Announcing the 2022 VRA Project Grant Recipient

The Visual Resources Association Executive Board is pleased to present the 2022 VRA Project Grant in the amount of $3000 to Carolyn Lucarelli, Manager, Center for Virtual/Material Studies at Penn State. The Center will collaborate on this project with the School of Theatre.During the fall 2022 semester, an undergraduate student will be hired to complete a digital inventory of the Fashion Archive. New identification numbers will be assigned while each piece is carefully photographed and documented (making use of the CostumeCore standard as funded in the 2019 Project Grant).In accordance with the VRA Project Grant Program and VRA mission to support broad access to visual and cultural information, the VRA is pleased to support an interdisciplinary project that will provide open access to not just the Penn State community but also costume and fashion historians online.The 2022 Project Grant Application process is now completed. Please check back in 2023 for the next Project Grant application announcement.For further information about the Project Grant Program, including eligibility and previous winners please see the Project Grant webpage. 

OPPORTUNITY: VRA Bulletin Content Editor

The Executive Board is now accepting applications for the position of Content Editor for the VRA Bulletin, our association’s open access journal! We encourage all members to consider this opportunity to gain experience in editorial work, writing, open access, and electronic publishing. The Bulletin is published twice per year and the Content Editor is compensated $750 per issue. The Content Editor’s term length is four years in order to ensure continuity of Bulletin leadership, but the term length may be renewed or reduced subject to Board approval.The term will officially commence in July 2022, with the incoming Content Editor taking responsibility for the Fall/Winter issue after training with current Content Editor Jasmine Burns over the summer. They will also have the advantage of partnering with the VRA Bulletin Production Editor Amy Lazet and working closely with peer reviewers and copy editors.The board would like to express our sincere gratitude to Jasmine for their service to the Bulletin! Over the past two years many in our community had conference panels canceled or converted to a virtual format. By encouraging the adaptation of these presentations into articles, Jasmine and Amy were able to solicit wonderful content for the Bulletin.The mission of the VRA Bulletin is to serve the membership of the VRA by providing a professional forum for the discussion and dissemination of ideas and information directly related to the field of visual resources. It is a journal of professional practice documenting the research, ideas, projects, activities, and history of the Visual Resources Association as well as the broader work of information professionals in image management. Articles authored by members of the Association and like-minded information professionals from outside VRA cover a wide range of topics including:

• digital imaging and digital projects
• cataloging and classification systems
• historical collections and archives
• digital humanities
• data standards
• education and professional development
• intellectual property rights and copyright
• library systems
• collection development
• digital curation and preservation
• visual literacy and instruction
• professional standards and ethics

A detailed charge and characteristic duties and responsibilities of the position follow below. To apply, please send a brief statement of interest, highlighting your relevant experience and skills, to Margaret McKee, VRA Public Relations and Communications Officer.The deadline for applications is Thursday, May 12, 2022.***Content Editor, VRA Bulletin Charge:To solicit and select news articles, professional information, and manuscripts for publication and to manage content uploaded to the electronic journal system. Partners with the Production Editor to plan and supervise the preparation and publication of the VRA Bulletin in electronic form.Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities:The VRA Bulletin Content Editor is appointed by and reports to the VRA Executive Board. The term of appointment is four years and any change in term is subject to Board approval. The term may be renewed or reduced by the Board. The VRA Bulletin Content Editor works in conjunction with the Production Editor.General

• In partnership with the Production Editor, plan and supervise the preparation and publication of the electronic VRA Bulletin.
• Develop and maintain editorial staff, peer reviewers, and occasional guest editors.
• Establish and maintain working relationships with Executive Board, Production Editor, Membership Services Coordinator, and attend Communications and Publications Group meetings at the annual conference whenever possible.
• Maintain VRA Bulletin editorial working files related to content.

Editorial

• Define and develop the content of the publication.
• Send out calls for content at least two times a year.
• Solicit and select articles, professional information, and manuscripts for publication.
• Work with editorial staff to review content and ask authors for revisions or copy editing.
• Make final decisions on the content for each issue.
• Oversee the progress of materials for publication, including editing for style, content, and organization.
• Write publication copy as needed.
• Communicate with the Production Editor on content readiness.

Administration

• Prepare the Mid-Year and Annual reports for the Executive Board with the Production Editor and include any budgetary information and requests.
• Work with the Executive Board to keep the electronic journal current with trends in electronic scholarship.

Apply now! VRA 2022 Project Grant

DEADLINE: May 27, 2022The Visual Resources Association 2022 Project Grant application period is now open. This grant program supports projects which reflect the VRA's mission to advance education, research, and outreach in the field of visual resources and image management.  A single grant is available during the spring 2022 cycle with up to $3000 to be awarded. This funding may be used for a stand-alone project, a pilot or start-up financing for a larger project, or for a significant component of a larger project. In general, collaborative projects and those proposed by groups, whether or not affiliated with an organization or institution, are encouraged. In addition, innovative projects that result in a broader impact and be shared throughout the global community are of particular interest. Due to the Coronavirus, we encourage applicants to submit proposals that can be accomplished remotely.  Categories to be considered for funding include, but are not necessarily 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  

The project must be completed within one year from the time the grant is formally accepted. The grant will be disbursed in two increments: $1500 at the start of the granting period, and $1500 pending the submission of a mid-project progress report. A final report, including a financial statement, on how the funds contributed to the project is due within one month of the project’s completion. Failure to complete the proposed project may result in the grantee returning the funds.  More information about the Project Grants, including the application form and previous recipients, can be found on the Visual Resources Association's website.For full consideration, please submit your application by Friday, May 27, 2022, 11:59PM Pacific Time. The recipient of the VRAF Project Grant will be announced by June 3, 2022. The Visual Resources Association has United States Internal Revenue Service status as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit entity. All elements of a proposed project must be performed within the legal parameters of United States local, regional, and federal government requirements. International applications are welcome from institutions or individuals provided applicant institutions have the equivalent of US non-profit status, and applicant individuals have a similar non-profit, educational purpose. If you have further questions about the Project Grant Program or the application process, please contact the VRA Executive Board Grants Officers.On behalf of the VRA Executive BoardRobb DetlefsBonnie Rosenberg

VRA Regional Workshops - Call for Hosts!

