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TO: Mayor John Laesch
FROM: Eric Pry, Museum Director
DATE: August 20, 2026
SUBJECT:
Requesting approval to accept a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for $25,000.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this memo is to recommend accepting funding from the IMLS in the amount of $25,000 to be used for the employment of a museum intern to assist with the collection rehousing project. Funding for this position is granted from September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2028 and will increase the digital access of the collection to the public, researchers, historians, scholars, and students.
BACKGROUND:
The G.A.R. Military Museum is undertaking a massive collection rehousing project with the goals of improving the collection storage conditions and access to the items and archives held within. The IMLS grant allows for funding to hire a temporary "Museum Intern" for two years to assist with the cataloguing, rehousing, and digitization of at least 900 records within the museum's collection. The collection rehousing project is a massive undertaking that is expected to be completed by 2029 with a goal of 100% of the collection catalogued, inventoried, re-housed in the recently purchased collection storage equipment funded by IMLS, and nearly have nearly all archival records available through an online catalogue such as the Illinois Digital Archives and/or the Internet Archives.
The G.A.R. Military Museum's collection was inherited from a volunteer group in 1999. Nearly all records have not been digitized due to the time needed for each record to be safely and properly scanned and catalogued. Numerous records were "batch catalogued" leading to issues where disparate records are grouped under the same collection catalogue number. Other examples include large lots (100+ records) grouped together presenting difficulties when portions of that lot are included in exhibitions or loaned to other institutions. The grant will allow for significant improvement in the timeline to parse these lots, digitize over 900 records, and expedite the timeline for the collection rehousing project to be completed.
DISCUSSION:
This grant will provide $25,000 in federal funding over two years to support the cataloguing, digitization, and re-housing of over 900 archival records held by the G.A.R. Military Museum. These records pertain to Aurora-area involvement in military conflicts, veteran organizations in Aurora, patriotic holiday parade planning, and other charitable organizations affiliated with veteran societies. This grant will reimburse the City of Aurora for funding to employ a Museum Intern to assist the Museum Director in the project goal of digitizing 900 records from the collection and uploading the digital files to the Illinois Digital Archives and/or similar publicly accessible archives website - such as the Internet Archives.
If not approved, the funds will remain with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the project timeline will not be expedited.
A 2026 Budget Amendment will be completed to add the revenue of these funds to 101-1361-331.11-21
Expenses will be split into the following accounts:
Seasonal Salaries: 101-1361-450.10-07 in the amount of $23,224.00
FICA: 101-1361-450.20-10 in the amount of $1,440.00
Medicare: 101-1361-450.20-11 in the amount of $336.00
IMPACT STATEMENT:
This resolution will allow the City of Aurora to utilize funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services for the G.A.R. Military Museum's Collection Re-housing and digitization project. A Museum Intern will be hired to complete the grant requirement under the supervision of the Museum Director.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Staff recommends approving a resolution authorizing the City of Aurora to accept a grant award of $25,000 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to employ a Museum Intern to assist with the G.A.R. Museum's Collection Re-housing and Digitization project.
cc: Finance Committee
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
RESOLUTION NO. _________
DATE OF PASSAGE ________________
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A Resolution to accept $25,000 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services for funding for staff to assist with the G.A.R. Museum's Collection Re-Housing and Digitization project.
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WHEREAS, the City of Aurora has a population of more than 25,000 persons and is, therefore, a home rule unit under subsection (a) of Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution of 1970; and
WHEREAS, subject to said Section, a home rule unit may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the City of Aurora operates the Grand Army of the Republic Military Museum, a division of the Community Services Department; and
WHEREAS, Preservation of the artifacts contained within is of the utmost importance; and
WHEREAS, the Institute of Museum and Library Services has awarded the City of Aurora $25,000 to hire a Museum Intern to digitize 900 archival records and
WHEREAS, a budget amendment will be needed to allocate revenues to 101-1361-331.11-21 Oper./Categorical-Direct / GAR Museum and dispersed through expense account numbers 101-1361-450.10-07 to 20-11. )
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Aurora, Illinois, as follows: Authorizes the Mayor of Aurora to accept the grant and execute the agreement with the Institute of Museum and Library Services.