December 2024 - VRA Board Buzz 🐝

Happy Holidays! 

As the year draws to a close, let's take a moment to congratulate ourselves on a job well done in 2024! It's also the perfect time to reflect on the past year, and to look ahead to a new year and fresh perspectives.

 Let's begin with the conference. This year's event was fantastic, and we received positive feedback on aspects like the hotel accommodations and the programming, as well as suggestions of how we can do better in certain areas next year. For the next conference, the Board and the Conference Planning group will certainly strive to maintain the high standards we've set while addressing the areas that need improvement. Meanwhile, the Board is also considering a larger question: does our conference model ensure the sustainable growth of the organization?

 Since resuming in-person conferences, VRA has provided a hybrid model to accommodate members with varying circumstances and preferences. However, the hybrid format requires significant coordination and resources. As highlighted in the August entry of the Board Buzz, the annual conference remains VRA's largest expense, and the virtual portion of the conference accounts for the majority of our AV bill. 

 Budget aside, to continue offering a hybrid conference that meets the needs of both in-person and virtual attendees, we urgently need volunteers to help plan and run the hybrid portion of the event. Without strong volunteer support, we will not be able to offer a hybrid option in 2025. If you’re passionate about ensuring the accessibility and inclusivity of VRA’s conferences, we encourage you to step forward now to help make the hybrid experience possible. We will have a separate call for volunteers in early January, but feel free to reach out to the conference planning team at initiatives@vraweb.org before then if you are interested in supporting the hybrid option.

 Since the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, a variety of new conference models have emerged across our field. Some organizations now hold two conferences annually: one in person and one completely virtual. Within these organizations, some opt for differing content between the virtual and in-person conferences, while others maintain similar content for both. Additionally, some organizations experiment by alternating between in-person and virtual conferences each year. What insights can VRA gain from these examples?

 Much has changed in the past four years. Many institutions have reduced travel budgets, and some members have become accustomed to meeting virtually. However, we have all experienced the ways in which virtual meetings can not fully replace in-person interactions. Moreover, the spontaneous networking opportunities and camaraderie that arise during in-person conferences are invaluable. How can VRA effectively support both virtual and in-person communications while ensuring the long-term sustainability of the organization? We welcome any thoughts you may have.

 Next, let’s discuss membership management. Under the leadership of Ann McShane, the former VRA Treasurer, and with contributions from Lise Hawkos, our long-term Membership Coordinator; Emily Smith, the current Public Relations and Communication Officer; and Wen Nie Ng, a VRA member since 2022, the Task Force has completed its goal and identified more cost-effective solutions for platforms to manage VRA's membership. You can read their report here. The Board extends its deep appreciation for their efforts, which have established a solid foundation for planning the transition from the current platform to the new one. Stay tuned for more information about this transition.

Indeed, there is a lot happening within VRA, including awarding scholarships and grants, and holding our ever-successful Summer Educational Institute and Regional Workshop Program. Behind the scenes in every area of our organization, there are passionate individuals dedicated to keeping VRA running smoothly. We invite you to consider joining us and becoming part of this dynamic team. Below is the current self-nomination call for Board positions.  

As always, please don’t hesitate to share ideas or thoughts with the Board. We can be reached at board@vraweb.org

We love hearing from you!

Relish the wonderful holiday season,

Xiaoli

VRA Call for Self-Nomination

The VRA is still seeking volunteers for two Board positions. Terms of office will begin in Spring 2025 following a period of shadowing the current officers. Benefits of serving on the Board include complimentary membership, conference registration, as well as reimbursement for VRA-related travel. Hour-long board meetings currently occur on a monthly basis, with longer meetings at mid-year and the annual conference. Please find descriptions of the open roles below and see if one of them might be right for you! Self-nomination is encouraged. 

President-Elect - The President-Elect serves one year as President-Elect, followed by a two-year term as President of VRA. During their term as President-Elect, they learn from the current President, work on special projects, and become familiar with the non-profit structure of VRA. The President sets the tone for VRA’s activities during their term, leading board meetings and adjudicating votes on issues.

Officer - The Officer is a special board appointment made to run projects outside the general duties of named board roles. This role is explicitly defined loosely, meant to be given a responsibility to fit the current moment. For the 2025–2026 term, we envision this role as primarily working with the Directors for Events and Initiatives to help plan the annual VRA conference. This might entail coordinating tours and events, researching local attractions, and other projects as needed.

This is a great opportunity to practice leadership skills while working with a remarkable team to support a global community. If you are interested, please contact board@vraweb.org for more information by Friday, January 10th.

Announcing the Recipients of 2024 VRA Awards!

VRA is proud to announce two important awards presented at the 42nd annual conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota on October 10th, 2024. 

Distinguished Service Award

Each year, VRA honors an individual who has made an outstanding career contribution to the field with the Distinguished Service Award (DSA). The 2024 DSA was proudly presented to Meghan Rubenstein, Colorado College, Curator of Visual Resources & Lecturer. Rubenstein truly deserves the DSA for her exceptional technical expertise, far-reaching service, and ongoing dedication to the field of Visual Resources.

As nominator Lael Ensor-Bennett said in her nomination letter, “Meghan has been instrumental in the governing and care of the VRA for much of the past eight years.” In a similar vein, John Trendler wrote, “Meghan’s passion for visual and digital literacy is evident in everything she does. Whether she’s leading a workshop, giving a presentation, or simply offering advice to a colleague, she’s always looking for ways to make a positive impact.”

Nomination Speech Transcript, Lael Ensor-Bennett

Acceptance Speech Transcript, Meghan Rubenstein

Nancy DeLaurier Award

The Nancy DeLaurier Award (NDL), is named for one of the pioneers of the visual resources profession. It annually honors a visual resources professional for distinguished achievement in the field. “Achievement” may take the form of published work, oral presentation, project management, software development, technology application, website creation, or other outstanding effort. This year, the NDL was awarded to members of the Trans Metadata Collective in recognition of their role in the research and development of “Metadata Best Practices for Trans and Gender Diverse Resources.”

Elias Larralde wrote in support of the nomination, “The resource is a crucial document for many different stakeholders in our field, most importantly the Trans individuals and subjects that are often hidden in collections around the world.” Maureen Burns wrote that, “...tireless work is clearly evident– coordination, research, discussions, writing, development, review, and dissemination– making this project very deserving of the 2024 DeLaurier Award.”

Nomination Speech Transcript, Lesley Chapman

Acceptance Speech Transcript, B. M. Watson

Congratulations to the very deserving 2024 VRA Awards recipients and sincere thanks to their thoughtful nominators!

VRA Call for Self-Nominations

The VRA is currently seeking volunteers for six open positions, four of which are Board positions, and one of which is a paid position. Please find descriptions of the open roles below and see if one of them might be right for you! Self-nomination is encouraged. 

Terms of office will begin in Spring 2025 following a period of shadowing the current officers. Benefits of serving on the Board include complimentary membership, conference registration and as well as reimbursement for VRA-related travels. Hour-long board meetings currently occur on a monthly basis, with longer meetings at mid-year and the annual conference. 

This is a great opportunity to practice leadership skills while working with a remarkable team to support a global community. Please join us. 

If you are interested, please contact board@vraweb.org for more information by Thursday, November 7th.

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The following four board positions are available:

President-Elect - The President-Elect serves one year as President-Elect, followed by a two-year term as President of VRA. During their term as President-Elect, they learn from the current President, work on special projects, and become familiar with the non-profit structure of VRA. The President sets the tone for VRA’s activities during their term, leading board meetings and adjudicating votes on issues.

