IMLS Connecting to Collections Grant Advisory Committee MeetingMeeting MinutesSeptember 18, 2009Opening:

The meeting of the IMLS Connecting to Collections Grant Advisory Committee Meetingwas called to order at 10:15 AM on September 18, 2009 at the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners by Gregor Trinkaus-Randall.

Present:

Angelina Altobellis, Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC); Mark Vassar, Harvard University Schlesinger Library and Cambridge Historical Society;Jennifer Fauxsmith, Massachusetts Archives; David Blackburn, Lowell NationalHistorical Park, National Park Service; Mary Berhle, Northeast Massachusetts RegionalLibrary System (NMRLS); Joanne Riley, Joseph P. Healey Library at UMass Boston;Pamela Hatchfield, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Kate Viens, New England MuseumAssociation (NEMA); Michael Comeau, Massachusetts Archives; Martha Clark,Massachusetts Archives; B.J. Larson, New England Museum Association (NEMA);Jessica Steytler, Congregational Library; Michael Schuetz, Historic New England; LeeWright, Marlborough Historical Society; Diane Smith, Massachusetts CommonwealthConsortium of Libraries in Public Higher Education Institutions (MCCPHEI), SharonSharry, Greenfield Public Library; Gregor Trinkaus-Randall, MBLC; Rachel Masse,MBLC; Rebecca Meyer, MBLC.

General Description of the Grant and Its Objectives:

Gregor explained the source of the grant and the goals of the preservation survey. In 1990 MBLC conducted the

Preservation Needs Assessment Survey

of approximately 1,100 libraries, archives,historical societies, and town halls. In 2005 Heritage Preservation conducted the

Heritage Health Index (HHI)

, which surveys approximately 144 institutions inMassachusetts. The Connecting to Collections grant survey aims to build upon thesesurveys and expand the survey base to include as many cultural institutions inMassachusetts as possible: libraries, archives, museums, historical societies, town halls,church communities, etc.

Summary of Meeting:

Angelina Altobellis described the project as having two phases:Phase 1: Building contact base and development of survey.Phase 2: Statistical analysis.The date for the survey to be launched is January 4, 2010. She is drafting the survey based on previously conducted surveys. She mentioned that the

HHI

survey included twolevels of respondents, Tier 1 and Tier 2. Tier 1 institutions were deemed essential to thesurvey and therefore had a high level of follow-up, resulting in about a 90% response