VRA 2020 Baltimore: Registration Opens this Friday, December 6
Early Bird Registration for VRA 2020 Baltimore, March 24-27, opens this Friday, December 6, 2019The annual Visual Resources Association conference provides the opportunity for colleagues from diverse workplaces, including higher education, the corporate sector, museums, and archives to engage and collaborate at an ideally-sized conference of around 200 attendees. Participants enjoy the long-standing association and conference culture of generous knowledge sharing while exploring digital asset management, intellectual property rights, digital humanities, metadata standards, coding, imaging best practices and so much more.The VRA will have almost exclusive use of the conference hotel, Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore, and we want to encourage you to take part in this amazing networking and community building experience. This year’s program includes workshops on IIIF, visual communication, critical cataloging, digitization on the road, and grant writing, as well as sessions delving into topics such as diversity in the workplace, online exhibition platforms, managing rights data, community building, 3D digitization, accessibility, visual literacy, oral histories, and international intellectual property rights. During registration, you will have the opportunity to sign up for tours at the American Visionary Art Museum, Enoch Pratt Free Library, George Peabody Library, the Walters Art Museum, Hirshhorn Museum, and Homewood Museum and the Milton S. Eisenhower Library at Johns Hopkins University.During the conference, explore Charm City! The hotel is right on the Inner Harbor with the Maryland Science Center, complete with IMAX theater, directly across the street. You’ll be able to walk to all of the harbor attractions, including the National Aquarium and the above mentioned American Visionary Art Museum, as well as many restaurants and shops. Wanting to venture slightly farther afield (really, slightly!)? You’ll be able to visit Fort McHenry, the Baltimore Museum of Industry, the Edgar Allan Poe House, the B & O Railroad Museum, Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American History & Culture, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, M&T Bank Stadium (home of the Ravens who just happen to be at the time of this post first in the AFC North), as well as all of these historic neighborhoods that will delight foodies everywhere (Fell Point, Canton, Federal Hill, and Mt. Vernon). We’ve got breweries and distilleries, art house movie theaters in Station North (Charles Theater and the Parkway), and so many theater companies! For more about visiting Baltimore, click here.Register early to get your first pick of workshops and tours and save $100 off regular registration rates!The VRA Executive Board and the VRA 2020 Baltimore Local Planning Committee look forward to seeing you soon in Charm City!Lael Ensor-BennettVice President for Conference Arrangements, VRA Executive BoardAssistant Curator, Visual Resources Collection, Johns Hopkins UniversityAmy McKennaPublic Relations and Communications Officer, VRA Executive BoardVisual Resources Curator, Williams College
Mentoring Spotlight: Kendra Long
Kendra Long is the Archivist at 4S Bay Partners, and has been a VRA member since April/May of 2019.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background, and how you got (or hope to get) into the field of visual resources?
I finished my masters of library science in May of 2019. My undergrad was in film production, and I worked as a researcher on feature films until I got burned out from working freelance after a few years. I knew I wanted to stay in film or at least visual media at large, but I needed something full time and consistent. I ended up going back to school for my MLS in archives with the goal of being a film archivist.
Which VRA mentoring activity did you participate in recently?
Year-Round Mentee.
What outcomes did you seek during your mentoring activity?
Networking, professional guidance, and resume and cover letter reviews.
Briefly tell us about who you were matched with.
I was matched with Kendra Werst, who is the Assistant Visual Resources Curator at Williams College.
What was your motivation for participating in the mentoring activity?
The only people I had to bounce ideas off of or to seek advice on the job hunt from were other students in the same position as me -- looking for work, uncertain how to find a job that respected me, unsure if I was qualified for anything.
What aspects of the activity did you find the most valuable, and why?
Honestly just being able to chat with Kendra through Slack has been huge. She's looked over my resume probably a dozen times now, and has reviewed basically every cover letter I've submitted since she became my mentor, and having the perspective of somebody my age who's already gotten a job has made a huge difference. I can ask her anything about the job hunt or working in the field and she's always there to answer me.
Do you have any words of advice or wisdom for any of our members who may be thinking about participating in VRA's mentoring activities?
You don't need to have 25 years of experience under your belt to be a mentor. Being around just to bounce ideas off of is enough. I'm incredibly grateful to what Kendra's been able to help me through.
You can meet Kendra at VRA 2020 in Baltimore!
Need some guidance in the Visual Resources field? Let our mentors show you the ropes! Visit our VRA Mentorship page to learn more! httpS://vraweb.org/opportunities/mentorship
Have you had a great VRA mentoring experience? We would love to hear about it! Contact the Mentor Coordinator to find out to share your story here!