Secretary - The Secretary keeps the record of the VRA through meeting minutes, agendas, documentation of board votes, and signing official documents on behalf of the Association. They solicit reports from the many appointees, committees, chapters, SIGs, and other groups doing work under the name VRA. 

Grants Officer - The Grants Officer completes applications for funding on behalf of VRA and uses that funding to award an annual Internship Award, a Professional Development Grant, and a Project Grant. They act as Principal Investigator for grants in which VRA takes part. 

Junior Director of Events and Initiatives - The Junior Director of Events and Initiatives serves one year as Junior Director followed by one year as Senior Director of Events and Initiatives. The Junior Director helps plan and run organization-wide events including the Annual Conference and Regional Workshops in conjunction with the Senior Director of Events and Initiatives, local committees, and hired consultants.

***

SECAC Rep: To share activities of each organization with the other - Usually by email and listserv

VRA Bulletin Production Editor: To develop and manage the technical infrastructure of the VRA Bulletin in conjunction with the electronic press and to support editors and authors in the use of the online tools for the electronic journal. Partner with the Content Editor to plan and supervise the preparation and publication of the VRA Bulletin. This position is paid a $750 stipend per issue.

VRA 2024: Land Acknowledgement

Minneapolis, Minnesota is part of the homeland of the Dakota and Anishinaabe (Ojibwe). Today, Dakota, Ojibwe, and many other Indigenous Americans make their home in the Twin Cities. As the Visual Resources Association visits Minneapolis for our 2024 Annual Conference, we acknowledge and pay respect to the Indigenous people of Minneapolis, past and present.

Cultural heritage work has both a colonial history and present. As such, it is incumbent upon us to lessen the ongoing, harmful impact of settler colonialism. This, however, is not a statement of passivity. As a profession, there are things each of us can do.

What members of VRA can do:

1. Support and uphold ethical stewardship:

1. engage in critical cataloging 

2. pursue equitable partnerships

3. appropriately enhance the visibility of underrepresented artists

4. facilitate the repatriation of stolen collections

5. work to mitigate the climate impact of visual resources work

2. Support the hiring, retention, and promotion of your BIPOC colleagues

3. Join the Equitable Action Committee

Donation Links:

In support of the Minneapolis Native community, the Visual Resources Association has donated $400 to Little Earth toward their campaign for a new passenger van.

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A Message From Little Earth:

Little Earth is a 9.4-acre HUD subsidized housing complex in the industrial urban core of Minneapolis. Founded in 1973 through grassroots activism, it is the only American Indian preference Section 8 rental assistance community in the United States. Home to 1200 residents representing 38 tribal affiliations, Little Earth is a model for self determination for all Native peoples with its work to eliminate systemic barriers in education, health, and career development. Our wraparound support services integrate a range of programs including Adult and Family Empowerment, Youth Empowerment, the Native Youth Culture Program, the Noojimowin Counseling Program, Native Youth Arts Collective, the Native Youth Workforce Development Program, and the Urban Farm.

Thank you for supporting Little Earth in our vision of empowering our residents by creating a culturally strong, supportive, healthy, and unified community. Our work disrupts the cycle of intergenerational trauma and colonization and moves our community towards Native sovereignty. 

New Passenger Van (our current campaign)

All three of Little Earth’s faithful old passenger vans were severely damaged by vandalism, and two are a total loss. These vans are used daily for transporting kids to school, Elders to medical appointments and the pharmacy, families for food shelf runs, and community pets to the veterinarian. Your generous support will help us purchase a new or gently used replacement. 

Donate to Little Earth

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We encourage attendees to join us in materially supporting the Native community in Minneapolis by donating to Little Earth or another local organization:

• All My Relations Arts 

• Minneapolis American Indian Center 

• Native Youth Arts Collective 

• We Are Still Here Minnesota

Resources for Self-Education:

About Minneapolis

• Connect land acknowledgement to action, Native leaders urge

• Where We Stand: The University of Minnesota and Dakhóta Treaty Lands 

• Why Treaties Matter Exhibition 

• Writing Land Acknowledgements, UMN LibGuides 

About Visual Resources Work

• Best Practices in Authority Work Relating to Indigenous Nations in the U.S.

• Collaborators’ Bill of Rights

• Creating subject headings for Indigenous topics : a culturally respectful guide

• Embracing a Complicated Relationship: Indigenous Museum Practices

• Indigenous Knowledge Organization, X̱wi7x̱wa Library

• Local Contexts Labels & Notices

• Recruitment, Retention, and Experiences of Art Library Professionals

• Toward a Decolonial Archival Praxis: Digitizing the Lloyd Best Archive in Trinidad and Tobago 

About Land Acknowledgements

• Beyond the Land Acknowledgement

• A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgment

• Guide to Indigenous Land and Territorial Acknowledgement for Cultural Institutions 

• 'I regret it': Hayden King on writing Ryerson University's territorial acknowledgement

• Native Land

VRA 2024: Local Attractions Guide

As you prepare for a week of learning and networking at this year’s VRA annual conference, don't miss out on the chance to experience some of the best that Minneapolis has to offer.

Looking for fall foliage? Check out Minnesota DNR’s fall color map for historical averages in the state. And if you have some extra time in your schedule, visit the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (30 minutes by rideshare) where you can recreate Prince's iconic fall photoshoots!

Photo © Steve Parke, 1999

Our Conference Experience Planning Group has compiled an interactive map and list of local attractions, all near our home base at the Embassy Suites! Whether you're looking for local eats, shopping, museums, or a quiet spot to relax, this list has you covered.

List compiled by Nadine McAllister, Officer & Conference Experience Liaison, with contributions from Ann McShane and Margaret McKee and the Conference Experience Planning Group.

September 2024 - VRA Board Buzz 🐝

Greetings!

Can you believe we’re more than halfway through September already? And just a few weeks away from VRA 2024 Minneapolis! I know for many of us, this is often the busiest time of year. Because of that, I’ll try my best to keep this month’s Board Buzz short and sweet.

When I look back at my professional development, it all started with VRA. I joined as an MLIS student in 2016 on the recommendation of a friend (thanks, Molly Schoen!). The first time I ever presented a poster was at the Louisville conference in 2017, and as a recent graduate, I had the chance to digitize 100+ years of records and ephemera from Detroit’s Scarab Club thanks to a VRA grant. After a few years sitting on the sidelines of VRA during a shift in my career, last year I rejoined and jumped headfirst into conference planning halfway through the process for VRA 2023 San Antonio after my belated appointment to the Executive Board as Jr. Director for Events & Initiatives. It was baptism by fire, but I enjoyed the challenge. Now, as the main conference planner for VRA 2024, I like my role most of all because it’s a way to help create opportunities for our attendees, much like the ones I benefited from earlier in my professional journey. 

I am so proud of what the Conference Planning Team has accomplished this year. We set high standards for ourselves, and they have paid off. I also want to give a huge thank you to everyone who submitted a proposal to the conference, as well as the many volunteers, presenters, and moderators who ensure everything runs according to plan. Without your hard work (and behind-the-scenes form wizardry via Membership Coordinator Lise Hawkos) there is no conference.

