    diversity of project advisors and leaders
         By broadening those who benefit from our work through an
    increased range and diversity of our audiences
        For example, Brighter Futures: Public deliberation about the
    science of early childhood development is a project that explores
    recent research on brain formation and competence development in the
    earliest years of life as a framework for closing the gap between what
    we know and what we do to support the well-being of children from birth
    to age five. The project includes policy forums, community workshops,
    training for Headstart educators and a 1,600 square-foot exhibition.
    Brighter Futures is informed by collaborations with Headstart,
    university researchers, policymakers and parents from communities
    across the region. The project's programs and exhibits have multiple
    iterations, allowing a broader community of advisors to form our work
    so that it is responsive to a broader array of stakeholders. The
    project benefits not only parents, but all citizens who concern
    themselves with our society's future. This happens through a carefully
    designed series of public forums that bring policymakers, scientists
    and other citizens together to hold informed conversation around
    supporting the development of our youngest citizens. Brighter Futures
    is instrumental in closing the gap between policymakers and scientists,
    building on a foundation of the best science to allow museum visitors
    to become informed citizens.
        We are also attentive to external forces shaping the science
    debates of our day:
         the increasing diversity and needs of our communities
    (including communities that are now un-served or underserved.)
         the changing content and process of science itself and
    dealing in real time with these changes.
         challenges resulting from rapid economic and cultural
    globalization.
         concerns that the U.S. is losing its edge in developing
    the next generation of workers going into the fields of science,
    technology, engineering and math.
        At the Science Museum of Minnesota, we are intentional in our
    response to these external forces and how those forces are relevant to
    each audience we serve. We are deliberate in our internal structure--
    with an in-house research and evaluation department as well as staff
    dedicated to community relations, external relations and government--to
    ensure that we consistently remain relevant to the various audiences we
    serve, from adults and families, to schoolchildren, teachers and
    policymakers.

                We are a place for adult learners and families

        The museum has a long-standing commitment to supporting the
    learning needs of families. In addition to extensive efforts to design
    exhibits that support family learning, the Science Museum of Minnesota
    has been offering family workshops for over 20 years. Most recently,
    the museum has begun to systematically study new models for engaging
    families in intergenerational learning that emphasizes science-learning
    conversations. The museum has also studied the expectations and needs
    of non-dominant communities in the region. Our research with these
    communities has provided the foundation for our collaborations with a
    spectrum of regional family service organizations.

                We are a place for schoolchildren

        The Science Museum of Minnesota is one of the top school field trip
    destinations in Minnesota, offering teachers and students out-of-
    classroom, self-guided, hands-on experiences in STEM. The Science
    Museum of Minnesota has increased its structured offerings for school
    groups in recent years, to better align with state and national
    standards, while meeting the specific needs of students from non-
    dominant communities is the state. One example is MathPacks, funded by
    the Medtronic Foundation. Teams of students use mathematical tools to
    measure, record, compute and analyze data they collect from museum
    exhibits and objects as they solve a science challenge. The challenges
    relate directly to current scientific research performed by local
    scientists and guide the student teams through a series of activities
    in the museum's permanent exhibit galleries.

                We are a place for teachers

        Science House was created to provide a vibrant, professional home
    for teachers at the Science Museum of Minnesota. The resource center
    provides curricular materials loans, formal and informal consultation,
    professional development program support, and community-building. One
    of the museum's most innovate and far reaching programs for teachers at
    Science House and beyond is the Materials and Understanding for STEM
    Education (MUSE) in Minnesota initiative, an incubator to mobilize and
    support professional development partnerships throughout the state.
    Across the two years of this initiative, approximately 4,000 teachers
    will receive a total of approximately 18,000 hours of professional
    development; approximately 16,000 students will receive direct outreach
    programming; and approximately 150,000 students will engage with
    exemplary, hands-on curricular materials in STEM using materials on
    loan from Science House.
        The museum's extensive efforts to support schoolchildren and
    teachers lay a foundation for a long-term initiative that will
    ultimately contribute to increasing the STEM workforce in Minnesota and
    sustaining public awareness of STEM as an essential literacy for civic
    engagement.

                We are a place for policymakers

        SMM partners with SciMathMn, a non profit statewide education and
    business coalition advocating for standards-based STEM education
    improvement, to provide annual legislative policy briefings at the
    museum for Minnesota state legislators, education leaders and state and
    local policymakers. These briefings focus on significant emerging STEM
    education reform issues and challenges that have legislative importance
    and policy implications.
        Additionally, the St. Croix Watershed Research Station (SCWRS) is
    the field research station of The Science Museum of Minnesota. Founded
    in 1989, the research program of the SCWRS has two major facets: in-
    house research by staff scientists and independent investigations by
    visiting scientists. Staff research at the SCWRS focuses on
    scientifically and environmentally important questions on regional,
    national, and global scales, often with an eye to informing public
    policy. The research program emphasizes aquatic-based studies involving
    land-water interaction, biogeochemistry, hydrology, restoration
    ecology, and aquatic biology. Relevant issues include eutrophication,
    toxic pollutants, climate change, erosion and sedimentation, and
    biodiversity.
                                     ______

                                                 U.S. Congress,
                                    Washington, DC, September 17, 2008.
    Ms. Annabelle Nunez, M.A., Information Services Librarian,
    Arizona Health Sciences Library, Tucson, AZ.
        Dear Ms. Nunez: Thank you for testifying at the September 11, 2008
    hearing of the Committee on Education and Labor on ``Examining the Role
    of Museums and Libraries in Strengthening Communities.''
        Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), chairwoman of the Healthy
    Families and Communities Subcommittee has asked that you respond in
    writing to the following questions:
        1. Please describe how museums and libraries can work together with
    Congress, schools, and other stakeholders to improve math and science
    education both inside and outside the classroom in the context of the
    reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965,
    better known as NCLB? If you have thoughts outside NCLB those are also
    welcome.
        2. In your written testimony you state that the role of librarians
    as changed and that today they see their role as connecting individuals
    and communities with information--printed and electronic--to improve
    and enhance people's lives. Yet today many people still see the
    librarian as the person who maintains silence and order in a library.
    How do we work to help young people see librarian science as a vital
    career to the life of communities, people, and our nation, and one they
    should aspire to study?
        3. Does the Knowledge River program face any challenges in
    recruiting Latino and Native American participants--either graduate
    students or high school students? If so, were those challenges overcome
    and how?
        4. Do you know if the University of Arizona will continue this
    program after the IMLS grants ends? Is there any plan to expand the
    number of underrepresented populations recruited to the program?
        Please send an electronic version of your written response to the
    questions to the Committee staff by close of business on Tuesday,
    September 23, 2008--the date on which the hearing record will close. If
    you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the
    Committee.
                Sincerely,
                                                 George Miller,
                                                              Chairman.
                                     ______

                   Ms. Nunez's Answers to Questions Submitted

        1. Please describe how museums and libraries can work together with
    Congress, schools, and other stakeholders to improve math and science
    education both inside and outside the classroom in the context of the
    reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965,
    better known as NCLB? If you have thoughts outside NCLB those are also
    welcome.
        A mechanism can be created for greater access to resources used by
    libraries i.e. databases, books etc., by the schools. Collaborative
    programming and projects between schools and libraries can be developed
    and implemented. There is evidence that high-quality professional
    development enhances student learning. (Kahle, Meece, & Scantlebury,
    2000) Librarians can provide training workshops for teachers to use and
    access library databases. Research is now in progress at the School of
    Information Resources and Library Science, conducted by a team headed
    by Dr. Patricia Montiel Overall, that investigates collaboration
    between teachers and librarian in science and math information
    literacy, and how the level of collaboration affects student
    achievement, especially among Latino communities. This research is
    coming to fruition and should be published soon.
        2. In your written testimony you state that the role of librarians
    as changed and that today they see their role as connecting individuals
    and communities with information--printed and electronic--to improve
    and enhance people's lives. Yet today many people still see the
    librarian as the person who maintains silence and order in a library.
    How do we work to help young people see librarian science as a vital
    career to the life of communities, people, and our nation, and one they
    should aspire to study?
        Experience is the best teacher. The more librarians and library
    school students work with young people, the more they will see the
    potential of libraries as a gateway to fun and information and library
    science as a career for them. This is exactly what happened in our WE
    Search program.
        More outreach by librarians to all communities, but especially the
    young is needed. Libraries need to have the ability and resources to
    expand their services to include integrative, creative programming.
    Librarians could be active participants in community-based activities
    to serve as a resource for information. Library work models might let
    librarians go to the clients and constituencies to be a part of
    community program planning.
        Continued support for programs like WE Search at the University of
    Arizona, and the Library Leadership Development Institute in El Paso
    Texas exposes and engages young people to library and information
    careers in unique and appealing ways.
        3. Does the Knowledge River program face any challenges in
    recruiting Latino and Native American participants--either graduate
    students or high school students? If so, were those challenges overcome
    and how?
        There are two major challenges in recruiting and one in retention.
    Numerous reports have show that financial support makes the difference
    in recruiting Latino and Native American participants. In the case of
    students newly graduated from college, they often have student debt,
    and therefore either need to get a job or find support for graduate
    school. In the case of older students who come back to school, they
    have families; they need to move to Tucson, and getting a library
    degree would be unthinkable without financial support.
        The second challenger starts earlier, and that is earning a
    bachelor's degree. The challenge still exists to raise the number of
    Latinos and Native Americans in undergraduate school. Programs like WE
    Search that work with high school students not only introduce the idea
    of being a librarian but reinforce the importance of finishing college.
        Whether in graduate school or undergraduate programs, the retention
    problem is always present. Native Americans and Latinos may not feel
    comfortable in a primarily Anglo environment. The cohort approach gives
    them community, and the SIRLS program offers opportunities to go beyond
    their cohort and interact with all students. Both cohort support and
    integration are necessary.
        4. Do you know if the University of Arizona will continue this
    program after the IMLS grants ends? Is there any plan to expand the
    number of underrepresented populations recruited to the program?
        Presently the foundational Knowledge River program is self-
    sustaining at 12 students, using library partners and funds from SIRLS.
    The new IMLS 2008 grant we just received increases the numbers of KR
    students to 16, funds professional development activities, and provides
    funds for community outreach and WE Search.
        The subject of reaching other under-represented populations is
    under discussion, in terms of a different program, parallel to
    Knowledge River, probably online to reach people who cannot relocate to
    Tucson. Knowledge River is working so well for the two cultural
    communities rather than change it, we are considering creating an
    online program for all under-represented communities. This idea is only
    in the initial stages.

                                   REFERENCES

    Kahle, J. B., Meece, J., & Scantlebury, K. (2000). Urban african-
            american middle school science students: Does standards-based
            teaching make a difference? Journal of Research in Science
            Teaching, 37(9), 1019-1041.
                                     ______

                                                 U.S. Congress,
                                    Washington, DC, September 17, 2008.
    Dr. Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Ph.D., Director,
    Institute of Museum and Library Services, Washington, DC.
        Dear Dr. Radice: Thank you for testifying at the September 11, 2008
    hearing of the Committee on Education and Labor on ``Examining the Role
    of Museums and Libraries in Strengthening Communities.''
        Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), chairwoman of the Healthy
    Families and Communities Subcommittee has asked that you respond in
    writing to the following questions:
        1. Please describe how museums and libraries can work together with
    Congress, schools, and other stakeholders to improve math and science
    education both inside and outside the classroom in the context of the
    reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965,
    better known as NCLB? If you have thoughts outside NCLB those are also
    welcome.
        2. Since more and more people Google rather than go to a library or
    museum to research a subject, have any studies been completed on the
    affect of the Internet, with its vast amount of information at your
    fingertips, on the usage of libraries and museums? Have any
    recommendations been made or changes implemented in libraries and
    museums to you r knowledge to address the growing dependence of society
    on the Internet as a source of information?
        Please send an electronic version of your written response to the
    questions to the Committee staff by close of business on Tuesday,
    September 23, 2008--the date on which the hearing record will close. If
    you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the
    Committee.
                Sincerely,
                                                 George Miller,
                                                              Chairman.
                                     ______

                  Ms. Radice's Answers to Questions Submitted

        1. Please describe how museums and libraries can work together with
    Congress, schools, and other stakeholders to improve math and science
    education both inside and outside the classroom in the context of the
    reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965,
    better known as NCLB? If you have thoughts outside NCLB those are also
    welcome.
        Working with museums and libraries to enhance learning has always
    been an important strategic goal of the Institute of Museum and Library
    Services (IMLS). I am attaching several publications we have produced
    on the topic of museums and libraries and K-12 education.
        Museums and libraries have important roles to play in supporting
    science and math learning both inside and outside the classroom. They
    bring unique assets to youth development, including dedicated,
    knowledgeable staff; authentic objects, artifacts, and information
    resources; opportunities for personalized, hands-on learning; support
    for cognitive and social development; and experiences to help parents,
    families, and caregivers make learning fun and rewarding. We know that
    quality library and museum experiences can support student achievement.
        Studies from around the world have shown that science and
    technology museums, zoos, aquaria, and science centers provide
    memorable learning experiences which can have a lasting impact on
    attitudes and behavior. In 2006, Ecsite-uk, the ``UK Network of Science
    Centres and Museums,'' published a review of worldwide studies on the
    impact of these institutions, collectively referred to as science
    centers. Researchers found that visits to these institutions provide
    memorable learning experiences and increase visitors' knowledge and
    understanding of science.
        IMLS has a long history of supporting projects that promote
    collaboration among libraries, museums and schools. The following are
    some recent examples:
         With a 2008 grant of $147,000, the Detroit Science Center
    in Michigan will expand school community outreach activities, including
    teacher professional development, Traveling Science outreach programs
    to schools and other community-based organizations, curriculum and
    science activity kits for science classrooms, and afterschool science
    clubs and increased sponsorship of field trips for schools and
    organizations that serve minority and disadvantaged youth. A
    collaborative network among the Detroit Science Center, the Detroit
    Public Schools Office of Science Education, the Detroit Area Pre-
    College Engineering Program, Communities in Schools of Detroit, and the
    Youth Development Commission will help identify and take advantage of
    opportunities to expand the reach of the center into schools and the
    community to improve science education in metropolitan Detroit.
         A 2007 grant of $149,971 supports a project that builds on
    existing partnerships between Gateway to Science and the Bismarck
    Public School District, along with the Bismarck Parks & Recreation
    District, Dickinson State University, and the University of Mary in
    North Dakota, to present hands-on science, technology, engineering, and
    math (STEM) activities for elementary school students enrolled in Out-
    of-School Time (OST) programs. Gateway to Science will work with pre-
    service teachers at Dickinson State University and the University of
    Mary to present weekly hands-on STEM activities at established OST
    programs. The project will provide STEM-focused activities for the
    students at six different schools.
         The Catawba Science Center (CSC), Hickory, North Carolina
    used a 2006 grant of $74,938 to develop the Inventor's Lab, one of the
    first elements of its Touch the Future capital expansion. The 1,300-
    square-foot lab will support several experiential modes: structured
    group visits, facilitated activities, unstructured casual visits, and
    science demonstrations and shows. It will provide the context for open-
    ended, inquiry-driven science activities and demonstrations facilitated
    by middle and high school science students from CSC's innovative STEP
    program, whose participants represent the racial and economic diversity
    of the greater Hickory community. Lab activities will extend beyond
    CSC's walls as outreach presentations in underserved areas of Hickory
    and Catawba County. A primary goal is to use the lab as the context for
    engaging an increasingly diverse audience.
        School libraries are also essential partners in the education of
    children. IMLS worked with Laura Bush and the Office of the First Lady
    to convene and publish the proceedings from the first ever White House
    Conference on School Libraries, a landmark event that brought together
    leaders from the fields of education, library services, government, and
    philanthropy to highlight the importance of school libraries in
    children's education. At this conference, attendees heard from
    government and foundation leaders, researchers, and librarians about a
    variety of studies that demonstrated the power of the library in
    students' learning. The distinguished speakers agreed that libraries--
    in classrooms, schools, and communities--are vital for children's
    achievement, and developing informational needs. Repeated studies
    document the positive impact of a quality school library and trained
    library media specialist on student achievement.
        The dialogue on the reauthorization of NCLB would be enriched by
    involving leaders of the science and technology center community and
    other museum and library experts to:
         Build upon our current knowledge and accomplishments in
    school, museum and library collaborations that put the needs of
    learners' first;
         Make recommendations to remove barriers to encourage
    schools to make optimal use of community learning resources;
         Stimulate innovation;
         Increase the use of digitized resources in the classroom;
         Prioritize research to identify best practices and
    disseminate model demonstration projects.
        2. Since more and more people Google rather than go to a library or
    museum to research a subject, have any studies been completed on the
    affect of the Internet, with its vast amount of information at your
    fingertips, on the usage of libraries and museums? Have any
    recommendations been made or changes implemented in libraries and
    museums to your knowledge to address the growing dependence of society
    on the Internet as a source of information?
        While the use of Google and other Internet tools is certainly
    widespread and growing, our research disputes the contention that
    people are using these tools rather than libraries and museums. I am
    attaching the conclusions overview of InterConnections: The IMLS
    National Study on the Use of Libraries, Museums and the Internet, the
    results of which I released in March at the Institute's annual WebWise
    Conference on Libraries and Museums in the Digital World. This
    groundbreaking study found that contrary to the notion that the
    Internet is replacing libraries and museums, it actually increases the
    use of these long-trusted institutions.
        The following are some of the findings and conclusions of
    InterConnections:
         Libraries and museums are trusted far more than other
    sources of information including government, commercial, and private
    Web sites.
         The vast majority of visitors to museums (95%) and public
    libraries (96%) continue to visit in person, an indication that the
    Internet is not replacing in-person visits.
         The number of remote online visits is positively
    correlated with the number of in-person visits to museums and public
    libraries.
         Internet users are more likely than non-users to visit
    museums and public libraries and to visit them more frequently.
         To fulfill their need for information, most adults use
    museums, public libraries, and the Internet. Museums and public
    libraries are used by 70%, the Internet is used by 83%, and nearly half
    use all three.
         The public benefits significantly from the presence of
    museums and libraries on the Internet.
        IMLS also funded a survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American
    Life Project and the University of Illinois, examining what sources
    people consult when they need information to solve common problems,
    such as those concerning health care, education, taxes, and job
    searches. The survey, Information Searches That Solve Problems: How
    People Use the Internet, Government Agencies, and Libraries When They
    Need Help, found that 53% of American adults had visited a public
    library in the previous 12 months. In what appears to be a direct
    refutation of the belief that library usage is dropping, the survey
    found that younger adults are the most likely to visit the library (62%
    of those 18-30 and 59% of those 31-42). And, like the Interconnections
    study, the Pew/UI survey found that Internet users are more likely to
    use libraries than non-users: 61% of those who use the Internet
    reported going to libraries in the past year, compared with only 28% of
    those who do not use the Internet.
        The survey confirmed that ``more people turn to the internet (at
    home, work, libraries, or other places) than any other source of
    information and support, including experts and family members.'' This
    is not surprising since accessing the Internet takes so little effort
    for most people. But the survey also found that personal assistance
    from a librarian has the potential to greatly increase an information
    seeker's level of satisfaction: ``Nearly four in five (79%) say they
    were very satisfied with the assistance they received from the library
    staff, and 19% say there were satisfied. Only 1% said they were
    unsatisfied.'' Among those who received personal help at the library,
    88% said they found ``a lot'' or ``some'' of what they were seeking.
    That this extraordinary level of satisfaction does not translate into
    more people using libraries to help solve problems suggests, as the
    Pew/UI survey says, ``that a key challenge for librarians is to make
    sure that those who consider the library as a potential problem-solving
    resource actually recognize they can use the library.''
        We also know that libraries give users the ability to find
    information more specifically suited to their needs. Digitization
    technologies and the statewide licensing of databases--a common use of
    IMLS Grants to States funding--provide a much more specialized pool of
    information than can a mammoth search engine such as Google.
        Based on our findings and experiences, we recommend that museums
    and libraries continue embracing the Internet as they have been, and
    that they continue their community outreach efforts to ensure that
    people are aware of the tremendous resources they provide.
                                     ______