The Visual Resources Association (VRA) is pleased to announce that it is accepting host applications for the VRA Regional Workshop Program for 2022. The application deadline is Friday, May 6, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Thanks to the continued generous support from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, this program allows VRA to promote scholarship, research, education, and outreach in the fields of visual resources and image management. For the 2022 program, VRA will support at least four workshops. The VRA will provide significant logistical support, including locating a qualified instructor and managing registration. With the VRA Regional Workshop Grant, host institutions will be able to offer a workshop without the burden of developing it from within, and provide valuable programming not only to their local constituents, but also to their broader region. This opportunity is open to VRA Chapters, VRA affiliates, related information management organizations, museums, libraries, and academic institutions. For a reasonable registration fee, the workshops will provide an immersive experience on a single topic, framed in a manner that is relevant to digital asset management professionals, users of cultural heritage information, and the larger information community. Sites can apply to host either an online or in-person workshop, but we will not be supporting hybrid content at this time. Applications will be accepted to host one of the following workshops:

• A Thoughtful Approach to Project Management: From Fundamentals to Practice
• Can We Do That?: Intellectual Property Rights and Visual Media
• Collaborating Across the Institution: Creating Professional Partnerships to Support Cultural Heritage
• Digital Accessibility for Visual Collections
• Learning to Look and Looking to Learn: A Workshop on Visual Literacy
• Metadata and Management of Cultural Heritage Digital Media: From Fundamentals to Future Trends
• Moving Images: The Basics and Beyond
• Something Mappy This Way Comes: An Introduction to Digital Mapping Technologies
• Propose Your Own Workshop!

Click here to find a roster of these workshops including a broader description and whether they are available as online or in-person workshops. We will also consider applications in which the host site proposes its own workshop topic. International hosts are welcome to apply. Please review the description of the VRA Regional Workshop Program to confirm that your proposed workshop fits within both the program’s parameters and the larger goals of the VRA. To apply to host a Regional Workshop, please complete the application form. Roster of available workshopsRegional Workshop FAQIf you have additional questions about the program, please contact the Regional Workshop Implementation Team. The deadline for applications is Friday, May 6, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.

Press Release: 2022 VRA Award Recipients

PRESS RELEASEFor Immediate ReleaseContact: Visual Resources Association Online Address: http://vraweb.org/about/committees/awards-committee/

VISUAL RESOURCES ASSOCIATION PRESENTS 2022 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD TO JOLENE DE VERGES; NANCY DELAURIER AWARDS TO AFSANEH NAJMABADI FOR FOUNDING THE WOMEN’S WORLDS IN QAJAR IRAN DIGITAL ARCHIVE AND LAEL ENSOR-BENNETT AND KENDRA WERST FOR THEIR FOUNDATIONAL WORK WITH THE EQUITABLE ACTION COMMITTEE; AND AN HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS AWARD TO ALLAN T. KOHL.

BALTIMORE—The Visual Resources Association (VRA), a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to furthering research and education in the field of image management, proudly presented the 2022 Distinguished Service Award (DSA) to Jolene de Verges, Southern Methodist University’s (SMU) Director of the Jake and Nancy Hamon Arts Library, at the 40th annual Baltimore conference on March 31st. The VRA annually honors an individual who has made an outstanding career contribution to the field of visual resources and image management. DSA recipients have achieved a level of distinction through leadership, research, service to the profession, outstanding innovation, participation, or project management.