VRA 2024 Minneapolis Conference Planning Team:

• Maria Nuccilli, Senior Director for Events & Initiatives | Wayne State University

• Molly Schoen, Junior Director for Events & Initiatives | Fashion Institute of Technology

• Nadine McAllister, Officer & Conference Experience Liaison | Brown University

• Emily Smith, Public Relations & Communications Officer | Oakland Museum of California

• Meghan Rubenstein, Technology Advisor | Colorado College

• Otto Luna, Co-Chair, Education Committee | University of New Hampshire

• Amy McKenna, Co-Chair, Education Committee | Williams College

• Ann McShane, Conference Experience Planning Group | Emory University

• Margaret McKee, Conference Experience Planning Group | The Menil Collection

• Allan Kohl, Conference Experience Planning Group | Minneapolis College of Art and Design

I also want to recognize all the work that goes into making this program fully hybrid: apart from a few events, all conference programming will be livestreamed for remote attendees, and several sessions have both in-person and remote presenters. Despite sitting in Teams and Zoom meetings most days of the week, I must admit that before I got involved in hybrid conference planning, I didn’t realize the amount of work (or the amount of money) it takes to pull off, especially for a small organization like VRA. On the flipside, many in our profession have faced reduced or eliminated professional development budgets in recent years, and offering a virtual option is one way to make attendance accessible (in more ways than one). Please know that these are important considerations as we consider what a sustainable model for Annual Conferences can be going forward. Whatever your reason is for participating remotely, we are honored that you choose to dedicate time to our conference. Thank you, and we hope to see you on this year’s Slack channel!

For on-site attendees, I encourage you to take advantage of the social opportunities, meals, and coffee breaks we have integrated into this year’s program. Check out Sched for events like Dine-Arounds, the newly-added Members Night Out, and Meet at Mia. Also not to be missed are the conference kickoff festivities at Tuesday’s Welcome Reception, and the triumphant return of the VRAffle at Wednesday’s Community Happy Hour.

Full disclosure: I get that networking, especially when you’re new to an organization, can feel weird or intimidating. I happen to be an extrovert, but four years into the pandemic I can still feel out of practice, and often battle imposter syndrome. Whatever your career stage or capacity for in-person social events, please know that VRA is intended to be a friendly, welcoming space for members both new and seasoned. Old pros, go out of your comfort zone – it is up to us to invite people in. Our conference is truly what we make it!

Here's the part in the email where I ask you to think about how you can get involved with VRA in the next year. We have four Executive Board positions opening up in 2025: President Elect, Secretary, Grants Officer, and Jr. Director of Events & Initiatives. A formal call will be going out before the upcoming conference, and the current board encourages members of all experience levels to consider self-nominating for any open position. If you’re looking for a smaller commitment, there are plenty of other opportunities: you could join a committee, sign up to be a mentor, submit an article to the VRA Bulletin, or get involved in next year’s conference.

In close, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in making VRA 2024 Minneapolis possible, from the dedicated planning team to all of our contributors, sponsors, and attendees. Your support and participation are what make our community so special, and I can’t wait to see the connections and opportunities that will emerge at this year’s event. Whether in person or virtually, I look forward to sharing the experience with you in just a few short weeks!

See you in Minneapolis,

 Maria Nuccilli

Senior Director for Events & Initiatives

VRA Happenings & Reminders

Registration for the VRA 2024 Annual Conference is still available!

The conference will be held October 8–10, 2024, at the Embassy Suites in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, MN. VRA 2024 follows a single-track hybrid conference model. If you missed out on our hotel block, we have compiled a list of other hotels in the area. Check out the conference website for more information. The program is available on Sched, with full descriptions of each session. If you’ve never been to Minneapolis, the Attendee Guide is a good place to start learning about the local area.

Announcing the 2024-2025 VRA Project Grant

VRA is pleased to invite applications for the 2024-2025 VRA Project Grant. Applications are accepted September 16 – November 1, 2024. The Project Grant awards up to $4,000 to support projects in the field of visual resources and image management. A complete description of the Project Grant and application instructions are available on our website.

Register for the Next VRA Online Regional Workshop: "How to Sustainably Utilize Drones for Research and the Classroom," Sept 27th 12-4:30PM EDT

The next workshop of the VRA 2024 Workshop Season is coming soon! Check out the full description on our website and register here. If you have any questions, please send an email to the Regional Workshop Implementation Team at vraf.rwit@gmail.com.

New for this season: VRA members will receive a nearly 25% discount on all of our workshop registration fees! For online workshops, the VRA member rate is $50 and the non-member rate is $65.

VRA Bulletin 50th Anniversary Edition Out Now!

The 50th Anniversary Edition of the VRA Bulletin (VRAB) is now available. This special edition celebrates 50 years of VRAB and all of the editors, advisors, and authors who have contributed to its legacy. 

2024-2025 VRA Project Grant Call for Applications

The Visual Resources Association (VRA) is pleased to invite applications for the 2024-2025 VRA Project Grant. Applications are accepted September 16 – November 1, 2024.

The Project Grant awards up to $4,000 to support projects in the field of visual resources and image management. The project must be completed within one year from the time the grant is formally accepted. The funds may be used for stand-alone projects or pilots, start-up financing for larger projects, or for a component of a larger project. Collaborative projects and those proposed by groups, whether or not affiliated with an organization or institution, are encouraged. Of particular interest are innovative projects with results that can have a broad impact and be shared with the global community. Categories to be considered for funding include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Metadata for Visual Media

• Visual Media Cataloguing Standards

• Visual Media Data Standards

• Digitization Projects of Special or Unique Collections (Educational Institutions, Libraries, Museums)

• Visual Literacy

• Technology Development for Visual Media Management and Pedagogy

• Intellectual Property Rights

A complete description of the Project Grant and application instructions are available at https://www.vraweb.org/project-grant

Please share this announcement with anyone who might be interested.

VRA 2024: One Week Left of Early Bird Registration!

Thinking of joining us at VRA 2024 in Minneapolis? As of August 27th, all rooms are sold out at the former $179/night rate. However, we were able to secure additional upgraded rooms at $209 (+taxes) per night. Be sure to make your reservation by next Friday, September 6, 2024 to secure this rate (subject to availability) and join us October 8-10th, on-site at the Embassy Suites in downtown Minneapolis. Check out the conference website for more information. The program is available on Sched, with full descriptions of each session. Whether you're a first-time attendee or seasoned conference-goer, our 2024 Conference Attendee Guide will answer all of your questions -- it includes info for virtual attendees, transportation, accessibility and more!

Register for the Conference Here!

We also are offering three outstanding tours this year! Conference attendees can take advantage of exclusive tours of two exhibitions at Walker Art Center, Special Collections at Minneapolis Central Library, and the Visual Resources Center at Minneapolis Institute of Art. These all require prior registration, and the Walker has a small fee, so be sure that you’re registered ahead of time. Please note, the tour registration form is separate from conference registration.

Register for Tours Here!

Questions about either registration form? Please contact Membership Services Coordinator Lise Hawkos at join@vraweb.org if you need help to complete your registration.

All are welcome to join us for the keynote address by Kao Kalia Yang, a Hmong American teacher, speaker, and writer. 

In her presentation titled “Between Images and Words,” Kao Kalia Yang will read from and explore how the form of the picture book has expanded meaning within her work. Yang will discuss how the contributions of her illustrators have shifted and deepened her stories, how the conversation between both opens up possibilities for readers of all ages, and what lives in between images and words: the breadth of the emotional landscape. 

The Convocation Keynote is scheduled for October 8th, 2024, at 3:30 p.m. CDT, and will be open to the public via livestream (link to come).

...And So Much More to Look Forward to at VRA 2024!

The programming at VRA 2024 offers many opportunities to connect with peers in the field, explore new topics, and get involved with VRA! Join our Community Happy Hour to meet your fellow conference-goers, learn from the poster presenters, and peruse the array of wonderful raffle prizes sponsored by vrcHost.

