SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE NEARLY $1 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING TO NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN & STORYCORPS
Funding to New York Botanical Garden and StoryCorps to Advance Learning Initiatives & Community Based Projects
New York, NY - U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $971,457 in funding for the New York Botanical Garden and StoryCorps. This will be matched by $1,026,458 in private funding for the two recipients. The funding was allocated through the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ National Leadership Grants. Specifically, the New York Botanical Garden will receive $846,457 to expand online biodiversity literature. StoryCorps will receive $125,000 for recording projects.
“I am pleased that this federal funding has been provided to the New York Botanical Garden and StoryCorps, as it will expand public access to its literature. Libraries play an important role in our society and this grant funding will ensure that New Yorkers in all communities have access to these educational resources,” said Senator Schumer.
“These investments in the New York Botanical Garden and StoryCorps will help expand exciting new learning and cultural opportunities for New Yorkers,” said Senator Gillibrand. “With this funding, we help these essential institutions execute the kind of programming that adds so much richness and vitality to life in our city.”
The funding to the New York Botanical Garden will expand public access to biodiversity literature; add approximately one hundred new small organizations, including libraries, museums, societies and publishers to their content provider network; serve as a model for national “subject-based” content hubs; and develop processes that will ensure long-term biodiversity contributions to the Digital Public Library of America.
“For nearly 125 years, The New York Botanical Garden has served as an advocate for the plant kingdom and ardent proponent of ecological education and conservation,” said Gregory Long, President and CEO of The New York Botanical Garden. “Through this tremendous opportunity afforded by Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, we will work to increase the volume of biodiversity literature currently made available through the Digital Public Library of America and its content hub, The Biodiversity Heritage Library. We are thrilled to work in collaboration with our partner organizations to expand the breadth and depth of biodiversity content, helping to make it available to all.”
The funding to Story Corps will enable two trained StoryCorps facilitators to visit and document each of the National Medal-winning museums and libraries, chosen by IMLS. StoryCorps will record up to 180 stories and produce 10 professionally edited segments to be featured through IMLS media. This body of work will allow the IMLS National Medal recipients to engage local communities beyond their geographical reach and for more people to encounter and appreciate the work of these institutions.
“We at StoryCorps are so grateful for this generous support and the work of Senators Gillibrand and Schumer for their leadership in achieving these grants,” said Dave Isay, Founder and President, StoryCorps. “We look forward to continuing our successful partnership with IMLS by amplifying the voices of their National Medal recipients.”
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