§9173. Museum services activities

(a) In general

The Director, subject to the policy advice of the Museum and Library Services Board, may enter into arrangements, including grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, and other forms of assistance, with museums and other entities as the Director considers appropriate, to pay the Federal share of the cost of-

(1) supporting museums in providing learning and access to collections, information, and educational resources in a variety of formats (including exhibitions, programs, publications, and websites) for individuals of all ages;

(2) supporting museums in building learning partnerships with the Nation's schools and developing museum resources and programs in support of State and local school curricula;

(3) supporting museums in assessing, conserving, researching, maintaining, and exhibiting their collections, and in providing educational programs to the public through the use of their collections;

(4) stimulating greater collaboration among museums, libraries, schools, and other community organizations in order to share resources and strengthen communities;

(5) encouraging the use of new technologies and broadcast media to enhance access to museum collections, programs, and services;

(6) supporting museums in providing services to people of diverse geographic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds and to individuals with disabilities;

(7) supporting museums in developing and carrying out specialized programs for specific segments of the public, such as programs for urban neighborhoods, rural areas, Indian reservations, and State institutions;

(8) supporting professional development and technical assistance programs to enhance museum operations at all levels, in order to ensure the highest standards in all aspects of museum operations;

(9) supporting museums in research, program evaluation, and the collection and dissemination of information to museum professionals and the public; and

(10) encouraging, supporting, and disseminating model programs of museum and library collaboration.

(b) Federal share

(1) 50 percent

Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Federal share described in subsection (a) of this section shall be not more than 50 percent.

(2) Greater than 50 percent

The Director may use not more than 20 percent of the funds made available under this subchapter for a fiscal year to enter into arrangements under subsection (a) of this section for which the Federal share may be greater than 50 percent.

(3) Operational expenses

No funds for operational expenses may be provided under this section to any entity that is not a museum.

(c) Review and evaluation

(1) In general

The Director shall establish procedures for reviewing and evaluating arrangements described in subsection (a) of this section entered into under this subchapter.

(2) Applications for technical assistance

(A) In general

The Director may use not more than 10 percent of the funds appropriated to carry out this subchapter for technical assistance awards.

(B) Individual museums

Individual museums may receive not more than 3 technical assistance awards under subparagraph (A), but subsequent awards for technical assistance shall be subject to review outside the Institute.

(d) Services for Native Americans

From amounts appropriated under section 9176 of this title, the Director shall reserve 1.75 percent to award grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, Indian tribes and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians (as defined in section 7517 of this title), to enable such tribes and organizations to carry out the activities described in subsection (a) of this section.

(Pub. L. 94–462, title II, §274, formerly §273, as added Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, §101(e) [title VII, §702], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–233 , 3009-303; renumbered §274 and amended Pub. L. 108–81, title III, §§303, 306(1), Sept. 25, 2003, 117 Stat. 1000 , 1002.)

Prior Provisions

A prior section 274 of Pub. L. 94–462 was classified to section 9174 of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 108–81.

Amendments

2003-Pub. L. 108–81, §303, amended section catchline and text generally. Prior to amendment, section contained provisions which in subsec. (a) authorized the Director to make grants to museums to pay for the Federal share of the cost of increasing and improving museum services, in subsec. (b) authorized the Director to enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with appropriate entities to pay for the Federal share of enabling the entities to undertake projects designed to strengthen museum services, in subsec. (c) established the Federal share, and in subsec. (d) required the Director to establish procedures for reviewing and evaluating grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements entered into under this subchapter.