                                                 U.S. Congress,
                                    Washington, DC, September 17, 2008.
    Ms. Mary Clare Zales, Deputy Secretary of Education for Commonwealth
        Libraries, and Commissioner for Libraries,
    Office of Commonwealth Libraries, Harrisburg, PA.
        Dear Ms. Zales: Thank you for testifying at the September 11, 2008
    hearing of the Committee on Education and Labor on ``Examining the Role
    of Museums and Libraries in Strengthening Communities.''
        Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), chairwoman of the Healthy
    Families and Communities Subcommittee has asked that you respond in
    writing to the following questions:
        1. Please describe how museums and libraries can work together with
    Congress, schools, and other stakeholders to improve math and science
    education both inside and outside the classroom in the context of the
    reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965,
    better known as NCLB? If you have thoughts outside NCLB those are also
    welcome.
        2. In your written testimony you highlight two regional libraries
    for the Blind and physically handicapped. Can you describe in more
    depth the kind of services offered?
        3. Can you describe what growing needs that rural libraries have
    based on your experience in Pennsylvania, if those needs are being met,
    and if so, how?
        Please send an electronic version of your written response to the
    questions to the Committee staff by close of business on Tuesday,
    September 23, 2008--the date on which the hearing record will close. If
    you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the
    Committee.
                Sincerely,
                                                 George Miller,
                                                              Chairman.
                                     ______

                   Ms. Zales' Answers to Questions Submitted

        Dear Chairman Miller: Please find attached responses to the
    questions submitted by Committee members in regards to the hearing for
    which I testified on September 11, 2008.
        I appreciate the opportunity to respond to inquiries on the
    important topic of examining the role of libraries in strengthening
    communities. In addition to my responses to the follow-up questions, I
    wish to mention further the important role that libraries play for
    teens today. Libraries have seen dramatic increases in teen summer
    reading program attendance and many libraries have teen centers and
    collections. Libraries provide a safety net with after-school programs
    and evening hours that give young teens a safe place to be and
    activities to engage them and keep them off the streets. Across our
    state and across the nation libraries have become a cool place for
    teens to be.
        If I may be of any further assistance to the Committee, please do
    not hesitate to contact me.
                Sincerely,
                                                 M. Clare Zales
                                        Deputy Secretary for Libraries.

        1. Please describe how museums and libraries can work together with
    Congress, schools, and other stakeholders to improve math and science
    education both inside and outside the classroom in the context of the
    reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965,
    better known as NCLB? If you have thoughts outside NCLB those are also
    welcome.
        When it comes to our children's education, we must ensure that they
    receive the best instruction possible from competent, qualified
    instructors. This is true in the classroom and should be true in our
    school libraries. The over 62,000 state certified library media
    specialists in public schools and 3,909 state certified library media
    specialists in private schools in the United States fill multiple
    roles--teacher, instructional partner, information specialist, and
    program administrator--ensuring that students and staff are effective
    users of information and ideas.
        Multiple studies have affirmed that there is a clear link between
    school library media programs that are staffed by an experienced school
    library media specialist and student academic achievement. The research
    studies show that school libraries can have a positive impact on
    student achievement--whether such achievement is measured in terms of
    reading scores, literacy, or learning more generally. Unfortunately,
    about 25 percent of America's school libraries do not have a state-
    certified librarian on staff.
        In Pennsylvania, school, public and academic libraries provide
    students with authoritative databases in the sciences that are
    available statewide. The books and other materials of these libraries
    are also available in a statewide online catalog that enables students
    to find and borrow items statewide to support research in the sciences.
    These library programs also benefit dual enrollment students who are
    taking college level courses while still in high school. With the
    assistance of trained library staff, students are able to obtain the
    information they need to perform better in the classroom. These same
    resources also provide professional literature in math and science
    education for teachers to assist them in the performance of their jobs.
        2. In your written testimony you highlight two regional libraries
    for the Blind and physically handicapped. Can you describe in more
    depth the kind of services offered?
        The Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in
    Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are part of the National Library Service--a
    nationwide program serving persons with disabilities. Among the many
    types of services offered by these libraries are books and magazines on
    audiocassettes, in large print and in Braille, as well as descriptive
    videos and assistive technology that can magnify print, enlarge
    computer screens, convert print and computer screens into synthesized
    speech, and create Braille documents using computer software.
        I would like to share with you two stories from our Regional
    Libraries that illustrate the use of these services:
         A grandmother who uses talking books asked her Regional
    Library how she might share books and puzzles with her sighted
    granddaughter who lives in another state. The library recommended that
    she subscribe to the large-print junior quarterly newsletter for its
    young readers. She cuts out the articles and games from the newsletter
    and sends them to her granddaughter. Her granddaughter's teacher wanted
    to know how she knew so much about different books, library topics and
    literary jokes. Her granddaughter replied, ``Nana's special library!''
         An elderly gentleman who has a physical disability and is
    in constant pain visits his Regional Library periodically to use the
    computers with screen magnification. He recently read an article about
    the library aimed at senior citizens. ``I had no idea of the magnitude
    of what you do here! What wonderful service. And for a staff who has so
    much responsibility to maintain such kindness and efficiency is
    amazing.''
        Pennsylvania is participating with other states to prepare for the
    transition from the current books on audiocassette program to the new
    National Library Service Digital Talking Book project by 2010. This
    will provide a great advancement in ease of use and efficiency, but it
    comes with an expense which in Pennsylvania in being borne by a
    combination of state and federal Library Service and Technology Act
    funds.
        The Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped provide
    services to individuals who have no other recourse for the information
    they need for school, work and daily living. Providing this service on
    a state and national level offers great efficiencies and technological
    advancements that could not be achieved on the local level. Local
    libraries and other service providers are able to offer this service to
    eligible residents who then are able to take advantage of this
    wonderful and essential program.
        3. Can you describe what growing needs that rural libraries have
    based on your experience in Pennsylvania, if those needs are being met,
    and if so, how?
        Libraries play an especially important role in rural areas, where
    geography can affect people's ability to obtain the information they
    need. This is particularly true in the area of telecommunications.
    Pennsylvania has a large number of rural communities where high-speed
    Internet connections are either not available or, when available, are
    inadequate for keeping up with today's demands for information at work,
    school and home.
        The Study of Internet Connectivity in U.S. Public Libraries
    released this year by the American Library Association and Florida
    State University shows that rural libraries have Internet connectivity
    speeds that were generally slower when compared to libraries overall.
    States such as Pennsylvania with a high percentage of rural libraries
    also have a higher percentage of libraries without high-speed
    connections and without wireless Internet access.
        There is a need for Congress to develop a long-range vision for
    broadband deployment and to recognize that libraries are critical
    partners during broadband planning and build-out. Libraries are
    especially important for long term service to households without any or
    with very slow connectivity, in rural, hard-to-reach, and low-income
    communities. In Pennsylvania we have been able to use Library Services
    and Technology Act funds to assist rural libraries in improving
    computer services within libraries and among libraries to better meet
    the needs of the public.
        In rural areas libraries are often the community center providing
    children and adults educational and cultural opportunities as well as
    business and job information. Interlibrary loan is particularly
    valuable in rural areas due to the greater distance between libraries.
    More materials are being borrowed from other libraries for library
    patrons to meet the increased need for information in today's society.
    In Pennsylvania school, public, academic and special libraries
    cooperate together in a statewide online catalog of library holdings to
    make access to libraries easier for our residents. While libraries in
    our state have made great strides in meeting the needs of rural
    residents, there is still a need for greater funding for libraries
    particularly to keep collections up-to-date and adequate.
        Facilities are also in great need of expansion and improvement.
    Construction needs greatly exceed monies available. Library Services
    and Technology Act funds can help in the areas of increasing services
    and improving library collections, but they are not a source for
    library construction. While technology has become an important aspect
    of rural library service, the basic needs for staff, books, and
    buildings are still very important in meeting the library needs of our
    nation's rural citizens.
                                     ______

        [Additional statements submitted by Mrs. McCarthy follow:]

             Prepared Statement of the American Library Association

        The American Library Association is the oldest, largest library
    association in the world representing over 66,000 libraries, librarians
    and library supporters.
        Around the country, knowledgeable librarians help patrons of
    diverse geographic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds,
    individuals with disabilities, and people with limited literacy or
    skills access essential information on a wide range of topics. In a
    2008 survey for IMLS, respondents identified libraries as the most
    trusted source of information.
        They provide training on resume development; job bank web searches;
    workshops on career information; links to essential educational and
    community services; assistive devices for people with disabilities;
    family literacy classes; homework help and mentoring programs, and so
    much more.
        Americans check out an average of seven books a year. A Harris poll
    in 2008 found that more than one-third of Americans read more than 10
    books in an average year. Almost half of all in-person visitors to the
    library use a library-provided computer. These visitors use the
    computer for formal education and work-related purposes.
        A January 2007 report by the Urban Libraries Council (ULC)
    concludes:
        ``Public libraries are logical partners for local economic
    development initiatives that focus on people and quality of life.
    Libraries are widely available, highly regarded public institutions
    that provide a broad range of information services and support for
    diverse constituencies * * * Their open structure, combined with the
    power of new digital collections, technology, and training, position
    them to help communities make the transition from manufacturing and
    service economies to high tech and information economies.''

    Business
        For many small businesses the library provides research resources
    and staff they could not otherwise afford.
        The Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library Business Librarian,
    Terry Miller, works in conjunction with the Small Business Development
    Center to provide classes for business startups, and give instruction
    on their many business resources. The Executive Director also works on
    the board of the Topeka Visioning Project; to determine which direction
    the city should go in terms of economic development, community
    development, and quality of life issues.
        The Lebanon Public Library in Lebanon, Indiana has a separate
    business collection and provides extra reference services for patrons
    interested in starting, growing, and maintaining businesses. They
    partner with the Boone County Learning Network to offer business basics
    classes, and with the Boone County Chamber of Commerce to reach out to
    and support new and established businesses that might otherwise be
    unaware of the resources a small-town public library offers. The
    Library also maintains a ``Business File'' which allows any locally
    owned company to deposit publicity and marketing materials for
    distribution to interested patrons. Finally, the Library offers space
    for businesses and hiring agencies to hold job fairs and interviews.
        The Mead Public Library in Sheboygan, Wisconsin began a partnership
    with SCORE in 2008, in order to provide information to small business
    owners. A program was held in May, focusing on marketing and sales,
    human resource development, and cash and expense control. It also
    included a description of all types of aid offered by SCORE, and a tour
    of the library, so that attendees would gain an understanding of the
    ways in which library collections and technology could help them. The
    four presenters, all SCORE volunteers, had a combined total of over 100
    years of business experience and knowledge to pass on.
        In the fall of 2008, SCORE will again be presenting a program at
    the library aimed at small business owners. It will focus on developing
    and writing business plans, including: executive summaries, mission
    statements, company structures, products/services, target customers,
    marketing analysis, market potential, getting to market, identifying
    competition, promoting products/services, differentiation, pricing, and
    financial modeling.
        The Skokie Public Library has an extensive and well-established
    Employment Resource Center for Adults. The information is also
    available on the Library's Web site. There is a Skokie Career Support
    Group that meets monthly at the Library with a licensed career
    counselor. The Library maintains a list of major employers in Skokie
    and posts open positions on a Board in the Employment Resource Center.
    Skokie librarians maintain a web site with information about
    metropolitan area employment resources. They also offer programs every
    month such as this month programs on ``Death to Boring Resumes'' and
    ``Going into Your Own Business''. These programs bring in outside
    experts to talk with library patrons.
        The Village Library of Morgantown is a small public library in
    rural Pennsylvania that is building a new Small Business Collection for
    local business owners. Included in this new section of the library will
    be several print resources on starting and growing a business, a set of
    online databases for business owners to reference either in the library
    or at home and a new state-of-the-art computer with the most up to date
    software. This collection is the start of their business services, to
    be followed by programs such as workshops from the local SCORE group
    and breakfast talks from the business librarian of a larger library
    located several miles away. The funding for this project was provided
    by an LSTA grant.
        Grand Rapids Public Library in Michigan opened a Small Business
    Resource Center with workstations, print and online resources to help
    small business owners find the current market research and startup
    information help they need to succeed, including industry, competitor
    and customer information. We guide the research paths of both starting
    and current business owners and often refer them to other area
    organizations that provide free business counseling and classes.
        The local SBA representative does two programs per year at each of
    Gloucester County Library System's branches. Called ``Financial and
    Technical Assistance for Small Business'', he explains the many free
    training programs and financing options available to anyone thinking of
    starting a business or expanding an existing business. This same SBA
    representative conducts an occasional SBA day in the library where
    individuals can make an appointment with him and ask any business
    questions they like.
        One of the most popular services at the Scarborough Library is
    their annual Small Business Week. They set up a display representing
    30-35 members of the small business community. This provides visibility
    to the many businesses that do not have a storefront or obvious public
    presence but represent the majority of the more than 1000 small
    businesses. During this week they also have educational seminars for
    the business community. This year's theme was ``Going Green'' and it
    highlighted the environmental initiatives within each participating
    business from recycled office supplies and packaging to programmed
    thermostats and new lighting. The seminars featured speakers from the
    Maine Public Utilities Commission and the local regional waste
    business-recycling program.

    Early Childhood
        The children's program called ``Booking With a Buddy'' benefits
    early readers, generally children who have just completed first or
    second grade, and need practice in reading over the summer. In Skokie,
    the program is particularly helpful to families speaking a language
    other than English at home because there may not be anyone who can read
    in English with the child. This summer, 57 young children were paired
    with 49 older kids of junior high or high school age who volunteered to
    meet with the young children at least once a week for reading sessions
    at the Library. Of course, the older kids benefit from the experience
    also, but the Library holds a pizza party to thank them at the end of
    the summer.
        In 2007, the Durham County Library joined with the Durham Public
    Schools and MetaMetrics to intensify the library's efforts to counter
    the ``summer slide'' phenomenon. The project encourages Durham's
    students to continue reading throughout the summer months, by helping
    students and their parents use their Lexile scores to choose the best
    books they are interested in reading. When the End-of-Grade report is
    sent home, a special letter accompanies it from the School
    Superintendent encouraging students to participate in the library's
    summer reading club. Although the schools have always sent home the
    Lexile scores most parents did not understand how to use them or did
    not pay close attention to them. The parents' primary concern was
    whether or not children were being promoted to the next grade.
        The Durham County Library Bookmobile provides individualized
    library service to a diverse population throughout the County that
    otherwise does not have access to library services. The bookmobile is
    on the road six days a week covering over 200 miles each week, visiting
    over 80 locations each month, driving on highways and back country
    roads. Although the Bookmobile serves all sectors of the Durham
    population, the focus is on three major groups: preschools and
    daycares, Durham public housing neighborhoods, and outlying
    neighborhoods and shopping centers not located near a branch library.

    Young Adults
        In a 2007 Harris poll, more than three-quarters of youth 8-18 said
    that they have a library card. More than 80% said that they have been
    to their school or public library in the past year, and 18% said that
    they had been more than 20 times.
        Skokie Public Library sponsors a teen job fair each spring,
    together with the Skokie Park District. Agencies and businesses such as
    fast food restaurants that hire teens have representatives at tables at
    the fair. Teens can find out about job possibilities and sign up for
    interviews. The Library also conducts mock interviews and prepares tips
    on how to be successful in your first job.
        The Santa Clara County Library created ``Get Tech @ the Library'',
    a program to address the user-based need for increasing the interest,
    confidence, and creative thinking in science and technology of youth in
    grades 7 and 8 with a special emphasis on Hispanic and female youth.
    Immigrant Outreach (ESOL & Computer Classes)
        Durham County Library has a full-time Hispanic Services Coordinator
    who goes out into the community to get library services to Latino
    community members. The library also offers English for Speakers of
    Other Languages classes at many of its facilities.
        The San Diego County Library offers Gateway Internet classes to
    residents of the County that are Chaldean, Iraqi, Kurdish, or Arab and
    need computer instruction and training on how to access and use the
    Internet and the library resources at the Library. The need was
    determined by a community needs assessment, interviews with community
    leaders that are stakeholders and input from staff.
    Free Access to Computers and Basic Computer Classes
        More and more computer access is necessary to apply for jobs and to
    gain critical information. 73% of U.S. public libraries reported in
    2008 survey that they are the only source of free public access to
    computers and the Internet in their communities. Libraries are working
    to close the ``digital divide'' in many of our nation's distressed
    communities; 99% of public libraries offer no fee, public access to
    computers to the Internet. 73% offer information technology training
    for their patrons.
        But 83% of all public libraries reported in 2008 that there are
    fewer public Internet computers than patrons who wish to use them some
    or all of the time, up 5% from last year. And, 58% of libraries report
    that their current Internet connection speed is insufficient.
        The Durham County Library offers basic computer courses for free.
    Community members can take Intro to Computers, Word, Excel, Email and
    Internet courses. By offering these courses, the library helps to
    bridge the technology divide and ensure access to the entire community.
        Queens Library offers the community's only free workshops on basic
    computer skills in Spanish, helping new Americans prepare for better
    jobs. Computer skills workshops in English are filled to capacity.

