Organization > Chapters > Mid-Atlantic > Minutes and Reports

Mid-Atlantic Chapter, Visual Resources Association
Second Joint Conference with Art Libraries Society of North America
Hilton Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN, Saturday, March 26, 2011

Chair, Jacqueline Protka
Secretary-Treasurer, Jessica Bailey
Attendees: Chapter Members: Grace Barth, Ann Burns, Jodi Hoover, Jen Kniesch, Steve Tatum, Christina Updike, Bob Willis. Guest: Samuel Wright

The VRA Mid-Atlantic Chapter joined the Art Libraries Society (ARLIS) DC-MD-VA Chapter in Minneapolis for a joint meeting in conjunction with the Second Joint Conference between VRA and ARLIS. 

The joint Chapter meeting was called to order. There were 28 attendees in the joint meeting. All attendees introduced themselves and announced any participation in conference sessions, panels, or awards.

Christine Updike announced a call for papers for the VRC Affiliate Group session for the 2011 Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC) annual conference (which will be held in Savannah, GA Nov. 9-12, 2011). The conference theme will be Text and Texture: the Intersection of Academics and the Arts. The VRC Affiliate Group, co-chaired by Christina Updike and Katherine Albrecht, is sponsoring a session entitled “Rich Texture: New Resources for Teaching and Learning in an Image-Centric World.” Paper proposals are due by April 20, 2011.

Tina also announced the Visual Resources Association Foundation's (VRAF) new small project grants, awarded twice per year with the first application deadline due March 31st. Grant criteria is available on the VRAF website.

Jacqueline Protka announced plans for the upcoming VRA Mid-Atlantic Chapter meeting to take place at George Mason University and the Center for History and New Media (CHNM) in Fairfax, VA, July 29, 2011. Our Chapter extended an invitation to the ARLIS DC-MD-VA Chapter to join us for the meeting, as both our annual joint regional meeting and to continue the momentum of collaboration developed at the Second Joint Conference. We discussed how to include the ARLIS Chapter in the day's planned events. ARLIS Chapter Chair Anne Simmons and Jacqueline Protka will work together to expand the planned agenda to create menu of activities for the day.

Discussion turned to how to strengthen ties between our respective local chapters. Yuki Hibbons, Virginia Commonwealth University, asked whether our VRA Chapter offers an affiliate membership without requiring national membership. Such an arrangement is not permitted per the Bylaws of VRA, and we limit our email communication list to members in good standing to encourage renewals and new membership; however, our meetings are open to guests to attend. ARLIS DC-MD-VA does offer an affiliate membership for $25, and VRA members were encouraged to join. A rapid debate ensued questioning the advantages of dual membership and how to increase communication between our groups. It was proposed to invite VRA to join ARLIS/NA for the 2014 conference in Washington D.C., making it the third joint conference.
 
There being no further business for the joint meeting, the Chapters separated for their respective Chapter business.

The minutes of the meeting held on October 22, 2010 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA were approved.

Secretary-Treasurer Jessica Bailey was unable to attend the meeting. Jacqueline Protka gave the Treasurer’s Report. The Chapter made a $250.00 donation to the annual conference. As of March 24, 2011 we had $993.53 in our bursar account.* According to lists drawn from receipts and MemberClicks, we have 27 members in the Chapter. This number suggests that the bundled membership option is resulting in higher retention of members.

Bob Willis asked if there was a way to put our funds to work in some kind of interest-yielding account. We discussed whether we can tie up funds in term accounts or whether we can at least move funds to a savings account or an interest-yielding checking account. Members present agreed that it was worth looking into, and Jacqueline Protka will ask Secretary-Treasurer Jessica Bailey to investigate options.

Interest still remains to create a Chapter top-up travel award in the amount of $300 to assist attendance to the annual VRA conference. The previously appointed ad hoc committee, formed at the October 22, 2010 meeting, had not yet had a chance to investigate the process of setting up the award. Jacqueline Protka offered to ask other Chapter Chairs how to go about it at the upcoming Chapter Chairs meeting.

Chapter communication, including e-mailing and file sharing, can now occur through My VRA / MemberClicks, thanks to Macie Hall. Jacqueline demonstrated how to find the My Committees tab under one’s MemberClicks profile.

The December e-mail ballot to vote for an amendment to the Chapter Bylaws resulted in an approval to amend the Bylaws. The change will be made on the Chapter website by Macie Hall.

Discussion turned to plans for an upcoming meeting in the fall of 2011. Woody Woodis proposed by e-mail to visit the library at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond, VA. Bob Willis suggested the Library of Congress. Questioned by Jacqueline Protka, members present said they would be willing to travel to the Greater Philadelphia region in order to include members from that defunct chapter who have or are considering joining Mid-Atlantic.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Jacqueline Protka
Chair, Mid-Atlantic Chapter

*At the meeting, Jacqueline reported that we had $993.53 total between our checking and bursar accounts, but the Chapter no longer has a checking account.