National Medal for Museum and Library Service Awarded to Indiana Museum, Second Year in a Row!

This was taken from a release from the Association of Indiana Museums (AIM). Please visit their website at indianamuseums.org for more information.

The National Medal for Museum and Library Service, awarded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, recognizes five museum and five libraries each year, for programs and services provided to the nation and to the communities they serve. An Indiana museum has received a medal for two of the three years that IMLS has made the awards.

In 2008, AIM was proud to announce the news of the award received by the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum (Crawfordsville). This year, the Indianapolis Museum of Art receives the honor.

The Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA), formerly known as the Art Association of Indianapolis, was founded more than 125 years ago on the principal that art should be cultivated, studied, and available to all. Today, the IMA upholds these original tenets through programs like Viewfinders, an art viewing program that invites children to visit the museum with their teachers, think creatively, and share their ideas about the art with one another; and the Museum Apprentice Program, an initiative for high school students that supports mentorships with prominent artists on projects that develop leadership skills and expose them to the arts fields. Happily, visitors can appreciate the most comprehensive visual arts institution in Indiana for free, a recent and impactful change. Click here for complete IMLS release.

Yipppeee!

Yipppeee! We’ve being saying that a lot around here these days! With the National Medal award, it’s been an incredible fall at the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum. The staff and I are committed to excellence in museum programming and operations and to have this dedication awarded at the top level is more than we dreamed for ourselves. I am truly grateful to our members, donors, and volunteers for helping us make the dreams possible and for inspiring us look to the future with great optimism.

I am excited to share with you that the board has adopted a new strategic plan. Our first plan ended in September of this year with all of our goals met, which in the beginning seemed like an extremely tall order. With your help our first strategic plan was realized and the museum was positioned for accolades. Again, thank you.

The next five years will build on our high standard of excellence established through innovative programs and events like the Lew Wallace Youth Academy, the Historic Preservation Workshop Series, Annual Theme Exhibit and Programs, and the Taste of Montgomery County. It is equally critical to consider the small museum environment that this success was built in – the staff wear multiple “hats” and are regularly bound by budget constraints. As a result, the objectives outlined in our new plan are carefully measured for strength and feasibility.

Heading into the planning process, the board and staff understood that the focus of the plan needed to rest on a three key objectives: restore the study structure, evolve into a self-sustaining organization, and become the “best small museum in the Midwest.” With these in mind, the plan was developed during a series of board retreats held July 19, August 16, and September 20, 2008. Facilitated by Herm Haffner of Total Solutions, the planning process included an in-depth examination of the organization’s core competencies, mission, vision, and charge. With consensus in place, Haffner led the group through discussions regarding assumptions, budget, and human resources. Strategic planning activities included internal and external situation analyses, consideration of weaknesses and problems, comparative analysis of organizational peers, threat analysis, consideration of advantages and opportunities, and finally, establishing objectives.

We have established ten strategic objectives that will help us meet our charge to be a key cultural asset for our community’s continued well-being. To do this, we will:
-Provide innovative cutting edge programs and operations
-Create individualized experiential learning
-Become financially self sustaining
-Provide continued stewardship of collections and historic structures
-Focus on activities that add value to the study and the community
-Serve as a model to the larger small museum community

I invite you to read the entire plan and join our enthusiasm by following this link: http://www.ben-hur.com/GLWSM_2009-2012_Plan.pdf . I look forward to the next five years and the incredible support of our members, donors, and volunteers. Yipppeee!

--Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko, Museum Director

General Lew Wallace Study and Museum honored at Crawfordsville City Council meeting

What a great night! The staff and board of the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum were honored by the City Council of Crawfordsville, Indiana for winning the National Medal for Museum Service this year. The Council drafted a special resolution acknowledging our hard work, and the Council and audience gave us a standing ovation!

It feels great to be appreciated, but it feels even better to be part of a staff that works so seamlessly together to achieve such long-ranging and exciting results for our community.


--Kara Edie, Visitor Services & Marketing Coordinator

Museum Director Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko, Museum Board President Dale Petrie, Council Member Dennis Cook, Museum Associate Director Amanda Wesselmann, Museum Marketing Coordinator Kara Edie, Council Member George Parker, Museum Grounds Manager Deb King, Council Member Roger Rockenbaugh, Council Member Heather Perkins, Council Member Patrick Taylor, Council Member Nellie Thompson, Crawfordsville Mayor Charles Coons, and Council Member Raymond Kirtley.

Bright Shining Moment

It's great that Cinnamon got to go to Washington D.C. to receive the National Medal for Museum Services, but what's going on around here? Well, the Crawfordsville City Council drafted a resolution to pass at Monday's meeting to recognize the magnitude of this achievement, and specifically thank the staff, board, and membership for their hard work in bringing this honor to the city of Crawfordsville. All the Museum staff will be there, along wtih Lew Wallace Study Preservation Society President Dale Petrie, toting the medal for all to see. We hope to see quite a crowd to share in the glory of the medal - this is not your average city council meeting!

--Amanda Wesselmann, Associate Director

Senator Evan Bayh Comments on GLWSM's National Medal Honor

“The General Lew Wallace Study and Museum in Crawfordsville is a shining example of how well-preserved history can enrich our communities today,” said Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN). “The innovative programs of the Lew Wallace Youth Academy provide a great service to the children of Indiana, creating a unique learning opportunity for middle school students. The museum is truly a community organization, hosting successful events for all of Montgomery County and taking an active role in the revitalization of downtown Crawfordsville. The General Lew Wallace Study and Museum is a point of pride in Indiana, and I congratulate the museum for this well-deserved honor.”

