Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Publishes FY 2020 Annual Performance Report

From IMLS:

The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced today that the agency’s Annual Performance Report (APR) is now available for FY 2020. The report is an in-depth look at how IMLS aligns its strategic priorities with practice.

“The resilience demonstrated by hardworking museum and library staff, the creativity of communities across the country, and the unwavering spirit of service embodied by so many people helped find inventive ways to help overcome the challenges faced during this pandemic,” said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. “We are honored to have been able to support many critical projects through our grant programs, including IMLS CARES Act funding.”

The APR reviews key impacts of the agency’s activities for FY 2020. Highlights from the report include:

• The agency awarded $45 million in IMLS CARES Act funding to 142 institutions across the U.S. The funding was aimed at enabling libraries and museums to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, including by expanding digital network access, purchasing Internet-accessible devices, and providing technical support services to their communities.
• IMLS collaborated with OCLC and Battelle to develop the Reopening Libraries and Museums (RELAM) Project, which provides information for libraries and museums and their staff and patrons to address the unique challenges of mitigating COVID-19 when managing their collections, spaces, and public interactions.
• The agency worked with partners to co-host a five-day virtual National Tribal Broadband Summit and prepare a National Tribal Broadband Strategy, along with developing a website and other communications identifying broadbandresources and services available to libraries to help address the impact of COVID-19.

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