Organization > Chapters > Mid-Atlantic > Minutes and Reports

VRA Mid-Atlantic Chapter Meeting Minutes

Friday, September 27, 2002
University of Richmond, Richmond VA

VRA Attendees:

Kathe Albrecht, American University (Chapter Chair)
Ann Burns, University of Virginia
Elizabeth Gushee, University of Richmond
Susanne Ridenour, National Aquarium in Baltimore (Chapter Secr./Treas.)
Beth Ryan, Baltimore Museum of Art
Nancy Shelton, Old Dominion University
Shannon Wilson, University of Virginia
Ann Whiteside, University of Virginia

The Day's Events:

The Schedule:

• 10-10:30 Arrival at the Modlin Center for the Arts, University of Richmond. http://www.richmond.edu/Kathe Albrecht, Chapter Chair, welcomed everyone, and thanked Liz Gushee and her colleagues for putting together today’s program.
• 10:30-12 Roundtable discussion of VRA publications and resources. Topics included for discussion were image collection guidelines, criteria for the hiring and retention of VRA professionals and job reclassification. Past issues of the VRA Bulletin were on hand as well.

VRA webpage

• The Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) site is not very obvious on the main VRA web page. There are several sections to the site that Kathe reminded members to seek out. If you spot documents “hidden” anywhere within the web site which you feel need to be brought out, let the Publications Programming Group know.
• The “Publications” section of the IPR web site contains an online form for selections.
• The “Image Collection Guidelines” are found on the IPR site as well.
• “The Copy Photography Computator” can be found under “Resources” at: www.vraweb.org/computator/welcome.html. This was put together by Kathe Albrecht and Allan Kohl.
• The VRA CORE can be found on the front page of the VRA web site; the Core is hosted directly by the ISP that VRA uses so the URL will remain constant. The Core will need revision, Ann reported, but we will be done when the Cataloging Guidelines are closer to completion before working on changes. There will also be a “cataloger’s toolbox” component, with all cataloging tools in one place for image catalogers.

Criteria for Hiring and Job Reclassifications

• The Criteria for Hiring can also be found online under “Resources” at http://www.vraweb.org/criteria2.htm, Criteria for the Hiring and Retention of Visual Resources Professionals). Helpful in a lot of peoples’ job reclassification requests!!
• Job Reclassification: Kathe provided numerous helpful suggestions, examples, and resources which could be used to effect a positive outcome. Some suggestions or observations were to: Take stock of **all** the components of one’s job, including tasks and duties which have been added over time and thus may have significantly changed the nature of one’s original job. Identify similar types of positions in other departments or divisions which may have been upgraded. Be aware that others in one’s institution may not be in a position to fully understand all that is involved in visual resource work, or its value. Remember to use terms in your job description according to the professional language used by those to whom one is making the appeal. Include a copy of the ARLIS/NA and VRA document: “Criteria for the Hiring and Retention of Visual Resource Professionals” along with one’s revised Position Description Questionnaire for added positive impact upon the job review. This document is available on VRA website http://www.vraweb.org/criteria.html. The rest of the discussion centered around attendees sharing their experiences. It was noted that jobs often tend to be valued according to supervisory criteria. However, it is also important that institutions likewise acknowledge and value effective management of such assets as their visual resources and the inherent information they provide. There were numerous handouts for meeting attendees, including job descriptions, a sample cover letter, and a “Worksheet for the Job Reclassification Process.” A useful ARLIS/VRA joint publication is: Guidelines for the Visual Resources Profession. (See VRA website for ordering information) http://www.vraweb.org/jointpubs.html

Keynote Speaker

12:15-1:15 Keynote speaker, Elizabeth Roderick, Manager of the Digital Library Program of the Library of Virginia, discussed her institution’s Digital Library Program and gave a “live” demonstration featuring their collections of historical photographs. For a look at many of the projects, you may go to http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/photo/index.htm. We saw how their project, through a combination of Mellon Grant money, a consultant, the right mix of technology and software products, specialized training programs for staff, the creation of predetermined templates for inputting data, cost-accounting, and time-motion studies, was effectively able to turn more than 2.2 million original documents, images, and maps, into a rich and highly-searchable storehouse of historical information. This could be an excellent case-study showcasing the importance of good planning from the very beginning.

