DALLAS (August 25, 2021) – The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum has been awarded a prestigious Collections Stewardship and Access Grant by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a federal agency.
The award of $164,382 was made to the Museum for its submission, Preserving the Past and Protecting the Future: Cataloging 75 years of Holocaust History and will be used to catalog and digitize 4,008 of the Museum’s 14,552 collection items and further describe and digitize 2,512 already cataloged items.
“In making all collection items available in-person and online, the Museum will increase staff and public access to the collection, improve stewardship of the collection, and strengthen our ability to serve the community,” said Mary Pat Higgins, Museum President and CEO.
The public will be able to learn about the history of the Holocaust and human rights with this enhanced digital catalog. Increased access will help address limited Holocaust knowledge as well as Holocaust denial by making artifacts and documented information more widely available. This grant will allow the Museum to extend and improve the reach of its vitally important and regionally unique collections.
The grant also provides the Museum’s Library and Archives with the staff assistance needed to manage a significant cataloging backlog by funding a full-time, Masters-level cataloger for two years.
Currently, the archives team consists of Felicia Williamson, Director of Library & Archives, and Robynn Amaba, Archives Assistant. Williamson, who holds an M.S. in Library and Information Science, manages all archival collections for the Museum. Her position combines skills gained as a Certified Archivist with an academic background in Holocaust Studies. Fluent in German, she lived and researched in Graz, Austria, for one year as part of a Fulbright exchange. As Director of the Museum’s Library and Archives, Williamson has worked to expand and increase access to the Museum’s important collection of rare books, artifacts, and oral history testimonies. She has also launched an ongoing collecting program in human and civil rights.
Amaba is responsible for cataloging and digitizing the objects in the Museum’s holdings, a key part of the Museum’s preparation for accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), and she is a valued member of the Special Exhibitions Working Group. Amaba brings expertise in object handling and conservation gained while attaining an M.S. in Museum Science.
“Receiving this prestigious award means we can further promote our mission to teach the history of the Holocaust and advance human rights to combat prejudice, hatred, and indifference,” said Higgins.
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About the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum
The mission of the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum is to teach the history of the Holocaust and advance human rights to combat prejudice, hatred, and indifference. Initially conceived in 1977 by local Holocaust survivors, the institution now resides in a brand-new facility in Dallas’ Historic West End where visitors experience a deeper immersion into human and civil rights, their centrality to our democracy, and their vital importance in preventing events like those of the Holocaust from happening again. The 55,000-square-foot permanent home covers three floors, and the main exhibition includes four wings: Orientation Wing, Holocaust / Shoah Wing, Human Rights Wing, and Pivot to America Wing. Please visit DHHRM.org or call (214) 741-7500 for more details.
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