IMLS GRANT-FUNDED PROJECTS TO BE SHOWCASED AT THE 2008 WEBWISE CONFERENCE
Conference to be Held March 5-7, 2008

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MIAMI BEACH, FL (February 9, 2008)—From a revamped open-source website for museum educators, to new metadata infrastructure software, twelve innovative projects designed for and by the museum and library community will be showcased at the 2008 WebWise Conference. Co-sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and The Wolfsonian–Florida International University, and supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the WebWise Conference is an annual event which draws museum, library, information systems, and other related professionals to explore new research and innovation in digital technology. The 2008 WebWise Conference will take place March 6-7 in Miami Beach, Florida, with a day of pre-conference sessions scheduled for March 5. The theme of the conference is “WebWise 2.0: The Power of Community.” Separate from the main speaker sessions, the projects featured at the 2008 WebWise Conference will be presented on March 6. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to watch project demonstrations as well as speak directly with project presenters. Many of the tools and resources that will be presented are freely available, and therefore reflect the WebWise Conference goal of promoting technology transfer and institutional collaboration among cultural heritage institutions. Among the projects being presented are LibX, an open-source browser plug-in that allows users to search library resources remotely, and Red Butte Garden’s innovative hand-held interpretation system, a device that can access collections data using geographic information systems.

Other projects being featured at the 2008 WebWise Conference include:

Web-Based Environmental Risk Analysis for Museums and Libraries (WEBERA)
Presented by James M. Reilly, Rochester Institute of Technology, Image Permanence Institute www.myclimatedata.org

Created in response to findings reported in the IMLS-supported Heritage Health Index study concerning environmental storage conditions for museum and library collections, WebERA is a web-based system that aids in environmental risk analysis. Using internet connections, the storage environments of a pilot group of 10 museums and 5 libraries are being monitored and evaluated. Still being developed, WebERA will ultimately be offered as a public service to the museum and library community.

Build a City
Presented by Louis Gerteis, University of Missouri-St. Louis

Partnered with the St. Louis area museums Campbell House, Old North St. Louis Restoration Group Museum, and Museum of Westward Expansion, the University of Missouri-St. Louis developed a toolkit that enables non-technical users to use three-dimensional imaging technology to create interactive museum exhibits. Using the toolkit, users recreate historical context for exhibits by creating virtual cities, buildings, streets, and other settings. The toolkit can be used to develop online presentations or stand-alone displays.

The True North Project
Presented by Robert Horton and Lesley Kadish, Minnesota Historical Society www.mnhs.org/truenorth

Integrating history with geography, The True North Project was created by the Minnesota Historical Society to help geography teachers meet state graduation standards for geography. The project’s website uses Geographical Information Systems [GIS] technology to link and layer data-based representations of historic events and modern and historical maps. Lesson plans for grades 4-8 and lesson guides for grades 9-12 classrooms were created specifically for The True North Project.

All of the projects highlighted at WebWise were developed with grant support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. To read complete abstracts of all twelve projects that will be presented at the 2008 WebWise Conference website, visit the WebWise Conference website: http://webwise2008.fcla.edu. The WebWise Conference is sponsored annually by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The 2008 WebWise Conference will be co-hosted by The Wolfsonian-FIU, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Additional support is provided by the Florida Center for Library Automation, the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority, and uVu, a service of Digital 2.

About The Institute of Museum and Library Services
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. Its mission is to grow and sustain a “Nation of Learners” because life-long learning is essential to a democratic society and individual success. Through its grant making, conventions, research and publications, the Institute empowers museums and libraries nationwide to provide leadership and services to enhance learning in families and communities, sustain cultural heritage, build twenty-first-century skills, and increase civic participation. To learn more about the Institute, please visit: http://www.imls.gov.

About The Wolfsonian–Florida International University
The Wolfsonian–FIU is a museum and research center that uses objects to illustrate the persuasive power of art and design to explore what it means to be modern, and to tell the story of social, political, and technological changes that have transformed the world. The approximately 120,000 artifacts that comprise The Wolfsonian collection range from fine art, graphic design, and political propaganda to furniture, rare books, and ephemeral materials such as postcards and travel brochures. Since opening to the public just ten years ago, The Wolfsonian has developed and disseminated critically acclaimed exhibitions, publications, and educational programs that highlight the impact of design in shaping the modern world. Its vast patrimony of primary source materials provides unparalleled opportunities for scholarship and appreciation, making it a unique resource for local, national, and international audiences.