    Military Base Libraries
        Military librarians are addressing the changing needs of all
    service members and their families by adding new resources to the
    military online library located at www.militaryonesource.com. This has
    been a joint collaboration of all branches of the military in an effort
    to increase the online library offerings to all service members and
    their families. The lead librarians of each service have worked hard to
    ensure that quality materials will be made available online seven days
    a week, twenty-four hours a day to people of all ages located around
    the world.
        This new offering on Military OneSource is a more convenient way
    for service members and their families to access materials, and also
    saves the different branches from purchasing the same materials
    separately. These new resources will be especially helpful to those
    National Guard and Reserve service members and families that do not
    have regular access to a general military library.
        It is a combination of recreation and self-help material that comes
    in different formats, including audio, interactive, and text.
    Especially useful are books on ``Playaway'' format, individual audio
    books that can be passed around among the soldiers over seas and come
    equipped with a battery, lanyard and the earphones.
        The Andrews Air Force Base library has a large collection of study
    materials for military personnel and their families who are continuing
    their education. The base librarians are also available to proctor
    exams as needed. Youth on the base gather at the library as they
    participate in a youth chess club.
        The Marine Corps' Gray Research Center Base Library has a wonderful
    interactive children's area where the library holds story time and
    craft sessions. This area is often full of young families enjoying the
    activities sponsored by the library. There is also a computer and study
    space for the adults that are separate from the children's area,
    allowing the adults to focus on their reading.

    E-Government Services
        As government agencies continue to digitize forms and services,
    public libraries--as centers for public access computing in their
    communities--are often the only organizations that can help citizens
    interact with their government and access E-government services. 74% of
    libraries report that their staff provides as-needed assistance to
    patrons for understanding and using e-government resources.
        This user assistance can range from teaching how to use the
    Internet to search for E-government information and forms, to locating
    and using various benefit programs whose applications are only
    available online, to completing job applications. Some of the most
    noteworthy E-government initiatives launched in recent years include
    electronically filing taxes, making appointments for immigration
    interviews, and applying for the Medicare Prescription Drug Card, for
    which librarians have become unintended experts.
        Low-income families, and particularly the elderly, often do not
    have Internet access at home or do not know how to use it. Even
    families that do have Internet access continue to go to the library,
    because their connectivity or software is not sufficient for accessing
    programs, and/or they want the knowledge, guidance, and personal
    assistance of a trusted librarian.
        The Cobb County Public Library System's Stratton Branch has a firm
    belief that each patron's need deserves a more then adequate response.
    Cobb County librarians do not only locate government information for
    their patrons online, but they will also help the patron as much as
    possible in completing their work. This can entail acquiring an email
    address for the patron and navigating through applications such as
    FAFSA and Medicare Part D. This one reference transaction can take well
    over an hour of the librarian's time.
        The Skokie Public Library sponsors a public forum for a
    representative from the local Congresswoman's office two evenings per
    month at the library. People may come without appointments to ask
    questions about any federal services such as Veterans' benefits, Social
    Security, immigration issues, Medicare, etc. Recently, a second
    representative who speaks Spanish has begun to come to the library to
    help Spanish-speaking residents. The evening hours and neutral image of
    the library contribute to the success of this program.

    Life Long Learning
        The Queens Library (New York) offers free programs that give the
    community needed practical tools to enrich their lives. To address the
    current state-of-affairs in the mortgage and credit sectors, the
    library has been offering workshops on the Money Mistakes of First-time
    Homebuyers, along with classes in financial literacy, in English and in
    several major immigrant languages.

    Seniors
        The Topeka Public Library has a program to serve the older
    population, the ``Red Carpet Service'' a dedicated bookmobile that
    visits nursing homes, congregate living centers, and meal sites. They
    also have volunteers that make home visits with staff for
    individualized service. This service includes providing low vision
    magnifiers and other devices for people with disabilities to try for
    three weeks, so that the patron can test them in their own home. Then
    the librarian assists with ordering information to obtain the device.
        Durham County Library's OASIS (Older Adult and Shut-In Service)
    offers services to individuals unable to visit the library due to age,
    illness, or physical disability. OASIS provides reading material and
    programs to homebound people in nursing and rest homes, retirement
    communities, senior centers, and private residences. Prisons and other
    institutions are also served through OASIS.

    School Libraries
        When it comes to our children's education, we must ensure that they
    receive the best instruction possible from competent, qualified
    instructors. This is true in the classroom and should be true in our
    school libraries. Education is not exclusive to the classroom; it
    extends into school libraries and so should the qualification we demand
    of our school librarians. Students visit school library media centers
    1.5 billion times a year.
        School library media specialists are, in every level of education,
    the professionals who give students the skills they need for jobs in
    the 21st century workplace: computing, networking, and learning how to
    locate and utilize all the information available to them. The over
    62,000 state certified library media specialists in public schools and
    3,909 state certified library media specialists in private schools in
    the United States fill multiple roles--teacher, instructional partner,
    information specialist, and program administrator--ensuring that
    students and staff are effective users of information and ideas.
        Multiple studies have affirmed that there is a clear link between
    school library media programs that are staffed by an experienced school
    library media specialist and student academic achievement. The research
    studies show that school libraries can have a positive impact on
    student achievement--whether such achievement is measured in terms of
    reading scores, literacy, or learning more generally.
        School libraries are critical partners in ensuring that states and
    school districts alike meet the reading requirements that are part of
    the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), as well as Congresses unequivocal
    commitment to ensuring that every child can read by the end of third
    grade.
        Our Nation's school libraries are facing a crisis. With limited
    funding and an increased focus on school performance, administrators
    are trying to stretch dollars and cut funds across various programs to
    ensure that maximum resources are dedicated to improving student
    academic achievement. Only about 60 percent of our school libraries
    have a full-time, state-certified school library media specialist on
    staff.
        Because NCLB does not highlight the direct correlation between
    school library media specialists and increased student academic
    achievement, library resource budgets are increasingly being used to
    mitigate the effects of budgetary constraints. When you reauthorize
    NCLB, you can address this oversight by highlighting the important role
    school library media specialists play in academic achievement and
    require school districts, to the extent feasible, to ensure that every
    school within the district employs at least one state-certified library
    media specialist in each school library.
                                     ______

         Prepared Statement of Ford W. Bell, DVM, President, American
                             Association of Museums

        Chairwoman McCarthy, Ranking Member Platts, and Members of the
    Subcommittee, thank you for holding this hearing today on how museums
    and libraries help to strengthen communities. Given the many important
    issues facing our nation, I am grateful to you and to your staff for
    devoting time today to the crucial work museums do every day to
    strengthen communities. It is particularly appropriate that this
    hearing take place on this solemn, sober anniversary--museums are where
    future generations will likely learn of September 11, 2001 and how the
    events of that day changed America and the world.
        As President of the American Association of Museums, I am keenly
    aware of the ways in which museums work in the community to offer
    lifelong learning opportunities, promote civic engagement, celebrate
    cultural heritage, and much more.
        As you may know, the American Association of Museums (AAM)
    represents the full range of museums--art museums, history museums,
    science centers, children's museums, zoos and aquariums, public gardens
    and many specialty museums--along with the professional staff and
    volunteers who work for and with museums.
        Museums are all about connections to the natural world; to the
    science that explores the workings of the universe; to the documents,
    artifacts and places that make up our history; and to the greatest
    achievements of humankind. Museums also connect Americans to the
    future, fostering innovation and sparking creativity. Indeed, education
    is the central purpose of museums.
        However, unlike schools and libraries, most museums operate as
    private, nonprofit organizations with nominal government funding.
    According to AAM's most recent financial survey, nonprofit museums
    receive approximately 24 percent of their budget from local, state and
    federal funding. The bulk of their income is derived from private
    philanthropy in the form of donations, grants and corporate
    sponsorships and earned income from admissions and gift shop sales.
    Promoting Lifelong Learning
        A recent national survey indicates that Americans view museums as
    one of the most important resources for educating our children and as
    one of the most trustworthy sources of objective information. So it's
    not surprising that nearly 11,000 museums provide more than 18 million
    instructional hours for educational programs such as professional
    development for teachers, guided field trips for students, staff visits
    to schools, and traveling exhibits in schools.
        It is significant to note that most museums offering educational
    programs in math, science, art, and history use local and state
    curriculum standards to shape their educational programs.
        Museums serve as important community places to gather, learn,
    experience, imagine, and explore. Similar to a family dinner gathering,
    museums provide unique opportunities for families to communicate with
    each other. You will frequently find generations sharing experiences at
    a museum: a grandfather bonding with his grandchildren by telling
    stories of early transportation modes; a grandmother describing to her
    family how a significant news event changed the nation.
        Museums are also leading the way in environmental education. The
    Brooklyn Botanic Garden hosts numerous environmental education
    programs, including a community composting effort, in cooperation with
    the New York City Department of Sanitation. The project offers
    workshops in English and Spanish and provides instruction on composting
    in neighborhoods, businesses, community gardens and other institutions.
        Museums are making a difference in the lives of seniors. Two
    Philadelphia area World War II veterans in their 80s, Bill McLaughlin
    and Dick Hughes began visiting museums to help Bill through his wife's
    battle with Alzheimer's. They saw the Academy of Natural Sciences one
    week, the battleship New Jersey the next, and continued visiting local
    Philadelphia museums and historic sites for three years and a total of
    203 museums. Museums helped them maintain their independence and mental
    agility. This is a poignant example of how museums bring us together,
    and of how these public institutions served two men who had served
    their country so nobly.
        With 2.3 million museum visits per day--600 million visits per
    year--museums are indeed everywhere. There are more than 17,500 museums
    in the United States and nine out of 10 counties in America have at
    least one museum. Forty-three percent are located in rural areas. More
    than one-third (35%) of museums are free to the public, and of those
    museums that do charge, 98 percent offer special discounts, and nearly
    62 percent have free admission days.

    Promoting Cultural Diversity and Understanding
        Museums serve as protectors of our artistic, historic, scientific
    and cultural heritages. Museums care for more than 750 million objects,
    including original historical documents, cultural artifacts, priceless
    works of art, and scientific specimens.
        At the Alutiiq Museum & Archaeological Repository in Kodiak,
    Alaska, visitors can explore 7500 years of Alutiiq heritage, including
    the endangered Alutiiq language. Community programs include an annual
    archaeological excavation, where community members participate fully in
    the excavation of a threatened archaeological site.
        The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC
    serves as a living memorial to the Holocaust, inspiring visitors to
    confront hatred, prevent genocide, promote human dignity, and
    strengthen democracy.
        The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) makes a
    powerful contribution to helping museums reflect our nation's
    diversity. The Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services grants
    and Museum Grants for African American History and Culture have been
    instrumental in supporting cultural understanding and exchange, which
    strengthens our communities by bridging our differences.
        In St. Paul, the Minnesota Historical Society has initiated a
    program to help integrate the Twin Cities' sizeable Somali population
    into their new host culture. Somali women are often isolated due to
    religious and cultural strictures. This program trained 15 Somali women
    in the use of digital technology, resulting in a compelling film, Two
    Homes, One Dream: The Somalis in Minnesota. For the film the women did
    historical research; conducted oral history interviews with peers,
    elders, educators and community leaders; and filmed events across the
    Twin Cities. Four years after its completion, Two Homes, One Dream is
    still requested and featured in public screenings throughout the
    region, as its themes of cultural identity and the immigrant experience
    continue to resonate.

    Promoting Global Competitiveness
        At a time when our nation is poised to lose its global competitive
    edge, museums are inspiring kids to study science.
        Pittsburgh's Carnegie Science Center stages a science, math, and
    technology camp (``Click!'') for girls 10-14, at the critical stage
    when girls frequently lose interest in these fields.
        The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry proudly tells the story
    of an ``OMSI kid'' who built his first telescope at the museum. Today
    that kid is Dr. Michael Barratt, medical doctor and NASA astronaut, who
    will be joining the international space station crew this spring. His
    connection to OMSI is so strong that he has asked to take an OMSI
    object on his upcoming space mission.
    Serving as Economic Engines
        Museums serve as economic engines in many communities, helping to
    attract and retain businesses and inspiring tourism. When families plan
    their vacations, a museum is likely to be in the top three
    destinations.
        One-third of Americans say they have visited an art museum, history
    museum, aquarium, zoo, botanical garden, or science and technology
    center within the past six months. Almost a quarter has gone within the
    past year. Trips including cultural and heritage activities comprise
    one of the most popular and significant segments of the travel
    industry, accounting for over 23% of all domestic trips.
        In many ways, museums are the stitching in our social fabric,
    serving to bind America's diverse communities into one nation.
    Moreover, museums are a rarity among public institutions, in that they
    simultaneously illuminate our past, present and future. Museums also
    step in to complement stretched social services--a function that is
    increasingly important today. Similar to the members and staff of this
    committee, the mission of museums is public service. It is a role we
    are proud and privileged to fulfill.
                                     ______

        [Additional materials submitted by Dr. Jolly follow:]

                                    ------

    Ellenbogen, K.M., Luke, J.J., & Dierking, L.D. (2007). Family learning
            research in museums: An emerging disciplinary matrix? In J.H.
            Falk, L.D. Dierking, & S. Foutz, (Eds.), In principle, in
            practice. Walnut Creek, CA: Alta Mira Press.

        Family Learning in Museums: Perspectives on a Decade of Research

     Kirsten M. Ellenbogen,\1\ Jessica J. Luke,\2\ and Lynn D. Dierking\2\

    Abstract
        This is an investigation of the growth of research on family
    learning in and from science museums over the last decade. To track
    this emergence we consider three issues: 1)shifting theoretical
    perspectives, resulting in a new shared language and set of
    beliefs,values, understandings, and assumptions about what counts as
    family learning; 2) realigning methodologies, driven by underlying
    disciplinary assumptions about howresearch in this arena is best
    conducted, what questions should be addressed, and whatcounts as valid
    and reliable evidence; and, 3) resituating the focus of our research to
    make the family central to what we study reflects a more holistic
    understanding of thefamily as an educational and the larger learning
    infrastructure. We discuss research thatexemplifies these three issues
    and demonstrates the ways in which shifting theoretical perspectives,
    realigning methodologies, and resituating research foci signal the
    existenceof a nascent field of research.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
        \2\ Institute for Learning Innovation, Annapolis, MD
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        In the spirit of the In Principle, In Practice Initiative, this
    chapter discusses how research focused on family learning in and from
    museums has progressed over the last decade and shares some
    perspectives from the field regarding its usefulness for practice.
    Although families were clearly a dominant audience in museums, there
    were not significant numbers of researchers focusing on family learning
    until the mid to late 1970s. By the late 1980s, there was an extensive
    body of literature that established the importance of family learning
    in and from museums (c.f., Astor-Jack, Whaley, Dierking, Perry, &
    Garibay in this volume).
        These early studies demonstrated the significance of families as a
    focus of museum research, identifying them as a major audience and
    unique learning group of mixed ages and backgrounds bound together by a
    complex shared system of past experiences, beliefs, and values. They
    also established the complex nature of family interactions,
    highlighting the ways in which family members interact and learn
    together and providing evidence that families bring an extensive array
    of personal and cooperative learning strategies to their experiences in
    museums. Much of this research was descriptive in nature, depicting
    family conversations, the roles adults and children assume, the
    influence of specific conversational rules on physical behavior, gender
    differences in parent-child interactions, and the similarities and
    differences between the conversations of families and all-adult groups.
        Ten years later, we are reaping the benefits of influential
    conferences (e.g., Falk & Dierking, 1995; Paris, 2002), benchmark
    political reports (e.g., AAM, 1992), the realization of a long
    anticipated `learning society' (e.g., Machlup, 1962; Hutchins, 1970;
    Falk & Dierking, 2002), and participation from researchers that
    represent increasingly diverse research backgrounds. We face a pivotal
    point as a community, with opportunities to offer insights and
    recommendations to those working with families in museums.
        We highlight three aspects of this new research to support our
    assertion that important progress has been made which holds great
    potential for influencing practice in the area: 1) shifting theoretical
    perspectives that signal shared language, beliefs, values,
    understandings, and assumptions about what constitutes family learning;
    2) realigning methodologies that are driven by underlying disciplinary
    assumptions about how research in this arena is best conducted, what
    questions should be addressed, and criteria for valid and reliable
    evidence; and, 3) resituating research foci to ensure that the family
    is central to learning, reflecting a more holistic understanding of the
    family as an educational institution within the larger learning
    infrastructure. We also explore connections between the theory and
    practice of family learning in museums, featuring reflections written
    by three museum professionals, highlighting their perceptions of what
    the progress in research has meant for developing meaningful museum
    experiences for families.
        Shared Language, Beliefs, and Values of the Field A major shift in
    the last decade of family learning research in museums stems from the
    use of sociocultural theory in learning research and a recognition of
    its suitability for museum research. Such a perspective frames learning
    in and from museums as socially and culturally constructed through
    people's actions within a specific community of practice. A community
    of practice shares a set of values, vocabulary, understandings, and
    assumptions (Wenger, 1998). A person's actions and interactions are
    interpreted by members of their group (Green & Meyer, 1991; Gumperz,
    1982), allowing them to construct meanings specific to the group
    through their conversations (Geertz, 1983; Green & Dixon, 1993). This
    shift may seem subtle, but the implications of embracing a
    sociocultural perspective are significant. Studies from this
    perspective focus not just on the immediate experiences of the family
    group in the museum, but more broadly on the ways in which the family
    group is situated within the larger social and cultural context. It
    necessitates understanding the shared meanings, processes, artifacts,
    symbols, and identities that families construct as they participate
    within a specific community of practice, more fully revealing the
    nature of the learning processes and products.
        Although there has been research on families' conversations in
    museums for more than a decade (c.f. Astor-Jack, Whaley, Dierking,
    Perry, & Garibay in this volume), this research more generally
    described how families interact and talk about topics presented in
    exhibitions and programs. Family members talk about what they know from
    previous experiences, discussing what they see, hear, read, and do in
    relation to their family experiences and memories. This research also
    demonstrated that these discussions provide opportunities for family
    members to reinforce past experiences, family history, and to develop
    shared understandings.
        The recent dominance of sociocultural perspectives in museum
    research build on the early studies of family conversations and enables
    current investigators to pursue a depth of understanding about family
    conversations and their role in identity building and other social and
    cultural aspects not understood previously. In particular, these
    perspectives have afforded opportunities for more in-depth
    investigation of the meaning and uses of conversations (c.f.,
    Leinhardt, Crowley, & Knutson, 2002). Recent studies of families'
    conversations emphasize the processes families engage in to construct
    meaning and build identity, and the role of the museum experience in
    the family's larger social and cultural context (Ash, 2003; Crowley et
    al., 2001; Ellenbogen, 2002).
        One study conducted as part of the Family Learning Initiative, a
    systemic research effort at The Children's Museum (TCM) of
    Indianapolis, illustrates the recent theoretical focus on the family
    group and the shared meanings they construct through participation in
    the larger social and cultural context (Luke, Cohen Jones, Dierking, &
    Falk, 2002). The study (examined the long-term impact of two youth-
    based museum programs on young adults and their families. Findings
    demonstrated that these programs influenced participants' attitudes,
    interests and awareness. However, the focus was not just on the impact
    at the level of the individual. The study employed a social systems
    approach to understand the long-term impact of participation in these
    two TCM program experiences within a larger sociocultural and
    developmental context. Within this expanded approach, findings
    demonstrated that these programs influenced family dynamics, giving
    young adults the opportunity to explore new roles within their family,
    gain new perspectives and identities within the family system, and
    learn new things about family members. There was evidence that
    interests that young adults developed within the program were carried
    over into the family context, resulting in shared family interests.
        Programs also influenced young adults' contributions and
    connections to the larger sociocultural community, fostering a
    tolerance of other people and cultures, and cultivating a sense of
    civic responsibility. These results suggest that a research perspective
    informed by sociocultural theory highlights not only the learning of
    the individual, but also learning at the level of social groups, such
    as family and community. Such shifts in theoretical perspectives also
    allow researchers to understand learning that is broader than content
    knowledge, such as learning to communicate with others, learning new
    things about family members and the family dynamic, and learning a
    sense of civic responsibility. These findings are building a shared
    language and set of beliefs and values in the field and are evidence of
    the progress that has been made in family learning research in museums
    over the last decade.
        Realigning Methodologies In the last ten years, researchers have
    attempted to more broadly and deeply investigate the nature of family
    learning in and from museums utilizing a variety of methodologies. Some
    of these methodologies are borrowed directly from other disciplines;
    others are unique improvements upon what has been developed previously.
    This change in methodologies is a natural realignment that accommodates
    shifts in assumptions about how research is best conducted, what
    questions should be addressed, and what is agreed upon by the community
    as valid and reliable evidence of family learning.
        Researchers are adopting diverse methodologies that include
    discourse analysis, video and audio recording of moment-by-moment
    interactions, pre-, post-, and post-postinterviewing, journaling, talk-
    aloud cued visits, and providing family members with cameras as a
    documentation and meaning-making tool, all in an attempt to better
    understand and document the role that museums play in families' lives.
    These innovations are due, in part, to the strength of recent funding
    catalysts in the field that have supported conferences and research
    collaborations. In addition, museum researchers have become more aware
    of cutting edge research on family learning in other fields of research
    (e.g., Moussouri, 1997). Innovations in methodologies have also arisen
    organically as researchers draw upon their diverse training backgrounds
    and adapt preexisting methodologies to family learning research in
    museums.
        An example of the ways in which new methodologies have informed our
    understanding of family learning in museums is a multi-city, multi-
    museum study focused on exhibit characteristics, family behaviors, and
    family conversations designed to identify the characteristics of
    exhibits that encourage family interaction (Borun et al., 1998).
    Multiple testing of the audio-taping methods used to record families'
    conversations resulted in a measure of the correlation between
    families' physical and verbal interactions and their learning, as
    measured through an interview process after families left an
    exhibition. Findings suggest that families engage in three levels of
    discourse: identifying, describing, and interpreting and applying.
    Findings from the second phase of the project concluded that families
    are learning from museums, but parents' mediating strategies are
    sometimes not the most effective for facilitating science learning.
        Another example is Personal Meaning Mapping (Falk, Moussouri, &
    Coulson, 1998) which is based on concept mapping techniques and allows
    participants to respond to a concept, topic, or experience in their own
    way. Researchers then use a structured system to code responses and
    conduct a quantitative analysis of the qualitative data. In a study
    investigating families' understandings of evolution (Luke, O'Mara, &
    Dierking, 1999), groups were encouraged to work together to write (or
    draw) anything that came to mind when they thought about a topic
    prompt. As they wrote and discussed their ideas, researchers recorded
    these negotiations to capture the family dynamic at work. Researchers
    used families' responses as prompts for a follow-up interview with the
    group. In this way, PMM allowed researchers to start with families'
    individual and collective perceptions of the topic and pursue their
    understandings in greater depth using their own language and
    terminology.
        The realignment of methodologies has also pointed to the need to
    extend research over time. Some of the earliest museum learning
    research (Robinson, 1936), as well as recent calls for such research
    designs (Falk & Dierking, 1995), note the importance of understanding
    what people do before and after their museum visit. Most commonly, an
    extended approach is taken by conducting a follow-up interview with
    families weeks, months, and even years after the museum visit.
    Researchers have repeatedly shown that many of the conversations that
    begin in the museum continue once families are back in the home (c.f.,
    Astor-Jack, Whaley, Dierking, Perry, & Garibay in this volume). In
    addition, families are able to describe specific exhibitions and
    program elements without prompting, indicating the general durability
    of the museum experience.
        For example, a study of the impact of a genetics exhibition
    included follow-up telephone interviews with a sample of families who
    had visited the exhibition approximately six weeks earlier (Luke,
    Coles, & Falk, 1998). Families reported that they talked about the
    exhibition in the car on the way home, over dinner in the following
    weeks, or while engaged in some other activity, and described
    connections between the content in the exhibition and other
    circumstances or phenomenon in their lives.
        Ethnographic case studies that involved long-term relationships
    with a set group of families who visited museums frequently, allowing
    repeated observations and interviews before, during, and after museum
    visits (Ellenbogen, 2002, 2003), suggested that conversational
    connections among museum experiences and real-world contexts are
    frequent and pervasive.

