Report of Regents Cultural Education Committee to The Board of Regents
Your Committee on Cultural Education Committee had its scheduled meeting on September 11, 2017. Regent Roger Tilles, Chair of the Cultural Education Committee, submitted the following written report. In attendance were committee members: Regent Tilles, Chair, Regent Cea, Regent Chin, Regent Johnson, Regent Ouderkirk and Regent Mead. Absent: Regent Cottrell.
Regents, in addition to CE Committee Members, in attendance were: Chancellor Rosa, Vice Chancellor Brown, Regent Cashin, Regent Collins, Regent Reyes, and Regent Mittler. Also in attendance were Commissioner Elia, Executive Deputy Commissioner Berlin, Senior Deputy Commissioner for Education Policy Jhone Ebert, and Counsel and Deputy Commissioner for Legal Affairs Alison Bianchi.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
Chair’s Remarks: Regent Tilles welcomed everyone and introduced Deputy Commissioner Mark Schaming. Mark provided a brief report on Office of Cultural Education news and activities including: the opening of the Erie Canal exhibition on September 16, the newly-signed legislation for the “Love Your Library Fund” tax checkoff, the upcoming State Archives Annual Research Awards on October 24, and an update on the State Museum gallery renewal project.
Recent Acquisitions in Archaeology, Biology, and Geology [CE (D) 1]
Dr. John P. Hart, Director of Research and Collections at the New York State Museum, highlighted additions to the State Museum’s science collections over the past year, including additions in archaeology, biology and geology. By accessioning these collections, originating through research performed by the Museum and other professional scientists, as well as citizen scientists, the Museum ensures that they are preserved to document that research and be available for research and education in perpetuity. The collections are used by the Museum and other institutions in New York, North America, and globally for research and exhibition.
New York State Library Talking Book and Braille Library [CE (D) 2]
State Librarian Bernard Margolis, Senior Librarian at the State Library Shawn Lemieux, and Senior Librarian at the State Library Michael Whitney provided an update on services offered through the New York State Talking Book and Braille Library, which lends audio and braille books and magazines to eligible residents of upstate New York who have a qualifying print disability. The Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL) serves over 14,000 individual customers and over 2,500 institutions and depositories. Over 343,000 books were circulated in 2016. The Talking Book and Braille Library was the first library to serve the blind in the nation dating back to 1896. TBBL is part of a national network operated by the Library of Congress.