Grant Award
Palmer School of Library and Information Science, Long Island University, Awarded Prestigious Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services for Digital Internships in CUNY Special Collections
Thanks to a generous grant of $316,967 from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Palmer School, working with The City University of New York (CUNY), will provide students of Library and Information Science with experience in developing digital projects in the special collections departments of various CUNY institutions. This cooperative project, entitled Project Sesame, will enable CUNY to develop approaches to the digital presentation of its special collections and will assist in the production of digital products and services and will open its resources to a wider public. The project is centered in the Palmer School's Manhattan site where the full MSLIS program is available and its rare book and special collections concentration is located. The Program will provide 15 scholarships of $5,000 each to students in the Palmer School over a three-year period.
The Palmer School's Dean Pro Tem, Dr. Mary Westermann-Cicio, regards this project as an opportunity to expand Palmer's curriculum in the digital area and to strengthen even further its unique rare book and special collections concentration. CUNY University Librarian Curtis L. Kendrick sees the project as an opportunity for bringing the special collections of The City University of New York to a broader audience. "It's about access as well as preservation."
Project Sesame will be directed by Dr. Deirdre C. Stam, coordinator of the Rare Book and Special Collections concentration for the Palmer School, who will work closely with Ms. Sunny Yoon, CUNY's Digital Resources Coordinator. It will provide scholarships to 15 students in the Palmer program over a three-year period beginning on Dec. 1, 2007.
Since 2002 when First Lady Laura Bush announced the President's support of a multi-million dollar initiative to recruit new librarians, the Institute has funded 2913 master's degree students, 178 doctoral students, 1166 pre-professional students, and 5629 continuing education students. The program is designed to address the shortage of school library media specialists, library school faculty, and librarians working in underserved communities, and to prepare for an anticipated shortage of library leaders, many of whom are expected to retire in the next 20 years. Explains Dr. Anne-Imelda M. Radice, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, "We all recognize that the services we receive are first and foremost driven by people. Well-equipped and educated librarians and pre-professionals are at the heart of effective library services. The grants awarded through the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian program sharpen the skills of today's library staff and train the next generation of library professionals and faculty."
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 Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.
Note: The main office for the Palmer School is Long Island Univ., 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville NY 11548-1300. Communication about this project should be directed to the New York City site at New York University at the New York City address provided above.
IMLS Contact:
Eileen Maxwell,
202-653-4632 or
emaxwell@imls.gov
CUNY Contact:
Sunny Yoon
Digital Resources Coordinator
The City University of New York
Office of Library Services
555 West 57th Street, Suite 1140
New York, NY 10019
Tel: 212.541.1013
Fax: 212.541.0357
sunny.yoon@domino1.cuny.edu