Minutes of the VRA Mid-Atlantic Chapter Business Meeting

Modlin Center for the Arts, University of Richmond

12:00-12:10; 1:15-2:30 [the business meeting was conducted in the remaining time before hearing our Keynote Speaker, and was reconvened during our Lunch period]

1. Kathe offered a welcome to all and thanked Liz Gushee and her colleagues at the University of Richmond for so graciously hosting this meeting.
2. Old Business: The Minutes of our previous meeting (Friday, July 26 at Monticello in Charlottesville, VA) were approved as written. Susi Ridenour, Chapter Secretary/Treasurer, reported that the Chapter’s account stands at: $189.95.
3. New Business
   1. Announcement of election results for Chapter Chair. Susi reported that Ann Whiteside’s nomination had been unanimously accepted, as evidenced by the ballots in hand. Kathe thanked Ann Whiteside for accepting our Chapter’s nomination. Ann said she looks forward to being a part of our Chapter and working with us as we address such issues as dues structures and other local or Chapter-wide issues. She said ideas for meeting sites are always welcome, and that we will continue to keep moving meeting sites to provide proximity to everyone’s area at some time.
   2. The Mid-Atlantic Web Site is up and running. We will need to consider how or if we should even post contact information for our VRA Chapter members or other colleagues in our area. In the meantime, suggestions or other ideas can be sent to our Chapter Chair or Secretary.
   3. [12:10—break to hear Speaker; Business meeting resumed 1:15 during lunch]
   4. Location of Next Meeting: Kathe noted it is great that our Chapter has already had three meetings this year (while we normally only have two). It was suggested that we try to locate our next meeting in the D.C. or Baltimore area, and possibly in a museum setting. Kathe will contact some of our members in such institutions. It was also mentioned that we may possibly wish to hold a meeting for regional MDID users [James Madison University’s “Digital Image Database”].
   5. Other Business: Since some VRA members in North Carolina may be close enough and have shared interests with our programs, it was suggested that we may also want to include them in our e-mail list.
4. News from the Executive Board, VRA Past President Ann Whiteside
   1. The Houston Conference: The Conference workshops and proposals have all been accepted, and funds will soon start to be raised for the program. There will be a variety of sessions, seminars and well-known speakers. NASA will be presenting special programs as well. An exciting conference to attend!
   2. Strategic Plan 2003-2008: Kathe Albrecht is co-chair of the Strategic Plan Task Force along with Margaret Webster. Lots of member input is going into this Plan and its implementation; focus groups will be formed and listserv announcements will go out to all members via the VRA-list as well. The Strategic Plan is based on six “Themes and Goals”: Technology, Organization and Governance, Financial Aspects, Programs and Services, Leadership, and Membership.
   3. Cataloging Cultural Objects: A Guide to Describing Cultural Objects and Their Images (The “CCO Guide”). Ann is a member of the Editorial team, which receives input from an advisory board of catalogers in the archival, visual resources, library, and museum communities. A prototype of these guidelines covering “tough” cataloging issues is expected to appear on the VRA website some time in spring 2003, and thereafter to be open for comment. The first phase of the CCO is being funded by the Digital Library Federation and the Getty Grant Program, and funding is being sought for the later phase. The Mellon Foundation is funding the collaboration of three major slide collections to put images into ArtStor. A description of CCO appears on the web at http://www.vraweb.org/projects.html.

Business Meeting Adjourned 2:30 P.M.

2:30 - University of Richmond curator, Carla Hanzal, gave a fascinating behind the scenes tour of the Harnett Print Study Center. Currently on exhibition are the nature photographs of Andreas Feininger. http://oncampus.richmond.edu/cultural/museums/lrginfo/feininger.html

2:30 - Tour of the exhibition “True Grit: Seven Female Visionaries Before Feminism” http://oncampus.richmond.edu/cultural/museums/maginfo/true_grit.html

Respectfully Submitted,
Susanne Ridenour,
Secretary/Treasurer, VRA Mid-Atlantic Chapter

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