[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 231 (Monday, December 4, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 84176-84177]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26502]


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NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES

Institute of Museum and Library Services


Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests: IMLS 
Evaluation of Grant Programs Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act 
(ARPA) and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) 
Act

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

ACTION: Submission for OMB review, request for comments, collection of 
information.

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SUMMARY: The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), announces 
that 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. This 
Notice proposes the clearance of IMLS's evaluation of grant programs 
funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Coronavirus Aid, 
Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
    A copy of the proposed collection request can be obtained by 
contacting the individual listed below the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT section of this Notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
ADDRESSES section below on or before December 31, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for proposed 
information collection requests should be sent within 30 days of 
publication of this Notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find 
this particular information collection request by selecting ``Institute 
of Museum and Library Services'' under ``Currently Under Review;'' then 
check ``Only Show ICR for Public Comment'' checkbox. Once you have 
found this information collection request, select ``Comment,'' and 
enter or upload your comment and information. Alternatively, please 
mail your written comments to Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Attn.: OMB Desk Officer for Education, Office of Management 
and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, or call (202) 395-7316.
    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).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Hechtman, Ph.D, Social Science 
Research Analyst, Office of Research and Evaluation, Institute of 
Museum and Library Services, 955 L'Enfant Plaza North SW, Suite 4000, 
Washington, DC 20024-2135. Dr. Hechtman can be reached by telephone at 
202-653-4724 or by email at [email protected]. Persons who are deaf or 
hard of hearing (TTY users) can contact IMLS at 202-207-7858 via 711 
for TTY-Based Telecommunications Relay Service.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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

[[Page 84177]]

development. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov.
    Current Actions: This Notice proposes the approval of the IMLS 
Evaluation of Grant Programs Funded by the ARPA and the CARES Act. In 
direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, IMLS awarded roughly $250 
million in ARPA and CARES Act funds to State Library Administrative 
Agencies, libraries, and museums. The proposed information collection 
covers the four largest funding programs, which account for about 99% 
of funding: Grants to State ARPA State Grants, Grants to State CARES 
Act State Grants, CARES Act Grants for Museums and Libraries, and 
American Rescue Plan for Museums and Libraries. Given their more 
targeted focus, the American Rescue Plan for Native American/Native 
Hawaiian Museum and Library Services CARES Act Grants for Museums and 
Libraries and CARES Act Grants for Native American/Native Hawaiian 
Museum and Library Services programs will be studied separately from 
this proposed information collection with special emphasis placed on 
using culturally responsive evaluation methods. The proposed evaluation 
of IMLS's ARPA and CARES Act grant programs will include a review of 
the relevant administrative processes and the distribution and use of 
the funds in order to improve the agency's understanding of the 
effectiveness of the program and the lessons learned, identify gaps and 
needs in continuing post-recovery, and improve or inform future design, 
technical support, and distribution of special use funds as part of an 
overall emergency response plan.
    This study will include conducting 75 semi-structured interviews 
(73 individual interviews, 2 group interviews, totaling 75 interviews 
and 79 expected participants) coupled with a secondary data collection 
effort of reviewing library and museum administrative data, ARPA and 
CARES Act grant programs awardee reporting, and a literature review. 
The 60-day Notice was published in the Federal Register on July 28, 
2023 (Vol. 88, No. 144). The agency received no comments under this 
notice.
    Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services.
    Title: IMLS Evaluation of Grant Programs Funded by the American 
Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic 
Security (CARES) Act.
    OMB Control Number: 3137-NEW.
    Agency Number: 3137.
    Respondents/Affected Public: IMLS applicants and awardees, 
including museum leadership and library leadership for institutions 
receiving discretionary CARES Act and ARPA grants, and State Library 
Administrative Agency (SLAA) leadership for SLAAs receiving CARES Act 
and ARPA formula grants.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 79.
    Frequency of Response: Once per request.
    Average Minutes per Response: 90 minutes.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 118.5.
    Cost Burden (dollars): $3,881.
    Total Annual Federal Costs: $27,889.
    Public Comments Invited: Comments submitted in response to this 
Notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB's 
clearance of this information collection.

    Dated: November 28, 2023.
Suzanne Mbollo,
Grants Management Specialist, Institute of Museum and Library Services.
[FR Doc. 2023-26502 Filed 12-1-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7036-01-P