De Verges served twice on the Executive Board, as Secretary (2007-2009) and as President (2012-2014), and as Co-Chair of the Strategic Plan Task Force (2016-2017). On the Board, de Verges’ noteworthy combination of innovative vision and gentle pragmatism helped guide the Association toward new partnerships, areas of programming, administrative procedures and investment policies to promote the Association’s financial health. She helped raise VRA’s visibility by strengthening relationships with like-minded organizations and shepherding the creation of the International Chapter. A model collaborator in resource-sharing projects, de Verges oversaw VRA’s formal affiliation with the Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) and supported their SAHARA project. She helped expand VRA’s programming to support emerging areas of practice and scholarship, such as digital humanities, visual literacy, and video. Her Board created the External Speakers Fund, which provided additional incentives to attract new, non-member conference presenters in order to diversify the perspectives shared at VRA’s Annual Conferences.This tireless work for VRA is only surpassed by her stellar professional career and educational experience–she holds advanced degrees in library and information science as well as art history. De Verges currently is the well-respected director of the SMU’s Arts Library overseeing a staff of subject librarians, special collections, and access and operations staff. She previously held library and visual resources positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Smith College, the Worcester Art Museum and Quinsigamond Community College. De Verges’ generous spirit of mentorship has extended to many emerging professionals and students.De Verges richly deserves the DSA for her vision, leadership, mentorship, service and dedication to the field of visual resources. John Trendler, current VRA President, stated: “I had the distinct pleasure of serving on the executive board during Jolene’s presidency. She presided with compassion for the association; calmly moving initiatives and discussions with grace and agility. Congratulations to Jolene on this well-deserved award.”The Nancy DeLaurier Awards (NDL), named for one of the pioneers of the Visual Resources profession, honors distinguished achievement in the field of image management. “Achievement" is measured by immediate impact and may take the form of published work, oral presentation, project management, software development, technology application, website creation, or other outstanding effort. Two NDL awards were bestowed on March 31st in Baltimore.The 1st NDL award went to Afsaneh Najmabadi, Harvard University’s Francis Lee Higginson Professor of History and Women, Gender, and Sexuality, for founding, guiding, developing and sustaining the Women’s Worlds in Qajar Iran (WWQI) Digital Archive.WWQI focuses on collecting and making available digital images of Qajar era (1796 – 1925) primary source materials that were created by or are relevant to the lives of women, or that address issues of gender during this period. In 2009, after several years of developing the idea for WWQI, Najmabadi, along with four other Qajar scholars (Nahid Mozaffari, Dominic Brookshaw, Naghmeh Sohrabi, and Manoutchehr Eskandari--Qajar), received WWQI’s first major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.Since then, Najmabadi has been the Principal Investigator for this project and has provided overall leadership for all aspects of WWQI. In addition to setting the work’s intellectual direction and supervising the activities of the project, she has led the efforts in developing and maintaining relationships with external collaborators (particularly museums and archives) and has carried out a portion of the work with individual families, who have donated to the archive. She also manages the Harvard-based portion of the work.The WWQI Digital Archive uses digital technology to overcome the challenges of geography, politics and ownership to piece together a richer, more nuanced and complete picture of the transformative Qajar era. For these extended efforts, which have significantly enhanced research and teaching in Iranian history and many other disciplines resulting in the inclusion of 214 collections, 10,266 texts and 51,331 images in WWQI, VRA is honored to bestow this award on Professor Najmabadi.The 2nd NDL award was bestowed on Lael Ensor-Bennett, Johns Hopkins University’s Curator, Visual Resources Collection, and Kendra Werst, formerly Williams College’s Assistant Visual Resources Curator, now a Flower and Vegetable Farmer at Bluebird Meadows in Hurdle Mills, North Carolina, for their foundational work with the VRA Equitable Action Committee (EAC) and the innovative Community Hour programming.In response to growing calls for a “diversity committee” in recent years, Ensor-Bennett and Werst stepped up to form VRA’s Equitable Action Committee. As co-chairs, Ensor-Bennett and Werst gathered a diverse group of VRA members to accomplish the following: identify actionable initiatives; support equity and inclusion as well as underrepresented and minoritized members; educate and empower VRA members on topics related to accessibility and disability inclusion; and advise the Executive Board on matters related to equity. They have demonstrated dynamic leadership abilities, shown a welcoming spirit of collaboration, and developed important equity guidance for VRA as well as pertinent, accessible programming.One of the most important programs implemented under Ensor-Bennett and Werst’s leadership is the ongoing Community Hour discussion series. These gatherings are low-pressure virtual meetings that have allowed VRA members across the country to address pressing matters and check in on one another throughout the pandemic and beyond. It has created a space for members to talk about local challenges and to support one another. EAC programming has covered everything from critical cataloging to accessibility and equity in online instruction; from unionizing to mutual aid; from salary transparency to institutional responses to Black Lives Matter. Many sessions have invited both VRA member experts and external authorities to discuss a wide range of timely, pressing topics. The EAC has also worked with VREPS to provide programming specifically addressing concerns for those who are just starting their VR careers. They take extensive anonymized notes for their programs, ensuring privacy for attendees while inviting those unable to join Community Hour gatherings to still participate.​​For founding the EAC and establishing a spectacular model for how to support colleagues in an efficient and inclusive manner, Ensor-Bennett and Werst richly deserve the NDL, one of VRA’s highest honors. As their nominator, Andrew Wang stated, “They’ve truly breathed new life into VRA by providing leadership opportunities, representing some of the most marginalized members of our community both within and beyond VRA, and modeling ethical practices within our profession.”Special Honorary Life memberships (SHLM) are awarded to Individuals, designated representatives of an Institution, Contributing or Patron members by the Executive Board in recognition of eminent distinction in any of the fields of the Association’s purpose. Honorary Life members are not required to pay dues and they have all the privileges of Individual members.The 2022 Honorary Life Members Award was presented to Allan T. Kohl, Minneapolis College of Art & Design’s Librarian, Visual Resources and Library Instruction, in recognition of generous philanthropy, outstanding service and career-long dedication to the field of visual resources.Kohl is a familiar face in VRA with an extensive VRA service record and a big conference presence, as witnessed at the Baltimore 2022 conference and many before it. But, what makes him extraordinary is his heartfelt devotion to VRA and that he has no intention of slowing down. He continues to keep his hand in many VRA activities by choice. Among his numerous accomplishments are: extensive service on the VRA Board, committees, task forces, etc.; support of conference activities, especially fundraising activities and entertainment; major philanthropy funding the New Horizons travel awards for many years; progressive research, scholarship, presentations and publications; and valuable open resource development with Art Images for College Teaching.This Honorary Life Members Award comes at a perfect time in Kohl’s career to acknowledge his extraordinary dedication, terrific service, many kindnesses and abundant generosity to VRA. It provides a way to demonstrate the gratitude of the Association and its members for his Herculean efforts over many years. Kohl has now received the full VRA awards trifecta–Distinguished Service, DeLaurier, and Honorary Life Member Awards–and is so very deserving of them all.Congratulations to all of the 2022 VRA award recipients and thank you to the nominators.Award Ceremony Recording

