Organization > Chapters > Mid-Atlantic > Minutes and Reports

Mid-Atlantic Chapter, Visual Resources Association
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Richmond, VA, Friday, October 22, 2010

Chair, Virginia (Macie) Hall
Secretary-Treasurer, Jessica Bailey
Attendees: Chapter Members: Kathe Albrecht, Ann Burns, Macie Hall, Jeannine Keefer, Paul Reuther, Steve Tatum, Christina Updike
Guests: Elizabeth Gushee, Marianne Martin, Sherrie Rook

The Mid-Atlantic Chapter joined the Southeast Chapter in Richmond for a meeting in conjunction with the SECAC-MACAA Annual Conference.  The two Chapters met at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts where we had a tour of the new library and archives.  Following the tour, the Chapters had a group meeting to discuss the planning of a VR session for the 2011 SECAC annual conference (which will be held in Savannah, GA Nov. 9-12, 2011).  Tina Updike reminded the group that the deadline for proposals is January 1, 2011.  The conference theme will be Text and Texture.   The group brainstormed some concepts that might fit into this intriguing theme. While no specific proposals were developed it was agreed that our VRA colleagues in the Atlanta, GA area might be willing to assist in planning a session.

The Mid-Atlantic Chapter meeting was called to order. The minutes of the meeting held on July 9, 2010 at the Corcoran Library and Gallery, Washington, DC were approved.

Secretary-Treasurer Jessica Bailey was unable to attend the meeting.  Macie Hall gave the Treasurer’s Report. As of October 1, 2010 we had $968.53 in our bursary account.  We have three new members: Kathleen Schowalter (no current contact information), Jennifer Kniesch at Dickinson, and Rhonda Yeager (no current contact information); 26 total members for the Chapter.

Our guests were welcomed and encouraged to join the Chapter.  Liz Gushee, longtime Mid-Atlantic Chapter member and former Chapter Chair, will be leaving the area to take a position at the University of Texas, Austin.  The Chapter will miss her.

There was a discussion of our funds and how to use some of these funds to support Chapter activities.  Members present favored funding a Chapter top-up award to assist a Chapter member in attending the 2011 VRA-ARLIS/NA Conference in Minneapolis in March.  Kathe Albrecht, Liz Gushee, Macie Hall, and Tina Updike will work together as an ad hoc group to investigate how other Chapters have managed such travel awards and set up a process for a travel award for our Chapter.  The group agreed that $300 was an appropriate amount.

Discussion turned to plans for an upcoming meeting with educational component to be schedule in the summer of 2011.  Macie Hall volunteered to work with Ann Woodward and Jessica Bailey at Johns Hopkins University to plan a day-long event.

The nextChapter meeting will take place at theVRA-ARLIS Annual Conference in Minneapolis, MN (March 24-28, 2011).

Jacqueline Protka, Digital Assets and Media Librarian at the Corcoran Library, Corcoran College of Art and Design, has agreed to run for Mid-Atlantic Chapter Chair for the 2011-2013 term.  A ballot to confirm her election will be sent out to Chapter members in early December.

On the same ballot, Chapter members will be asked to vote for an amendment to our Chapter Bylaws to reflect changes to the Institutional Membership category adopted by the VRA.

"Each organization shall be entitled to three named representatives, who shall each have all the privileges of membership." 

The Board recommends that each Chapter also allow each of these three designated individuals within an Institutional Membership to be eligible for individual Chapter membership at regular rates.  This will necessitate our amending Article III, Section A of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter Bylaws.  The Board has requested that we do so as soon as possible, and suggests the following language:

"Institutional members:  Any of the three designated individuals of an Institutional Membership of the VRA shall be eligible for Chapter membership at the Chapter's regular membership rate."

At our meeting in Atlanta in March, we discussed setting up a Google Group for the Chapter.  With the recent announcement of changes to Google Groups other options have been investigated.  VRA Board Public Relations and Communications Officer Robb Detlefshas provided a Chapter group for the Mid-Atlantic Chapter in My VRA / MemberClicks.  Macie Hall will set this group up before she steps down as Chair.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,
Virginia (Macie) Hall,
Chair, Mid-Atlantic Chapter