Drop into one of the Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and Committee meetings, with gatherings focusing on IIIF, the Color Film Emergency Project, Digital Humanities, the Education Committee, Intellectual Property Rights Committee, and more! 

In our Breakout Sessions, learn about ITHAKA's Open Community Collections Initiative from experts in the field and get an exclusive preview of Specto, a new digital collections platform from Ex Libris, part of Clarivate.

August 2024 - VRA Board Buzz

Ciao! How’s your August? Is it a busy time? 

Have you ever been curious about how the Board manages VRA’s finances? 

As mentioned on the History page of VRA website, VRA emerged from meetings of visual resource curators in the late 1960s. Since its inception, VRA has been dedicated to uniting professionals with specialized technical expertise and knowledge in areas such as art making, art history, museum practices, and cultural studies, to support each other and develop best practices. VRA supports a highly select group of cross-disciplinary professionals who explore topics that extend beyond the scope of established groups like libraries, archives, museums, and digital asset management organizations.

As a non-profit organization, VRA is primarily funded by membership dues, donations, and investment earnings. Currently, membership dues alone do not cover the costs of essential services we offer to our community, including awards, grants, workshops, publications, and more.

Each spring, the Board reviews the budget plan prepared by the Treasurer, making decisions based on the previous year’s expenses and requests from committees and groups. Naturally, current financial trends play a significant role in shaping these decisions. The Board aims to keep expenses reasonably low, directing funds to key areas that sustain VRA’s operations and special projects. While budget requests to support members’ initiatives are welcomed, the Board remains cautious to avoid jeopardizing VRA’s financial stability. It’s a balancing act.

The annual conference is always the largest expense for VRA. Costs include, but are not limited to, a hotel contract that includes equipment and room rentals as well as food and beverages and as well as fees for invited speakers. Although increasing registration fees significantly is an option, the Board believes it is essential to keep the conference affordable. Balancing these factors can be challenging, but ensuring the success of this annual event remains a top priority.

One important aspect of the conference is sponsorships. The Board greatly appreciates the support of conference sponsors, whose contributions alleviate financial pressure and enhance the conference program. Potential sponsors, if you have yet to complete your sponsorship, don’t worry! There are still sponsorships available for VRA 2024.

Additionally, the Board frequently explores alternative strategies to alleviate conference expenses. If you have ideas to help improve the conference, please consider joining the Conference Experience Planning Group or running for the board. The two Director for Events and Initiatives positions switch off every other year, so there is always room to get involved!

Despite the many uncertainties the Board faces, one thing is clear: your participation in the conference is valuable to both the visual resources profession and the VRA as an organization. With the 2024 conference just about two months away, there's still time to plan your trip. VRA exists to facilitate connections and growth among members who share similar professional passions, so don’t miss this annual opportunity to strengthen your network and deepen your connections with colleagues. 

If conferences feel out of reach, join us for a workshop instead, or take part in a community hour with the Equitable Action Committee. Every way you engage with the community makes a difference for both you and the organization. 

I hope this message offers insight into how the Board manages the conference finances. If you’re interested in more detailed financial information and specific money figures, please refer to the Treasurer’s Report for the fiscal year 2022 and 2023 by Ann McShane, or feel free to reach out to the Board. If you have ideas to assist the Board with this aspect of work, consider joining the Financial Advisory Committee also led by Ann. I also want to thank Ann and Will Fenton, our past and current Treasurers, for sharing their knowledge with me on this topic. 

Best,

Xiaoli 

Special thanks goes to this year’s conference sponsors: 

JSTOR (ITHAKA) — Platinum Sponsor

ExLibris, Part of Clarivate — Gold Sponsor

vrcHost — Bronze Sponsor

VRA Happenings & Reminders

VRA 2024 Annual Conference Early Bird Registration Ends Soon!

The conference will be held October 8–10, 2024, at the Embassy Suites in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, MN. VRA 2024 follows a single-track hybrid conference model. Register before September 6th to take advantage of reduced Early Bird registration rates. Check out the conference website for more information. The program is available on Sched, with full descriptions of each session. If you’ve never been to Minneapolis, the Attendee Guide is a good place to start learning about the local area. 

Announcing the 2024 Travel Awards Recipients!

The VRA Travel Awards Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of Travel Awards for the 2024 VRA conference in Minneapolis, MN. The application pool this year was strong and we are pleased to be able to fund eleven excellent applications. Check out the full list of recipients on the VRA blog.

Register for the Next VRA Online Regional Workshop: "How to Sustainably Utilize Drones for Research and the Classroom," Sept 27th 12-4:30PM EDT

The next workshop of the VRA 2024 Workshop Season is coming soon! Check out the full description on our website and register here. If you have any questions, please send an email to the Regional Workshop Implementation Team at vraf.rwit@gmail.com.

New for this season: VRA members will receive a nearly 25% discount on all of our workshop registration fees! For online workshops, the VRA member rate is $50 and the non-member rate is $65.

VRA Bulletin 50th Anniversary Edition Out Now!

The 50th Anniversary Edition of the VRA Bulletin (VRAB) is now available. This special edition celebrates 50 years of VRAB and all of the editors, advisors, and authors who have contributed to its legacy. 

VRA 2024: One Month left to get Early Bird Registration!

The Visual Resources Association (VRA) 2024 Conference Registration is open! Be sure to make your reservation by September 6, 2024 to secure the reduced Early Bird registration rate (subject to availability) of $179 (+taxes) per night, and join us October 8-10th, on-site at the Embassy Suites in downtown Minneapolis. Check out the conference website for more information. The program is available on Sched, with full descriptions of each session. Have any further questions? Check out our 2024 Conference Attendee Guide to get all of your questions answered, whether you're a first-time attendee or seasoned conference-goer -- it includes info for virtual attendees, transportation, accessibility and more.

Register for the Conference Here

We also are offering three outstanding tours this year! Conference attendees can take advantage of exclusive tours of two exhibitions at Walker Art Center, Special Collections at Minneapolis Central Library, and the Visual Resources Center at Minneapolis Institute of Art. These all require prior registration, and the Walker has a small fee, so be sure that you’re registered ahead of time. Please note, the tour registration form is separate from conference registration.

Register for Tours Here

Questions about either registration form? Please contact Membership Services Coordinator Lise Hawkos at join@vraweb.org if you need help to complete your registration.

All in-person conference attendees this year will receive this tote bag featuring a design created by Asahi Nagata, a Japanese freelance illustrator based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. With experience in vintage image restoration and a deep love for 1940s to 1960s commercial art and traditional printing, Asahi's work features vibrant bold color palettes and a retro elegance in texture.

The photographic slide-inspired design is an homage to both our host city of Minneapolis, and how much VRA has grown. What began as an informal group of slide librarians is now an international organization comprised of digital asset managers, librarians, curators, archivists, educators, museum professionals, art historians, copyright specialists, and more.

Annual Conference Mentorship Program

Each year our association has many members who are attending their first or second conference. Even with user-friendly conference programs a newcomer may have questions or need advice. The Annual Conference Mentor Program matches a seasoned conference-attendee (mentor) with such a first-timer. This is a fun and collegial program that has had much success and positive feedback. Both mentors and mentees have found the program greatly enhances their conference experience. If you're interested in signing up to be a Mentor or Mentee for this year's conference, you may request a conference mentor or volunteer as a mentor when you register for the conference, or contact the Membership Committee’s Mentor Coordinator. 

