Morgan State University Newsroom Morgan State University
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded a $144,000 grant to the James E. Lewis Museum of Art (JELMA) at Morgan State University, to help JELMA continue to digitize its collection of nearly 5,000 objects of fine art. The grant will also fund the hiring of support staff to manage the project. Richard Green will serve as the Digitization Project manager.
Once completed, the JELMA Digitization Project will electronically preserve the museum’s collection holdings and broaden its audience via online access. Students, researchers and collectors around the world will be introduced to the University’s campus museum and gain greater exposure to its unique exhibits and pieces. In addition to the electronic cataloging, the project also includes the creation of a designated website that will feature a blog used to collect data, conduct surveys, allow for community input and serve as a platform for other digitization initiatives.
The IMLS grant continues the efforts started by a previously awarded African American History and Culture grant of $150,000. The continuation of this project not only provides practical workplace skills for Morgan students but also serves as an educational tool for Art and Museum studies majors as well as the University at large. Students involved in the JELMA Digitization will participate in digital photography, collections management, and metadata entry. The project is anticipated to take approximately two years to complete.
The James E. Lewis Museum of Art is one of two museums owned and operated by the University, the other being the Lillie Carroll Jackson Civil Rights Museum, located in Baltimore City.
