NEWS RELEASE
Oakland Museum of California
www.museumca.org

10TH & OAK STREETS
OAKLAND, CA  94607

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
5 March 2008

Oakland Museum of CA Hosts Hearings on Museum Funding
Friday, March 14, 2008

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a federal agency that provides grants to museums, holds two public hearings on museum funding on Friday, March 14, at the Oakland Museum of California. The museum, 1000 Oak at 10th Street, Oakland, is one block from the Lake Merritt BART.

The public hearings are part of the IMLS’s national fact-finding effort to understand how public funding affects museums’ ability to preserve cultural heritage, provide educational and civic opportunities, use technology, and serve the public.

IMLS Director Anne-Imelda Radice will be joined on March 14 by Kevin Starr, professor of history, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and former State Librarian; Kim Wang, real estate manager, Torrance, CA; and Katherine M. B. Berger, trustee, Berger Collection Educational Trust, Berryville, VA, members of the national IMLS board.

The goal of the hearings is to gather and record a wide range of perspectives on how to use public dollars effectively to ensure high-quality museum services. The panelists will examine how public funding impacts the quality of museum services and, if there are shortfalls, whether alternative funding models could address them.

The Oakland hearings are in two sessions. At both the IMLS will hear from invited witnesses and members of the local community. Speakers at the first session (4:30–6 p.m.):

• Lori Fogarty, executive director, Oakland Museum of California, Oakland
• Ralph Lewin, executive director, California Council for the Humanities, San Francisco
• Richard Winefield, executive director, Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito
• Dennis Bartels, executive director, Exploratorium, San Francisco

Speakers at the second session (7–8:30 p.m.):

• Phil Kohlmetz, executive director, Western Railway Museum, Suisan City
• William Moreno, executive director, Claremont Museum of Art, Claremont
• Barbara Ando, associate director, Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley
• David Crosson, executive director, California Historical Society, San Francisco

Hearings will also take place in Columbus, OH and Kansas City, MO, on March 12. The outcome of the hearings, in conjunction with the results of a national study funded by IMLS and conducted by the Urban Institute, will be part of a report to be released this summer.

Please contact Elizabeth Whipple, 510/238-4740 or ewhipple@museumca.com, for details.

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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 IMLS 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 IMLS, please visit www.imls.gov.

The Oakland Museum of California has explored the art, history, and environment of California since 1968. Located at 1000 Oak @ 10th Street, Oakland, the museum is one block from the Lake Merritt BART. For information, call 510/238-2200 or visit www.museumca.org. Underground parking is available.