    A More Holistic Understanding of the Family as a Learning Institution
        Shifting research to a new theoretical perspective and realigning
    methodologies are critical steps in moving family learning research in
    museums forward. The empirical work emerging in the last decade focuses
    on families and their conversations, and examines learning beyond the
    walls of the museum. However, this is not enough; with this approach we
    are in danger of only superficially documenting the nature of family
    learning. At a broader level, we must understand family culture as
    dominant, resituating the focal point of what we study from the museum
    agenda to the family agenda, understanding the family as a learning
    institution within the larger learning infrastructure they inhabit, and
    the culture in which they function.
        The term `family agenda' (in contrast to `museum agenda')
    highlights the need for museums to not only be aware of themselves as
    resources for learning, but also aware of what each family might choose
    to take from the experience and each family's role in museum learning
    (Falk, Balling, & Liversidge, 1985; Hilke, 1987). This inverted point
    of view highlights the reality that families bring resources with them,
    which in turn influence the ways they interpret their museum
    experience. The term `family agenda' emphasizes the need to recognize
    and accommodate the resources families bring to the museum in order to
    create a successful family learning context. Researchers have argued
    that families not only have agendas for their museum visits, but that
    these agendas directly influence the impact of the museum experience.
        A radical interpretation of the notion of family agenda suggests
    that research that strives to fully understand how families learn in
    and from museums should situate itself within the educational
    institution of the family. Once the family is the starting point, the
    museum becomes one of many learning resources that the family uses.
    From this point of view, the position of the museum within the learning
    infrastructure (Falk & Dierking, 2002; Lewenstein, 2001; St. John &
    Perry, 1996) depends on the culture of the family--a more realistic
    reflection of real-world experiences.
        When the focus of the research is resituated to a family-centric
    perspective, identity-building becomes more significant. Identity is
    socially situated with respect to people's ongoing membership in
    specific communities of practice (Wenger, 1998). In Wenger's view,
    people's development of identities is an integral aspect of their
    participation in the practices of a community. Learners are members of
    a community to the extent that they have learned normative ways of
    thinking and acting that have been established by that particular
    community. Much of this learning is implicit and involves assumptions
    and rules about particular ways of speaking and participating in that
    community.
        Consequently, identities are not fixed or static, but in a constant
    process of formation (Holland, 1998; Kress, 1995; Wenger, 1998). People
    construct and contest identities through what they do and say. The
    development and negotiation of identity is influenced not just by
    community, but also by the organizations and institutions of the
    community. The museum, like all educational institutions (Bruner,
    1996), can be seen as a place of enculturation (Pearce, 1994).
    Enculturation involves developing identity as a part of a community,
    and the museum is one of the organizations that influence this
    activity. From this perspective, (e.g., Ivanova, 2003) we can begin to
    examine museums and other institutions in the learning infrastructure
    as places for building and affirming identity.
        Consider the findings of a study investigating a partnership among
    The Franklin Institute Science Museum and three inner-city Philadelphia
    schools designed to cultivate collaboration between teachers and
    parents in support of elementary children's science learning (Luke,
    Bronnenkant, & Dierking, 2003). Interviews with parents revealed that
    after only one year, participating families integrate elements of the
    program into their family life. In addition, parents feel that the
    program activities change their family learning dynamic, giving them an
    opportunity to step outside their traditional role as homework
    `dictator,' to instead work alongside their children to do activities
    and feel comfortable not having all the answers. Similarly, in the
    ethnographic case studies of family learning described earlier
    (Ellenbogen, 2003), families were found to use supporting interaction
    strategies across learning environments. Most interestingly, the
    families over time, used seemingly unrelated interactions in museums
    and at home to construct their family identity.
        Studying the families' interactions across multiple learning
    environments provided a needed lens for understanding the complex
    motivations underlying the families' practices in the museum. Findings
    suggest that museums can be tools for enculturation that families use
    to establish and negotiate their identity. In other words, the museum
    is context, not content. The subject of investigation thus becomes the
    ways in which family members come to make meaning through their
    interactions in a setting, rather than the setting dictating those
    interactions and any subsequent learning. The families themselves
    function as learning institutions, drawing upon museums as one of many
    tools they have to build family identity. This focus on the family as
    central to the meaning-making process is additional evidence for how
    the development of family learning research in museums over the last
    decade has led to a resituating of research foci, with the hope of
    ultimately providing useful insights that can shape exhibitions and
    programs that enable families to shape and affirm their identities.

    Conclusions
        The last decade has witnessed a marked increase in our
    understanding of how, what, when, and where families learn in and from
    museums. Three aspects of recent research provide evidence for the
    importance and relevance of this field and the progress that has been
    made. First, shifts in our theoretical perspectives, with a new focus
    on the family as a type of social group and the shared meanings they
    construct, have resulted in a shared vocabulary and set of beliefs,
    values, and understandings about what constitutes family learning in
    museums. Although classification and semantic arguments, such as the
    accuracy of indicators of learning, or the definition of the term
    `family,' still occur, they are a natural outcome of an emerging
    community of research which is vetted and debated by a group of
    researchers with shared interests, but different backgrounds and
    approaches.
        Second, a realignment of our methodologies, including the adoption
    of new and alternative strategies for documenting the role of the
    museum in family life, has united many of us in the pursuit of similar
    questions. Although there is variety in what constitutes valid and
    reliable evidence for family learning, shared values and ideas about
    how to best investigate it are emerging within the community.
        Third, ensuring that the family is the central focus of our
    research has resulted in an understanding of the family as a learning
    institution, utilizing the free-choice learning resources of an
    extensive learning infrastructure in order to construct and affirm
    individual and collective identities. The last decade of research has
    produced significant evidence of the ways in which the museum provides
    a context for such identity-building. There is growing agreement that
    family learning is best examined from the perspective of the family and
    the larger learning infrastructure.
        However, the real evidence that we are making progress in this
    arena will be a discernable difference in the next decade of family
    learning research and practice in museums, perhaps even an influence on
    research and practice in the broader museum community. A similar
    exercise of reflecting upon the last decade of research ten years from
    now should result in definitive evidence for changes in research and
    practice. What would constitute definitive evidence for these changes?
        First, we would see a well-established, shared vocabulary and set
    of beliefs, values, and understandings about what constitutes family
    learning. Although healthy debate would still be a natural part of this
    community of research and practice, the nature of the arguments would
    be different. The community would no longer debate the definition of
    the term `family' or argue about indicators of learning; instead they
    would engage in conversations about the nuances and subtleties of
    family learning in museums and investigate questions such as: How do
    families appropriate the museum experience and use it to support their
    own needs? How do the experiences families have in museums relate to
    their other learning experiences? Practitioners would find the research
    useful to their practice and be able to utilize it to improve their
    abilities to support family learning and identity-building. The
    community of researchers and practitioners would be drawn together by
    shared interests, with respectful and productive ways of talking
    together and debating these issues.
        Second, we would see new and refined strategies for facilitating
    and documenting the role of the museum in family life. Although there
    would still be some variety in what constitutes valid and reliable
    evidence of family learning, there would be accepted ways of framing,
    facilitating, and investigating family learning within the community.
    There also would be some consistency in the important questions to be
    resolved in the field and the methodologies used to investigate these
    questions. Methodologies that are sensitive to social interaction, such
    as discourse analysis, video and audio recording of moment-bymoment
    interactions, journaling, and talk-aloud approaches, would be well-
    established, commonly-used approaches. These approaches would be
    integrated into practice in meaningful ways also.
        Last, it would be understood that a meaningful examination of the
    nature of family learning in the museum, requires a central focus on
    the family. The family would be seen as a learning institution that
    utilizes the learning resources of an extensive learning infrastructure
    to build its individual and collective identity. No one would dispute
    that family learning is best examined and supported from the
    perspective of the family and the larger learning infrastructure.
        A key indicator of the progress made in family learning research
    over the last decade is the extent to which this empirical work informs
    the work of practitioners. What has family learning research meant to
    exhibition and program developers? How do they use this research to
    influence their work? Here are the reflections of three practitioners;
    we hope that their stories will provide useful information to other
    practitioners eager to integrate more research-based approaches into
    their activities and to researchers regarding investigations which are
    most helpful to furthering practice.
        Cathleen Donnelly, Exhibit Developer, and Leslie Power, Director of
    School Services & Family Programs, The Children's Museum of
    Indianapolis (TCM)
        Both of us became a Family Learning Leader, by participating in a
    comprehensive professional development program designed to build
    internal capacity about familylearning among key management staff,
    representing educators and exhibit developers, but also membership,
    curatorial, visitor and volunteer services. The goal was to build our
    capacity in family learning and to help us develop skills to inspire
    our staff, andultimately to mentor and coach them in the principles of
    family learning. The training was rigorous, including four two-day
    seminars, advanced readings and assignments, field trips and a special
    project designed to integrate family learning research into the
    specificday-to-day tasks of the Leader. Here are two examples of how
    this experience has transformed our work at TCM.
        Exhibitions Family learning research has changed the way we develop
    exhibitions at TCM. Previously, we developed, tested and evaluated our
    exhibitions based on their appeal to children. During the exhibit
    development process, we now consider the family a learning unit, and
    based on family learning research, we:
         Test exhibition concepts with children and adults in focus
    groups made up of family members of a variety of ages.
         Design interactives for family accessibility,
    collaboration and conversation. If we do not observe families playing
    and talking together, then the interactive is redesigned and re-tested.
    We developed a family learning matrix that incorporates a variety of
    family learning characteristics and is used as a tool by the core team
    as interactives are designed and tested.
         Select objects based on what we hear and see families
    engaged with as they view informal artifact displays and interact with
    curators. If we can determine which objects spark interest, encourage
    conversation and help families make personal connections, we know we
    will be more successful in attracting and holding their attention
    within an exhibition.
         Write labels to be read aloud--either between a parent and
    a child or a sibling and a sibling--and content is geared towards
    helping families make personal connections. Font style and point size
    are designed for a wide age range--from beginning readers to
    grandparents.
        School Services & Family Programs Family learning research has
    directly influenced my work developing family programs and school field
    trip programs at TCM. Based onfamily learning research and the museum's
    mission of reaching children and adults, the education department
    decided to eliminate all school-age programming including summer day
    camps, replacing this programming with programs specifically designed
    forfamilies. The challenge and goal of the family programs is to
    provide a range of familylearning experiences that foster family
    interactions and meet the developmental needs of a variety of ages. We
    now offer family trips, family nights at the museum, family nightsat
    local schools, and programs for home-schoolers.
        The most exciting aspect of my work currently, which is a direct
    result of the Family Learning Initiative we have been engaged with in
    collaboration with the Institute forLearning Innovation, is the
    addition of a Public Scholar position at Indiana University-Purdue
    University Indianapolis (IUPUI). IUPUI and TCM collaboratively hired a
    Public Scholar of Museums, Families, and Learning in the fall of 2005.
    This shared positionrequires a great deal of collaboration between
    IUPUI's Museum Studies program andSchool of Education and TCM. One area
    of future study will investigate the role of chaperones with small
    groups of students, determining whether current research onfamily
    interactions in museums can be extended to such groups.

    Dale McCreedy, Director, Gender and Family Learning Programs, Franklin
            Institute Science Museum
        In considering how family learning research has informed my own
    practice, I needed to think back across my 18 years in the field.
    Although it is difficult to imagine my efforts within the field not
    being informed in some way by research, the question that arises for
    me, is `Which body of research has been most influential?'
        In the early days of my work, gender research was most salient.
    This included the work of Sue Rosser, the American Association of
    University Women (AAUW), and many studies acknowledging the
    invisibility of females and minorities in texts, as role models, and
    within museum exhibitions. ``My Daughter the Scientist,'' an exhibition
    developed by Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry in the mid-80s,
    was a critical first step in bringing issues related to women and
    science into the public eye. As the importance of adults as gate-
    keepers to girls' science learning emerged, the research in teacher
    education, parent support, and adult learning became more relevant, as
    did feminist learning theory. However, though this literature was
    helpful, it was only after sociocultural ideas about learning and
    meaning-making became more developed, and the negotiation of identities
    was articulated as learning, that there seemed to be a coherent link
    from this work to the arena of family learning in museums.
        Fortunately, what has emerged in more recently published literature
    within the field is the growing awareness of identity and learning as
    being interconnected and the critical role that a Community of Practice
    or sociocultural infrastructure plays in identity development. By using
    a sociocultural framework to inform our work at The Franklin Institute,
    we have been able to move beyond the individual as the focus of
    analysis to the interconnection of individual (s) and community, in
    ways that take into account shared perspectives, understandings, and
    co-evolutions. To provide a specific example, our work with Parent
    Partners in School Science (PPSS) discussed earlier in this chapter,
    has benefited from cutting edge theories on family engagement in
    schools proposed in a 2004 study by Barton, Drake, Perez, St. Louis,
    and George. This study has led us to question the existing paradigms
    about parent involvement in schools and develop new questions about
    what parent involvement really means. As we continue to explore the
    impact of a program designed to build connections between home and
    school, we have begun to look more closely at what Barton, et al.
    propose--i.e., a shift away from the focus solely on what parents do to
    engage with their children's school activities to a focus on how and
    why parents are engaged, and the complex ways in which their engagement
    occurs. In our efforts to understand the successes and challenges
    within PPSS, we are using this parent engagement framework to document
    the ways in which the program has brought teachers and parents together
    in support of children's science learning in and outside of school. The
    consideration of impact within this theoretical framework was
    compelling to us because it helped us see parent engagement as a
    dynamic, relational phenomenon, not just about trying to get parents
    involved in schools, but rather, getting parents and teachers to engage
    with one another across home and school contexts. The success of this
    model in facilitating our work suggests that such changes in
    understanding dynamics and relationships have great potential for
    influencing the work of the entire museum community.
                                     ______

                 [From the St. Pioneer Press, August 17, 2008]

