VRA offers awards in recognition of contributions to the field of visual resources and image management.
Awards are administered by the Awards Committee.
Awards News
How do awards work?
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Should be current VRA members
Should not be current members of the Board
Should not be current members of the Awards Committee
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Can recognize anyone, VRA member or not
Should not recognize current members of the Board
Should not recognize current members of the Awards Committee
Should not recognize past recipients of that same award
Can be given posthumously, in extraordinary circumstances
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Honorary Life Membership
Recognition during the Annual Conference Awards Ceremony
Ongoing free life membership in the Visual Resources Association
Distinguished Service Award
Recognition during the Annual Conference Awards Ceremony
Official certificate and dossier
$400 cash prize
A small gift
Nancy DeLaurier Award
Recognition during the Annual Conference Awards Ceremony
Official certificate and dossier
$300 cash prize
A small gift
vrcHost Membership Awards
Recognition during the Annual Conference Awards Ceremony
365 days of membership in the Visual Resources Association
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Nominations are submitted in the form of a dossier (all combined into one PDF). This dossier must include:
The nominee’s curriculum vitae
A cover letter of nomination describing how the nominee meets the criteria, written by the nominator(s)
Letters written in support of the nomination
Documentation in support of the nomination, if applicable
Electronic nominations via e-mail or file hosting service such as Dropbox or Google Drive are preferred. Members of the VRA Awards Committee, upon reviewing submitted dossiers, may recommend one recipient of the Award in any given cycle; recommendations are subject to approval by the VRA Executive Board.
Award Categories
Honorary Life Members Award
Special Honorary Life memberships are awarded to Individuals, designated representatives of an Institution, Contributing or Patron members by the Executive Board in recognition of eminent distinction in any of the fields of the Association’s purpose. Honorary Life Members are not required to pay dues and they have all the privileges of Individual members.
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Kathe Hicks Albrecht
Christine L. Sundt
Christina Updike
Allan T. Kohl
Jenni Rodda
In fond memory:
Eleanor Collins
Nancy DeLaurier
Margaret Nolan
Nancy Shelby Schuller
Luraine Tansey
Distinguished Service Award
Each year the Visual Resources Association honors an individual who has made an outstanding career contribution to the field of visual resources and image management. Nominees must have achieved a level of distinction in the field either through leadership, research, or service to the profession. Someone could also be considered who has shown outstanding innovation, participation, or project management.
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2025 Johanna Bauman | Nomination Speech by Barb Elam and Lisa Gavell
2024 Meghan Rubenstein| Nomination Speech by Lael Ensor-Bennett | Awards Ceremony
2023 Greg Reser
2022 Jolene de Verges | Awards Ceremony | Nomination Speech
2021 Marcia Focht | Awards Ceremony | Nomination Speech by Brian Shelburne
2019 Robb Detlefs | Nomination Speech by Marcia Focht and Julia Deal
2018 Betha Whitlow | Nomination Speech by Maureen Burns and Meghan Musolff
2017 Allan T. Kohl | Nomination Speech by Patti McRae Baley and Elaine Paul
2016 Ann Baird Whiteside
2015 Maureen Burns | Nomination Speech by Marcia Focht
2014 Macie Hall
2013 Elisa Lanzi
2012 Kathe Hicks Albrecht
2011 Eileen Fry
2008 Christine E. Hilker
2007 Maryly Snow
2006 Lynda S. White
2005 John Taormina
2004 Jenni Rodda
2003 Margaret Webster
2002 Sandra Walker
2001 Linda McRae
2000 Elizabeth J. Antrim
1999 Rebecca M. Hoort
1998 Brenda MacEachern
1997 Christina B. Updike
1996 Nancy Shelby Schuller
1995 Eleanor Fink
1994 Eleanor Collins and Margaret Nolan
1993 Luraine Tansey
1991 Joy Blouin and Helene E. Roberts
1989 Nancy DeLaurier
1988 Christine L. Sundt
Nancy DeLaurier Award
The Nancy DeLaurier Award (NDL), named for one of the pioneers of the visual resources profession, annually honors a visual resources professional for distinguished achievement in the field. “Achievement” is measured by immediate impact, and may take the form of published work, oral presentation, project management, software development, technology application, website creation, or other outstanding effort. Originally (1997) conceived as a Writing Award, to be presented in recognition of a published paper, the Nancy DeLaurier Award now recognizes many forms of achievement in the field.
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2024 The Trans Metadata Collective, in recognition of their role in the research and development of Metadata Best Practices for Trans and Gender Diverse Resources. Nomination Speech by Lesley Chapman | Awards Ceremony
2022 Lael Ensor-Bennett and Kendra Werst for exceptional leadership on the Equitable Action Committee and for founding the innovative and inclusive Community Hour Discussion Series. Nomination Speech by Andrew Wang | Awards Ceremony
2022 Asfaneh Najmabadi for founding, guiding, developing, and sustaining the Women’s Worlds in Qajar Iran (WWQI) Digital Archive. Acceptance Speech | Awards Ceremony
2021 Anna Bernhard and Heather Lowe, Founders of the Visual Resources Association’s Emerging Professionals and Students Group (VREPS). Nomination Speech by Jasmine Burns | Awards Ceremony
2017 Anne Young
2016 Esme Cowles, Ben Kessler, Trish Rose-Sandler, and Jan Eklund, Developers of VRA Core 4.0.
2015 Murtha Baca, Patricia Harpring, Elisa Lanzi, Linda McRae, and Ann Whiteside, Editors of Cataloging Cultural Objects.
2014 Ann Whiteside
2013 Greg Reser
2013 Gretchen Wagner
2012 Sheila Hannah and Patti McRae Baley
2011 Renate Wiedenhoeft
2010 Murtha Baca and Patricia Harpring (joint award)
2009 Loy Zimmerman
2008 Kathleen Cohen
2007 Norine Duncan
2007 Susan Jane Williams
2005 John Taormina and Mary Wassermann (joint award)
2003 Allan T. Kohl
2003 Christina B. Updike
2002 Christine L. Sundt
VRA Nancy DeLaurier Writing Award
2000 Kim Kopatz and Maryly Snow
1999 Elisa Lanzi and Linda McRae
1997 Michael Angeles and Emily Godbey
vrcHost Membership Awards
The vrcHost Membership Awards provide a year of individual VRA membership, and chapter memberships of the recipient’s choice, generously sponsored by vrcHost. They are intended to provide VRA memberships to engage new members in the organization and to help existing members, who might need financial assistance to retain their VRA membership.