The Free Library Of Philadelphia

"THE FREE LIBRARY FOUNDATION WILL CREATE A PRACTICAL, COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM GUIDE AND WEBINAR SERIES FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES TO BUILD THEIR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CAPACITY. THE CURRICULUM WILL BE ORGANIZED AROUND THREE MODULES (OUTREACH, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, AND LEADERSHIP) AND PROVIDE TRAINING ON NINE INTERCONNECTED SKILLS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR LIBRARY STAFF TO FOSTER AND SUSTAIN IMPACTFUL PROGRAMMING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. PARTNERS INCLUDE THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, OCLC WEBJUNCTION, AND AN ADVISORY BOARD OF LIBRARY PROFESSIONALS FROM AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY, COLUMBUS PUBLIC LIBRARY, HALIFAX PUBLIC LIBRARIES, HARTFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY, MULTNOMAH COUNTY LIBRARY, SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY, SHIPPENSBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA. THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA AND ITS PARTNERS WILL SHAPE, TEST, AND REFINE THE CURRICULUM WITH AN INITIAL GROUP OF 250-300 LIBRARY STAFF IN TWO LIBRARY SYSTEMS BEFORE SHARING WITH THE BROADER LIBRARY FIELD."

THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA WILL ADDRESS LONGSTANDING DIGITAL LITERACY AND ACCESS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND ADULT EDUCATION CHALLENGES IN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA THAT HAVE BEEN EXACERBATED BY THE PANDEMIC. THROUGH ITS DIGITAL INCLUSION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, THE LIBRARY WILL ENHANCE, EXPAND, AND MAKE ITS RESOURCES DIGITALLY AVAILABLE. IN PHILADELPHIA, 16 PERCENT OF PEOPLE LIVE WITHOUT A HOME COMPUTER AND 29 PERCENT LIVE WITHOUT BROADBAND ACCESS. THE FREE LIBRARY WAS THEIR ONLY SOURCE OF FREE COMPUTER USE AND INTERNET UNTIL IT HAD TO SHUT ITS DOORS. THE LIBRARY WILL ALSO OFFER DIRECT SERVICES TO JOB SEEKERS (REMOTELY AND IN PERSON), SHARE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION AMONG PHILADELPHIA'S NETWORK OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ADULT EDUCATION, AND DIGITAL LITERACY PROVIDERS, AND PRIORITIZE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS TO ENSURE ITS PROGRAMMING IS RELEVANT AND RESPONSIVE.

ROSENBACH MUSEUM & LIBRARY DELANCEY PLACE LIGHTING UPGRADES PROJECT [THE ROSENBACH MUSEUM & LIBRARY PROPOSES A TWO-YEAR, COMPREHENSIVE LIGHTING UPGRADE TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE ITS 400,000-ITEM, WORLD-CLASS COLLECTION OF RARE BOOKS, MANUSCRIPTS, AND DECORATIVE AND FINE ART. THE PROJECT WILL EXPAND ON A 2016 NEH SUSTAINING CULTURAL HERITAGE COLLECTIONS PLANNING GRANT AND AN ONGOING, MULTI-PHASE CAPITAL PROJECT THAT SEEKS TO ADDRESS MUCH-NEEDED REPAIRS AND RENOVATIONS TO THE TWO HISTORIC TOWNHOMES IN WHICH THE MUSEUM & LIBRARY RESIDE, IN THE HEART OF PHILADELPHIA. THE PROJECT WILL UPGRADE, MODERNIZE, AND AUTOMATE THE ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING SYSTEMS AND REGULATE THE NATURAL LIGHT THAT IMPACTS COLLECTIONS WHERE THEY ARE DISPLAYED FOR EXHIBITIONS AND WHERE VISITORS INTERACT WITH THEM FOR PUBLIC TOURS AND PROGRAMMING. FLEXIBLE, ADAPTABLE, AND SECURE SPACES ARE KEY TO SUPPORTING THE ROSENBACH'S MISSION TO WELCOME AN EXPANDED AND DIVERSIFIED AUDIENCE TO ENGAGE WITH AND CELEBRATE THE ART OF THE WRITTEN WORD.]