               Scientific Literacy--It's Not Just for Scientists

                              By Dr. Eric J. Jolly

        No one would think it's OK to be illiterate. No one would brag, ``I
    don't read.'' But literacy doesn't end at the back cover of a book. The
    need for essential science literacy--the ability to understand and
    engage in the issues of science and technology that shape our culture--
    has exploded in the past few decades. Our air, water, health and our
    economy are all profoundly affected by the choices we make. It's simply
    not wise--no matter how long it's been since your last chemistry
    class--to say, ``I don't get science.''
        But don't panic. We're smart and capable in these parts. Let's
    start with some definitions. What does it mean to be scientifically
    literate? Scientifically literate people don't need to have a
    bottomless well of science knowledge. You don't even need to have a
    mental file of science facts that you consult. What you need is a
    curious mind and critical thinking skills.
        Don't worry as much about the science classes you took in college--
    think more about critical thinking skills, and ask lots of questions.
        A scientifically literate person knows there is power in language
    that needs to be understood; for instance, in science, a theory isn't a
    best guess--it's a formal hypothesis that's been tested and revised.
    All research isn't created equal--the best is conducted by scientists
    with a background in the area being researched and published in peer-
    reviewed journals. Sometimes the results are detailed and narrow,
    making them most important to other scientists; other times the study
    is broad, lengthy, and has more significance to the general public. And
    scientifically literate people know that most disagreement among
    scientists occurs in details, just as most scientific advancement is
    made by tiny steps. The Galileos and Einsteins are far outnumbered by
    scientists in labs conducting and replicating laborious research.
        It's no surprise that advances in science and technology are
    everywhere. They're in the key-card we use to access our office
    buildings or hotel rooms. They're in the genetically modified foods we
    eat and the pharmaceuticals we ingest to keep our bodies healthy. We
    consume this technology every day, but using it isn't the same as
    understanding it. As these advances creep into every part of our lives
    we've become increasingly less and less able to keep up with science
    policy and control how it affects our culture and our democracy.
        Yes, science really does affect our democracy.
        Let's get one thing straight. Science literacy is different from
    reading and writing. Once you've learned to read, you can read forever.
    Science is changing. Constantly. The nature of the scientific method is
    to establish a base of knowledge and then constantly expand and adjust
    it. That's why the best practices can change over time--30 years ago,
    doctors recommended babies sleep on their stomachs and drink formula.
    Now, doctors recommend babies sleep on their backs and drink
    breastmilk. When baby boomers were in school, space exploration to the
    moon was cutting edge. Today's students learn about robotic spacecraft
    missions to Mars and beyond. Literate citizens can glean information
    from newspapers, magazines, websites, and books about the issues at
    stake. But scientifically literate people can analyze the data and ask
    informed questions about the ethical, social, and economic
    implications.
        When we have dynamic civic engagement around issues of science, we
    do more than create a healthy environment and a better quality of life.
    We create economic opportunity and a better future. Science deserves
    the same vigorous debate as the economy or education; not surprisingly,
    the topics often overlap.
        A good example lies right outside the Science Museum of Minnesota,
    where a major effort is under way to devise a plan to clean the
    Mississippi River, which has been declared impaired. We know there are
    very high levels of phosphorus, which cause high levels of algae. We
    know there is enough sediment flow to fill a dump truck every 10
    minutes. And we know that 90 percent of the pollution runoff comes from
    the Minnesota River watershed, even though only 25 percent of the water
    comes from that river. Why? Because the majority of the Minnesota River
    watershed is in agricultural row crops, which utilize pesticides. Two
    of our state's great sources of pride--our agricultural heritage and
    our great river--sometimes represent competing interests, especially
    are sometimes in direct conflict as the market for ethanol and
    biodiesel fuels continues to grow. Repurposing crops we eat into crops
    we drive has huge economic and social impacts at home and abroad. How
    can we halt or reverse the damage to the river without hindering
    unnecessarily restraining the free market? It's up to Minnesota's
    scientifically literate citizens to decide.
        So how can we advance our science literacy? It's easy to make small
    changes. We can start with simple things: asking our newspapers to
    cover more science, reading science magazines like Discover, Popular
    Science, National Geographic, and Scientific American, and tuning in to
    NPR's ``Talk of the Nation: Science Friday'' and PBS's ``NOVA.''
        We can also look for comprehensive science-based solutions for
    issues that impact public policy. We can support the creation of a
    science advisor to the governor--many states have one, Minnesota does
    not--and a science advisory panel for the Legislature. Science advisory
    panels not only help our leaders to be informed, but also help us track
    the key issues we face as a state by bringing legislative topics back
    into our communities. And we can ask candidates about their positions
    on these critical science issues during campaigns and debates.
        Minnesota has historically maintained a solid strong compass to
    guide the level of risk we are willing to take--and the price we are
    willing to pay--for an environment that's healthy for our children. As
    a state we've always taken pride in our well-educated citizenry,
    quality schools, and arts and culture. Now, as we move though this new
    era of scientific revolution, there are more reasons than ever to
    gather knowledge and participate.
        Citizens can--and should--get involved in critical scientific
    debates that will direct how we live in the future. Join in the
    conversation. There's plenty to talk about.

        Dr. Eric J. Jolly is president of the Science Museum of Minnesota.
    The museum served more than 1.2 million Minnesotans in the past year,
    working to achieve science literacy through visits, classes, teacher
    development, outreach, and research. His e-mail address is
    eric.jolly@smm.org
                                     ______

                        BOARD/INSTITUTIONAL MEMBER COPY
                                                          March 7, 2001
    To: Ed Able, Jason Hall, and Pat Williams, American Association of
        Museums

    From: Celinda Lake, Daniel Gotoff, and Thaddeus Windt, LSPA

    Subject: Report on Findings of Research

        The following memo summarizes key findings from a nationwide poll
    on Americans' perceptions of museums, of their importance as an
    educational resource, and of their trustworthiness as sources of
    objective information.\1\ In a time of enormous cynicism about public
    institutions, museums are viewed as one of the most important resources
    for educating our children and as one of the most trustworthy sources
    of objective information. Furthermore, this confidence in museums is
    consistent among a broad range of demographic groups and in all regions
    of the country.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ Lake Snell Perry & Associates designed and administered this
    survey which was conducted by phone using professional interviewers.
    The survey reached 1000 adults age 18 or older nationwide. The survey
    was conducted from February 5th--8th, 2001. Telephone numbers for the
    survey were drawn from a random digit dial sample (RDD). The sample was
    stratified geographically by state based on the proportion of adults
    who live in each state. The data was weighted to reflect Bureau of the
    Census estimates of age, education and area of residence. The margin of
    error is +/- 3.1%.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Overview
         Among a wide range of information sources, museums are far
    and away the most trusted source of objective information. No other
    institution has a similar level of trust. Books are the second most
    trusted source of information followed by television news. Newspapers,
    the Internet, radio, and magazines are not considered trustworthy by
    most Americans.
         The public's trust in museums is based on three themes:
    they present history, they are research-oriented, and they deal in
    facts. All Americans, regardless of the level of their trust in
    museums, cite history and facts as the top factors that make them
    consider museums trustworthy. It should be noted that the small
    minority of Americans who find museums less trustworthy see less
    emphasis on research.
         People are almost evenly divided on whether museums are
    trustworthy because they present first-hand interaction with past
    events and history and/or because they offer independent and objective
    information.
         While schools are number one, public libraries, and
    science centers and children's museums comprise a top tier of
    institutions that people believe are important resources for educating
    our children.
         One-third of Americans say they have visited an art
    museum, a history museum, an aquarium, zoo, botanical garden, or
    science and technology center within the past six months. Almost a
    quarter have gone within the past year. One in five Americans visited
    more than a year ago and about one in five last visited a museum more
    than five years ago.

    Sources of Information
        Among a wide range of information sources, museums are far and away
    the most trusted source of objective information. Thirty-eight percent
    of Americans believe museums are one of the most trustworthy sources
    and 87 percent believe they are trustworthy overall. Just 13 percent
    say that museums are not trustworthy, with only 1 percent saying that
    they are not very trustworthy. No other institution has a similar level
    of trust. Books are a distant second as a trusted source of objective
    information (18 percent one of the most trustworthy, 61 percent
    trustworthy, 36 percent not trustworthy). A majority of people do not
    trust the other more frequently used media. People split on television
    news (10 percent one of the most trustworthy, 49 percent trustworthy,
    50 percent not trustworthy) and rank newspapers (8 percent one of the
    most trustworthy, 34 percent trustworthy, 65 percent not trustworthy),
    the Internet (5 percent one of the most trustworthy, 23 percent
    trustworthy, 66 percent not trustworthy), radio (3 percent one of the
    most trustworthy, 28 percent trustworthy, 72 percent not trustworthy),
    and magazines (3 percent one of the most trustworthy, 22 percent
    trustworthy, 76 percent not trustworthy) as untrustworthy.

        Americans of every demographic group, including gender, age, and
    education, as well as in every area of the country, believe that
    museums are a trustworthy source of objective information by at least
    80 percent or more. Indeed, even some of the most cynical audiences in
    our society such as younger non-college educated adults display a
    remarkable level of trust in museums (42 percent one of the most
    trustworthy, 87 percent trustworthy). Indeed the younger generation
    (under the age of 30), which is the most Internet savvy, rates museums
    far more trustworthy (44 percent one of the most trustworthy, 87
    percent trustworthy) than the Internet (8 percent one of the most
    trustworthy, 28 trustworthy, 66 percent not trustworthy).
         Another reason why Americans consider museums trustworthy
    is that they are ``family-friendly.'' Eighty-eight percent of parents
    find museums to be trustworthy and almost four in ten (39 percent) say
    that they are one of the most trustworthy sources of objective
    information. Eighty-six percent of dads and 89 percent of moms believe
    museums are trustworthy (39 percent each one of the most trustworthy).
        Demographically and regionally, the groups that tend to find
    museums most trustworthy are:
         People under 30 (44 percent one of the most trustworthy,
    87 percent trustworthy)
         People who visited a museum within the last year (44
    percent one of the most trustworthy, 89 percent trustworthy)
         Mid-Atlantic residents (43 percent one of the most
    trustworthy, 90 percent trustworthy)
         Service or retail employees (43 percent one of the most
    trustworthy, 87 percent trustworthy)
         Younger non-college educated adults (42 percent one of the
    most trustworthy, 87 percent trustworthy)
        Though solid majorities of these groups still find museums
    trustworthy, the groups that are least likely to intensely think
    museums are trustworthy are:
         People living in the Midwest (34 percent one of the most
    trustworthy, 84 percent trustworthy)
         Seniors (28 percent one of most trustworthy, 83 percent
    trustworthy)
         Skilled blue-collar workers (28 percent one of the most
    trustworthy, 85 percent trustworthy)

    Sources of Trust
        The top three reasons people offer for why they find museums
    trustworthy are that they present history (28 percent), they are
    research-oriented (12 percent), and they deal in facts (10 percent).
    All other reasons offered by people were in the single digits.

        Most Americans say presenting history is the main factor driving
    their trust in museums. However, younger college-educated people (19
    percent), college-educated women (17 percent), moms (17 percent), rural
    residents (17 percent), college graduates (16 percent), parents (16
    percent), younger women (15 percent), and people employed in white
    collar managerial jobs (14 percent) all say that research is the most
    important reason why they trust museums.
        Some of the specific things people say about research as a reason
    for museums' trustworthiness are that:
         ``They have the experts who have time to research things
    thoroughly''
         ``The research that goes into the displays''
         ``I would expect that there is a lot of research involved
    before they put a display together''
        Americans who find museums trustworthy, and those who do not, both
    cite history and facts as the top reasons for trusting museums. Those
    who find museums less trustworthy, however, place less emphasis on
    research than other factors.

    First-Hand Interaction with Past Events vs. Objective and Independent
            Source of Information
        There are two schools of thought as to why people believe museums
    are trustworthy. One school of thought says that people find museums
    trustworthy because they give people the opportunity to interact first-
    hand with objects, past events, and new information. It further
    contends that this type of direct, personal contact allows people to
    reach their own conclusions and think about the subject matter for
    themselves, with family and friends.
        Another school of thought says that people find museums trustworthy
    because they are more independent and objective than other sources of
    information. Museums are fairer in presenting different points of view
    because they are centers for research, whose central mission is to
    present the truth about their subject area.
        In fact, Americans are divided as to which school of thought comes
    closer to their own point of view. Forty two percent say that first-
    hand interaction with past events comes closer to their own point of
    view, while 40 percent say it is because museums have more objective
    and independent information. Because Americans are evenly divided
    between these two theories and the two are not mutually exclusive, it
    suggests that both viewpoints are valid.

        Like the public overall, most groups divide. However,
    demographically and regionally, the groups that are most likely to say
    first-hand interaction comes closest to their own point of view are:
         People employed in unskilled blue collar jobs (50 percent)
         People employed in white collar managerial jobs (50
    percent)
         Seniors (49 percent)
         People under the age of 30 (47 percent)
         People who find museums less trustworthy (46 percent)
         People who live out West (46 percent)
         Southerners (45 percent)
        The groups that say objective and independent information comes
    closest to their own point of view are:
         New England residents (45 percent)
         People between the ages of 40-64 (45 percent)
         People who last visited a museum more than 5 years ago (45
    percent)
         Residents in rural areas (45 percent)

    Resources for Education
        The vast majority of Americans perceive museums to be an important
    educational resource as well. Interestingly, non-parents are no less
    likely than parents to assign museums a high level of importance in
    this regard. Schools, not surprisingly, are the most important
    education institution (76 percent most important, 98 percent
    important). However, public libraries (36 percent most important, 93
    percent important), and science centers and children's museums (29
    percent most important, 86 percent important) also comprise a top tier
    of institutions that people believe are important resources for
    educating our children. Other types of museums are also rated as most
    important or very important to a high degree.
        Seniors, younger women (29 percent each most important), and New
    England residents (38 percent most important) put greater importance on
    art and history museums while Midwest residents put less emphasis on
    libraries (27 percent most important). Those people who indicate that
    teaching history is the main factor driving their trust in museums, not
    surprisingly, find museums even more important as an educational
    resource, especially science and technology centers, children's museums
    (34 percent most important), and art and history museums (37 percent
    most important).

    When Americans Last Visited a Museum
        One-third of Americans (34 percent) say they have visited an art
    museum, history museum, aquarium, zoo, botanical garden, or science and
    technology center within the past six months. Almost a quarter (23
    percent) visited within the past year. Additionally, one in five
    Americans (20 percent) have gone more than a year ago and about one in
    five (19 percent) last visited a museum more than five years ago.

        Younger people, those under 30 (43 percent visited in the last six
    months), and college educated people (50 percent visited in the last
    six months) are more likely to have visited a museum recently, while
    seniors (19 percent visited in the last six months) and people without
    a college degree (26 percent visited in the last six months) are less
    likely to have visited. Those who work in professional white collar
    jobs are also more likely to have gone to a museum recently (50 percent
    visited in the last six months) while retirees are the least likely (17
    percent visited in the last six months).
        Parents of younger children are also more likely to have visited
    recently. Forty-two percent have visited in the last six months than
    compared to 30 percent of non-parents. However, dads (49 percent
    visited in the last six months) are more likely to say they have
    recently visited than moms (37 percent visited in the last six months).
        Across the country, people living in the Northeast (38 percent
    visited in the last six months) and the West (40 percent visited in the
    last six months) are the most likely to have visited a museum recently,
    while people living in the Midwest (31 percent visited in the last six
    months) and in the South (30 percent visited in the last six months)
    are less likely. Furthermore, people living in large cities (population
    1 million or more people) are the most likely to have visited a museum
    recently (42 percent visited in the last six months), followed by
    people who live smaller cities (35 percent visited in the last six
    months). People who live in suburbs, small towns, and rural areas are
    less likely to have visited a museum in the last six months (32
    percent, 30 percent, and 30 percent, respectively).
        In conclusion, museums are not only perceived to be a very
    important resource for educating our children. They are also seen as
    the most trustworthy source of objective information available--even
    more than television, radio, newspapers, books and the Internet.
    Furthermore, there's remarkable consensus among all Americans as to the
    value they place on museums. Even among groups of people who visit
    museums less frequently, museums are seen as an important educational
    resource and extremely trustworthy. In an age of ever increasing
    cynicism, museums have the unique distinction of being one the few
    institutions that work to unite all Americans.
                                     ______

                          Learning Outside of Schools

             Kirsten Ellenbogen, Ph.D., Science Museum of Minnesota

        By the age of eighteen, a child will have spent, at most, nine
    percent of his or her lifetime in school (U.S. Department of Education,
    2000). This conclusion is comparable to estimates made more than three
    decades earlier (Jackson, 1968). Jackson's argument is that if a child
    spends about six hours a day in school, and is present for each of the
    one hundred and eighty days required by most states, he will spend
    little over one thousand hours in school in a year. This is a low
    estimate of the time spent on schooling activities, as it does not
    consider time spent on homework. But it is a generous estimate as it
    assumes perfect attendance, and counts all of the time spent in school
    as a schooling activity, including activities such as lunch and recess.
        Eight to nine percent of a childhood is a great deal of time for
    one single activity such as schooling. But from the perspective of
    examining all opportunities for learning, it must be understood as a
    weak intervention or ``low dose'' (Sosniak, 2001). It is, upon
    reflection, commendable that schools have such an impact after only
    taking up eight to nine percent of childhood. It is worth adding that
    in a life of seventy-five years, barely two percent of a person's time
    will have been spent in schooling. Other educational influences, such
    as home, community, media, and society must be considered in a complete
    survey of a person's learning experiences. Herein lies the importance
    of learning outside of school.
        What are the learning possibilities of time-out-of-school?
    Examining the informal learning experiences of an eighteen-year-old
    requires the consideration of ninety one to ninety two percent of his
    or her time. Granted, the activities of playing and critical self-
    maintenance (e.g., sleeping, eating, and washing) take up a significant
    amount of time. But we are still left with an extensive educational
    infrastructure that includes non-school institutions (e.g., libraries
    and museums), organizations (e.g., community, church and scouting
    groups), and media (e.g., books, newspapers, magazines, television,
    film, radio, and the Web) (St. John & Perry, 1996). Although the
    existence of this infrastructure is contested (e.g., Luke, Camp,
    Dierking, & Pearce, 2001), significant evidence suggests that at the
    least, the groundwork has been laid for a series of connections across
    institutions, organizations, and communities that allows interaction,
    communication, and progress (Falk, Brooks, & Amin, 2001; Lewenstein,
    2001; St. John & Perry, 1996). Although the definition and extent of
    the learning infrastructure is contested, it is more readily agreed
    that the functions of the infrastructure resources for learning outside
    of school and for connecting to school-based learning are not well
    understood.