VRA Identity Task Force Assembled

From VRA President Stephen Patton:

In June of this year I informed the membership that the VRA Executive Board had developed a charge for the VRA Identity Task Force. The charge is outlined below this correspondence. This effort is in response to VRA Strategic Plan Goal 1.1. To guide the direction of the VRA Strategic Plan, it is necessary for the Association to review the organization’s identity, vision, mission, and values.

Two examples of goals that are dependent on the work of the VRA Identity Task Force are: Strategic Direction 3: Membership; and 5: Communications and Marketing. Strategic Priorities like the creation of an integrated marketing plan to increase membership need the focus of a vision in order to be successful.

VRA Strategic Plan (summary), 2018

Betha Whitlow and Carolyn Lucarelli have agreed to co-chair the VRA Identity Task Force. The VRA Executive Committee provided guidance through the VRA Identity Task Force charge, but the Board has granted the Task Force independence in their work and membership selection. Betha and Carolyn have assembled a great team representing the diverse nature of the organization and the work of our members. Please support the Task Force in their efforts.

VRA Identity Task Force

Co-ChairsCarolyn Lucarelli, The Pennsylvania State UniversityBetha Whitlow, Washington University in St. LouisMembersMarcia Focht, Binghamton UniversityPatricia Guardiola, University of PennsylvaniaMargaret McKee, The Menil CollectionJeff Mixter, OCLC ResearchBrian Shelburne, University of Massachusetts, AmherstSue Tyson, California State ArchivesKendra Werst, Williams CollegeCharge:  Develop vision, mission, and core values statements that align with the Visual Resources Association (VRA) Strategic Plan Goal 1.1. Define the term “visual resources” and consider its relevance as a discipline and/or a field of practice to current and potential members (See Strategic Priorities 1.1.4). This may include a review of the name of the organization going forward. Evaluate the VRA’s current affiliate organizations and make recommendations for new affiliations that complement and strengthen VRA’s identity and membership. Identify peer organizations with similar membership numbers and functions as the VRA to provide a baseline for performance assessment and comparison. This entire process should be informed by membership feedback which could take the form of surveys, focus groups, web conferencing and any additional methods the task force deems effective. Review the VRA​ ​Strategic​ ​Plan​ ​2018-2022, the VRA Professional Status Task Force Report, and any other research the Task Force finds informative. The approach should be transparent, inclusive, just, and incorporate diverse representation when possible. The task force’s recommendations will likely result in a vote by the membership. 

Fair Use Week is Coming!

It's that time of year again - Fair Use Week! This February 26 - March 2, the IPR committee will once again be "taking over" the VRA's social media to promote Fair Use Week and provide additional resources for those interested in learning more. You can help increase visibility of this important concept by following, liking, and sharing content from Twitter (@VisResAssn) and Facebook.If you have thoughts or know of resources related to Fair Use that you would be willing to share, let Lael Ensor-Bennett (lensor@jhu.edu) or Margaret McKee (mmckee@menil.org) know - we welcome your involvement.

Membership Recruiting Challenge

VRA Members,Our Membership renewal drive a little different this year, as I’m sure you’ve seen. One of the new incentives the Board is initiating this year is a Membership Referral Challenge! The New Member Form now includes a place to indicate whether an individual referred the new member to the organization. The members who refer both the highest number of individual new members and the highest number of institutional members will receive an upgrade to a concierge room at the 34^th Annual VRA Conference in Lousiville. This room upgrade includes:

• Concierge lounge access (open Monday-Friday, closed on weekends)
• Complimentary food including continental breakfasts, midday snacks, hors d’oevres, dessert, and non-alcoholic beverages
• An honor bar
• Complimentary business services

The challenge will extend through February 28^th 2017, the last day of Early-Bird Conference Registration. Let’s encourage our colleagues and students to consider the benefits that VRA membership offers.Melanie Clark

2016 DLF Fellows

Dear all — this is just a quick line to share a public announcement about the first group of fellows in our Kress-funded program: https://www.diglib.org/archives/12750/This includes the four folks who will be attending the DLF Forum in Milwaukee and one DLFer headed to MCN.Many thanks to Becca for putting together such a nice round-up of statements and smiling faces!We’ll be promoting the ARLIS/NA, AIC, and VRA travel opportunities to DLF community members in good time — starting with ARLIS/NA (deadline November 1st!).All best,Bethany NowviskieDirector of the Digital Library Federation (DLF) at CLIRResearch Associate Professor of Digital Humanities, UVadiglib.org | clir.org | ndsa.org | nowviskie.org | she/her/hers

Design Your VRA Conference Branding!

