Institute of Museum and Library Services; Notice of Proposed Information Collection Request: “Museums Empowered: Professional Development and Capacity Building Opportunities for Museums”-A Museums for America Special Initiative, 70707-70708 [2016-24681]

Agencies

• National Foundation for the Arts and the Humanities

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 198 (Thursday, October 13, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70707-70708]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-24681]


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NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES


Institute of Museum and Library Services; Notice of Proposed 
Information Collection Request: ``Museums Empowered: Professional 
Development and Capacity Building Opportunities for Museums''--A 
Museums for America Special Initiative

AGENCY: Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Foundation 
for the Arts and the Humanities.

ACTION: Notice, request for comments, collection of information.

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SUMMARY: The Institute of Museum and Library Service (``IMLS'') as part 
of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, 
conducts a pre-clearance consultation program to provide the general 
public and federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed 
and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act. This pre-clearance consultation program helps 
to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. The 
purpose of this Notice is to solicit comments concerning Museums 
Empowered: Professional Development and Capacity Building Opportunities 
for Museums--A Museums for America Special Initiative.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request can be 
obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the ADDRESSES 
section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
ADDRESSES section below on or before December 12, 2016.

ADDRESSES: For a copy of the documents contact: Mark Isaksen, Senior 
Museum Program Officer, Institute of Museum and Library Services, 955 
L'Enfant Plaza North SW., Suite 4000, Washington, DC 20024. Mr. Isaksen 
can be reached by telephone: 202-653-4662; fax: 202-653-4667; email: 
misaksen@imls.gov or by or by teletype (TTY/TDD) for persons with 
hearing difficulty at 202-653-4614.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source 
of federal support for the Nation's 123,000 libraries and 35,000 
museums. The Institute's mission is to inspire libraries and museums to 
advance innovation, learning and civic engagement. We provide 
leadership through research, policy development, and grant making. IMLS 
provides a variety of grant programs to assist the Nation's museums and 
libraries in improving their operations and enhancing their services to 
the public. (20 U.S.C. 9101 et seq.).
    The IMLS is particularly interested in comments which:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated,

[[Page 70708]]

electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.

II. Current Actions

    To administer a special initiative in the Museums for America (MFA) 
grant program titled Museums Empowered: Professional Development and 
Capacity Building Opportunities for Museums--A Museums for America 
Special Initiative.
    Museums for America (MFA) grants support projects that strengthen 
the ability of an individual museum to serve its public. This special 
MFA initiative will provide professional development and capacity 
building opportunities for eligible museums.
    As centers of innovation and discovery, as well as catalysts of 
community revitalization, museums are at the forefront of change in our 
communities. Like any other institution, museums need to remain dynamic 
to respond to fast-evolving technological advances and changing 
demographics. Museums also need to generate and share outcomes-based 
data and results of their community impact and develop sustainable 
organizational structures and strategies for continued growth and 
vitality. Professional Development is critical for museums to deliver 
on these areas of need.
    To support and empower museums of all sizes and disciplines in 
responding to the evolving needs and changes, this MFA special 
initiative has four areas of focus for professional development and 
capacity building 1. Diversity and Inclusion 2. Digital Technology 3. 
Evaluation 4. Organizational Management. Potential projects will 
address one of these four priority areas and help strengthen the 
capability of an individual museum to better serve its public.
    Funded projects may support a wide variety of training 
opportunities for museum staff at a variety of levels (senior 
leadership, middle management, front-line staff, interns and 
volunteers) and in various lines of museum work or a combination of 
(education and outreach, interpretation, curation, registration, 
conservation, exhibition design, administration, finance, marketing, 
public relations, community engagement, visitor services security and 
other).
    Agency: Institute of Museum and Library Services.
    Title: ``Museums Empowered: Professional Development and Capacity 
Building Opportunities for Museums''--A Museums for America Special 
Initiative.
    OMB Number: TBD.
    Agency Number: 3137.
    Frequency: One time.
    Affected Public: Museums that meet the IMLS Museums for America 
institutional eligibility criteria.
    Number of Respondents: 100.
    Estimated Time per Respondent: 40 hours.
    Total Burden Hours: 4,000.
    Total Annualized cost to respondents: $109,600.00.
    Total Annualized capital/startup costs: 0.
    Total Annualized Cost to Federal Government: $13,651.84.
    Public Comments Invited: Comments submitted in response to this 
notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB's 
clearance of this information collection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephanie Burwell, Chief Information 
Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Institute of Museum 
and Library Services, 955 L'Enfant Plaza North SW., Suite 4000, 
Washington, DC 20024-2135. Mrs. Burwell can be reached by Telephone: 
202-653-4684, Fax: 202-653-4625, or by email at sburwell@imls.gov or by 
teletype (TTY/TDD) at 202-653-4614. Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 
5 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

    Dated: October 6, 2016.
Kim Miller,
Grants Management Specialist.
[FR Doc. 2016-24681 Filed 10-12-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7036-01-P