Meet the New VRA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
Dear VRA Members,
On behalf of the Executive Board, I am pleased to announce the members of the new VRA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee:
Lael Ensor-Bennett, Johns Hopkins University
Jackie Fleming, Indiana University-Bloomington
Katherina Fostano, Fordham University
Cindy Frank, University of Maryland
Bonnie Rosenberg, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
Chelsea Stone
Andrew Wang, Ringling College of Art and Design
Kendra Werst, Williams College
The VRA Board so appreciates these members commitment to contribute in this meaningful way to both the association’s future and the field at large. Their first tasks will include selecting co-chairs, reconsidering the committee's name and charge, and developing an initial list of action items for 2020.
Are you interested in the work of this committee? Please feel free to email the board (board@vraweb.org) for more information or plan on attending the committee's first in-person meeting at the 2020 Baltimore conference.
The board is truly excited to launch this committee and support an equitable, diverse, and inclusive association.
All best,
Amy McKenna
Public Relations and Communications Officer
VRA 2020 Baltimore Travel Award Applications Due Friday, November 15
Dear VRA Colleagues,
The clock is ticking on applications for Travel Awards to support attendance at the 2020 VRA Conference in Baltimore, MD this coming March 24 through 27. The deadline for receipt of applications will be this Friday, November 15, 2019, at 11:59 EST. The list of recipients will be announced via the VRA listserv on Friday, December 20, 2019.
Before you apply, PLEASE READ “Travel Award Rules, Guidelines and Tips” for VRA Travel Awards Applicants, and “Types of Travel Awards.”
HERE’S THE LINK TO THE APPLICATION.
You do not need to be a member of the VRA to apply for a travel award, but please note that to receive an award an applicant must become a member of VRA and must attend the 2020 Conference.
Please also note that award checks are distributed at a designated event during the conference and as such, recipients will not have access to those funds ahead of the conference to use for their travel expenses, and must thus use awards as reimbursements following the conference.
In order to allow funding to assist the greatest number of attendees, Tansey awards will be distributed according to financial need, i.e. full awards (up to $850) may be given to some, whilst lower amounts may be awarded to others with partial institutional and/or other support. Travel Awards are intended to provide partial support for an individual’s conference attendance, and typically supplement support from one’s employer and/or personal resources.
For the 2020 award cycle, we are fortunate to have generous financial support from sponsors and funds provided by the membership including:
- The Kathe Hicks Albrecht award of $850, for a first-time VRA Conference attendee.
- Two New Horizons awards of up to $850 each. These awards are aimed at members in the following categories: solo VR professionals, part-time VR professionals, geographically isolated VR professionals, VR professionals in smaller institutions, and/or first-time conference attendees.
- The New Horizons student award of $300, for a full-time student enrolled in an accredited degree program and considering a career in visual resources.
- The Garneta E. Taormina Memorial Student Travel Award of $300, for a full-time graduate student enrolled in an accredited degree program and considering a career in visual resources and/or digital humanities.
- Tansey fund awards ranging from $250 to $850 each.
Please email me if you have any questions not answered by the documents noted above.
Each year, we typically receive many more applications than the number of awards we have to bestow. So, don’t delay – apply today!
The Travel Awards Committee looks forward to receiving your applications,
Allan Kohl
Co-Chair, VRA Travel Awards Committee Librarian, Visual Resources and Library Instruction
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
akohl@mcad.edu
612-874-3781
Mentoring Spotlight: Kendra Werst
Kendra Werst is the Assistant Visual Resources Curator at Williams College, and has been a VRA member for 4 years.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background, and how you got into the field of visual resources?
I have a BFA in Sculpture and Art History from the Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI). While at KCAI, I worked at the Jannes Library which inspired me to combine my love for information and art. I successfully completed my Masters in Library Science at Indiana University - Bloomington in 2017, specializing in Digital Collections and Art Librarianship. I had wonderful mentors (Jasmine Burns and Kristina Keogh) who helped guide me to the visual resources field.
Which VRA mentoring activities did you participate in recently?
Conference Mentor, and Year-Round Mentor.
What services did you provide during your mentoring activities?
Networking, and professional guidance. I correspond with my mentees either by email, phone, or Slack. I ask them questions related to their professional goals or concerns as well as how they are doing as a human on this earth.
Briefly tell us about who you were matched with.
Year-Round Mentees: Katherina Fostano - Digital & Visual Resources Curator at Fordham University. Squirrel Walsh - Special Collections Assistant, Princeton University. Kendra Long - Archivist at 4S BAY. Conference Mentees: (2019) Katelyn Harper - MLIS Candidate at University of Washington Information School. (2018) Arden Kirkland - Adjunct, School of Information Studies at Syracuse University; Project Coordinator, Design for Learning Program; Independent Digital Librarian.
What was your motivation for participating in the mentoring activities?
