The Grapevine Historical Society was awarded the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ "Connecting to Collections Bookshelf," which includes a set of core conservation books, DVDs and online resources that will help the society better care for the treasures at the Grapevine Historical Museum.
IMLS, the primary source of federal funding for museums and libraries, and its cooperating organization the American Association for State and Local History, will award 3,000 sets of the IMLS Bookshelf by the end of 2009.
The materials address the philosophy and ethics of collecting, collections management and planning, emergency preparedness, and culturally specific conservation issues.
"The Grapevine Historical Museum has many wonderful artifacts, and this information will greatly assist us in taking the best care of these items that we possibly can do," said Pamela Price, museum curator for the society.
Price said the organization is thoroughly documenting its inventory of artifacts and working to upgrade the preservation methods.
"According to a recent national survey, our important collections are at great risk, and without them, the American story simply cannot be told to future generations," said IMLS Director Anne-Imelda Radice.