Announcing the VRA 2024 Travel Awards Recipients! ✈

Dear VRA Colleagues,

The VRA Travel Awards Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of Travel Awards for the 2024 VRA conference in Minneapolis, MN. The application pool this year was strong and we are pleased to be able to fund eleven excellent applications.

Lesley Carey – Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Award

Emma Carter – Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Award

Daniel Cicholwlas – Garneta E. Taormina Memorial Student Award and New Horizons student award

Jori Dale – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Award

Laura Darlington – New Horizons Award

Nora Davies – Kathe Hicks Albrecht Award and Luraine Tansey/VRA Top-up Award

Otto Luna – Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Award

Grant Mandarino – Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Award

April Martin – New Horizons Award

Julia Murphy – Luraine Tansey/VRA Top-up Award

Anna Zook – Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Award

The Travel Awards committee thanks all of this year’s applicants. Additional thanks go to our generous travel award sponsors and the VRA Executive Board for their support of the Travel Awards Committee.  

Congratulations again to this year’s recipients,

Dr. Jeannine Keefer, 

Chair, Travel Awards Committee

July 2024 - VRA Board Buzz

Hi there—Happy Summer! I hope you have a fantastic summer that's just right—not too hot, rainy, or dry. 

Is now a good time to reflect on why you joined VRA? I joined to learn more about the field and to develop useful skills. To achieve that goal, I joined committees. VRA has about 10 committees and special interests groups, covering quite a few areas, and the details are here. 

I joined the VRA Core Oversight Committee, now merged into Cataloging and Metadata Standard Committee (CaMS), because I was interested in knowing more about VRA Core, the metadata structure standard developed by this very community back in 1996. In its fourth version, VRA Core is an internationally recognized metadata standard for describing works of visual culture and their surrogates, the media files created through digitization to represent the works in the digital realm. For decades, VRA Core has been integrated into schemes and tools to record cultural objects and related media files. The primary document, VRA Core 4.0 Element Description and Tagging Examples was first made available in English, followed by Italian, Greek and Chinese. 

Another metadata standard developed by this community and published in 2006 is Cataloging Cultural Objects (CCO). Also internationally recognized, CCO guides the creation of record field content for cultural artifacts, such as those in visual culture. VRA Core and CCO complement each other: VRA Core provides guidance on the overall metadata schema, including which fields to include in cataloging environments and the sources of controlled vocabularies for some fields, while CCO focuses on specific tasks, such as forming titles when they are unknown and handling unknown creators. Though they work marvelously together, VRA Core and CCO can also be applied individually when developing or modifying metadata guidelines for specific projects.

Now, 28 years after the first version of VRA Core was released and 18 years since CCO was published, two sub-committees at CaMS are working parallelly to expand and update both VRA Core and CCO. Isn't that exciting? 

The work began a year ago, and this year, both sub-committees have made significant progress. VRA Core subcommittee have completed the review of VRA Core, identifying areas for expansion to enhance accessibility features, facilitate geographic location tagging and multiple language support. The VRA Core 5.0 draft scheme is coming out, potentially, for the community review before it is finalized. CCO, being a much larger document, requires more time to review, and the focus is to identify the areas that should be updated in response to widely-adopted cataloging approaches and newly established practices in critique cataloging. Preliminary planning has been done and the review is in process at a steady speed. The two subcommittees are currently discussing how to present the upcoming updates in an intuitive manner. At the same time, they are considering applying for major grants to cover expenses on  professionals and services if needed. 

If you want to join them, it’s not too late! The CCO subcommittee especially needs more participants. CaMS sent out emails to ask for volunteers last Friday. Feel free to approach CaMS now for this opportunity. Please contact the whole committee at vra-cams@googlegroups.com. Use “CCO Review Volunteer” as the Subject Line. 

Joining the committee is a fantastic opportunity to develop new skills, expand your network, and contribute to something bigger than yourself. In this case, you'll not only become more familiar with established metadata standards, but also play a key role in integrating the latest advancements of many fields into these standards, benefiting users worldwide. 

BTW, CaMS will have a new co-chair -- Grant Mandarino. Grant currently works for Providence Archives in Seattle as Visual Resources Archivist. He holds an MLIS from Simmons University and a PhD in Art History from the University of MIchigan. Starting August, he will work with CaMS’ long-term chair Leah Constatine to co-lead CaMS starting August. Leah has led CaMS solely for a few years. She has not only established effective communication within the committee but has also sustained major initiatives and facilitated the committee's growth. Kudos to Leah! As Leah transitions to the role of co-chair and later a committee member, Grant and Leah are now actively recruiting another co-chair to begin in 2025. Another opportunity knocks! :)

Best,

Xiaoli Ma

President

Visual Resources Association

VRA Happenings & Reminders

VRA 2024 Annual Conference Registration is Open Now!

The conference will be held October 8–10, 2024, at the Embassy Suites in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, MN. VRA 2024 follows a single-track hybrid conference model. Register now to take advantage of reduced Early Bird registration rates. Check out the conference website for more information. The program is available on Sched, with full descriptions of each session.

VRA Awards Nominations Open until July 26th

The VRA Awards Committee is seeking nominations for the 2024 Distinguished Service Award and the Nancy DeLaurier Award. These awards exist to honor outstanding efforts and people in visual resources that may otherwise go unrecognized. The dossiers for the Awards are due by Friday, July 26th, and should be sent to: vra.awards@gmail.com.

VRA Bulletin 50th Anniversary Edition Out Now!

The 50th Anniversary Edition of the VRA Bulletin (VRAB) is now available. This special edition celebrates 50 years of VRAB and all of the editors, advisors, and authors who have contributed to its legacy. 

VRA Regional Workshop Season

The VRA is pleased to announce its 2024 Workshop Season! Check out the full schedule here. If you have any questions, please send an email to the Regional Workshop Implementation Team at vraf.rwit@gmail.com.

New for this season: VRA members will receive a nearly 25% discount on all of our workshop registration fees! For online workshops, the VRA member rate is $50 and the non-member rate is $65.

VRA 2024 Attendee Guide

About the Schedule

VRA 2024 is a single-track, hybrid conference. A nice thing about single-track programming is that it eliminates the FOMO (fear of missing out) that can arise during multi-track conferences. It also makes it a bit easier for us to offer hybrid programming — live-streaming takes a large amount of money and labor! 

While VRA is designed to be as hybrid a conference as possible, workshops, tours, meals, and certain meetings are only available in person. 

There are several other opportunities to network, learn, and explore at this year’s conference. Each day includes 15-minute breaks between sessions, an hour and fifteen minutes for lunch, and two coffee breaks. Events like our Welcome Reception, Members Breakfast, and Community Happy Hour are all great ways to make new connections. 

All registrants will also have access to a VRA Slack channel where you can interact and share your thoughts throughout the conference.

We also are offering three outstanding tours this year! Conference attendees can take advantage of exclusive tours of two exhibitions at Walker Art Center, Special Collections at Minneapolis Central Library, and the Visual Resources Center at Minneapolis Institute of Art. These all require prior registration, and the Walker has a small fee, so be sure that you’re registered ahead of time: Register for tours here! Please note, the tour registration form is separate from conference registration.

For Virtual Attendees

We will be live streaming all general sessions and certain events like the Convocation Keynote and Awards Ceremony. Certain events, like workshops and the Welcome Reception and Members Breakfast, will only be offered on-site. 

All registrants will receive a daily morning email from VRA during the conference with Zoom links for each day. The webinars will be live 15 minutes prior to the start of programming, and remote attendees are encouraged to log in a little early so we can assist with troubleshooting as needed. All registrants will also have access to a VRA Slack channel where you can interact and share your thoughts throughout the conference.