Through my lived experience as an adoptee and person of color, I know what it's like to be on the outside. I also understand the importance of finding supportive, engaging, and safe communities. During graduate school, I was lucky enough to have positive mentors to help me navigate the visual resources and librarianship field. It's important to me that I pay it forward by mentoring others. Being a mentor also allows me to stay in touch with the realities and challenges of those who are entering into the field. This gives me the opportunity to assist in creating an inclusive culture in our field. I believe a professional organization is only as strong as the commitment of its members to the organization's success. Mentorships also create lasting friendships and connections, which I believe makes the organization stronger.
Do you have any words of advice or wisdom for any of our members who may be thinking about participating in VRA's mentoring activities?
Do it!
You can meet Kendra at VRA 2020 in Baltimore!
Want to learn more about becoming a VRA mentor? Visit our Mentorship page! httpS://vraweb.org/opportunities/mentorship/
Have you had a great VRA mentoring experience? We would love to hear about it! Contact the Mentor Coordinator to find out to share your story here!
Vote Today: 2019 VRA Executive Board Election
The VRA annual election of officers starts today, November 1, and will end on November 30. VRA Members, you should receive your invitation to vote in the 2019 VRA Election on November 1. If you do not receive an email with a link to the ballot, please contact Sara Schumacher, Vice President for Conference Program.
Vote today!
Reminder: Join the New VRA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
Apply today! The deadline is next Monday, November 4, 2019.
We are excited to be putting out an open call to participate in and to lead this committee and we encourage all interested members, whatever your level of experience, to submit an application.
It was definitely the Executive Board's intent that accessibility be included in the work of this committee. One of the first tasks that we would like this committee to address is the drafting of a thorough and thoughtful charge and a revision to the name could certainly be considered.
The VRA Executive Board is forming a new committee, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (DEIC). The committee is charged with advancing and supporting an equitable, diverse, and inclusive association. The VRA is committed to critical reflection and an open, transparent process that can strengthen the organization and its current and future membership by welcoming and embracing diverse voices and perspectives.
The Board is currently accepting applications for membership to the DEIC. Consider joining! You will be on the front lines of supporting, growing, and strengthening the future of the VRA. You will connect with professional colleagues across the association and learn more about existing DEI initiatives.
If you are interested in applying, please complete this form (https://forms.gle/NhRtpPWgMCFNrycd7) by November 4, 2019. Please email board@vraweb.org with any questions.
The Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) announces the 2019-20 Regional Workshop series
The Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) is pleased to announce the 2019-20 Regional Workshop series:
November 22, 2019: Beyond Licenses: Integrating Creative Commons, RightsStatements.org, and Traditional Knowledge into Permissions Practices at the University of Denver with instructor Anne Young, Head of Rights and Reproductions, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Newfields.
March 13, 2020: Can We Do That?: Intellectual Property Rights and Visual Media at Occidental College Library with instructor Cara Hirsch, Deputy Head of Legal and Business Affairs at The Virtual Reality Company.
May 22, 2020: Collaborating Across the Institution: Creating Professional Partnerships to Support Cultural Heritage at the University of Michigan Library with instructor Jackie Spafford, Images Resources Curator, University of California, Santa Barbara.
May 29, 2020: From Project to Product: Effective Project Management and Strategic Planning at the University of Toronto Mississauga with instructor Shyam Oberoi, Chief Digital Officer, Royal Ontario Museum.
In the 2019-20 season, we’re delighted to expand the Regional Workshop program in two important ways. The host applications were open to international institutions for the first time and we received several strong international applications. The University of Toronto Mississauga will host the inaugural international VRAF Regional Workshop with veteran instructor Shyam Oberoi’s new project management and strategic planning workshop.
The “propose your own workshop” option was exercised by the University of Denver in their host application. The Regional Workshop team has matched their request with instructor Anne Young, who can delve into a deeper understanding and utilization of Creative Commons licenses, RightsStatements.org, and Traditional Knowledge labels with collection objects to expand existing permissions practices at galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAMs). Join us for the first workshop of the 2019-20 season on Nov. 22, Beyond Licenses: Integrating Creative Commons, RightsStatements.org, and Traditional Knowledge into Permissions Practices. Register today to save your spot!
The Regional Workshop Implementation Team welcomes your questions, comments, and feedback at vraf.rwit@gmail.com and looks forward to the exciting developments of the 2019-20 season! This workshop series reflects the VRAF mission to promote scholarship, research, education, and outreach in the fields of visual resources and image management. The VRAF is grateful to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation for their continued support of this exciting opportunity to partner with cultural heritage and educational institutions.
