Vermont Division for Historic Preservation Lake Champlain Voyages Project
 Featured in New Federal Publication on the Art of Partnering

Montpelier, Vt.--The Vermont Division for Historic Preservation joins the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in announcing the release of a new publication, Partnership for a Nation of Learners: Joining Forces, Creating Value, which offers guidance on creating effective community collaborations. The publication profiles the recent Lake Champlain Voyages of Discovery project of the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation and Chimney Point State Historic Site, with its partners—Vermont Public  Television, Broadwing Productions, and the Bixby Memorial Free Library.  This project received a grant from the Partnership for a Nation of Learners program, which united libraries, museums, and public broadcasters to address issues of central concern to their local communities.

“This program made it possible for our partnership to use many disciplines to look at the relatively unknown early history of Lake Champlain from before Samuel de Champlain’s arrival in 1609 up to the time of the American Revolution, engage our communities to participate with us, and to generate valuable resources for as well as interest in the 2009 Champlain 400th anniversary, said Elsa Gilbertson, Voyages project director and Chimney Point administrator.   “The project products, including the Emmy-award winning documentary Champlain: The Lake Between, publication (Lake Champlain Voyages of Discovery: Bringing History Home), forthcoming web site, exhibit at Chimney Point, new books and other materials at the Bixby Library, and Bixby educational kits for local schools, will have a long-term effect on the region and how we understand this history.”  

IMLS Director Anne-Imelda Radice said, “I am gratified that the Partnership for a Nation of Learners project will live on through this publication, which spotlights exemplary community partnerships across the country, such as the one with the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation, and shares ‘how-to’ information on successful collaborations.  In these challenging economic times, partnerships are more valuable than ever.”

“Libraries, museums, and public broadcasting licensees are valuable and respected assets trusted by the public,” said Patricia de Stacy Harrison, President and Chief Executive Officer, Corporation for Public Broadcasting. “Together, they have an important role to play ensuring our democracy comprises an informed and educated citizenry, by providing lifelong learning opportunities for everyone.”
The new report is based on the work of the 2005 and 2006 PNL Community Collaboration Grants, which provided seed investments for 20 collaborative projects across the country.   It can be read online at:  www.imls.gov/pdf/PNLReport.pdf 
The new IMLS book profiles illustrate how vital community organizations can collaborate to effectively tackle important local issues and achieve outcomes that would be unattainable for a single organization.   It also provides a lessons learned section on best practices for successful partnerships. 

For more information about the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation, visit www.HistoricVermont.org.  For more information about the state-owned historic sites, visit www.HistoricVermont.org/sites.

About the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
CPB, a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government's investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1000 locally owned and operated public television and radio stations nationwide, and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television, and related on-line services. To learn about the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, please visit http://www.cpb.org.

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 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Its mission is to grow and sustain a “Nation of Learners” because lifelong learning is essential to a democratic society and individual success. Through its grant making, convenings, research and publications, the Institute empowers museums and libraries nationwide to provide leadership and services to enhance learning in families and communities, sustain cultural heritage, build twenty-first-century skills, and increase civic participation. To learn more about the Institute, please visit: http://www.imls.gov.

Contact:  Elsa Gilbertson, Regional Historic Site Administrator
(802-759-2412) or elsa.gilbertson@state.vt.us