[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
[email protected]
______
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.
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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.]