Dr. Robert S. Martin, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, announced library grants on September 24th in four categories.

• Native American Grants for Libraries: Enhancement Grant Category www.imls.gov/whatsnew/current/092402-1.htm
• National Leadership Grants for Libraries: Research and Demonstration Category and Preservation or Digitization Category www.imls.gov/whatsnew/current/092402-6.htm
• National Leadership Grants for Libraries: Library/Museum Collaboration Category www.imls.gov/whatsnew/current/092402-3.htm

The Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) in Andover, MA has been awarded a $213,700 Preservation grant. In their three-year project, "Steal This Disaster Plan," the NEDCC, in partnership with the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, will create and disseminate an on-line training curriculum for library disaster planning based on a computerized tool for writing disaster plans.

These Preservation or Digitization grants preserve and enhance access to unique library resources useful to the broader community; address the challenges of preserving and archiving digital media; or lead to the development of standards, techniques, or models related to the digitization and management of digital resources. Ninety-one libraries requesting over $24.7 million competed for the grants. The federal government gave $7,179,673 in grants to 27 leading university libraries and research institutions across the country for research, model demonstrations, and preservation and digitization of their sources. The libraries will match the amount with an additional $7,131,502.