THE ROSENBACH MUSEUM AND LIBRARY WILL IMPROVE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF ITS LIBRARY HOLDINGS BY CREATING AN ONLINE AND PUBLICLY DISCOVERABLE CATALOG. THE MUSEUM WILL HIRE AN ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN AND COLLECTIONS STEWARDSHIP ASSISTANT TO INVENTORY, RECONCILE RECORDS, AND CREATE AND PUBLISH ADDITIONAL FINDING AIDS FOR 21,000 RARE BOOKS, NEWSPAPERS, MAPS; 800 INDIVIDUAL MANUSCRIPTS; AND 18,000 RECORDS REPRESENTING 210 LINEAR FEET OF MANUSCRIPTS BELONGING TO LARGER COLLECTIONS. THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN INCREASED PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE MUSEUM LIBRARY’S DIVERSE MATERIALS THROUGH A CENTRAL ONLINE PORTAL AND WILL SERVE AS A PILOT FOR FUTURE DIGITIZATION AND LINKING OF THE ORGANIZATION’S LIBRARY AND NON-LIBRARY COLLECTIONS.

STEWARDING AND PROVIDING DIGITAL ACCESS TO THE ROSENBACH'S RARE BOOKS AND MANUSCRIPTS COLLECTION [THE ROSENBACH REQUESTS FUNDING TO PLAN AND MOVE FORWARD A SERIES OF COLLECTIONS STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS COMPRISING CATALOGING THE MAJORITY OF THE RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION, MIGRATION TO A CLOUD-BASED COLLECTION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CMS), A COLLECTION MANAGEMENT POLICY UPDATE, THE SALE OF SEVERAL HUNDRED OF NON-ACCESSIONED ITEMS, AND COLLECTIONS POLICY-DRIVEN DEACCESSIONING. THE ROSENBACH CURRENTLY LACKS THE CAPACITY TO MANAGE THESE PROJECTS AND REQUESTS FUNDING FOR TWO ADDITIONAL FTE POSITIONS TO EFFICIENTLY MOVE THEM FORWARD, ALONG WITH SOME EQUIPMENT/SOFTWARE PURCHASES TOWARD THE SAME END. THESE PROJECTS ARE PART OF THE ROSENBACH?S STRATEGIC PLAN (FY17-FY22) AND HAVE BEEN DEFERRED BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.] [PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS GRANT IS TO SUPPORT A PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM AND LIBRARY IN RETAINING THREE STAFF POSITIONS, CREATING TWO NEW POSITIONS, AND DEVELOPING THEIR ONLINE CATALOGUE.   ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE ROSENBACH LIBRARY WILL IMPLEMENT A SERIES OF COLLECTIONS STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS INVOLVING THE CATALOGING OF MOST OF ITS RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION, MIGRATING LIBRARY RECORDS TO A CLOUD-BASED COLLECTION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND UPDATING ITS COLLECTION MANAGEMENT POLICY. THE ORGANIZATION WILL HIRE TWO NEW STAFF MEMBERS TO SUPPORT THESE ACTIVITIES. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: FUNDING WILL RETAIN THE FOUR EXISTING LIBRARY STAFF, CREATE TWO NEW POSITIONS, AND ALLOW THE ORGANIZATION TO DEVELOP THEIR ONLINE CATALOGUE.   INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE LIBRARY?S COLLECTIONS ARE OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO SCHOLARS AND STUDENTS OF AMERICAN AND BRITISH LITERATURE AND HISTORY, BUT THE PROJECT WILL ALSO MAKE THE LIBRARY?S COLLECTIONS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.   SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE PROJECT DOES NOT INTEND TO ISSUE SUBAWARDS.]

UPDATES TO ENVIRONMENTAL TRACKING IN COLLECTIONS AREAS AT THE ROSENBACH [THE ROSENBACH MUSEUM AND LIBRARY REQUESTS NEH PAG FUNDING TO SUPPORT A ONE-YEAR PROJECT TO PURCHASE, INSTALL, AND TRAIN STAFF TO UTILIZE AND TRACK DATA FOR 15 BLUETOOTH-ENABLED HOBO DATA LOGGERS. THESE WILL MEASURE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, NAMELY TEMPERATURE, RELATIVE HUMIDITY, AND LIGHT EXPOSURE, IN AREAS WHERE COLLECTIONS ARE DISPLAYED, STORED, AND USED FOR RESEARCH. FUNDS WILL ALSO SUPPORT A COMPREHENSIVE, INTERNAL STUDY USING THE HOBO DATA LOGGERS TO TRACK AND ASSESS CHANGES IN THESE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO SHOW LOWER RATES OF NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF COLLECTIONS MATERIALS AS A RESULT OF RECENT BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE TWO HISTORIC TOWNHOMES IN WHICH THE ROSENBACH RESIDES.]