VRA Members,Need a project to put your visual mind to? The VRA Board invites you to participate in a design contest for the 2017 VRA Conference visual branding. The winning design will be used on the 2017 Conference website and print materials. Our conference branding in the past has consisted of logos, banners, or both (see examples below). We are leaving it flexible for you to be creative with your designs. The design may include original artwork, a photo, or a hybrid. Designs should be representative of Louisville, i.e. the skyline, waterfront, or things Louisville is known for (horses, baseball, bourbon, or arts scene, etc.).SpecificationsDimensions: 3000 pixels on the long side, 300 dpiPreferred file format: TIFFFile size limit: 25MBRequired textual content: VRA 34 / Louisville KY / 2017Optional content: "Unbridled Opportunities" / March 28-April 1, 2017You may submit as many entries as you like, and we encourage you to involve students with an interest in attending the conference, even if they are not currently VRA members. The VRA Board will select a design and the winner will receive attribution on the 2017 conference website, as well as a $50 discount on 2017 Conference registration OR, if the winner is unable to attend the conference, a $50 discount on next year’s membership.Designs should be submitted to: melanie.clark@ttu.eduSubmission deadline: September 2, 2016Winner announced: September 9, 2016VRA reserves the right to make minor modifications for various print formats.Examples from past conferences:

• http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra32/
• http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra33/
• httpS://vraweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Minneapolis_2011_web.pdf
• http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra30/
• http://vrawebor.ipower.com/conferences/toronto2009/index.html
• http://vrawebor.ipower.com/conferences/sandiego2008/index.html

Melanie ClarkArchitecture Image LibrarianArchitecture LibraryTexas Tech University806-834-5377melanie.clark@ttu.edu

Message from the VRA President: New appointments and Executive Board activities

I hope you are all well and enjoying the first days of summer. I’m emailing to let you know what the VRA Executive Board has been up to since our annual conference in Seattle.We are pleased to announce the following new Task Forces and appointments:VRA Strategic Plan Task Force:The Board has appointed Jolene de Verges, Southern Methodist University, and Elaine Paul, University of Colorado, Boulder to co-Chair the Strategic Plan Task Force (SPTF) as well as the following members to work with them on the SPTF :

• Heidi Eyestone, Carleton College
• Sarah Gillis, Worcester Art Museum
• Beth Wodnick Haas, Princeton University
• Billy Kwan, New York School of Interior Design
• Meghan Musolff, University of Michigan
• Molly Tighe, Chatham University

The charge and timeline:Beginning with a review of the 2008 VRA Strategic Plan, the data gathered by the ARLIS/NA - VRA Joint Task Force on Professional Standards Criteria, and the 2016 final report of the Professional Status Task Force, the Task Force will provide a status assessment and proceed to make recommendations for initiatives going forward. The Task Force will focus on the areas of: programs and services, membership, technology, financial structure, organization and governance, and leadership in the field.Initiatives will be developed according to the following criteria:– achievable within a 5 year period to commence in January 2018– include measurable activities and tasks– provide an estimated chronology of eventsRecommendations will take the form of a written report that will be delivered to the Executive Board by June 30, 2017. The report will then be presented to the VRA membership at the 2018 annual conference.Online Learning Task Force:The Board has appointed Marsha Taichman, Cornell University, to chair the Online Learning Task Force (OLTF) as well as the following members to serve on the OLTF:Betha Whitlow, Washington UniversityStephen Patton, Indiana State UniversityMarie Elia, University of BuffaloJasmine Burns, Indiana UniversityChris Strasbaugh, Ohio State UniversityThe charge and timeline:Beginning with an environmental scan of online learning approaches in similar organizations, such as the Art Libraries Society of North America, the Music Library Association, the Special Library Association, a review of the 2016 Professional Status Task Force report, and a brief report from the President’s April 2016 leadership webinar, the Task Force will identify the various factors for consideration relating to VRA's pursuit of online professional development opportunities. These will support the professional development needs of our members, provide new benefits of membership, serve as outreach to potential new members, offer a potential source of Association revenue, and further establish VRA as an authority on a variety of digital content issues. In its investigations, the Task Force will confer with various stakeholders, including the Education Committee, the VRA Foundation, the Executive Board in general and the Vice President for Conference Program in particular, as well as the VRA membership. The Task Force will offer at least two additional pilot webinars, from which it can assess and document successes and challenges. In its final report, to be delivered to the Executive Board by January 31, 2017, the Task Force will provide a set of recommendations for proceeding with this initiative. The factors addressed will include:

• technical considerations for the GoToMeeting platform and other potential complementary software
• mechanisms for soliciting and selecting relevant content and instructors; frequency of offerings; low-cost budget models with potential fee structures, if any
• means of assessment
• methods of coordinating educational content within VRA and VRAF, such as annual and regional conferences, regional workshops, and SEI
• recommendations for models of ongoing Association oversight