                                   REFERENCES

    Falk, J.H., Brooks, P. & Amin, R. (2001). Investigating the role of
            free-choice learning on public understanding of science: The
            California Science Center L.A.S.E.R. Project. In Falk, J.H.
            (Ed.), Free-choice science education: How we learn science
            outside of school (pp. 115-132). New York: Teachers College
            Press.
    Jackson, P.W. (1968). Life in classrooms. New York: Holt, Rinehart &
            Winston.
    Lewenstein, B. (2001). Who produces science information for the public?
            In J.H. Falk, (Ed.), Free-choice science education: How we
            learn science outside of school (pp. 21-43). New York: Teachers
            College Press of Columbia University.
    Luke, J.J., Camp, B.D., Dierking, L.D., Pearce, U.J., (2001). The first
            free-choice science learning conference: From issues to future
            directions. In Falk, J.H. (Ed.), Free-choice science education:
            How we learn science outside of school (pp. 151-162). New York,
            Teachers College Press.
    Sosniak, L. (2001). The 9% Challenge: Educating in school and society.
            Teachers College Record, 103.
    St. John, M. & Perry, D. (1996). An invisible infrastructure:
            Institutions of informal science education, Volume I.
            Washington, DC: Association of Science-Technology Centers.
    U.S. Department of Education. (1991). America 2000: An education
            strategy, Sourcebook. Washington DC: Author.
                                     ______

        [Additional materials submitted by Ms. LeBlanc follow:]
        [``Quick Response Memo, Be Together, Learn Together,'' July
    28, 2008, may be accessed at the following Internet address:]

     http://edlabor.house.gov/testimony/2008-09-11-InstforLearningInnov.pdf

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                                   Kick Start

                         Long Island Children's Museum

    Background
        KICKstart (Kids Ideas Create Knowledge) is a groundbreaking
    learning initiative, launched in 2002, to strengthen the Museum's
    programming for low-income children and families. KICKstart provides
    large scale, year round programming for all Head Start, second and
    third graders in four communities on Long Island (Hempstead, Roosevelt,
    Wyandanch, Central Islip) that are most in need of educational
    enrichment programs. Compared with State averages, these four school
    districts have a significantly higher percentage of students eligible
    for the free lunch program--as high as 84% in one district.
    Program objectives
         Increase family and parental involvement in children's
    learning, and
         Increase hands-on, inquiry-based exploratory learning
    opportunities,
         Increase access to Long Island Children's Museum (LICM)
    for families traditionally underserved by cultural institutions.
    Program components
         Multiple visits for each student to LICM
         Participation in specially designed staff-led curriculum
    based programs
         Family Night and Summer Camp outreach activities in
    community centers and schools for students, teachers, parents and
    family members
         Community Night programming at LICM
         Professional development training for teachers
         Free family museum memberships and free bus transportation
    for all programs
         Bilingual curriculum materials and museum staff available
    Results
         To date, 14,910 children and families have been served
    through KICKstart, with 42, 219 museum visits to date. In one year,
    2,772 children participate.
         Teachers reported that their interest and knowledge in
    inquiry learning and pedagogy increased due to their involvement in
    KICKstart.
         Parents expressed that the opportunities for creative
    expression that family event activities provided greatly added to their
    family learning experiences.
         Pre-and post-program student drawings indicated a general
    increase in understanding of program vocabulary and concepts over a
    school year.
         In addition to being a valuable piece of their curriculum,
    teachers felt strongly that the program was valuable in providing a
    ``window'' onto the world outside of students' neighborhoods and the
    stresses of their everyday lives.
         Parents, who in the first year of the program, indicated
    that they had never been to LICM or simply didn't go to museums, had by
    the fourth year become very aware of LICM and visited it outside of
    KICKstart events utilizing their sponsored family memberships.
                                     ______

         Be Together, Learn Together: A Partnership of the Long Island
      Children's Museum, the Nassau County Department of Health and Human
                    Services and Nassau County Family Court

    1. Project Design
                Introduction
        The Long Island Children's Museum (LICM) in Nassau County, NY, is
    requesting $150,000 from the IMLS Museums for America program to plan,
    research, prototype and evaluate the initial implementation phase of a
    new program designed to support children and families served by Nassau
    County social service agencies. The program, called Be Together, Learn
    Together, is being developed in partnership with the Nassau County
    Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Nassau County Family
    Court, and a National Advisory Committee including a child psychologist
    and children's museum peers who have developed related programs in
    their communities. Following this 2-year planning phase, the Museum
    will fully implement the new program with its partners. Be Together,
    Learn Together will strengthen the ability of the Museum to serve as a
    center of community engagement through new partnerships designed to
    respond directly to the needs of a specific group of families. Because
    of the time required for substantial partnership development, the need
    to create and utilize a National Advisory Committee, and the necessity
    of assessing and monitoring program impact, this proposal requests
    support for an in-depth planning and prototyping phase.
        The intended goals of the collaboration between LICM, DHHS and
    Family Court are 1) to develop a substantial and sustainable
    partnership between the organizations which enables each to meet key
    goals and/or aspects of their strategic plans, 2) to positively impact
    the experience of client families by improving the delivery method and
    quality of the County's preventative and supportive services, and 3) to
    introduce and establish the Museum as a new, accessible resource to
    those families who might not otherwise utilize its programs and
    exhibitions. This proposal requests funding for the first stage of the
    project: developing the structure of the partnership, and planning and
    testing the collaborative programs. Following the successful completion
    of this stage, the partner organizations will be prepared to fully
    implement the program, conduct additional evaluation and develop a plan
    for the program's joint sustainability. The creation of Be Together,
    Learn Together is an important opportunity for LICM to continue to
    fulfill its strategic goal of ``* * * expanding the reach of its
    mission by deepening the connection with Long Island's communities and
    increasing the size and diversity of its audience.''
                The Partnership
        In September 2005 Nassau County opened a new, 219,000 sq.-ft.
    Health and Human Services Welcoming Center less than a 10-minute walk
    from LICM. The new facility houses eight agencies--previously located
    in five different sites throughout the County--under one roof. For its
    1,000 visitors each day, the building is bright, positive, and
    welcoming and includes a children's playroom and a library where books
    are given away. Most importantly, the new Center now provides a
    ``single point of entry into the Health and Human Services system'' for
    individuals and families in Nassau County. This initiative to
    consolidate the intake process, increase the efficient delivery of
    services and ensure an ``outcome-driven approach to case management''
    was christened the No Wrong Door program. No matter where a client
    enters the human services system, that person will now have access to
    any other County or community service needed.
        Shortly after the move, Louise Skolnik, Director of Human Services,
    key DHHS department heads and Judge Hope Zimmerman (Family Court)
    approached the Museum. The group discussed ways in which they could
    work together to support families at the new Welcoming Center as well
    as those families engaged with Child Protective Services (CPS),
    Preventative, Foster Care & Adoption Services and Family Court
    programs. All agreed that a partnership between the three entities
    could 1) better address the specific needs of these families, 2) take
    advantage of the close physical proximity between DHHS and LICM, 3)
    utilize the Museum's expertise in providing high-quality educational
    experiences for families, and 4) capitalize on the momentum and success
    of No Wrong Door.
        Child Protective Services--CPS works collaboratively with the
    Family Court and Foster Care programs and is composed of several units
    overseeing cases which involve court-ordered supervision, sexual abuse
    investigation, foster care plans, court petitions, and night/emergency
    response. In 2005, of the 5,450 reports received, 1,564 (29%) of the
    total reports alleging child abuse or neglect were substantiated,
    higher than the national average of 25.7%.\1\ Maureen McLoughlin,
    Director of Child Protective Services, describes the challenges she
    faces with parents, saying, ``this client population can't go to the
    usual mothers' groups because they don't have transportation and feel
    intimidated by their poverty and lack of education, employment or
    social skills. We must find ways to help rehabilitate them so they can
    care for their children.'' Among other ideas, McLoughlin is interested
    in creating a supervised visitation program at the Museum. Instead of
    the ``two-way mirror in a sterile office,'' McLoughlin feels the Museum
    will offer a ``new world'' to parents where they can gather information
    through observation, forge new relationships with other parents and
    learn to play with their children.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \1\ U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Child Maltreatment
    Report 2004: Of 1,860,070 investigations nationwide, 477,755 were
    substantiated (25.7%). [http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm04/
    table2--4.htm] This is the most recent national data available, issued
    in July 2006.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Preventative, Foster Care & Adoption Services--In Nassau County,
    there are 450 children currently in foster care. (In addition, there
    are approximately 400 other children who are admitted or discharged
    from the system each year.) Compared with national statistics, these
    youth spend an average of a year longer in foster care situations, with
    51% living in non-relative foster homes. Similar to national case
    goals, 54% of the cases are intended to result in the return of the
    child to the parent or guardian. Nassau County has almost twice the
    number of African-American children and substantially fewer Caucasian
    and Hispanic youths than national levels.\2\ Critical challenges are
    recruiting and maintaining an adequate number of foster/adoptive
    parents, locating the needed preventative or rehabilitative services
    and motivating the parents and children to engage with and benefit from
    them. Joseph Malewicz, Director of Services to Children, recognizes the
    potential of this project to yield preventative programs, support
    foster care children and families, and heighten awareness of the need
    for foster/adoptive parents.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        \2\ Comparison of Adoption and Foster Care Reporting and Analysis
    System data with NYS Summary of Characteristics of Children in Foster
    Care.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Family Court--Judge Hope Zimmerman presides over the Family
    Treatment Court program which supports and monitors parents recovering
    from drug addiction and working toward regaining custody of their
    children. She recently traveled to the Providence Children's Museum
    (RI) to learn more about their program for court-separated families,
    and has been an enthusiastic advocate for developing similar community-
    based collaborations in Nassau County. Zimmerman believes that in its
    capacity as a parent education program, this project can positively
    impact the recovery experience for many of the parents she sees who are
    suffering from the fact that they were not ``parented'' as children and
    now lack parenting skills. Although they are highly motivated to get
    their children back, they lack the ``inner resources'' to understand
    parenting as a ``job'' which requires specific skills. ``I'd like to
    get to the young mothers and break this cycle--help them to discover
    their own resources. They want to be good parents.'' Echoing
    McLoughlin, Judge Zimmerman wants parents to learn how to play with
    their children, and through that process, to be better able to
    understand and care for them.
        LICM--The Museum provides a range of specialized programs for
    children and families. Early childhood programs include a 1,700-sq.-ft.
    exhibition (TotSpot) and family resource room, daily parent/child
    workshops in music and movement, stories and art, ``messy afternoons,''
    and parenting workshops such as ``Parenting the Strong-Willed Child,''
    led by the Museum's Early Childhood Program Manager and a child
    psychologist. Additionally, the 2002 launch of the KICKstart program
    with a $3.5 million multi-year grant from a software company, has
    enabled the Museum to serve more than 20,000 pre-school, second and
    third-grade students in four, high-need school districts. The program
    has increased access to, and awareness of, museums and other informal
    learning institutions for families who are traditionally underserved by
    cultural institutions; increased parental involvement in children's
    learning; and increased exposure to hands-on, inquiry-based,
    exploratory activities for children in underserved populations. These
    achievements parallel the desired outcomes of Be Together, Learn
    Together.

                Joint Planning Committee & National Advisory Committee

        The planning and development of Be Together, Learn Together will be
    accomplished by a Joint Planning Committee (JPC) and guided by the
    input and expertise of a National Advisory Committee (NAC). The JPC
    will be comprised of staff from each partner organization and
    representative families currently or recently having received services.
    The NAC will include Janice O'Donnell (Director, Providence Children's
    Museum), Elaine Wideman-Vaughn (Vice President, Education and Community
    Services, Please Touch Museum), Jeri Robinson (Vice-President of Early
    Childhood Programs, Boston Children's Museum), Marty Norman (Child
    Psychologist, Boston), Gladys Serrano (Executive Director, Hispanic
    Counseling Center, Nassau County), Terry Wood (Program Director, Family
    & Children's Association, Nassau County), and Cheryl Kessler (Evaluator
    & Research Associate, Institute for Learning Innovation, Annapolis,
    MD). The NAC will review documents outlining the progress of this
    research and planning phase and provide input at key points. The
    benefit of their collective expertise in overseeing related programs at
    children's museums and supporting children and families in transition,
    is crucial for the long-term success of this project.

                Be Together, Learn Together: Preliminary Scope of Project

        The purpose of this grant will be to support the research,
    planning, prototyping and evaluation of the initial implementation
    phase of Be Together, Learn Together. Senior staff at LICM, DHHS and
    Family Court feel this program could provide a valuable national model
    for other children's museums and social service agencies forging
    similar partnerships to serve families in their communities. There are
    related family visitation programs at the Providence Children's Museum
    and the Please Touch Museum. Because the planned scope of Be Together,
    Learn Together will encompass family visitation as well as several
    other kinds of programs to address related familial issues, project
    partners feel a successful planning phase can yield a new model.
        Although the JPC will develop the final package of programs for Be
    Together, Learn Together, the initial meetings between LICM, DHHS and
    Family Court staff resulted in the identification of target audience
    groups and preliminary programs ideas. There are three major family
    audience groups to be served by Be Together, Learn Together : 1)
    Parents in Family Court (parents whose children are either at risk of
    or have already temporarily been placed in foster care, or parents who
    are trying to regain custody), 2) Foster Care Families (families who
    have foster children placed in their care), and 3) Families utilizing
    the new Health and Human Services Welcoming Center for any number of
    other reasons. (Specialized units within Child Protective Services
    interface with audience groups 1) and 2) described above.) Programs for
    these audiences will most likely occur at Family Court, at the Center
    and at LICM. To support the partnership itself and to provide concrete
    information about proposed programs during the development process,
    programs will be prototyped during years one and two of this planning
    phase.
        Potential programs could address some of the general needs of these
    audiences as well as specialized needs, including: a.) parent workshops
    focusing on childhood development, the importance of play, and
    supporting pre- and early literacy skills, b.) supervised family visits
    at LICM which utilize the Museum's exhibitions and general program
    offerings as a positive learning environment, c.) workshops designed
    for children and parents together which incorporate activities that
    allow modeling of parenting skills by staff, d.) seminars for foster
    parents about how to support foster children's learning (addressing
    both social and academic aspects) and how to build confidence and
    comfort levels for children joining a foster care family; e.) a special
    Museum membership program for families with foster children; f.)
    facilitated round-table discussions for parents in Family Court; g.)
    memberships to LICM for newly reunited families, and h.) awareness
    days/events at LICM designed to increase public understanding of the
    need for more families willing and able to take foster children into
    their care. In addition to these kinds of programs, LICM exhibition
    staff will design and install cheerful interior design enhancements for
    the DHHS Welcoming Center and the Family Court day care center.

                Project Oversight
        Suzanne LeBlanc is the Executive Director of LICM and Project
    Director for Be Together, Learn Together. She will be ultimately
    responsible for managing the overall partnership with participating
    staff from LICM, DHHS and Family Court and the planning, prototyping
    and evaluation of the project. To enable effective project management,
    several key review points have been built into the action plan outlined
    above. LeBlanc will direct members of the Joint Planning Committee to
    anticipate and consider potential challenges for the process and to
    discuss these with the group throughout the project. She has already
    identified three possible challenges: 1) because social service systems
    and their employees tend to be overworked and emotionally stressed, the
    prospect of changing existing systems of service delivery might seem
    overwhelming, 2) moving the project from a vision to a reality will
    require significant buy-in on all levels for each partner, and 3)
    clients receiving social services, whether mandated or voluntarily,
    tend to see it as an indication of their failure and/or something about
    which they have no choice. LeBlanc's experiences developing a program
    for parents of Head Start children at the Lied Discovery Children's
    Museum in Las Vegas, and one at the Brooklyn Children's Museum for
    families living in transitional housing, will assist her in
    counteracting some of these challenges. Additionally, she will direct
    the JPC to design a general training session for staff at partner
    organizations not directly involved in the planning of this project,
    which could both identify points of resistance and emphasize
    organizational benefits. Also, families who are either currently
    receiving, or have recently received services through one of the
    project partners will participate on the JPC to provide feedback about
    how to address negative stigmas and make this new resource one that
    parents and families will want to take advantage of. Throughout the
    project, any major issue requiring a change in direction or tactic will
    be acted on accordingly. The completion of front-end and formative
    evaluation by the Institute for Learning Innovation will also uncover
    potential barriers to a successful outcome.