General Lew Wallace Study and Museum wins National Medal for Museum and Library Service

GENERAL LEW WALLACE STUDY AND MUSEUM TO RECEIVE NATIONAL MEDAL FOR MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICE AT WHITE HOUSE CEREMONY

GLWSM one of five museums honored nationwide; second museum in Indiana history

CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN, September 30, 2008— First Lady Laura Bush will award the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum the 2008 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation's highest honor for museums and libraries, at a White House ceremony on October 7.

Each year, the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), in coordination with the White House, presents the National Medal to five museums and five libraries that have helped make their communities better places to live. Each winning institution also receives a $10,000 award.

The National Medal is the nation's highest honor for museums and libraries that help make their communities better places to live. The General Lew Wallace Study and Museum is one of only five museums in the United States and its territories to receive the medal this year and only the second museum in Indiana to receive this award since its inception.

IMLS awards the National Medal to 10 institutions annually for outstanding community outreach programs. The General Lew Wallace Study and Museum received the award for its Lew Wallace Youth Academy, which incorporates Wallace's life story into lessons in problem solving, creating art, and serving others; its Taste of Montgomery County event that created an economic engine for small businesses in the Montgomery County area and brought new people to the museum's campus to celebrate local food and music; and its participation in the public forum "Build a Better Downtown." Additionally, the Museum has ensured the lasting legacy of General Wallace with the recent rehabilitation of his carriage house as an Interpretive Center complete with a state-of-the-art collections storage facility. Through exceptional educational programming, collaborations with local and state organizations, active collections care, and community development opportunities, the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum fulfills its mission to "celebrate and renew belief in the power of the individual spirit to affect American history and culture."

"We are deeply moved by this award. The museum staff and board have worked diligently to connect with our community and we believe we've made positive transformations in our members, program participants, and visitors. To have this work commemorated with the National Medal is an incredible honor," said Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko, Director of the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum.

"By its example, the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum shows us the kind of influence and impact that museums can have on community life. Through its innovative programs and active partnerships, the Museum addresses the urgent and changing needs of the community it serves," said Anne-Imelda M. Radice, IMLS Director.

The other winners of the 2008 National Medal for Museum and Library Service are:
1. The Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, WY
2. The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, PA
3. The Jane Stern Dorado Community Library, Inc., Dorado, PR
4. The Kansas City Public Library, Kansas City, MO
5. The Lower East Side Tenement Museum, New York, NY
6. The Miami-Dade Public Library System, Miami, FL
7. The Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, FL
8. The Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME
9. The Skokie Public Library, Skokie, IL

The National Medal awards are made every year by IMLS, the primary source of federal funding for museums and libraries. Each organization will also be honored in an upcoming ceremony in Washington, D.C., and will receive a $10,000 award. This is the second year that IMLS has awarded medals to 10 institutions. In previous years, the National Medal was known as the National Award for Museum and Library Service and was awarded to three museums and three libraries. Additional information about the 2008 National Medal winners may be found at http://www.imls.gov/news/2008/092908.shtm.

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. The Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.

General Lew Wallace Study & Museum Nominated for National Medal

GENERAL LEW WALLACE STUDY & MUSEUM NOMINATED FOR NATIONAL MEDAL

Museum nominated for outstanding collaboration with and service to the Crawfordsville community

CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN, March 3, 2008— The General Lew Wallace Study and Museum in Crawfordsville has been nominated for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for libraries and museums that help to make their communities better places to live.

The Museum’s nomination was submitted by Heritage Preservation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving America’s collections (www.heritagepreservation.org). The Museum has worked with Heritage Preservation in their Conservation Assessment Program (CAP), and Museum Director Cinnamon Catlin-Legutko was selected to participate in the Connecting to Collections Summit, co-hosted by Heritage Preservation in 2007. She also serves on the CAP Advisory Committee representing America’s small museums.

“It is a thrill and honor to be nominated by Heritage Preservation, an organization I look to for museum resources and advice,” said Catlin-Legutko. “The Museum has been striving for excellence over the past five years and it’s wonderful to be recognized for our efforts. And, this is an incredible honor for Crawfordsville and Montgomery County.”

The National Medal for Museum and Library Service honors outstanding institutions that make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities. Selected institutions demonstrate extraordinary and innovative approaches to public service, exceeding the expected levels of community outreach and core programs generally associated with its services.

With the site’s rich history and the inherent lessons applicable for today, a primary goal of the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum has been to improve community engagement through preservation efforts, exhibits, and educational programming. Beginning in 2003, the organization started taking steps toward realizing this goal by thinking outwardly about its purpose and meaning. The results of these introspective steps have materialized in a variety of new programs and outreach initiatives that have captured the attention of the entire Montgomery County community, and beyond.

With such programs as the Lew Wallace Youth Academy, Artists in Residence and the “Learning with Lew” educational programming series, the Museum has evolved from a storehouse of Wallace’s belongings to a true, interactive community partner whose efforts are being recognized nationwide.

National Medals are awarded annually by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (www.imls.gov), the primary source of federal funding for museums and libraries, in conjunction with the White House. Previous award winners include Chicago’s John G. Shedd Aquarium and Brookfield Zoo, the Miami Museum of Science and the Frankfort Community Public Library. 2008 award recipients will be announced in November.