Sincerely,
The current members of the RWIT:
Beth Haas, VRAF Director
Sonya Coleman, VRAF Workshop Coordinator
Meghan Rubenstein, VRAF Senior Workshop Liaison
On behalf of the VRAF Board of Directors
vrafoundation@gmail.com
vrafoundation.com
https://twitter.com/vrafoundation
https://www.facebook.com/visrafoundation/
Meet the 2019 Executive Board Candidates: Meghan Rubenstein, Public Relations and Communications Officer
The VRA annual election of officers will take place November 1-30, 2019. Members will receive an email on November 1 with instructions for accessing the ballot. Please vote and show your support to the candidates and participate in the governance of the Association.
About the Candidate
Meghan Rubenstein is the Curator of Visual Resources at Colorado College where she oversees the Art Department’s image collections, manages the website, troubleshoots in the classroom, and assists faculty and students with digital teaching, scholarship, and creative projects. She also offers workshops on art and design-related software and teaches courses on Mesoamerican art and archaeology.
Her career in visual resources began with a work-study position in the Slide Library at the Kansas City Art Institute. After graduation in 2002, Meghan started working full-time at KCAI as the Visual Resources Assistant. In 2006, she returned to school earning an MA in Art History from Indiana University (where she ran straight to the Visual Resources Center for a student job!) and a PhD in Art History from the University of Texas.
Since joining the VRA in 2015, Meghan has been active in the organization. She is a member of the Education and Travel Awards committees, the Chair of the Wild West Chapter, and Senior Workshop Liaison for the VRAF Regional Workshop Implementation Team. At the annual conference, Meghan has presented papers on digital collection management and visual literacy and co-led a workshop on public speaking. She has also contributed design skills to the organization, creating the logo for the 2017 VRA conference in Louisville, a place near and dear to her Midwestern heart.
Goals
In a short period of time, I have developed a deep appreciation for this community of creative, funny, smart, and generous people doing interesting work all over the world. While there have been difficult conversations about the health of the VRA centered on declining membership, budgetary concerns, and the waning energy of those who have served on their fair share of committees and task forces, I am excited to see positive change resulting from this period of self-examination. I would welcome the opportunity to serve the VRA at this critical juncture as I feel that facilitating dialogue within the organization and promoting our mission through our public facing outlets are two ways in which we can engage with members and non-members alike.
My goals for this position would be to help grow the VRA by reaching new audiences as well as to support existing members by maintaining open channels of communication. Our website, social media accounts, and publications are essential to these efforts. I’m particularly interested in evaluating our strategy to make sure our communication is both accessible and inclusive at the organizational level, and consistent with our mission. A related priority would be to integrate forthcoming recommendations from the Identity Task Force. If elected, I will be dedicated to building community within the VRA through these means and any other way that presents itself.
Call for Content: VRA Bulletin - Fall/Winter Issue
Dear VRA Colleagues,
We are still accepting submissions for our Fall/Winter 2019 issue!
Because the Bulletin offers a hybrid peer review model, we can continue to accept submissions for non-peer reviewed articles through November 8th, 2019.
*If you’re interested in serving as a peer reviewer for articles in this issue, please volunteer via email by writing to the Content Editor, Hannah Marshall at marshall.hannah.marie@gmail.com
The Bulletin publishes a wide range of article types that correspondingly range in length - some rough guidelines to keep in mind:
- Feature articles: 2,000 - 5,000 words
- Perspectives (opinion pieces): 1,000 - 3,000 words
- Case studies & project updates: 500 - 2,000 words
- Reviews: 250 - 1,000 words
- Association news & reports - any length
There are two ways to get started publishing in the VRA Bulletin:
1. If you’d like to run your article idea by the editors before getting started, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Content Editor, Hannah Marshall (marshall.hannah.marie@gmail.com)
2. If your article is written and ready-to-go, upload it directly to our online journal system by following these instructions
Sincerely,
Hannah Marshall, Content Editor
Amy Lazet, Production Editor
Meet the 2019 Executive Board Candidates: Bonnie Rosenberg, Public Relations and Communications Officer
The VRA annual election of officers will take place November 1-30, 2019. Members will receive an email on November 1 with instructions for accessing the ballot. Please vote and show your support to the candidates and participate in the governance of the Association.
About the Candidate
Bonnie Rosenberg is an intellectual property expert and content creator currently serving as manager of rights and images at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. There she established and continues to grow the institution’s intellectual property policy, performs photo research and editing for all museum publications, and upholds best practices for the MCA’s digital and traditional photo archives.
She worked previously as executive assistant to architectural historian Victoria Newhouse at Condé Nast Publications and was editorial assistant at the Art Newspaper in New York. She holds an MA in journalism from Syracuse University and a BA in art history and English from Saint Louis University.
Bonnie has been a member of the VRA for the past five years and recently co-led a panel discussion at the 2019 conference about ethical image use in different contexts. She is a passionate advocate for not only standardizing imaging and rights procedures, but to push them forward within cultural heritage institutions.