                Evaluation
        To insure that programs are developed to effectively serve and meet
    the specific needs of intended audiences, the Museum will contract with
    the Institute for Learning Innovation (ILI) to perform the evaluation
    for this project. ILI will design and conduct both front-end and
    formative evaluations. A major goal will be to provide information to
    the JPC about how programs should be prototyped so that meaningful data
    can be collected. In turn, resulting evaluation reports will inform the
    project's development process. ILI is currently engaged in conducting
    summative evaluation and research for the Museum's KICKstart program,
    focusing on program impacts on children, their families, and teachers.
    [See attached evaluation proposal from Institute for Learning
    Innovation.]
    2. Grant Program Goals
        The planning and initial implementation of Be Together, Learn
    Together directly addresses the MFA goal of museums serving as centers
    of community engagement because it will actively engage the Museum with
    both judicial and social service agencies to create needed programming
    for families in their shared community. The specific and complex needs
    of these families have prompted a collaboration between three entities
    that can bring their distinct areas of expertise to bear on the
    development of these programs. Further, through this project, LICM has
    identified a meaningful way to realize a high priority of its Strategic
    Plan, namely, to ``offer inspiring, multi-disciplinary and socially
    relevant exhibits and programs to serve as catalysts for individual and
    community learning and action,'' along with its related goal of
    developing ``innovative program models and partnerships that serve as
    benchmarks for effective community engagement.''
    3. How the Project Fits into Strategic Plan and Mission
        Be Together, Learn Together supports the mission of LICM to be a
    ``* * * learning laboratory that inspires children and adults through
    interdisciplinary, hands-on, fun experiences.'' This project will
    advance the core of the mission by developing new and meaningful ways
    to address the needs of one of the most underserved segments of the
    Museum community's audience--namely, families being monitored in Family
    Court and/or receiving services through DHHS. Further, LICM will
    continue to achieve its mission of being a learning laboratory, as it
    believes this program can enable these parents to discover and support
    their children's unique learning processes. One example of how this is
    taking place may be found in a recent KICKstart program offered for
    third graders and their parents. A mother observed how an image-making
    activity ignited her son's interest in a corresponding writing
    activity. The boy wrote more than the mother had ever seen him write
    unassisted. Thereafter, she used the method at home and with his
    teachers.
        The project also directly addresses key elements of LICM's new
    Strategic Plan: Strategic Initiative I calls for LICM to ``Offer
    inspiring, multi-disciplinary and socially relevant exhibits and
    programs to serve as catalysts for individual and community learning
    and action,'' and Initiative II looks to ``Deepen our connection with
    Long Island and surrounding communities and increase the size and
    diversity of our audience.'' Related goals for these Initiatives call
    for LICM to: 1) ``Develop innovative program models and partnerships
    that serve as benchmarks for effective community engagement,'' 2)
    ``Develop strategic community partnerships to broaden our outreach to
    all, especially underserved audiences,'' and, 3) ``Develop a national
    reputation as a leader in the museum field.''
        LICM's Strategic Plan was specifically designed to effect systemic
    change and growth and this project advances the Strategic Plan's goals.
    The project also builds on LICM's recent accomplishments: 1) the
    opening of its 40,000 sq. ft. facility in 2002; 2) achieving and
    exceeding its initial attendance and programmatic goals; and 3) hiring
    Suzanne LeBlanc as its new Executive Director in September 2005. LICM
    envisions that the partnership created with Family Court and DHHS for
    Be Together, Learn Together will establish the Museum as a major
    provider of educational enrichment services to targeted families, and
    strengthen the Museum's relationship with the County.
        With the adoption of its new Strategic Plan in 2006, LICM committed
    to expanding its programs expressly for underserved audiences. Staffing
    and operating budgets were adjusted accordingly to make programming and
    exhibitions for this audience a major priority. To ensure the long-term
    success of this project after IMLS funding ends, the Museum will have
    hired new staff (the Program Manager for Be Together, Learn Together)
    and will seek additional funding from corporate and foundation sources.
    Further, with the recent launch of new programs targeting underserved
    audiences (such as Juntos al Kinder), the Museum has gained access to
    several foundations on Long Island that fund social service-oriented
    projects. LeBlanc and the Board believe these foundations will be very
    interested in this new partnership and in providing financial support.
    4. Strategic Plan: Process and Financial Resources
        LICM's new Strategic Plan was developed upon the conclusion of a
    preceding plan which covered the four-year period of time following the
    opening of LICM's new facility in 2002. During this time, LICM was
    successful in meeting its initial strategic goals. Following the hiring
    of Suzanne LeBlanc as the new Executive Director in September 2005, and
    the appointment of a Planning Committee by the Board of Directors,
    Denise McNerney was hired as a consultant to facilitate the process of
    developing the new Strategic Plan. McNerney has more than 25 years of
    experience in strategic planning, marketing, business operations, team
    dynamics, and customer relations in both for-profit and not-for-profit
    organizations. McNerney interviewed Board members, senior staff and
    community stakeholders, including funders. She then facilitated a Board
    and staff retreat. Strategic initiatives were identified for key areas,
    and corresponding goals and success measures were outlined. McNerney
    met several times with the Planning Committee (comprised of both staff
    and Board members), senior staff and the full Board to create a final
    document. The completed plan will be presented in mid-November. At that
    time, implementation and reporting mechanisms to ensure effective
    execution of the plan will be discussed and decided.
        Through the development of the Strategic Plan, the Board sought to
    build upon the success of the recently completed $17 million capital
    campaign to ensure the Museum's future--both in financial and
    programmatic terms. The Plan directly addresses LICM's long-term
    financial stability and incorporates the mechanism for its
    implementation through goals which outline the start of endowment and
    capital expansion campaigns.
    5. Appropriateness of Project for Institution, Audience
        As outlined in question #1, there are three specific audience
    groups to be served by Be Together, Learn Together. Currently, there
    are 450 children in foster care (and approximately 400 additional
    children who are admitted or discharged from the system each year), in
    2005 there were 217 cases in Family Court, and 1,564 substantiated
    reports alleging child abuse or neglect. There are also approximately
    1,000 people that enter the Welcome Center each day. These numbers
    provide a sense of the total size of the targeted audiences. Project
    partners estimate that in its first years of full implementation, the
    program could impact approximately 5,000 people. During this planning
    and prototyping phase, approximately 1,000 people would be served.
        Through the development of Be Together, Learn Together, LICM is
    continuing its efforts to make the Museum more relevant to its
    community by expanding the services it offers to underserved audiences.
    ``Underserved audiences'' are identified in Initiative II of the
    Strategic Plan as a target audience, although taken as a whole, the
    needs of underserved audiences are quite diverse. One of the strengths
    of this program is its ability to focus on a particular segment of
    ``underserved audiences'' through the partnership with DHHS and Family
    Court. These agencies have identified groups of clients who they
    believe can benefit from LICM's participation in this partnership and
    its expertise as a children's museum--namely, the ability to provide
    educational program in non-intimidating settings that allow for
    children and their caregivers to learn together.
                Needs Assessment
        Needs assessment reports are generated regularly within DHHS since
    an important aspect of their work and planning is the identification of
    unmet needs and barriers to service delivery. In addition to detailed
    quantitative information, assessment reports describe ongoing issues
    for clients served, including the need for: reunification of families
    whenever possible, as quickly as possible; rehabilitation of parents so
    they can care for their children; and recognition and treatment of
    behavioral and emotional conditions in children facing short and long-
    term separation from biological parents.
        Another perspective was provided in a 2/12/06 Newsday article
    entitled ``Affluent, but Needy (First Suburbs),'' which noted that the
    problems of Nassau County--one of the most prominent of America's
    older, first suburbs--were beginning to draw national attention. The
    article states that Nassau County, and other ``first suburbs,'' are
    beginning to take on characteristics of urban areas: An influx of
    lower-income minority and foreign-born residents means that, like
    cities, these first suburbs increasingly will need more state and
    federal aid to keep up with a growing need for social services and
    affordable housing. At the moment, however, they fall through the
    cracks in a nation where government assistance has been directed for
    years at urban or rural areas. As Sen. Hillary Clinton said * * *
    ``Long Island is the victim of its own success.'' Nassau, as we all
    know, possesses major assets--proximity to New York City, extensive
    parkland and beaches, quality neighborhoods, a large number of highly
    educated residents with high income levels and a highly developed
    transportation network for commuting to the city. Its home values are
    among the highest in the nation. * * * Amid great wealth, growing
    pockets of poverty and communities of poorer and older residents are
    presenting needs that weren't an issue in earlier years, when incomes
    and education levels were not as dissimilar as they are today. A county
    built as a haven for young, middle-class families with automobiles,
    most of whom who could afford single-family houses, is now home to a
    growing population with limited access to cars, a need for cheaper
    housing and a greater need for social services in order to succeed as
    members of the community. This information, in combination with DHHS
    assessment data, provides a clear picture of the needs of these
    audience groups.
                Nassau County Demographics
        In 2004, there were 1,339,641 people in Nassau County. According to
    the 2000 census, the racial makeup of the County was 79.30% white,
    10.09% African American, 0.16% Native American, 4.73% Asian, 0.03%
    Pacific Islander, 3.57% from other races, 2.12% from two or more races
    and 9.99% were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The number of non-whites
    in Nassau County increased to 29% in 2004, up from 21% in just four
    years. Between 2000 and 2003 the African American population increased
    from 10.7% to 11.7% and during the same period, the Latino population
    grew from 10% to 11.7%. As of 2004, Nassau County was the richest
    county per capita in the State of New York and the sixth richest in the
    nation, with a median household income of $78,762. In sharp contrast,
    the County also contains many ``pockets of poverty'' (as described in
    the Newsday article excerpt above) in communities served by and
    surrounding LICM and DHHS. At the time of the 2000 census, 3.50% of
    families and 5.20% of the population were below the poverty line,
    including 5.80% of those under age 18.
                Program Promotion
        Following this planning phase, LICM will work with project partners
    to promote the program to appropriate families in Nassau County.
    Designing a plan for program promotion will be one of the important
    tasks of the JPC, with input from the NAC. The high level of commitment
    to this project demonstrated by DHHS and Family Court will help insure
    that the program is promoted.
    6. Project Resources: Time and Budget
        The Board of LICM is fully committed to the successful completion
    of this project and has demonstrated this by allocating immediate and
    future resources. LICM's Executive Director, Suzanne LeBlanc, is
    undertaking this project as part of her mandate to expand the diversity
    of the Museum's audience and increase access to programs and
    exhibitions. Her duties and work plan will have significant time
    dedicated to this major project. Further, the Museum will hire as a new
    position, a full-time Program Manager to manage this important new
    initiative and coordinate the activities of the JPC. Further, LeBlanc
    will adjust the workloads of Museum staff participating on the JPC to
    insure that they have sufficient time to devote to this project.
        LICM is eminently qualified, both fiscally and programmatically, to
    complete Be Together, Learn Together as evidenced by the successful
    implementation of three major projects the Museum has undertaken
    recently: In 2002, the LICM launched KICKstart (Kids Ideas Create
    Knowledge), a program designed to address critical social and
    educational needs in four traditionally underserved Long Island
    communities. The program has enhanced education, strengthened community
    relations and resulted in more than 20,000 Museum visits from pre-
    school, second and third-grade students. [See attached Year 4
    Evaluation Report conducted by ILI.] KICKstart is supported by a $3.5
    million multi-year grant from the software company, CA. Juntos al
    Kinder (Together to Kindergarten) is a program the Museum instituted in
    2006 to meet the needs of local families from five Nassau County school
    districts with limited English proficiency. The program provides daily
    English language immersion and school-readiness classes for children of
    participating families, using the rich resources and environment
    available at the Museum. In addition, weekly classes taught in Spanish
    prepare parents for the culture of the U.S. classroom. Year-round
    resources are also provided to participants to encourage a long-term
    relationship with the Museum. Finally, Moving to Grow was the $17
    million capital campaign that resulted in the opening of the Museum's
    new facility at the Mitchel Center cultural complex. The success of
    these programs is due to the complete support of the Board of
    Directors--a level of support which is also present for Be Together,
    Learn Together. The Museum has a track record of sound financial
    management. Charity Navigator, the leading evaluator of charities in
    the United States has awarded LICM a four-star rating (its highest) for
    two of the four years the Museum has been open in its current location.
    The Museum possesses the resources necessary to successfully implement
    the proposed project, as it has a substantial budget and staff, strong
    earned income results and a history of successful fundraising.
        The total project cost is projected at $375,928. In addition to
    IMLS funding requested and in-kind support, the Museum will commit
    significant staff time and other resources in its FY 2008 and FY 2009
    operating budgets. Additionally, the Museum will solicit support from
    Long Island foundations such as the Rauch Foundation, the Long Island
    Fund for Women and Girls, the Long Island Community Foundation and
    United Way, among others. As is normal and appropriate for labor-
    intensive projects of this kind, a significant portion of the budget is
    devoted to staff time, benefits and consultants.
    7. Project Resources: Personnel and Technology
        LICM staff is highly qualified to accomplish this project. Suzanne
    LeBlanc is the Project Director. Before joining LICM, LeBlanc was
    Executive Director of the Lied Discovery Children's Museum in Las Vegas
    for 14 years, Assistant Director at the Brooklyn Children's Museum for
    3 years, and served 15 years at the Children's Museum, Boston. She is a
    graduate of the Museum Management Institute in Berkeley; holds an M.A.
    in Counseling Psychology from Lesley College, and a B.S. in Journalism
    from Boston University. She has served as Vice-President of the
    Association of Youth Museums (now the Association of Children's
    Museums) and as President of the Nevada Museums Association. Many of
    her articles have been published in professional journals, including a
    history of the children's museum movement for Museum News and
    ``Reaching The Underserved,'' in A New Place For Learning Science--
    Starting and Running a Science Center. Her experience is especially
    relevant to this institution, given its strategic goal of expanding the
    diversity of its audience.
        When LeBlanc joined LICM, her first major action was to lead the
    process to create a new Strategic Plan. One key goal is to develop
    innovative programs and partnerships to facilitate effective community
    engagement and broaden LICM's reach and impact, especially to
    underserved audiences. Be Together, Learn Together is an important step
    toward achieving this goal. As the Project Director, LeBlanc will
    design a master timeline incorporating all the project's components,
    including the identification of key tasks & assignments. LeBlanc will
    insure that Museum staff on the JPC can accommodate the intensive work
    involved by adjusting current functions and hiring temporary part-time
    staff to assist full-time staff with their current duties.
        The JPC combines the necessary areas of expertise for the
    successful planning and initial implementation of this project and will
    be comprised of LICM staff and representatives from Nassau County DHHS
    and Family Court. The full-time Program Manager to be hired for this
    project will have appropriate qualifications in Museum Education and/or
    the Social Services field, and will be responsible for the coordination
    and implementation of the project. [See attached job description for
    Program Manager.] Using assessment tools designed by ILI, the JPC, as
    well as smaller groups within the JPC, will meet monthly throughout the
    project and will be responsible for carrying out all tasks. [See
    attached List of Key Project Personnel for detailed list of JPC and NAC
    members.]
        Since 2003, Edith Gonzalez de Scollard (Ph.D. ABD) has led a team
    of more than 50 staff as the Director of Education. In this role, she
    spearheads professional development, community outreach, and
    educational offerings for the Museum, as well as cultivating community
    and institutional partnerships. She brings more than five years of
    museum experience and a strong background in teaching and research. She
    is currently in the Doctoral Program in Anthropology at The Graduate
    Center, City University of New York.
        Heather Petrie DeTommaso earned a M.S. in Elementary/Childhood
    Education from Columbia University, Teachers College (NY). As the
    Museum's Early Childhood Educator, her responsibilities include program
    development, coordination, and management, content development for
    publications, and parent education. She also has extensive experience
    as a facilitator of Professional Development Workshops for classroom
    teachers. Prior to coming to the Museum in 2002, Heather was herself an
    award-winning public school teacher and 1995 nominee for New York State
    Teacher of the Year.
        Aimee Terzulli earned a B.S. in Art Education from Long Island
    University (NY), and has served as Outreach Program Manager for the
    Museum since 1993. In this capacity, she has been responsible for
    coordinating the community outreach department, developing and teaching
    school and community outreach programs, and procuring and organizing
    program materials.
        Cheryl Kessler, Research Associate with The Institute for Learning
    Innovation, will be the evaluator for this project. ILI was established
    in 1986 as a not-for-profit learning research and development
    organization and is led by John H. Falk and Lynn D. Dierking. ILI
    collaborates with a variety of free-choice learning institutions such
    as museums, other cultural institutions, public television stations,
    libraries, community-based organizations such as scouts and the YWCA,
    scientific societies and humanities councils, as well as schools and
    universities, striving to better understand, facilitate and improve
    their learning potential by incorporating free-choice learning
    principles.
                                     ______

                              [November 29, 2004]

          Suozzi Unveils ``No Wrong Door'' for Nassau County Residents

      Innovative Health and Human Services Smart Government Program Means
                        Better Services and Lower Costs

        Mineola, NY.--Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi today
    announced ``No Wrong Door,'' an innovative smart government program
    that will provide significantly enhanced service to Nassau County's
    human services clients, while at the same time allowing the County's
    eight health and human services departments, which will be consolidated
    into a single facility with a simplified intake process, to operate
    more efficiently. ``No Wrong Door'' is a new model for Nassau County
    and is on the cutting edge of government service delivery nationwide.
        `` `No Wrong Door' is a dramatic step forward in making Nassau
    County government both more compassionate and smarter. Through this
    enhanced service delivery system, the County will better serve the
    public, and at the same time, save taxpayers money in the long run by
    putting an end to inefficiency and waste,'' said County Executive
    Suozzi. ``By having all our health and human services departments in
    one location, we will provide better services to countless county
    residents who no longer will have to travel from building to building
    to receive all the services they need. I am proud that we are launching
    a program that is both the right thing to do on a human services level
    and the smart thing to do fiscally.''
        The eight health and human services departments include the
    Departments of Social Services, Health, Mental Health, Drug & Alcohol,
    Senior Citizen Affairs, Youth Board, Veterans Service Agency, and the
    Office for the Physically Challenged. The planned move of these
    departments to 60 Charles Lindbergh Boulevard in Uniondale, which is
    expected to be completed by the Summer of 2005, makes it possible for
    the County to deliver improved government services in a cost-effective
    manner.
        The move to the new Health and Human Services Center is the first
    major step in County Executive Suozzi's comprehensive building
    consolidation plan. Currently, the five existing buildings housing the
    eight departments are riddled with structural problems; including a
    leaking roof, asbestos and a dangerously insufficient electrical system
    and many are non-compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of
    1990. In addition to all the benefits associated with ``No Wrong
    Door,'' the move of these departments is necessary to avoid the cost of
    rehabilitating these buildings, which has been conservatively estimated
    to cost more than $40 million.
        The ``No Wrong Door'' system of care will enable the County to meet
    a continuum of needs for each resident through a single point of entry.
    The new building will also feature a comfortable and inviting waiting
    room and a welcome desk staffed with trained customer service
    professionals to greet and guide residents.
        ``Countless pieces of legislation that created the American Welfare
    State were well intentioned but not necessarily well-implemented. But
    that era taught us that you cannot legislate compassion, you cannot
    legislate common sense and you cannot legislate practical thinking,''
    the County Executive said. ``Today we begin a long journey to provide
    better, more effective services to our residents most in need. We will
    do so, not by spending more money but by management better,
    communicating better and coordinating our existing resources more
    effectively. In the long run we will better help people and save
    money.''
        ``Nassau County's `No Wrong Door' will incorporate co-location of
    services, consolidated intake function, and an outcome-driven planning
    process,'' said Dr. Mary Curtis, Deputy County Executive for Health and
    Human Services. ``It will be a model system which was developed
    collaboratively by a diverse group including Nassau County Health and
    Human Services leadership, departmental staff, community-based
    organizations and local colleges and universities to better serve those
    in need.''
                                     ______

        [Additional materials submitted by Ms. Nunez follow:]

                        [From the Arizona Daily Wildcat]

                                Turning the page
        UA program helping minority students put new faces on librarians

                                By Claire Conrad

        The UA is working to reshape the image of librarians.
        The stereotype of the grumpy middle-aged white woman is being
    combated by the Knowledge River program, based in the School of
    Information Resources and Library Science. The program offers financial
    assistance to Hispanic and American Indian students pursuing master's
    degrees in information resources and library science. And, yes, the
    group includes men.
        By graduating more minority librarians, libraries are better able
    to work with a community's needs and create a more equitable access to
    information, said Patricia Montiel Overall, an assistant professor of
    library science.
        The need for more minority librarians is evident.
        American Indians represent less than 1 percent of all librarians
    and Latinos represent only 2 percent, according to a diversity report
    issued by the American Library Association based on the 2000 U.S.
    Census.
        Graduates of the UA's library science program are a youthful, more
    technology-oriented group, said Jessica Hernandez, a Knowledge River
    student. Alumni have created a MySpace.com group through which they can
    blog about their experiences.
        Commitment to community is a value many of the librarians share,
    Overall said.
        ``Generally, our students are very committed to community, social
    justice issues,'' she said. ``You get a cadre of people who all just
    support each other in trying to improve social issues for everybody.''
        Since its inception in 2001, the program has also been working
    toward bridging the gap in information access.
        Knowledge River student Paulina Aguirre hopes to use her degree to
    improve the lives of those in her native Hopi reservation.
        ``We don't have a library, a fully functioning and operating
    library on the Hopi reservation, so I figure I could do something about
    getting one,'' she said.
        In the Sam Lena-South Tucson Branch Library, where Knowledge River
    student Sol Gomez works, it can be difficult for Spanish-speaking
    adults and children to learn computer skills when classes are taught in
    English.
        Gomez works on developing programming for the mainly Hispanic South
    Tucson community, including computer classes in Spanish. Gomez had
    never considered a career in librarianship until he heard of the
    Knowledge River program from his sister-in-law, a graduate of the
    program.
        ``I didn't know what I was getting myself into, but once I did, I
    was very happy I did,'' Gomez said. ``I was always into working with
    the community, so once I was in library school, I thought this was the
    place I belong.''
        Knowledge River also helped Aaron Valdivia find his place in the
    Tucson community.
        Valdivia, a Knowledge River student from Phoenix, is working
    alongside six other program students and a group of 12 Sunnyside High
    School students to develop presentations and posters about common
    health issues students in Southern Arizona face, with a focus on
    Hispanics and American Indians.
        Because the School of Information Resources and Library Science
    offers distance courses, Valdivia said, he could have completed all the
    work from Phoenix.
        Knowledge River required him to take classes in Tucson, and he's
    glad he did.
        ``It's like I actually see the effect I'm having on the community,
    rather than just sitting on the computer,'' Valdivia said.
                                     ______

                                    ------

                                   Appendix 2

                           WE Search Progress: Final

     By Aaron J. Valdivia, Cecilia Tovar, Paula Maez, Adriana Rendon, Aric
                           Villarreal, Irene Morales

        This is our final progress report for the WE Search project 2007.
    Much of what follows is a review and summation of the entire semester,
    with the final module project included:
        As was mentioned in our first progress report we broke down the
    semester into modules, the completion of each being a step closer to
    our larger goal. This was broken down even further: each Knowledge
    River mentor was responsible for teaching his or her mentees the
    information that was the topic of the module which the whole group was
    working on. In summation, the semester went as follows:

                                    MODULE 1

        Our mentees learned the information that we wanted them to learn in
    the first module:
         Health disparities facing Latinos and Native Americans,
    and the causes of those disparities.
         Becoming familiar with quality resources that expose those
    disparities and other sources of research on health issues (Center for
    Disease Control, U.S. Census Bureau, etc.)