Social Networking Coordinator:I’d like to extend sincere thanks to Stephanie Beene for the energy and time that she invested over the past year as our Social Networking Coordinator.  I know that many members appreciated information that she posted about conference news, events, etc. in our social networking environments.  Stephanie has stepped down from the position, and I am pleased to announce and welcome Kate Thornhill, Oregon Health and Science University, as our newly appointed Social Networking Coordinator.  Kate will be stepping into that role as of July 1, 2016.The charge:Engage in outreach for VRA by following the Visual Resources Association’s Social Media Plan to efficiently and regularly post relevant, informative, or eye-catching content to the various Web 2.0 sites in which VRA participates (currently Twitter and Facebook).Membership Services CoordinatorLise Hawkos has renewed her contract with the VRA for FY2017. We are pleased to be able to continue this relationship with Lise and are grateful for the time she invests in supporting our members.A summary of Board member activities:Some of you may have heard from the Board through response letters to your annual reports, which document the activities of Chapters, Committees, Task Forces, Liaisons, Appointees, etc. All Board members share in the effort of responding to these reports, and we are truly inspired by the work that is happening as a result of our your time and dedication to your professions and the VRA.Speaking of dedication and time, I would like to thank my fellow Executive Board members for their remarkable commitment to both VRA and the profession. We have been meeting weekly online and monthly via conference calls to address a wide range of Association business. While attending to a large number of organizational issues, each Board member has also been busy focusing on the specific duties associated with his or her position.Following the annual conference, Secretary Jasmine Burns transcribed and condensed notes from the Board’s two annual meetings, our joint VRA/VRAF Business meeting, and our joint VRA/ARLIS-NA Business meeting in Seattle into our official minutes. This is no small task, considering that the VRA Board business meeting alone spanned 17 hours over the course of two days. Jasmine also worked to revise our mid-year report template so that we are able to better track leadership changes. Reports were due on June 15th, so Jasmine is in the process of organizing them so that Board members can access and review them efficiently before we conduct our Mid-year Board meeting.Vice President for Conference Program, Chris Strasbaugh, administered post-conference surveys for attendees and non-attendees. Chris is using the results of that survey to plan conference content that will meet your professional development needs. The 2017 Annual Conference will be held at the Louisville Marriott Downtown in Louisville, Kentucky from March 29th-April 1st.  You may have seen Chris’ call for proposals on VRA-L.  Chris also distributes this to other affiliated and like-minded associations, so ideas for a great conference are being generated as we speak.  There’s still time to submit a proposal, but the deadline is approaching quickly.  Please don’t be shy about proposing your content ideas by July 5th, 2016.Vice President for Conference Arrangements, Ryan Brubacher, has been working with both the Louisville Marriott staff and Tom Costello, our conference destination consultant, to address logistics surrounding the VRA mid-year board meeting (July 25-27th, 2016) and the annual conference (March 29 – April 1, 2017). Ryan also coordinated the renewal of Tom’s contract with the VRA, for which we are grateful.  Tom does extensive work in collaboration with Ryan to investigate and secure venue options for our annual conferences as well as communicate with hotel staff about our needs during the conference. An investigation of potential 2018 conference venues is currently underway.Public Relations Communications Officer, Melanie Clark, has been working diligently with Heather Rayl, Website Content Manager, to keep our website functional and up-to-date. Melanie has updated org email addresses for various VRA leadership positions and managed numerous projects for various groups in Basecamp, the Association’s project management software. Melanie will be updating the VRA web soon to reflect the new appointments mentioned above.Treasurer, Jeannine Keefer, has processed many conference expense payments and requests for reimbursements. She has been working to close the current FY2016 budget and prepare FY2017 budget.  Jeannine has also coordinated the contract renewal of our Accountant, Eileen Xethelis (CFO Consulting Partners LLC), who provides valuable consulting services for the VRA.  Jeannine also serves as a member of the Financial Advisory Committee and communicates as needed with members of the VRA Foundation about financial and fundraising matters.Past President, Elaine Paul, has worked with past presidents Maureen Burns and Jolene de Verges on updating the Organizational Policies and Procedures Manual and (as previously mentioned) will co-chair the SPTF with Jolene de Verges. Elaine has been an invaluable source of information and guidance for me in transitioning into my role as President.Up next…

• The Board will receive the Professional Status Task Force report on June 30th, and we look forward to reviewing and using it as a tool to assess member and non-member professional needs and help us think about benefits that we can offer current and prospective members.  This report will be useful to many of our committees for various reasons, and we look forward to sharing it with all of you soon.
• As always, we strive to address membership recruitment and retention. We will continue work with the Membership Committee and with the Membership Services Coordinator on outreach activities relating to this year’s membership renewal campaign. VRA’s leaders met online in April to discuss the Association’s identity and how we all can effectively communicate this with others and connect it to the work we are doing.  The ideas and concerns that we share are important to address as we think about the health of the Association and our professional roles.  I would like to offer periodic online discussions with VRA leaders, and the Board is also investigating ways to bring this discussion forward at a broader scale—perhaps during the annual conference.
• The dialog about the cultivation and efficiency of leadership within VRA will remain a priority. While online and conference discussions with leaders have been important, we are thinking creatively about how to make it easier for new members to learn about and become involved in the VRA.   Ideas are emerging around how this might be formatted as a conference event, and we will provide more information about that in the next months.
• We will continue the ongoing focus on outreach to and collaboration with other organizations in the coming year. We are working again this year with the DLF and CLIR to coordinate another cross-pollinator grant that would support a VRA member’s attendance to 2016 DLF conference and a DLF member’s attendance to the 2017 VRA conference.  I will update you on that is more information becomes available.
• Fundraising for the Association, our annual conference, and the vital travel awards program is an ongoing topic. We will work with the Development Committee, the Travel Awards Committee, and the VRA Foundation to continue harmonizing our various fundraising activities, and to develop new strategies for raising money for VRA and travel awards.
• The publishing and communications program for the Association is also an area of continued focus.  We encourage submissions from all of you, and you can review the guidelines here: http://online.vraweb.org/vrab/submguide.html . Currently, access VRA Bulletin content is a member-only benefit for the duration of a 6 month embargo period, after which the content is made available openly. The Board will be reviewing this model with Maureen Burns (Content Editor) and Hannah Marshall (Production Editor) within the upcoming months.  It is important to re-evaluate from time-to-time how we make information about the work we do accessible to each other and others beyond the VRA.