Goals
As the VRA’s Public Relations & Communications Officer, I envision myself heightening the VRA’s visibility within its three core spaces: education, cultural heritage, and commercial. As the visual resource industry continues to grow and change, so too does its membership. My goal in this position is to widen our communications network and ultimately bolsterer diversity. With my background in journalism and passion for effective communication, I feel confident I can successfully telegraph the VRA’s news and resources to its members, both current and future.
Apply Today for a VRA 2020 Baltimore Travel Award
Dear Colleagues,
We are delighted to announce that VRA Travel Awards are available to support attendance at the 2020 VRA conference in Baltimore, Maryland, March 24 (Tuesday)-March 27 (Friday), 2020. The deadline for receipt of applications will be Friday, November 15, 2019, 11:59pm EST. The list of recipients will be announced via the VRA listserv on Friday December 20, 2019.
Before you apply, PLEASE READ “Travel Award Rules, Guidelines and Tips” for VRA Travel Awards Applicants, and “Types of Travel Awards.”
HERE’S THE LINK TO THE APPLICATION.
You do not need to be a member of the VRA toapply for a travel award, but please note that to receive an award an applicant must become a member of VRAand must attend the 2020 Conference.
Please also note that award checks are distributed at a designatedevent during the conference and as such, recipients will not haveaccess to those funds ahead of theconference to use for their travel expenses, and must thus use awardsas reimbursements following the conference.
In order to allow funding to assist the greatest number ofattendees, Tansey awards will be distributed according to financial need, i.e.full awards (up to $850) may be given to some, whilst lower amounts may beawarded to others with partial institutional and/or other support. Travel Awards are intended to provide partial supportfor an individual’s conference attendance, and typically supplement supportfrom one’s employer and/or personal resources.
For the 2020 award cycle, we are fortunate to have generous financial supportfrom sponsors and funds provided by the membership including:
- The Kathe Hicks Albrecht award of $850, for a first-time VRA Conference attendee.
- Two New Horizons awards of up to $850 each. These awards are aimed at members in the following categories: solo VR professionals, part-time VR professionals, geographically isolated VR professionals, VR professionals in smaller institutions, and/or first-time conference attendees.
- The New Horizons student award of $300, for a full-time student enrolled in an accredited degree program and considering a career in visual resources.
- The Garneta E. Taormina Memorial Student Travel Award of $300, for a full-time graduate student enrolled in an accredited degree program and considering a career in visual resources and/or digital humanities.
- Tansey fund awards ranging from $250 to $850 each.
Please email me if you have any questions not answered by the documentsnoted above.
Each year, we typically receive many moreapplications than the number of awards we have to bestow. So, don’t delay – apply today!
The Travel Awards Committee looks forward to receiving yourapplications,
Allan Kohl
Co-Chair, VRA Travel Awards CommitteeLibrarian, Visual Resources and Library Instruction
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
akohl@mcad.edu
612-874-3781
Meet the 2019 Executive Board Candidates: Sue Tyson, Treasurer
The VRA annual election of officers will take place November 1-30, 2019. Members will receive an email on November 1 with instructions for accessing the ballot. Please vote and show your support to the candidates and participate in the governance of the Association.
About the Candidate
Sue Tyson is an archivist at the California State Archives, where she develops physical and digital exhibits; conducts outreach to a wide range of constituencies; staffs the reference desk; and creates metadata for digital collections. She also serves as assistant administrator of the Western Archives Institute, a two-week archival education program. Previously, she has worked as a project archivist at the Huntington Library, the Getty Research Institute, UCLA, and the University of Southern California; as a metadata consultant and project cataloger for the California State University Japanese American Digitization Project (CSUJADP), a multi-campus digital collection initiative; and as a Mellon Postdoctoral Digital Scholarship Fellow at Occidental College. Before beginning her archival career, she was a librarian at USC. She holds Post-MLIS certificates in Archival Studies (UCLA) and Digital Information Management (University of Arizona) and an MLIS degree from San Jose State University. She also earned Ph.D. and M.A. degrees in German Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an M.A. in English from California State University-Sacramento.
Sue is a member of multiple professional organizations including the Visual Resources Association; Society of American Archivists; Society of California Archivists; Association of Moving Image Archivists; Society for the History of Authorship, Reading, and Publishing (SHARP); American Library Association; Association of College and Research Libraries; Organization of American Historians; and American Studies Association. She has served as a member of the VRA’s Identity Task Force (2018-2019) and of its Education Committee (2016-2018), and is currently a member of the Society of California Archivists’ Nominating Committee (2018-2020) and of its Labor Task Force (2019-2021). Recently, she also served as the California liaison to the Society of American Archivists’ Visual Materials Section (2013-2019).
