[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 232 (Monday, December 3, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62386-62387]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26210]


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NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES

Institute of Museum and Library Services


Submission for OMB Review, Comment Request, Proposed Collection 
Requests: Community Catalyst Initiative (CCI): The Roles of Libraries 
and Museums as Enablers of Community Vitality and Co-Creators of 
Positive Community Change Program Cohort Evaluation

AGENCY: Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Foundation 
on the Arts and the Humanities.

ACTION: Submission for OMB review, comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Institute of Museum and Library Services announces the 
following information collection has been submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act. This program helps to ensure that 
requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden 
(time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are 
clearly understood, and the impact of collection requirements on 
respondents can be properly assessed. By this notice, IMLS is 
soliciting comments concerning a proposed cohort evaluation project 
related to the ``Community Catalyst Initiative: Roles of Libraries and 
Museums as Enablers of Community Vitality and Co-Creators of Positive 
Community Change'' grant program and document processes related to 
community engagement, partnerships, and associated outcomes for the 
benefit of the museum and library fields.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request can be 
obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the ADDRESSES 
section of this notice.

DATES: Comments must be submitted to the office listed in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section below on or before December 31, 
2018.
    OMB is particularly interested in comments that help the agency to:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology (e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses).

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Attn.: OMB Desk Officer for Education, Office of 
Management and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, (202) 395-
7316.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Sandra Webb, Director of Grant 
Policy and Management, Institute of Museum and Library Services, 955 
L'Enfant Plaza North SW, Suite 4000, Washington, DC 20024-2135. Dr. 
Webb can be reached by Telephone: 202-653-4718 Fax: 202-653-4608, or by 
email at [email protected], or by teletype (TTY/TDD) for persons with 
hearing difficulty at 202-653-4614.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source 
of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, 
support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related 
organizations through grant making, research, and policy development. 
Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to 
work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To 
learn more, visit www.imls.gov.

II. Current Actions

    IMLS plays an essential role in ensuring that the public dollars 
invested in museums and libraries benefit the communities they serve. 
To remain vital to the communities they serve, museums and libraries 
are increasingly expected to contribute to community wellbeing through 
activities that promote community assets and address community needs. 
Making such contributions, however, requires knowledge and skills for 
community engagement that are not typically part of educational 
programs that prepare people for professions in these institutions. In 
addition, organizational structures and processes in museums and 
libraries are not typically set up to support and facilitate such 
engagement.
    In recognition of this capacity-building opportunity, IMLS designed

[[Page 62387]]

CCI, a grant program for museums, libraries, and their community 
partners interested in enhancing the benefits of their collaborative, 
community-based efforts (i.e., asset-focused, community-driven 
collaboration) through (1) intensive training to build museums and 
libraries capacity for asset-based community engagement, (2) consulting 
to support implementation of the project grants in local communities, 
and (3) creating peer opportunities for the museum and library 
grantees, along with their core partners, to learn from each other and 
share innovative ideas and promising practices. One- to two-year grants 
were awarded to 12 organizations in each of two consecutive cohorts, 
the first in the fall of 2017 and the second in the fall of 2018. 
Grantee organizations are either museums, libraries, or other 
institutions that proposed to collaborate closely with museums and 
libraries.
    This proposed evaluation supports the Agency's FY 2018-2022 
Strategic Plan, which frames how the Agency plans to meet the essential 
information, education, research, economic, cultural, and civic needs 
of the American public. Under the Strategic Plan, IMLS's objectives 
include ``adapt to the changing needs of the museum and library fields 
by incorporating proven approaches as well as new ideas into IMLS 
programs and services'' (4.2), ``encourage library and museum 
professionals and institutions to share and adopt best practices and 
innovations'' (2.2), and ``identify trends in the museum and library 
fields to help organizations make informed decisions'' (2.3).
    This proposed study will be the first evaluation of the entire CCI 
initiative. It is a summative assessment of CCI implementation and 
initial outcomes across the two cohorts of grantees and their 24 
diverse projects. This assessment builds on the 24 grantees' 
evaluations of their own individual projects. It uses a set of common 
indicators to assess implementation and interim outcomes among museums, 
libraries, local networks, and communities across all grantee projects.
    Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services.
    Title: Community Catalyst Initiative: The Roles of Libraries and 
Museums as Enablers of Community Vitality and Co-Creators of Positive 
Community Change Program Cohort Evaluation.
    OMB Number: 3137-TBD.
    Frequency: One-time collection anticipated.
    Affected Public: Libraries, community agencies, institutions of 
higher education, museums, and other entities that are associated with 
or advance the museum and library fields.
    Number of Respondents: 599.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: $24.26.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 668.
    Total Annualized capital/startup costs: n/a.
    Total Annual costs: $18,528.

    Dated: November 28, 2018.
Kim Miller,
Grants Management Specialist, Office of Grants Policy and Management.
[FR Doc. 2018-26210 Filed 11-30-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7036-01-P