Oklahoma Museums Count - Museums of all kinds, from art to zoos, are encouraged to participate in an important new study of public funding in the United States. The survey will provide a detailed look at the size, scope, and challenges created by public support for museums from federal, state and local governments. This short, confidential survey is being conducted by The Urban Institute, a non-partisan economic and social policy research organization based in Washington, D.C. through a cooperative agreement with the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). To fill out the survey, go to http://www.museumpublicfinance.org/ by December 21. For questions about the online survey, please e-mail or call one of the Urban Institute principal investigators: Carlos Manjarrez (cmanjarr@ui.urban.org) at (202) 261-5821 or Carole Rosenstein (crosenst@buffalo.edu) at (716) 645-2437 x1468.

As part of the same study, IMLS has also announced that it will hold public hearings in three cities to collect opinions and perspectives on how museums can best serve the public. Details about participation in the hearings will be released in early February 2008. The tentative schedule is: The Ohio Historical Society, Columbus, OH on March 10, 2008; The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO on March 12, 2008; and the Oakland Museum of California on March 14, 2008. For more information, visit http://www.imls.gov/news/2007/112607.shtm.