Her interests include visual resources as critical parts of the cultural record; digital collections building and management; metadata and issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion; organizing public programming and events; and pedagogical uses of digital and archival/special collections resources. She has given numerous presentations at conferences, including one at CAVRACon in Santa Barbara on the CSU Japanese American Digitization Project (2015). She has also chaired, moderated, or served as a presenter on panels at conferences including the Society of American Archivists; Society of California Archivists (general and regional annual meetings); and L.A. as Subject’s Annual Archives Bazaars. Publications include “Building a Statewide Archival Collaborative: The California State University Japanese American Digitization Project,” co-written with Maureen Burns and Gregory Williams (Visual Resources Association Bulletin, Vol. 42, Issue 1, 2015), and three articles for the SAA Visual Materials Section’s Views newsletter: “The Landscape Design Worlds of Florence Yoch and Lucile Council” (with Erin Chase, May 2018); “Practices of Looking: Occidental College’s Visualization and Visual Materials Faculty Learning Community” (November 2013); and “Visual Materials Prominent at Organization of American Historians’ Annual Meeting” (July 2013).
Goals
I am running for the office of Treasurer of the Visual Resources Association not only because I seek to help shape the VRA’s budget and apply my efforts to ensuring its financial health, but also because I would like to have the opportunity to work with colleagues on the board to guide the VRA’s future directions and initiatives to serve current and potential new members. In addition an expansive curiosity, conscientiousness, and ability to grasp new concepts quickly, a major strength that I would bring to this position is that of perspective: As an archivist who has worked a great deal, though not exclusively, with visual assets, I can well understand the needs of people who seek education and support from – and desire networking possibilities with – visual resources professionals, but whose primary field is not one of those traditionally associated with the VRA, such as Visual Resources or Art Librarian.
There are so many of us out there who need the VRA, whether they know it or not: archivists and librarians not just from academia and the arts and humanities, but also from the governmental, nonprofit, and corporate sectors; from the sciences; and more. However, I know that scant time and lack of professional support to attend conferences means that people often must make choices, such as attending only ones in their primary field (in my case, the Society of American Archivists’ and the Society of California Archivists’ annual meetings). Given these factors, as well as broader realities of increasing job insecurity – not least because of the growing trends towards contract- and project-based labor, a phenomenon that is prevalent in many fields – I understand that the VRA is likely to face challenges in maintaining its financial health, since much depends on revenues from memberships and conferences.
That said, my own need to learn as much as I could about visual assets, and my desire to get to know people who work with them, led me to the VRA, which I joined in 2014 because I was impressed with its potential to provide access to the wide range of educational opportunities I needed to do my job well. I have learned and benefited so much in my years of membership in several ways: by taking part in discussions while serving on VRA committees and task forces including the Identity Task Force and Education Committee; by having the opportunity to attend the VRA’s regional conferences and meetings (CAVRACon and Southern California Chapter meetings); and by consulting VRA’s website and listserv for all sorts of information needs.
I would be eager as Treasurer to work with my board colleagues both to maintain the high quality educational and networking offerings the VRA currently has and to work on ways for the VRA to continue opening the door to new members from a wide range of disciplines. I would strive to work for a VRA that is inclusive; that embraces and has something to offer to emerging as well as seasoned professionals; that offers educational opportunities that can meet people where they are – either regionally, in chapters, or online – in addition to providing for the excitement and benefits of annual conferences; and that welcomes fresh ideas, questions, and contributions from visual resources practitioners in all fields. For these reasons, I think I would make an effective and responsive Treasurer and VRA board colleague.
VRA 2020 Baltimore Conference Site and Program Live
VRA 2020 BaltimoreMarch 24-27 | Visual Resources Association Annual Conference
Engage and collaborate with colleagues from diverse workplaces, including higher education, the corporate sector, museums, and archives at an ideally-sized conference of around 200 attendees.
Enjoy the long-standing association and conference culture of generous knowledge sharing while exploring digital asset management, intellectual property rights, digital humanities, metadata standards, coding, imaging best practices and so much more.
The VRA will have almost exclusive use of the conference hotel, Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore, and we want to encourage you to take part in this amazing networking and community building experience.
Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) Announces 2019 Fall Professional Development Grant Recipient
The Board of Directors of the Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) is pleased to present the Fall 2019 VRAF Professional Development Grant in the amount of $1000 to Malkia Okech, Augmented Reality Developer for the Penn & Slavery Project, Penn Libraries Digital Scholarship, UPENN, Philadelphia, PA.