We on the Board now turn our attention to the mid-year Board meeting in Louisville next month, and this begins our focused planning for the 2017 conference. We wish you a happy, healthy, and productive summer. Please do not hesitate to contact us (or me personally) with questions or concerns:board@vraweb.orgjennifer.w.green@dartmouth.eduSincerely,Jen Green, VRA President 

2016 Awards Committee Survey

The VRA Awards Committee invites you to participate in a brief survey; your responses will help us to identify worthy potential recipients of VRA's prestigious awards—the Nancy DeLaurier Award and the Distinguished Service Award. You will find both descriptions and a list of previous recipients on our web site. Here is the link to the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/N6PRM5K. This survey will be active until June 22.This is your opportunity to let us know about professional colleagues, teachers, and mentors who deserve recognition. Remember, the potential award recipient need not be a member of VRA; however, the nomination must be submitted by a VRA member or members. If you are willing to serve as a moderator or co-moderator or a writer of a letter in support of a nomination, please tell us.Thank you so much for participating in this survey. Your responses will be put to good use.On behalf of the Awards Committee: Linda Callahan, Erin McCall, Lise Hawkos, Jodi Hoover, Martine Sherrill, Marsha TaichmanMargaret N. WebsterChair, VRA Awards CommitteeVisual Resources ConsultantDirector Emerita, Knight Visual Resources FacilityCornell University109 Iroquois RoadIthaca, NY 14850 Website: http://sites.google.com/site/imintegPhone: 607 351-5124Email: mnw3@cornell.edu

VRA Annual Conference - CFP

The Visual Resources Association’s 34th Annual Conference will be held in Louisville, Kentucky from Wednesday, March 29^th, through Saturday, April 1st^, 2017, in the Louisville Marriott Downtown hotel.  The theme for the Louisville conference is unbridled opportunities. Please mark your calendars.Proposals are now being solicited for the 2017 program case studies, papers, posters, sessions, special interest/user groups, and workshops.  All proposals are welcome.  Click here to go to the conference proposal form.The quality of conference content depends upon YOUR ideas and contributions, so let those creative juices flow.   Past conference schedules show the diversity of ideas and witty titles. We've noted some areas of concentrated interest and listed topics suggested by conference goers to get you thinking or you can use your imagination to propose ideas which expand our outlook.  If there is an area of concern or interest that you feel has not been adequately addressed, please participate in this process by submitting a proposal.  Moderators may put out calls for presenters within a proposed topic before or after the submission of a proposal.  The VRA Executive Board will be looking for articulate and concise submissions with lists of presenters, when applicable.Data Wrangling - we can’t escape it, we can only tame it

• Perspectives on cataloging
• Linked open data
• Embedded metadata
• Data visualization
• Copyright, copy-left and copy-wrong

 Projects - whether cutting edge or managing the basics we want to hear about your work

• Stories of success or stories of failure
• Stories that are still being told

The Workplace - from workflows to work woes, what’s going on at the office that you could share

• Cross departmental boundaries and language barriers
• Tales and tips of digitization and workflows
• Changing spaces, new spaces, and makerspaces
• Institutional collaboration
• Museums and archives

Expanding VR - how is your job growing, or where would you like to see VR go next?

• Adventures in GIS
• Alternative careers and new opportunities in the field
• The social media spectrum
• Digital humanities
• Archives and analog materials
• Issues in marketing, copyright, and licensing
• Digital repository development and management

A session is a maximum 90 minute moderated session with 3 to 4 speakers at 15 to 20 minutes each followed by a facilitated brief question and answer period.A workshop is a 2, 3 or 4 hour workshop to develop skills and experience in the field of visual resources, preferably with hands-on activities.A paper is an individual idea submission, which will be reviewed for possible grouping into a session.A special interest/user group is a 60 to 90-minute informal facilitated group discussion on topics related to a specific community within VRA.A case study is detailed information about an individual, small group, or project, generally including the accounts of subjects themselves.  Moderators are encouraged to submit proposals.  Individual case study proposals will be reviewed for possible groupings similar to the session format.Questions about the proposal process and the various presentation formats included in the VRA Conference program can be directed to me at strasbaughvra@gmail.com.The proposal deadline is Wednesday, July 5, 2016.  I look forward to hearing from you!Chris Strasbaugh 

VRA-SAH Survey Available Until May 9

The VRA and the Society of Architectural Historians are partnering on a project to salvage and process collections of 35mm slides of architectural value and interest.   This survey will help identify potential institutional partners.  Please take a moment to read more about the project here:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BJ6RBMBThe survey closes May 9.   If you have any questions, please contact Jackie Spafford

