Organization > Chapters > Mid-Atlantic > Minutes and Reports
VRA Mid-Atlantic Chapter Meeting Minutes
Friday, November 14, 2003
Johns Hopkins University & Walters Art Museum
Baltimore, Maryland
VRA Attendees:
Kathe Albrecht, American University
Teal Anderson, Johns Hopkins University
Graham Bouton, Johns Hopkins University
Ann Burns, University of Virginia
Jennie Campbell - Walters Art Museum
Joe Cox, Johns Hopkins University
Cindy Frank, University of Maryland
Jacquelyn Gourley, Johns Hopkins University
Meghan Gross, Johns Hopkins University
Macie Hall, Johns Hopkins University
Chris Hinojosa, University of Maryland
Chris Kirwan, University of Maryland
Kate Lau, The Walters Art Museum
Linda Michalski, National Aquarium in Baltimore
Jennifer Parker, University of Virginia
Paul Reuther, George Washington University
Susi Ridenour, National Aquarium In Baltimore (Sec./Treas.)
Amy Stidwill, Hillwood Museum and Gardens
Susan Tobin - The Walters Art Museum
James Van Rensselaer, Johns Hopkins University
Ann Whiteside (Chair), University of Virginia
Robert Willis, Catholic University of America
Ann Woodward, Johns Hopkins University
Program:
9:45 am - Ann Woodward, Curator of the Visual Resources Collection and Meghan Gross, Assistant Curator, welcomed attendees with refreshments and a tour of the Slide Room and a brief demonstration of the MDID© (Madison Digital Image Database) in a nearby classroom in the History of Art Department at Mergenthaler Hall. http://www.jhu.edu/~arthist/index.html
Attendees then took a short walk across campus to view the Distance Learning Center in the newly-built Hodson Hall, where Graham Bouton and Joe Cox gave an overview of the room, its creation, and its various features and uses. Some basic information about the Hodson facilities and available technical support may be found at http://www.jhu.edu/classrooms/index.html and at http://nts.jhu.edu/desktop
11:00 am - Seminar: Image Collection Work Flow in the Digital Realm Ann Woodward and Meghan Gross (Johns Hopkins) and Ann Burns and Jennifer Parker (UVA) shared with the group how they were managing the transition from analog to digital at their respective institutions, along with some of the resulting impacts upon workflow and daily operations. The group then entered into a general discussion of such specific issues as: Sufficient "lead time" to prepare for digital courses (2 months) Collaborative efforts not only with grant and funding agencies to initially build and implement digital resources, but ongoing relationship with instructional technology staff to help set up and maintain them. Cataloging issues: appropriate levels of metadata to sufficiently describe digital images and the requisite cataloging time to enable effective search and retrieval of images from a digital repository.
Attendees then traveled a short distance by car to The Walters Art Museum for the Business Meeting, luncheon, and remaining program.
Chapter Business Meeting – Minutes
Held during lunch at the Walters' family townhouse on E. Monument St. 1:50-2:45 pm.
Attendees:
Kathe Albrecht
Ann Burns
Cindy Frank
Meghan Gross
Macie Hall
Chris Hinojosa
Chris Kirwan
Linda Michalski
Jennifer Parker
Paul Reuther
Susi Ridenour (Sec./Treas.)
Amy Stidwill
Susan Tobin
James Van Rensselaer
Bob Willis
Ann Whiteside (Chair)
Ann Woodward
1. Ann Whiteside welcomed everyone and thanked our hosts Ann Woodward, Macie Hall, and Meghan Gross for organizing and presenting today's program, which also included a visit to the Walters Art Museum.
2. The Minutes of our last meeting (held Friday, June 20, 2003 at the Freer Gallery of Art/Sackler Gallery Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., as reported by Elizabeth M. Gushee) were approved unanimously as posted on our web. (Macie Hall moved, Cindy Frank seconded).
3. Voting for Secretary/Treasurer Susi Ridenour, Secretary/Treasurer, issued thanks to both Liz Gushee and Ann Burns for offering to take on the office of Secretary/Treasurer. She then reported that she had validated all the ballots that she received via mail against Jenni Rodda's most up-to-date VRA membership list. Since several additional VRA members were in attendance whose names were not yet checked off as having voted, they were also given ballots so a full count could be made. After tallying the votes, Susi Ridenour announced that Ann Burns had been elected as the incoming VRA Mid-Atlantic Chapter Secretary/Treasurer for the 2004-2005 term. She also reported that the Chapter account currently holds $69.95 (sixty-nine dollars and ninety-five cents).
4. Membership Committee Discussion: Dates and Themes for future meetings Ann Whiteside announced tentative dates for three Chapter meetings this coming year. While it was determined that exact dates would depend upon contingencies at hosting institutions, possible dates were laid out as April 30th (or May 21st) for Spring, July 16th for Summer, and October 1st for Fall. Ann further suggested that if we do not find a hosting institution for our Spring meeting, we may nevertheless be able to simply decide upon a suitable meeting site and conduct our program, selecting from among the many themes which we have discussed today. Some additional suggestions for possible themes were made: Building a digital vs. an analog collection Collaboration with other staff A flow-chart for components of starting a project How to justify the establishment of a digital collection (referring to a question recently brought up by Jenni Rodda on the VRA list serve, and the Colorado Digitization Project). Archiving to plan for the inevitable migration Standardized specs for digital assets Environment of use (for example: academic or museum; private or government) Creation of a Preliminary Workflow Chart (highly recommended) It was agreed that this morning's discussion of analog to digital transitions along with attendant impacts presented many thought-provoking issues, and it was suggested that we post our discussion, along with some of Graham Bouton's points on the web (specifications for digital classrooms, etc.). It was also suggested that for those just initiating or even just considering a digital project, it would be most useful if any of the above topics could also be supported by a bibliography and resource listing posted on the web site.
5. Membership Committee Discussion: Dues Ann Whiteside explained the VRA Board's position regarding dues, saying that a Chapter cannot exist without charging dues from its regional members. Two new chapters have just been formed, both actively receiving dues from their members. This is now a good time for us to readdress our goals for the coming year with a plan for reimplementing a dues structure for the Mid-Atlantic Chapter. As a chapter we can do more if we have dues. We can rent equipment and pay speakers, for example. It would also be helpful in paying any postage costs, so that members' institutions would not have to be asked to support Chapter mailing costs. Discussion then centered on what might be an appropriate amount. Fifteen dollars ($15) annually beginning January 2004 was proposed, and the motion passed unanimously. (Macie Hall motioned; Bob Willis seconded).
6. Other agenda items / open floor Amy Stidwill reported on her attendance at the MCN (Museum Computing Network) Conference http://www.mcn.edu/Mcn2003/index.html, Ann Whiteside gave a brief update of developments in Cataloguing Cultural Objects (CCO) standards, noting their website http://www.vraweb.org/CCOweb/index.html and encouraging people to look at CCO and to send comments via the e-mail link on the web site.
The meeting adjourned at 2:45 pm
Afterward, those who wished to, were free to spend the remainder of the day viewing the splendid "Eternal Egypt" exhibition at the Walters Museum of Art next door. http://www.thewalters.org/html/calendar_event.asp?ID=483
Respectfully Submitted,
Susanne Ridenour,
Secretary/Treasurer, VRA Mid-Atlantic Chapter