Malkia Okech, plans on utilizing the funds to participate and develop her skills with a 4 day workshop with African Digital Heritage in Nairobi and Kisumu, Kenya, Africa. She will be assisting in the planning, presenting and collaborating on a workshop, "Creating Interactive Digital Assets", which is part of a Skills4Culture series, with the goal of training museum professionals and general cultural heritage practitioners in Nairobi and Kisumu, Kenya. The goal of the program is to situate digitization efforts within contemporary museum practice in Kenya, and train attendees in 3D digitization of artifacts, guiding them through a workflow that they can replicate within their respective institutions. Okech recently worked on a digital exhibition Memory Keepers. After her return from Kenya and before the exhibition closes in March, she hopes to develop a workshop, as similar to Creating Interactive Digital Assets, around digital visualization as a memory preserving method.
The VRAF Professional Development Grant Program reflects the broad mission of the VRAF to support professional development in the field of visual resources and cultural heritage information management. The grant can be used to participate in a professional development opportunity of the grantee’s choosing (such as a conference, symposium, workshop, online education), or to enroll in relevant research activities (such as hands-on field work or a site visit for scholarly purposes). For more information about the VRAF, the VRAF Professional Development Grant, and other VRAF programs, please visit vrafoundation.com
On behalf of the VRAF Board of Directors
Join the New VRA Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
The VRA Executive Board is forming a new committee, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (DEIC). The committee is charged with advancing and supporting an equitable, diverse, and inclusive association. The VRA is committed to critical reflection and an open, transparent process that can strengthen the organization and its current and future membership by welcoming and embracing diverse voices and perspectives.
The Board is currently accepting applications for membership to the DEIC. Consider joining! You will be on the front lines of supporting, growing, and strengthening the future of the VRA. You will connect with professional colleagues across the association and learn more about existing DEI initiatives.
If you are interested in applying, please complete this form (https://forms.gle/NhRtpPWgMCFNrycd7) by November 4, 2019. Please email board@vraweb.org with any questions.
Save the Date: SEI to be held at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, June 23-26, 2020
ARLIS/NA and the VRAF are pleased to announce the implementation team for the Summer Educational Institute for Visual Resources and Image Management (SEI) 2020, to be held at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, June 23-26, 2020.
Senior Co-Chair: Courtney Baron, University of Louisville
Junior Co-Chair: Bridget Madden, University of Chicago
Incoming Co-Chair: Molly Szymanski, Art Institute of Chicago
Local Co-Chair: Nicole Finzer, Northwestern University
Curriculum Specialist (VRA): Kimberly Wolfe, University of Richmond
Curriculum Specialist (ARLIS): Annie Sollinger, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Development Specialist: Tina Budzise-Weaver, Texas A&M University
Webmaster/Publicity Specialist/VRAF Treasurer: Otto Luna, University of New Hampshire
VRAF Liaison: Beth Haas, Princeton University
ARLIS/NA Liaison: Lauren MacDonald, Saint Mary's College
SEI is a joint project of the Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA) and the Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF). SEI seeks to provide information professionals with a substantive educational and professional development opportunity focused on digital imaging, the information and experience needed to stay current in a rapidly changing field, and the opportunity to create and be part of a network of supportive colleagues.
For more information on SEI 2020, visit our website: seiworkshop.org
Have questions? Please feel free to contact one of our co-chairs:
Courtney Baron (courtney.baron@louisville.edu)
Bridget Madden (bridgetm@uchicago.edu)
Follow SEI on Facebook and Twitter: @seiworkshop
Meet the 2019 Executive Board Candidates: Brian Shelburne, Vice President for Conference Arrangements
The VRA annual election of officers will take place November 1-30, 2019. Members will receive an email on November 1 with instructions for accessing the ballot. Please vote and show your support to the candidates and participate in the governance of the Association.
About the Candidate
Brian Shelburne is Head of the Digital Scholarship Center at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He has worked in the Visual Resources field in a variety of positions and at several institutions for nearly 30 years. He has worked in Visual Resources Departments at Bryn Mawr College, the Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science (now Philadelphia University), Virginia Tech, and UMass Amherst. He holds an M.A. in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology from Bryn Mawr College and an MLIS from the University of South Carolina. His academic background is in Classical archaeology, and he has 10 seasons of field experience working with excavations in Greece, Italy, and Cyprus.
Brian has served the VRA in a variety of ways. He was Vice President for Conference Arrangements from 2008-2012, overseeing the transition from a 5 day conference model to a 3 day model as well as serving as the VRA’s conference planner for the second joint VRA ARLIS/NA conference in Minneapolis. He has served on a variety of committees and task forces in the organization, most recently on the VRA Identity Task Force. He was New England chapter chair from 2016-2018. He served on the VRAF Board of Directors from 2012-2015. He has presented regularly at the VRA Conference and is currently the organizer of the Digital Humanities/Digital Scholarship SIG.