For First-Time Attendees

Each year our association welcomes many who are attending their first or second conference. Even with user-friendly conference programming; a newcomer may have questions, need advice, or simply want help meeting new people in a new place. Our Annual Conference Mentor Program is a fun and collegial program. Both mentors and mentees have found the program enhances their conference experience.

You may request a conference mentor or volunteer as a mentor when you register for the conference, or contact the Membership Committee’s Mentor Coordinator.

For Speakers, Moderators, and Volunteers

All speakers, moderators, and volunteers must register for the conference ahead of time. If you are attending the full conference, you are eligible for $50 off full conference registration. If you are only attending the day of your presentation, you may register for a day pass. 

When you register for the full conference as a speaker, you will use the same registration form as all other conference attendees. When you get to the end of the form where it says “How would you like to pay?” please select “Invoice Me” from the list, then click on the “Pay Later” button. Our membership coordinator will add your discount and send you an updated invoice.

All sessions have a moderator. Moderators will be provided with training prior to the session. If you are interested in moderating a session, please reach out to initiatives@vraweb.org.

There are many opportunities to help shape the conference through volunteering. Please reach out to initiatives@vraweb.org if you are interested in lending a hand. 

Thank you everyone who is helping to make this year’s conference a success! 

Getting Around Minneapolis

Minneapolis offers several ways to get from point A to point B, including an award-winning transit system with light rail and buses. The city is also served by taxis, Uber and Lyft, the famous Skyway System, and bike rentals on the streets with dedicated bike lanes all over the city.

For those flying into the city, the METRO Blue Line is a dependable, low-cost light rail system that can get you from the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport straight to the conference hotel. Tickets are sold at ticket machines at the rail stations.

• More on Transportation in Minneapolis

• Minneapolis Light Rail & Bus Information

• An Accessibility Guide to Minneapolis

• Your Guide to the Minneapolis Skyway System

Fund Your Attendance

VRA offers several opportunities to support attendance at our annual conference via Travel Awards. First-time attendees, new members, students, international members, isolated professionals, those from underrepresented and underserved communities, and those actively participating in the conference programming are especially encouraged to apply. Applications for Travel Awards are being accepted through July 8, 2024.

VRA Refund Policy

Planning and arrangements for facilities, catering, and other program elements are based in part on registration numbers. Unanticipated circumstances may occasionally require registrants to cancel their registrations and request a refund. We ask that you do this as a last resort.

Refunds of event registration fees requested by registrants will be made on request through the start of the program; however, an administrative cancellation fee of $50 will be charged. Please note that in most cases refund requests will not be accepted after a program has concluded.

If a conference, workshop, tour, or other program is canceled by the Association, all registration fees will be refunded.

Accessibility

We want to make choices that make VRA 2024 as accessible and welcoming as possible. 

Every session has a moderator who ensures people use the microphone for their questions and presentations. Certain events, like the Keynote, have live captions. General sessions and the Keynote are live-streamed. 

Most importantly, we want to hear from you about what you need! Please reach out to initiatives@vraweb.org to make arrangements for individualized accessibility concerns like dietary restrictions, seating arrangements, and other conference-specific needs. If you need something addressed during the conference, please contact initiatives@vraweb.org, or any member of the VRA Executive Board. 

The conference hotel, Embassy Suites Minneapolis Downtown, has their accessibility features outlined on their website. If you need an accessible room, please let the hotel know that directly when you book your room. 

VRA 2024 Minneapolis Conference Planning Team

• Maria Nuccilli, Sr. Director for Events & Initiatives | Wayne State University

• Molly Schoen, Jr. Director for Events & Initiatives | Fashion Institute of Technology

• Nadine McAllister, Officer & Conference Experience Liaison | Brown University

• Emily Smith, Public Relations & Communications Officer | Oakland Museum of California

• Meghan Rubenstein, Technology Advisor | Colorado College

• Otto Luna, Co-Chair, Education Committee | University of New Hampshire

• Amy McKenna, Co-Chair, Education Committee | Williams College

• Ann McShane, Conference Experience Planning Group | Emory University

• Margaret McKee, Conference Experience Planning Group | The Menil Collection

• Allan Kohl, Conference Experience Planning Group | Minneapolis College of Art and Design

VRA 2024: Announcing Keynote Speaker Kao Kalia Yang!

The VRA Executive Board is pleased to announce the VRA 2024 Conference keynote speaker, Kao Kalia Yang. She is a Hmong American teacher, speaker, and writer. Yang is the award-winning author of the memoirs, The Latehomecomer, The Song Poet, Somewhere in the Unknown World, and Where Rivers Part. She has authored several children's books, including A Map Into the World, The Most Beautiful Thing, and The Shared Room. Yang’s work has been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Book Critics Circle Award, as Notable Books by the American Library Association, and garnered four Minnesota Book Awards. You can learn more about Kao Kalia Yang and her work on her website.

In her presentation, titled “Between Images and Words,” Kao Kalia Yang will read from and explore how the form of the picture book has expanded meaning within her work. Yang will discuss how the contributions of her illustrators have shifted and deepened her stories, how the conversation between both opens up possibilities for readers of all ages, and what lives in between images and words: the breadth of the emotional landscape. 

The Convocation Keynote is scheduled for October 8th, 2024, at 3:30 p.m. CDT, and will be open to the public via Zoom. Register here!

Have you registered for the VRA 2024 Conference yet? Register now to take advantage of reduced Early Bird registration rates, and join us October 8-10th, on-site at the Embassy Suites in downtown Minneapolis or virtually. Check out the conference website for more information. The program is available on Sched, with full descriptions of each session.

June 2024 - Introducing VRA "Board Buzz"

Hello all, I am Xiaoli.

Summertime Salutations!

To start, I am thrilled to introduce (again) our new executive Board that formally started in April 2024. Each member brings unparalleled passion and innovative ideas to our organization. Will Fenton, Treasure, brings in rich experience in professional organization treasury management. Meanwhile, Emily Smith, Public Relations and Communication Officer, possesses the right skill sets to craft a well-rounded strategy, fostering connections among members and facilitating resource sharing (this newsletter is one product of this strategy). Jon Cartledge, Secretary, and Liz Gadelha, Grants Officer, have been valuable members of the Board for several years. Jon has meticulously organized all Board files and consistently provided valuable insights from past Board communications to aid decision-making. Liz has efficiently optimized grants management processes and led the selection of grant applications following the merger of VRA and VRAF. Jon and Liz, not only do they support the Board in their respective functional areas, but they also connect the current Board with the past Boards through their knowledge about VRA’s history and traditions. Lastly, we are fortunate to have an outstanding planning team on the Board. This team is headed by Maria Nuccilli, Senior Director for Events and Initiatives, supporting her are Molly Schoen, Junior Director for Events and Initiatives and Nadine McAllister, Officer. They worked tirelessly, collaborating with hotels, institutions, individuals and VRA groups to organize this upcoming conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 8-10, 2024. (Check out the program and register soon to secure the Early Bird Registration.)

This year, we received numerous excellent proposals. To select and then to organize them into a coherent conference was daunting, but the Education Committee willingly undertook this challenge. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Committee for their dedication and hard work. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Allan Kohl for his help. As a Minneapolis local, he has provided unwavering support to the conference planning team, ensuring that the conference comes together, and on schedule. Thank you, Allan Kohl! 

Further exciting news: a new task force has been established! 

