We are thrilled to announce that “Connected for Life,” a collaborative project of the Pentacrest Museums, Office of the State Archaeologist, University Libraries and the University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art just received a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences. https://www.imls.gov/news/american-libraries-and-museums-awarded-138-mil...

This award will expand the Stanley Museum of Art's Senior Living Communities Program, which brings art programming and interactive activities to seniors in long-term care facilities in Southeast Iowa.The project team will develop synchronous virtual programs for populations especially vulnerable to COVID-19 and underserved in outreach programs with a goal to increase participants' sense of connection and well-being and decrease their feelings of isolation. Program topics will highlight art, archaeology, natural history, history, and archives from the university’s library and museum collections. In addition to the impact it will have on Iowans, this grant represents a unique collaboration between cultural organizations across The University of Iowa.  Despite physical displacement, four UI museums and repositories are combining resources for the betterment of our state’s seniors.

"As pillars of our communities, libraries and museums bring people together by providing important programs, services, and collections. These institutions are trusted spaces where people can learn, explore and grow,” said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. “IMLS is proud to support their initiatives through our grants as they educate and enhance their communities."

More here: https://research.uiowa.edu/impact/news/ui-museums-and-libraries-win-2000...