Currently Brian’s role is working with what some might consider the next generation of visual resources technologies. His office works with aspects of digital scholarship such as online exhibitions, digital publishing, and data visualization, though traditional image work is still a large part of his regular work.
Goals
I began my career in Visual Resources working with 35 mm slides when computers were just beginning to be introduced to the profession. In the years since I have seen the field evolve as technologies and tools such as databases, digitization, and digital projection have been adopted and become the standards with which we work. I am now in a position in which I regularly encounter new technologies and methodologies that may become tomorrow’s standards. Most of us recognize that the field of visual resources has been in great flux for the past 30 years, and that trend shows no sign of slowing.
I served four years as the Vice President for Conference Arrangements during a time when there were many external and internal pressures on the organization. We were in a financial recession, and we were hearing from our members that our conference model was unwieldy. During that time we were able to modify the conference model in a way that satisfied many by reducing its duration. We find ourselves in a similar pattern now. Our external pressures are those of relevance and change, and our internal pressures revolve around the organizational structure and the conference model.
As our profession continues to evolve, the VRA must keep pace as an organization. We have begun to examine the Association over recent years with the intent of renewing the organization and keeping its work relevant. We have had serious discussions about our organizational and conference models, we have seen a new strategic plan, and most recently an Identity Task Force was charged to examine many aspects of the Association.
I believe that it is important to continue the examination of the Association and find ways to develop the organizational structure in new ways that respond to the needs of our membership. I have been fortunate to have been involved with some of that process to date and would hope to continue to play a role in the determination of the future path of our Association.
The position for which I’m asking your endorsement is labeled as one concerned primarily with the conference, but the responsibilities are much broader. Every Board member has a strong voice in the operational and strategic decision-making for the Association for 2 years. I believe that my past experiences on the Executive Board, on organizational task forces, on the VRAF Board of Directors, and as a chapter chair have given me a broad view of most aspects of the VRA. I believe that I have a solid understanding of the Association’s identity and desires, yet I know that I can listen to all sides of a discussion to try to find solutions that satisfy everyone. I believe that I can help the VRA examine and respond to the changes it faces.
Visual Resources Association Distinguished Service Award and the Nancy DeLaurier Award: Call for 2020 Nominations
The call for nominations for the Visual Resources Association's highest honors--the Distinguished Service Award and the Nancy DeLaurier Award--is now open. The awards will be presented during the 2020 VRA conference in Baltimore.
1) The VRA Distinguished Service Award 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. Nominees can also be considered for outstanding innovation, participation, or project management in visual resources.
2) The VRA Nancy DeLaurier Award honors a single visual resources professional or a group of visual resources professionals 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 efforts.
Nomination letters for either award are being accepted to Dec 20, 2019.
This is a letter from the nominator(s) describing the nature of the nominee’s general achievements. If necessary, upon submission of your nomination letter, the Awards Committee can work with you to procure the nominee’s curriculum vitae.
Send nomination letters to Awards Committee Chair Steven Kowalik skowalik@hunter.cuny.edu by Dec 20, 2019.
Supporting letters for either award are due by January 17, 2020.
If necessary, the Awards Committee can provide assistance to the nominator(s) to procure supporting letters. Supporting letters should be sent to Awards Committee Chair Steven Kowalik skowalik@hunter.cuny.edu by Jan 17, 2020.
Recommendations from the Awards Committee are subject to approval by the VRA Executive Board. Nomination documents will be retained in the Association Archives. The awards presentation will take place during the 2020 VRA conference in Baltimore.
We strongly encourage co-nominators, and the members of the Awards Committee are prepared to offer help and advice. For more information including a list of previous award recipients, please visit the Awards page on the VRA website.
Please nominate a worthy colleague for these prestigious VRA awards. One heartfelt letter sets the nomination process in motion!
Regards,
Steven Kowalik
VRA Awards Committee Chair
VRA 2019 Executive Board Election: Candidates Announced
The VRA annual election of officers will take place November 1-30, 2019 online. Members will receive an email on November 1 with instructions for accessing the ballot.
The three offices open for next year are Vice President for Conference Arrangements, Treasurer, and Public Relations & Communications Officer. You can read the announcement of the candidates for the three offices here: httpS://vraweb.org/elections/ along with their biographies and goal statements. Please join us in thanking these colleagues for volunteering to be candidates for the positions.
We would like to extend our thanks to the Nominating Committee, Chaired by Allan Kohl, with members Krystal Boehlert, Jasmine Burns, and Chris Strasbaugh.
In accordance with the Bylaws, the Nominating Committee has the discretion to put forward either two opposing candidates for a given office, or to put forward a single candidate for each office. In either case, a vote by the membership is required. This year, two offices will have candidates running unopposed, and one office will be contested between two candidates. Please vote and show your support to the candidates and participate in the governance of the Association.