Led by our past Treasure Ann McShane, joined by our long-term membership coordinator Lise Hawkos (the lady who contacted you when you first joined VRA) and the current Public Relations and Communication Officer, Emily Smith, this task force, named as Membership Services Software Task Force, will evaluate various membership management software options to identify a more cost-effective solution for managing VRA membership. Currently VRA uses MemberClicks to manage membership, and VRA has used it for many years. With technology advances daily, it’s essential to explore whether there are better, more cost-effective options available. Save a little, gain a lot. We look forward to the task force’s report to be presented during the conference. The group meets every Thursday at 4-4:45 EDT/3-3:45 CDT/2-2:45 MDT/1-1:45 PDT. If you are interested in this type of work, join the task force. Contact Ann at ann.mcshane@emory.edu.  

 That’s all from me for now. 

The new Board looks forward to working with all of you. This year’s annual conference will surely be exceptional, and the registration is now open! Please join the Membership Services Software Task Force!

Best,

Xiaoli Ma

President, Visual Resources Association

VRA Happenings & Reminders

VRA 2024 Annual Conference Registration is Open Now!

The conference will be held October 8–10, 2024, at the Embassy Suites in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, MN. VRA 2024 follows a single-track hybrid conference model. Register now to take advantage of reduced Early Bird registration rates. Check out the conference website for more information. The program is available on Sched, with full descriptions of each session.

VRA 2024 Call for Posters

The VRA Conference Planning Committee welcomes applications for in-person poster presenters at the conference. Unfortunately, at this time there is no virtual option for posters. The poster session will be held Wednesday, October 9, 4:30 p.m. CDT. Submit you poster via this form. The application deadline is Monday, July 8, 11:59 p.m. PDT.

VRA Travel Awards Submissions Open until July 8th

We are delighted to announce that VRA Travel Awards are available for attendance at the 2024 VRA conference in Minneapolis. Applications can be submitted via this form by Monday, July 8, 11:59 pm EDT​. The list of recipients will be announced on the VRA listserv the week of July 31. Contact our committee at travelawards@vraweb.org with any questions.

VRA Awards Nominations Open until July 26th

The VRA Awards Committee is seeking nominations for the 2024 Distinguished Service Award and the Nancy DeLaurier Award. These awards exist to honor outstanding efforts and people in visual resources that may otherwise go unrecognized. The dossiers for the Awards are due by Friday, July 26th, and should be sent to: vra.awards@gmail.com.

VRA Bulletin 50th Anniversary Edition Out Now!

The 50th Anniversary Edition of the VRA Bulletin (VRAB) is now available. This special edition celebrates 50 years of VRAB and all of the editors, advisors, and authors who have contributed to its legacy. 

VRA Regional Workshop Season

The VRA is pleased to announce its 2024 Workshop Season! Register now for our popular Events Made Easy workshop, July 11th & 12th 3-5pm EST both days. Full workshop details and registration links are available on the website. If you have any questions, please send an email to the Regional Workshop Implementation Team at vraf.rwit@gmail.com. New for this season: VRA members will receive a nearly 25% discount on all of our workshop registration fees! For online workshops, the VRA member rate is $50 and the non-member rate is $65.

Announcing the VRA 2024 Workshop Season!

The Visual Resources Association (VRA) is pleased to announce its 2024 Workshop Season!

Our first workshop is right around the corner! Details and registration are below for our popular Events Made Easy workshop. Scroll down for the dates and topics for the next three workshops in our 2024 season!

New for this season: VRA members will receive a nearly 25% discount on all of our workshop registration fees! For online workshops, the VRA member rate is $50 and the non-member rate is $65.

Information about all workshops will be available here: https://www.vraweb.org/workshops

***

Events Made Easy (ONLINE)

Tess Colwell and Alexandra O’Keefe 
Thursday and Friday, July 11th and 12th (TWO-PART WORKSHOP) //  3:00-5:00 PM EST both days

Registration capped at 40

Register now through this form!

Hosting events for libraries and special collections is a key part of outreach to patrons but can be overwhelming and challenging depending on resources such as staff time, funding, and partnerships. In this workshop, participants will learn step-by-step how to use a simple framework to maximize limited resources, serve their community through events, and generate positive attention from stakeholders. This process includes developing a holistic strategy tailored to their specific community, creating a standardized outreach plan based on their institution’s procedures, and ultimately streamlining their programming efforts.

The instructors are from different art library backgrounds (one large academic and one art and design school) with event-planning expertise that is demonstrated in their joint research and work outcomes. They will introduce a customizable toolkit they designed using freely available tools which can be used in any collection’s context. Ideally, participants will bring one event idea to the workshop (but will have time between sessions one and two to create one if needed).

During the workshop, the instructors will walk participants through a series of hands-on, solo and collaborative activities to plan an event step-by-step using the framework while integrating GLAM scholarship about best practices in the field. The workflow participants will walk through includes audience identification, creative practitioner consideration, budget application, promotional material creation, action item generation, day-of-event execution, post-event evaluation, and thorough documentation to share with administration. Participants will leave the workshop with one complete event plan for their library or collection, a community of event-planning peers for future support, and a variety of resources to enact a sustainable events program at their institutions beyond this event.

Learning Objectives
Evaluate their community’s needs in order to generate outreach plan with individual events
Compose marketing materials such as emails, flyers, and event copy for a target audience
Utilize an existing, sustainable event management framework and apply it to their institution
Create a customized template for individual events that includes event planning logistics, marketing checklists, resource evaluation, post-event assessment, and overall documentation.

Register for this workshop here!

***

SAVE THE DATES for our upcoming workshops! Full details and registration for these workshops will be announced soon!

The Future is Looking Up!: How to Sustainably Utilize Drones for Research and the Classroom (and anything else) (ONLINE)

Instructor: Chris Strasbaugh
Friday, September 27th // 12:00-4:30 PM EST

Registration capped at 40

Learning to Look and Looking to Learn: A Workshop on Visual Literacy (ONLINE)

Instructors: Jessica Sack and Rachel Thompson

Friday, October 25th // 3:00-7:00 PM EST

Registration capped at 40

We are very pleased to announce our return to in-person programming with a full-day, immersive workshop held at Pitts Theology Library, Emory University in Atlanta, GA!
From Project to Product: Effective Project Management and Strategic Planning

Pitts Theology Library, Emory University (IN PERSON)

Atlanta, GA

Instructor: Cristela Garcia-Spitz

Friday, November 15th

Registration capped at 30

***

If you have any questions, please send an email to the Regional Workshop Implementation Team at workshops@vraweb.org.

Workshop Coordinator: Michelle Schierburg

Senior Workshop Liaison: Eva Soos

Junior Workshop Liaison: Caroline Philippone

Workshop Consultants : Beth Haas and Janice Shapiro Hussain

Announcing the VRA 2024 Travel Awards! ✈

We are delighted to announce that VRA Travel Awards are available for attendance at the 2024 VRA conference in Minneapolis, October 8-10, 2024! The application submission deadline is July 8 at 11:59 pm EDT​. The list of recipients will be announced on the VRA listserv the week of July 31. Contact our committee at travelawards@vraweb.org with any questions.

A preliminary conference schedule can be found here: https://vra2024.sched.com/. To assist with budgeting, the conference registration fees and hotel rate are available on the conference webpage.

Before you apply, PLEASE READ "Travel Award Rules and Guidelines” for VRA Travel Awards Applicants, and "Types of Travel Awards," both linked here as PDFs.

You do not need to be a member of the VRA to apply for a Travel Award. 

Travel Awards Application

Please also note that award checks are scheduled to be mailed to recipients after the Awards ceremony at the conference and as such, recipients will not have acce​ss to those funds ​ahead of the conference to set against travel expenses. 

