Utah cultural engagement director outlines museum plans, library services and America250 programs

Donna Law, executive director of the Utah Department of Cultural and Community Engagement, described the department’s statewide programs and goals during a recorded interview on the Utah State Library’s show "Utah Libraries Have You Covered." Law reviewed library services for blind and disabled residents, preservation work, community engagement campaigns and the department’s role in the state’s America250 activities.

Law said the State Library is "one of nine divisions" within the department and that "we have around 50 employees that work here in the State Library," who support libraries, patrons and specialized services to blind residents across the Western United States. She emphasized the bookmobile program’s reach in rural areas, saying it is well used in Iron County and regularly supported by locals in community events such as parades.

The executive director outlined the Utah Historical Society’s Museum of Utah, telling the hosts that collections previously stored in multiple locations will move into a prepared public space and that the new museum "will open in 2026." She said roughly 970 artifacts are expected to be available to the public when the museum opens, and praised the gallery design as an opportunity to tell themed stories about Utah’s past and present.

Law highlighted the State Historic Preservation Office’s volunteer monitoring network and preservation incentives. She said more than 400 volunteers monitor cultural sites to protect them from looting and described tax-credit programs and Utah Main Street work in roughly 18 communities to preserve historic downtowns.

Describing the department’s broader portfolio, Law cited arts and museum grantmaking, professional development for cultural organizations and the STEM Action Center, which she said was funded by the legislature about 10 years ago and provides maker-space opportunities, early math mentoring and hands-on learning for young people.

On civic engagement, Law discussed YouServe Utah (the Commission on Service and Volunteerism) and recent volunteer projects, including a public cleanup in Vernal and statewide volunteer trainings. She also noted the Pete Suazo Utah Athletic Commission operates from the department with a small team that regulates mixed martial arts safety across Utah.

Law described America250 Utah — a commission appointed in 2023 that kicked off July 1 with Marie Osmond as host — as a yearlong slate of initiatives intended to promote civic education and public engagement. She said the program includes six initiatives (for example, training 500 teachers in civics) and community activities such as an "America’s potluck" planned for the day after July 4 and library-hosted reading lists and sticker activities.

On services for patrons who are blind or dyslexic, Law and the hosts highlighted the State Library’s large braille and audiobook collection and tactile "thermoform" children’s books, which allow sighted caregivers to read along with blind children. The hosts related an example of a 12-year-old dyslexic child who received a thermoform copy, an audio player and a book, which they said opened new reading opportunities for that child.

Law also noted the department’s specialized staff — including historians, Ph.D.-level preservation staff, a forensic anthropologist and a preservation architect — who assist with artifact conservation, identification of ancestral remains and repatriation work in coordination with tribes. "Most of the time," she said, remains are ancient ancestors and the department works to return them to the appropriate tribe when possible.

The interview closed with Law stressing the department’s role in connecting people to services and local culture: "We're in communities. We build community," she said, and she described libraries as places where people of all backgrounds can access books, services and programming. The hosts thanked Law for appearing and for the department’s advocacy with the legislature.

The department did not announce formal policy changes or votes during the interview; the session served to explain programs, ongoing projects and upcoming public events.