                                    MODULE 2

        The goal of the second module was likewise achieved. This was
    developing a familiarity with free resources that can be used learn
    about ways to curb the health disparities examined in the first module:
         The students/mentees all learned about the various
    consumer health resources that are available to the public via the
    World Wide Web. They also learned about the importance of the library
    as a resource for getting access to the web, or access to consumer
    health information materials that are available in print.
         There are ``special libraries'' available to the public
    (law libraries, medical, etc.--emphasis was given to medical, given our
    health focus).
         Creation of informative pamphlets and brochures that could
    be given out to people as a form of information on specific diseases
    and health issues.
        (Also during this module we started to take what we learned to
    classrooms at Sunnyside High School, to disseminate the information to
    our mentees/students' peers)

                                    MODULE 3

        The third module goal was to do something positive for the
    community with the knowledge and resources from the first two modules:
         The students/mentees participated in at least one outreach
    event each. The outreach events were a time to see, first-hand, the
    impact that knowledge of such resources as mentioned above have on the
    community.
         There were three events that we participated in: The
    Junior Scientists Kids Day at the University of Arizona, the Tucson
    HopeFest, and Academic Night at Sunnyside High School.
         Each event was a chance for our mentees/students to prove
    to their Knowledge River mentors that they were capable of applying
    what they had learned to real-life outreach situations; essentially,
    that they (the high school students) have become knowledgeable enough
    to teach others about the resources they studied throughout the
    semester up to this point.

                                    MODULE 4

        We also wanted to create a permanent resource for the students to
    reflect back on, and for their peers and the rest of the community to
    be able to use in a practical way after we finished our program:
         We have created a Web page that will be our permanent
    resource. This is a prototype for the program that was created at
    basically no cost since we used free Web 2.0 tools. This page was
    created using the free webpage-creating software ``Googlepages''.
         Googlepages allow one to choose between four different
    ``layouts'' for the page, and numerous different ``designs''. While
    such has its limitations, it was very useful for our purposes in that
    it:
         Illustrated for our mentees the positive uses that can be
    attained from Web 2.0 tools (something that is greatly stressed and
    used by professionals working in the library science field)
         Gave us a way to house a bibliography of usable resources
    in some permanent fashion
         Allows us to have a digital documentation of our work and
    of the program
        When we first started the planning for WE Search last spring we had
    mentioned, in a meeting, that we would like to tie in social software
    and its positive applications to the achievement of our own goals for
    WE Search. Myspace, Flikr, Facebook, Youtube, and others were all
    discussed. However, the commercial advertisements that come with each
    of those (and other potential problems) presented too many complexities
    (many of the mentees already have personal Myspace accounts, the
    content of which could potentially conflict with the professional
    appearance that we hoped for our program site). We did utilize blog
    software. Each student/mentee was allowed to comment on the blog, but
    the comments had to be approved by one of the Knowledge River mentors.
        (Our blog can be viewed at www.wesearch.wordpress.com). Our blog
    also gives a chronological timeline of our activities throughout the
    program.
        Building on the idea of teaching the students/mentees about free
    Web 2.0 tools, we decided to use the free Googlepages to create our
    permanent resource. Our webpage required much thought and planning; not
    in the design and layout (those are set templates provided by Google),
    but the content and the logistics as far was what is linked to what had
    to be considered. We knew we wanted three primary links on our
    ``homepage'': something that told about us, a section that explains
    what we do, and a permanent usable resource section that would
    demonstrate the mentees/students' work, and could be used by the
    public. The ``about us'' we titled ``Who WE are''; the sections that
    tells what we do is called, simply enough, ``What WE do''; and the
    permanent resource link is ``For YOU!'' For each linked section the
    content is broken down as follows:
                Who WE are:
        Each student/mentee was required to write a short bio and basically
    tell about what they got out of the WE Search program. We asked them to
    think about what they learned about doing quality research, evaluation
    web resources, the importance of consumer health information, and the
    impact that doing public outreach can have on their community. We
    allowed the mentees/students to include one picture of themselves, in
    addition to a picture of them participating in the program. The
    Knowledge River mentors also created individual web pages so there are
    eighteen pages in all linked to this section. Each page tells web users
    who we are as participants in the WE Search project.
                What WE do:
        We have pictures from various stages throughout the semester on
    this page. There are images of the entire WE Search group participating
    in our weekly Wednesday morning health activities (such as yoga and
    cardio kickboxing), most of which were courtesy of Pima County Public
    Libraries' ``Teens Fit for Life'' program. There are miscellaneous
    images of the Knowledge River mentors and their students/mentees
    working in the career center at Sunnyside High School. There are
    pictures from two of our outreach events: Junior Scientists Kids Day at
    the University of Arizona and the Tucson HopeFest. Also, there is a
    link to our blog on this page so any user looking at this site can find
    more information about the progress of WE Search and see a bit more
    about what we did throughout the semester.
                For YOU:
        This is a basic annotated bibliography. We had each of the
    students/mentees pick one of the consumer health websites that we
    examined and used throughout the semester; and the student/mentee wrote
    a brief description of the site. This being the case, we have twelve
    resources listed. We also linked to the actual websites from our
    bibliography. The annotation for each site was written by the student/
    mentee that chose that resource and it was reviewed by a mentor before
    being added to the Google page. The purpose for this section of the
    webpage was for the students to get an idea of what it means to create
    an annotated bibliography (which none of them had previously done) and
    they can see how such can be a resource to benefit the public (their
    own community).
        (The site can be viewed at http://wesearch07.googlepages.com/)
        This basically summed up the content for this year's program. The
    final thing we did was to give performance reviews to each of the
    mentees; and we had them fill out an online survey on Survey Monkey so
    that they could give the mentors feedback too. We rated the students/
    mentees on a five point Likert scale for their performance and the
    survey that the mentees filled out regarding what they thought of the
    program was also a Likert scale. We have yet to compile all of the
    results from both surveys. The students all performed well. There were
    no ``below average'' overall ratings for any of the students/mentees.
        The last thing to consider for this year's WE Search program is
    what we (Knowledge River mentors) call ``future prospects'' for this
    program, should it continue next year and possibly (hopefully) for
    years beyond that. This is essentially the work of a brainstorming
    session in which the Knowledge River mentors considered the future of
    the WE Search project; what could be done to improve it, what should
    stay the same, etc:
                Future Prospects:
         Shortening of the 1st and 2nd modules (1 week),
    lengthening of the 3rd and 4th modules (1 week).
         We believe that the first two modules could be shortened
    to approximately two weeks each, and the 3rd module (outreach) could be
    lengthened to accommodate more outreach events (see below). The 4th
    module could be lengthened likewise, to allow for more time working on
    teaching the mentees technology skills (we had envisioned teaching them
    basic HTML to give them an idea of how web page building really works,
    but time did not permit this year--it would be beneficial to the
    students/mentees to incorporate such in to the program).
         A number of the students/mentees indicated that they would
    have liked to have done more outreach events outside of their own
    school.
         This got the largest response from the students/mentees.
    We only really did two major outreach events outside of the school.
    Investigation of more events like HopeFest and Junior Scientists Kids
    Day could be a part of the next year's WE Search groups' tasks for the
    start of the semester, for the first two modules. Since there are
    already resources now created for this project (laminated poster board
    materials, trifold pamphlets, etc.) more time can be spent actually
    outside of the school at different events. All of the students
    responded well to the actual ``doing'' part of this program: getting
    outside of the school and putting what we were learning to use for the
    community.
         Keep a roster of those students who are juniors so they
    may be contacted to possibly become volunteer peer mentors for the new
    WE Search group(s).
         This would greatly enhance the experience for the
    students. Our 2007 WE Search group did not have the contact information
    for the previous year's high school students who were involved in the
    project. The project is for juniors and seniors. If we had the support
    of the previous year's juniors (now seniors) it may have helped our own
    students/mentees in that they would have a peer-to-peer contact.
         Mentors should take careful role and state student/mentee
    expectations in advance; maybe even by having each of the students/
    mentees sign a contract.
         This was one of our only minor setbacks/concerns; students
    being late or absent. Especially since we did our outreach outside of
    the school on weekends or nights, it was sometimes difficult to explain
    to the students how much this counts towards their final pass/fail
    status. It has been suggested that careful role be taken by having
    students sign in and out during the class period and for the outreach
    events. Also, while it is required that the students/mentees contribute
    10 hours of work per week, this should be more clearly expressed in a
    contract they sign at the start of the program. It should be
    highlighted and stressed to the students that they will be required to
    participate in at least two outreach events for which they must set
    aside time outside of regular class time.; whether they pass or fail
    the program and their payment should depend on this.
        (We did have all of the students participate in at least one
    outreach event, though--clearly stated written requirements and
    expectations would make this a much easier goal to relate)
         More collaboration and communication with other programs
    liked WE Search.
         There is the VIVA project in Texas that is similar to WE
    Search. While the Knowledge River mentors did communicate with the
    members of that project in early on, it would benefit the high school
    students to do so likewise throughout the semester. Since the
    overarching goal of the WE Search program is to increase quality of
    life for underserved populations in border areas, it makes sense to
    collaborate with other programs with similar goals. VIVA in south Texas
    is a good starting point. Research to find other similar programs could
    be one of the tasks of the forthcoming WE Search groups.
        In conclusion, while we feel that this project was a success, we
    also believe that achieving the true goal of a project like WE Search
    really requires long-term commitment. The overarching objective for the
    semester was to have a positive impact on quality of life for specific
    underserved populations in the South Tucson and Tucson neighborhoods;
    to curb health disparities among historically underserved ethnics
    groups, like Latinos and Native Americans. Much research is needed to
    see what the impact of a project like WE Search would be on achieving
    such a goal over the long term. However, a step in the direction
    towards this goal is promotion of projects like WE Search. On a micro
    scale the project for the 2007 fall semester was a definite success.
    Our students/mentees are knowledgeable enough to be mentors themselves
    and this will have a definite impact on those they interact with: their
    families, peers, communities. Through continuation of a project like WE
    Search we will see a macro impact on the target communities of such a
    project.
                                     ______

                   [From the Tucson Citizen, January 4, 2007]

                     UA Pushes for More Minority Librarians
                 Federal aid drying up; private funding sought

                              By Claudine LoMonaco

        Sol Gomez's favorite book is ``The Count of Monte Cristo,'' the
    tale of a wrongly imprisoned man who avenges himself using the
    education he gains from a priest, and fellow inmate, while behind bars.
        Gomez, 29, took the story to heart.
        ``Education is your only revenge,'' said Gomez as he stood between
    stacks of books at the South Tucson Library.
        Gomez grew up doing construction jobs with his father but now is a
    head librarian, dishing out knowledge, books and computer skills to as
    many people as he can lure through the library doors.
        As a Hispanic and librarian, Gomez is a rarity. Hispanics make up 2
    percent of all librarians but 12.5 percent of the population, according
    to a recent study by the American Library Association based on the 2000
    census.
        American Indians are similarly underrepresented, and comprise less
    than 1 percent of all librarians.
        A master's program in library science for Hispanics and American
    Indians at the University of Arizona is working to improve the
    statistics.
        The Knowledge River program is the only one of its kind in the
    country and has enrolled or graduated nearly 100 Hispanic and American
    Indian students since it began in 2001.
        They have gone on to work everywhere from community libraries to
    the nation's premier institutions in Washington, D.C., but the program
    faces an uncertain future.
        Its federal funding, about $200,000, will end within two years, and
    administrators are gearing for an uphill battle to raise the private
    dollars needed to save the program.
        For many people who don't have other access to books and
    technology, libraries can be the gateways for information, knowledge
    and empowerment, said Patricia Tarin, who directs and helped start the
    program.
        ``But many won't use a library if there's nobody there that shares
    their culture or speaks their language,'' she said. ``Institutions must
    have the face of the communities that they serve.''
        Each year, Knowledge River enrolls about 18 Hispanic and American
    Indian students who receive full tuition and a part-time library job to
    cover living expenses. The aid is crucial to attracting minority
    students, Tarin said.
        ``Most do not have a lot of financial resources to begin with,''
    she said. ``Many of them acquire a lot of debt in undergraduate school,
    so the idea of going to graduate school without financial aid is very,
    very difficult.''
        The program offers the chance to go through school with a
    ``cohort,'' or tight-knit group of fellow students. That way, support
    and networking opportunities once they leave school are available.
        It also offers multicultural coursework, such as Latino children's
    literature.
        Roberto Trujillo, who directs Stanford University Library's special
    collections department, taught a course for the program in 2005 on
    archival material, with a Mexican-American emphasis.
        ``Frequently, libraries don't collect that material,'' he said.
    ``If you have people with a sensitivity and sensibility towards those
    literatures and those histories, the likelihood of that record becoming
    part of library collections is much greater.''
        The program brings in national figures such as Trujillo to give
    students a broad perspective on what they can accomplish. The program
    is designed not only to produce librarians, but to turn out leaders
    poised to ask fundamental questions about how libraries can better
    serve Hispanics and American Indians.
        ``You show students the possibilities by introducing them to people
    and having them think of themselves as an advocate,'' Tarin said. ``If
    you're not going to work on problems that lead to a better situation
    for your community, who is?''
        Graduates from the program have an impressive track record.
        In October, Gomez was one of 25 librarians tapped for national
    training funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on how
    librarians can reach out to the Hispanic community even if they don't
    speak Spanish. Tips range from knowing the correct Hispanic last name
    to use on a library card since many Hispanics use two last names, to
    partnering with community groups that can help libraries reach out to
    Hispanics. Gomez will conduct workshops for local librarians throughout
    2007.
        Knowledge River graduate Roberto Zapata, who manages a
    midsizelibrary in Houston, was one of 10 librarians asked to serve on
    the selection panel for the prestigious Caldecott Award, which honors
    the best illustrated children's books each year. Zapata was also named
    one of the American Library Association's emerging leaders for 2006.
        Oscencio Tom, who graduated with Gomez in 2004, is completing a
    two-year fellowship at the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda,
    Md.
        Tom, 26, was born and raised on the Navajo Nation in northeastern
    Arizona by a single mother with an eighth-grade education. The first in
    his family to graduate from college, he plans to take the technology
    he's learning in his fellowship back to his reservation one day.
        ``We need to bridge the digital divide, not just for Navajos but
    for all minorities,'' he said. ``Librarians can make a huge difference
    there.''
        Knowledge River echoes two similar efforts in the 1970s, one at
    California State University, Fullerton and the other at the UA. Both
    folded when their federal dollars dried up.
        ``The federal government will fund you for four or five years and
    then they'll cut you loose,'' said Trujillo, who graduated from the
    Fullerton program in 1975. ``And if the local school can't pick it up
    on its own, then it just dies. And then it gets resurrected somewhere
    else.''
        Years can go by in the process, and schools are forced to build new
    programs from scrap.
        Tarin hopes to avoid that fate by raising private funds over the
    next year. She has worked to reduce the program's cost to about
    $200,000, 50 percent less than the first year, when students weren't
    required to work.
        Those who have gone through the program say they never would have
    become librarians without it.
        ``I didn't even know it was a career until I heard about it,''
    Gomez said. ``But once I got in, I loved it. I saw other students like
    myself and I felt comfortable. When I went to college, I thought
    librarians were that elderly woman with gray hair and glasses you would
    never want to talk to because she was always mean to us.''
        Gomez is a different breed of librarian, one just as likely to
    listen to Snoop Dog or teach a computer class en espanol as to read
    Alexandre Dumas, who wrote ``The Count of Monte Cristo.''
        ``I want to be a role model for kids and teens,'' he said, ``and
    let them know the importance of education. The kids see me and they
    think I'm one of them. But then they realize I went to school and got
    degrees. If they see that I did it, then they know it's a
    possibility.''
                                     ______

        [Additional materials submitted by Ms. Radice follow:]
        [``Charting the Landscape, Mapping New Paths: Museums,
    Libraries, and K-12 Learning, August 2004, can be accessed at
    the Institute of Museum and Library Services Internet address
    as follows:]

              http://www.imls.gov/pdf/Charting--the--Landscape.pdf

                                     ______

        [``InterConnections: The IMLS National Study on the Use of
    Libraries, Museums and the Internet,'' Conclusions Summary,
    February 2008, can be accessed at the Institute of Museum and
    Library Services Internet address as follows:]

     http://interconnectionsreport.org/reports/ConclusionsSummaryFinalB.pdf

                                     ______

        [``True Needs True Partners,'' 2002 Survey Highlights, can
    be accessed at the Institute of Museum and Library Services
    Internet address as follows:]

                     http://www.imls.gov/pdf/m-ssurvey.pdf

                                     ______

        [``Nine to Nineteen, Youth in Museums and Libraries: A
    Practitioner's Guide,'' April 2008, can be accessed at the
    Institute of Museum and Library Services Internet address as
    follows:]

                     http://www.imls.gov/pdf/YouthGuide.pdf

                                     ______

        [Additional materials submitted by Ms. Zales follow:]

                                    ------

        [``School Libraries Work!'' Research Foundation paper,
    updated 2008, may be accessed at the following Internet
    address:]

      http://librarypublishing.scholastic.com/content/stores/LibraryStore/
                          pages/images/SLW3--2008.pdf

                                     ______

        [Whereupon, at 11:00 a.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]