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 2024, we are fortunate to have generous financial support from sponsors and funds provided by the membership including: 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Award. Up to $1,000

Earmarked for applicants from underrepresented and underserved communities, which may include but is not limited to: neurodiversity, persons with (in)visible disabilities, gender identity, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, socioeconomic status, religion, sex, age.

Two New Horizons awards.  $850 to $700 each

Earmarked for applicants in one or more of the following categories:  first-time conferee, solo, part-time, or geographically isolated practitioner.

Tansey awards. $1000-$400 each

These awards are intended for applicants with insufficient (or no) institutional support from their employer or academic program.

Tansey Top-Up awards. $300-$250 each

These awards are intended for applicants who have demonstrated need for only partial support on top of other funding (typically from employers or graduate programs).  

New Horizons Student award. $300

Earmarked for a currently enrolled student.

Garneta E. Taormina Memorial Student Travel award. $300

For full-time graduate students enrolled in an accredited degree program and considering a career in visual resources and/or digital humanities. 

More awards may become available and will be announced on this listserv. Also, stay tuned and watch VRA-L and the VRA website for further details about the conference. Please email (travelawards@vraweb.org) if you have any questions not answered by the documents noted above. 

So don't delay - apply today!

VRA Bulletin | 50th Anniversary Edition (2024)

VRA Bulletin Vol. 51 No. 1 (2024): 50th Anniversary Edition

The 50th Anniversary Edition of the VRA Bulletin (VRAB) is now available. This special edition celebrates 50 years of VRAB and all of the editors, advisors, and authors who have contributed to its legacy. Explore the new issue of the VRA's fully open access journal below. 

IN THIS ISSUE

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR(S)

Letter from the Editors:

50th Anniversary Edition

ASSOCIATION NEWS

2024 VRA State of the Association Address

John Trendler

Fiscal Year 2023 Visual Resources Association Treasurer's Report

Ann McShane

PERSPECTIVES

"Members Helping Members" – The VRA Travel Awards Program

Allan T. Kohl

Looking Back, Looking Forward:

50 Years of the Visual Resources Association Bulletin

Sara Schumacher

Encouraging Flexibility in Our Approach to Copyright:

An Interview with Nancy Sims

Sara Schumacher, Nancy Sims

FEATURE ARTICLES

Toward a Decolonial Archival Praxis:

Digitizing the Lloyd Best Archive in Trinidad and Tobago

Christina Bleyer, Amanda Matava

Capturing the Hidden Legacies of Route 66 in New Mexico:

Centennial Documentation Projects and Programs Honoring the Mother Road, Its People, and Stories

Audra Bellmore, Donatella Davanzo

Interactive Topography with IIIF:

Open Access to Photographs from the Ernest Nash Fototeca Unione Collection

Maureen Burns, Lavinia Ciuffa

REVIEWS

Review of The Visual Elements - Photography: A Handbook for Communicating Science and Engineering

Ann Bell

About the VRA Bulletin

The VRA Bulletin (VRAB) is the journal of the Visual Resources Association (VRA), a multidisciplinary, international organization dedicated to furthering image management education and research by providing leadership in the field, developing and advocating standards, and offering educational tools and opportunities for the benefit of the community at large. The VRAB is a fully open access journal and issues are available to anyone immediately upon publication. All costs of publishing are borne by the Visual Resources Association; there is no cost to the authors in order to publish.

Interested in publishing in the VRAB? Information about the submission and publication process is available on the VRAB website.

VRA 2024: Call for Posters!

The annual conference of the Visual Resources Association (VRA) is hybrid this year, meeting in person in Minneapolis, MN, as well as virtually from October 8–10, 2024. The Visual Resources Association is a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to furthering research and education in the field of image management within the educational, cultural heritage, and commercial environments.

The VRA Conference Planning Committee welcomes applications for in-person poster presenters at the conference. Unfortunately, at this time there is no virtual option for posters. The poster session will be held Wednesday, October 9, 4:30 p.m. CDT. The conference’s full schedule of events is available at https://vra2024.sched.com

The application deadline is Monday, July 8, 11:59 p.m. PDT 

A poster session presents a topic using visual aids in conjunction with direct interaction with conference attendees. Posters can depict workplace initiatives, research in progress, and other topics of contemporary interest. Presenters will stand with their posters and engage directly with conference attendees. Posters can be displayed in the traditional manner using a physical poster board or by using up to 3 presentation slides. The VRA will not be able to provide laptops for use in the poster sessions.

Suggested topics include:

• Community outreach

• Copyright/intellectual property

• Digital asset management, digital curation, digital preservation, etc.

• Digitization (workflows, digital capture and imaging technologies)

• Digital scholarship and digital humanities

• Diversity, equity, inclusion, cultural competencies, social justice

• Project management (communication, grant writing, prioritization, leadership, etc.)

• Linked data

• Materials/Objects collections

• Metadata/Cataloging ethics (decolonizing vocabularies, radical cataloging)

• Technologies (GIS and mapping, 3D imaging, etc.)

• Tools: open source, evolution, future trends

• Workplace cultures and professional transitions (academic departments, libraries,

cultural heritage institutions, archives, corporate, etc.)

This is not an exhaustive list! All ideas are welcome and will be carefully reviewed.

Poster presenters are responsible for printing their materials and mounting them in the display area at the conference ahead of the scheduled viewing time. If using presentation slides, presenters will need to bring their own laptops. Easels and tables will be provided.

How to submit your poster proposal:

Please fill out the form linked below by Monday, July 8th at 11:59 p.m.

Submit A Poster Proposal Here

The form asks for a 250-word statement describing your poster as well as its title. Applicants will be notified if their proposals have been accepted or not by July 18. If you have any questions regarding the submission process, please contact the VRA Directors for Events and Initiatives at initiatives@vraweb.org.

It's VRA Awards Season! Call for Nominations 🥇

The VRA Awards Committee is seeking nominations for the 2024 Distinguished Service Award and the Nancy DeLaurier Award. These awards exist to honor outstanding efforts and people in visual resources that may otherwise go unrecognized. 

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. Recent award recipients include:

• Greg Reser in 2023

• Jolene de Verges in 2022

• Marcia Focht in 2021

2)    The Nancy DeLaurier Award honors a single professional or a group of professionals for distinguished achievement in the field of visual resources. “Achievement” may take the form of published works, oral presentations, digital humanities projects, open-source solutions, software development, technology applications, website creations, or other outstanding efforts. Recent award recipients include:

• 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 in 2022. 

• Asfaneh Najmabadi for founding, guiding, developing, and sustaining the Women’s Worlds in Qajar Iran (WWQI) Digital Archive in 2022.

How To Apply

Nominations for both the Distinguished Service Award and the Nancy DeLaurier Award are submitted in the form of a dossier. This dossier must include:

1. The nominee’s curriculum vitae

2. A cover letter of nomination describing how the nominee meets the criteria, written by the nominator(s)

3. Letters written in support of the nomination

4. Documentation in support of the nomination, if applicable 

Nominations are accepted electronically via e-mail or file hosting service. After the submission deadline, members of the VRA Awards Committee review the submitted dossiers. The Awards Committee then makes recommendations to the VRA Executive Board.

The dossiers for the 2024 Distinguished Service Award and the 2024 Nancy DeLaurier Award are due by Friday, July 26th and should be sent to: vra.awards@gmail.com.

If you have any questions or need help, please contact Ann McShane or any member of the Awards Committee. We would be very happy to assist you in the nomination process.