The Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) has opened the second application period for its Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives grant program. Information about the program, deadlines, and links to the online application and guidelines are available at http://www.clir.org/hiddencollections/index.html.
CLIR expects to award about $4 million in grants that range from $75,000 to $500,000. A review panel will evaluate proposals and select award recipients. Recipients will be notified in November 2009, and applicants may begin their projects at any time between December 1, 2009, and March 1, 2010.
The program will award funds to institutions holding collections of high scholarly value that are difficult or impossible to locate through finding aids. Award recipients will create descriptive information for their hidden collections that will be linked to and interoperable with all other projects funded by this grant, to form a federated environment that can be built upon over time. Funding for the program comes from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
