Still National Osteopathic Museum Receives $125K Collection Stewardship Grant
Posted: August 7, 2009
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Thanks to a generous grant of $125,252 from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, staff members at the Still National Osteopathic Museum will be able to effectively categorize and catalog artifacts as they move toward a uniform inventory of their Osteopathic Heritage collection.
“Certainly, in these economic times, to be getting this kind of money for a job we’ve wanted to do for the last 10 years is really amazing,” said Museum Director Jason Haxton, M.A.
Located on the campus of A.T. Still University in Kirksville, Mo., the museum had applied for the grant for assistance in creating a completely uniform inventory of collection items. Staff members have planned a comprehensive inventory of all collections with digitized and scanned images, as well as online access to the inventory. This award will aid in the first phase of a multiyear project, with an ultimate goal of better serving the public, as well as seeking accreditation from the American Association of Museums.
Museums for America is the Institute’s largest grant program for museums, providing more than $19 million in grants to support the role of museums in American society to sustain cultural heritage, to support lifelong learning, and to be centers of community engagement. Museums for America grants strengthen a museum’s ability to serve the public more effectively by supporting high-priority activities that advance the institution’s mission and strategic goals. In 2009, 433 applicants applied and the Institute awarded over $19 million in grant money to 167 museums.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 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.
Earlier in the year, the museum, in collaboration with the A.T. Still Memorial Library, received another grant from the Missouri Digital Heritage Initiative for $38,761. This award is funding a second museum initiative that is to bring hundreds of handwritten documents by Andrew Taylor Still, M.D., D.O., the pioneer of osteopathic medicine, to a web-searchable database. The museum is currently comprised of three collections: the Still National Museum Collection, the International Center for Osteopathic History Collection, and the A.T. Still Memorial Library Special Collection. In the last fiscal year, the museum hosted 6,020 on-site visitors and conducted 63 adult and student programs.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas.