REopening
Archives, Libraries,
and Museums
As libraries and museums around the country begin to resume operations and reopen to the public in light of COVID-19, the need for clear information to support the handling of core museum, library, and archival materials has become increasingly urgent.
As part of the REALM project, OCLC, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and Battelle are conducting research that includes testing to determine how long the COVID-19 virus survives on materials that are prevalent in libraries, archives, and museums. The project will draw upon the research to produce authoritative, science-based information on how—or if—materials can be handled to mitigate exposure to staff and visitors.
To achieve these goals, the project partners are initiating work on several fronts:
This project was made possible in part with support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Library of Congress, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York.