Treasured objects and artifacts held by the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum will be preserved for future generations with help from an award from the Institute for Museum and Library Services, the primary source of federal funding of the nation’s museums and libraries.

The award, called Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, will result in the WWPL receiving resources from IMLS and its cooperator, the American Association for State and Local History. These resources will help the WWPL preserve and make accessible its expanding collection, now totaling more than one million Wilson-related documents.

“We are pleased to announce the recipients of this award. These libraries, museums, and archives are in the forefront of our call to action on behalf of America’s collections,” says Anne-Imelda Radice, Director of IMLS. “According to a recent survey, our important collections are at great risk, and without them, the American story simply cannot be told to future generations.”

Dr. Heidi Hackford, Director of the Library at the WWPL, says, “The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library is honored to receive this award, which is evidence of our dedication to responsible preservation of the documents and artifacts in our collection. Our donors rightfully expect us to take care of these historical materials. The resources that accompany this award will help us to continue to meet the high standard we set.”

The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library is being awarded this essential set of resources based on an application describing the needs and plans for care of its collections. The IMLS Bookshelf focuses on collections typically found in history or art museums and in libraries' special collections. It addresses such topics as the philosophy and ethics of collecting, collections management and planning, and emergency preparedness.

In addition to gathering and preserving these collections for scholars to study on site, the WWPL is making these documents accessible to students, teachers, scholars, and the public around the world through its digital archive, the Wilson e-Library. In conjunction with the digital archive, the WWPL is pursuing an expansion of its campus to allow more room for research, preservation, accessibility, and proper storage.