VRA Honors VRA Core 4.0 Developers Esme Cowles, Ben Kessler, Trish Rose-Sandler, and Jan Eklund with 2015 Nancy DeLaurier Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASETHE VRA HONORS ESMÉ COWLES, JAN EKLUND, BEN KESSLER, AND TRISH ROSE-SANDLER WITH 2015 NANCY DELAURIER AWARDMarch 18, 2016 -¬- The Visual Resources Association is pleased to announce Esmé Cowles, Jan Eklund, Ben Kessler, and Trish Rose-Sandler as the 2015 of the Nancy DeLaurier Award in recognition of their groundbreaking work in developing VRA Core 4.0 and the accompanying XML schema. The award was presented by Johanna Bauman and Maureen Burns at the third ARLIS/NA + VRA joint conference convocation ceremony held in Seattle, Washington on Friday, March 11, 2016.The Nancy DeLaurier Award, named for one of the pioneers of the visual resources profession, annually honors a 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 effort. Johanna Bauman observed, “as a data structure standard, VRA Core 4.0 now stands along Cataloging Cultural Objects and the Getty Vocabularies in receiving official recognition with the receipt of this DeLaurier Award, and the colleagues primarily responsible for this standards trifecta have now been fully acknowledged.”The many letters of support for the VRA Core 4.0 nomination highlight the distinction of this accomplishment. Marcia Zeng remarked, “VRA Core 4.0 has charted a patch to transcent the information silos of past systems by facilitating the construction of interoperable and sharable data…The impact of VRA Core 4.0 is so significant that virtually all ALA accredited library and information science programs now teach it.”In Trish’s acceptance speech she noted: "Our goal with Core 4 was to provide a data structure that was both modular and flexible so that it could easily be adapted to … changes and the recent RDF expression of the Core indicates its inherent versatility." She continues with a warning, “…a data standard is not just something you publish and walk away from if you really want to see it survive and thrive. It is a living, breathing thing that has to be actively sustained.”The members of the VRA Awards Committee are: Margaret Webster (Chair), Linda Callahan, Lise Hawkos, Jodi Hoover, Erin, McCall, Martine Sherrill, Marsha Taichman, and John Trendler (Awards Committee Board Liaison).About the Visual Resources AssociationThe Visual Resources Association (VRA) is a multi-disciplinary organization dedicated to furthering research and education in the field of image and media management within the educational, cultural heritage, and commercial environments. The Association is committed to providing leadership in the visual resources field, developing and advocating standards, and offering educational tools and opportunities for the benefit of the community at large. VRA implements these goals through publication programs and educational activities.::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::VRA Core on the WebVRA Core Schemas and Documentation (Library of Congress Official Site)VRA Core Support Pages

VRAF Regional Workshop: Visual Literacy: Learning to Look and Looking to Learn

Visual Literacy: Learning to Look and Looking to Learn

VRAF Regional WorkshopUniversity of California BerkeleyFebruary 26th, 2016Session 1:  10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Berkeley Art MuseumSession 2:  2:00 p.m.-4:45 p.m., Visual Resources Center, 308A Doe LibraryThe Visual Resources Association Foundation is pleased to announce that registration for Visual Literacy: Learning to Look and Looking to Learn is now live! This workshop will be held at University of California Berkeley on February 26th, 2016, one of two workshops being offered in the first year of the VRAF Regional Workshop Program.  This workshop will be hosted by the Visual Resources Center in the History of Art Department at UC Berkeley, and is open to image management professionals, image users, and the broader information and educational community. The VRAF is grateful to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation for their generous support of this new opportunity.Part one of this workshop will focus on visual literacy skills and pedagogical approaches by exploring objects at the new Berkeley Art Museum. In part two of the workshop, participants will discuss and develop ways to implement their own visual literacy program at their institutions, and learn how staff, students and faculty can use digital archives, art objects, and other primary sources in developing visual literacy skills.InstructorVisual Literacy: Learning to Look and Looking to Learn will be taught by Jessica Sack, the Jan and Frederick Mayer Senior Associate Curator of Public Education at the Yale University Art Gallery. During her fifteen years in the field of museum education, Jessica has developed training programs in visual literacy for information professionals, teachers, faculty, and students.RegistrationThe fee for the workshop is $75 for either the morning or afternoon session, or $125 for the full day.  To register or learn more about Visual Literacy: Learning to Look and Looking to Learn, visit http://vrafoundation.org.s119319.gridserver.com/index.php/projects/visual_literacy_regional_workshop/If you have questions about registration, feel free to contact Betha Whitlow, VRAF Director, bwhitlow@wustl.edu For questions about the University of California Berkeley venue, please contact Lynn Cunningham, Curator of Visual Resources, lynncunningham@berkeley.edu.

Joan La Barbara performing her "Circular Song" on our plush circle.

A photo posted by BAMPFA (@bampfa) on Mar 14, 2014 at 7:57pm PDT

VRAF Regional Workshop: Exhibit, Instruct, Promote: An Introduction to Omeka for Digital Scholarship

Exhibit, Instruction, Promote: An Introduction to Omeka for Digital Scholarship

VRAF Regional Workshop Hunter College, City University of New YorkFebruary 19th, 2016 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.The Visual Resources Association Foundation is pleased to announce that registration for Exhibit, Instruct, Promote: An Introduction to Omeka for Digital Scholarship, is now live! This workshop will be held at Hunter College, City University of New York, on February 19th, 2016, one of two workshops being offered in the first year of the VRAF Regional Workshop Program.  This workshop will be hosted by the Judith and Stanley Zabar Art Library, and is open to image management professionals, image users, and the broader information and educational community. The VRAF is grateful to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation for their generous support of this new opportunity.Omeka is a rich, open-source web publishing tool with a diverse array of functions for digital scholarship projects. For information professionals, faculty and students, Omeka can provide an easy way to publish and share digital content, as well as serve as a platform for building online exhibitions as academic and/or student projects.  In this full-day workshop, participants will be provided with a comprehensive overview of both Omeka.net (hosted) and Omeka.org (installed on a server) and case studies that demonstrate the use of Omeka in a variety of contexts, ranging from providing access to digital collections to projects that engage students in the learning process. While focused on Omeka, this workshop also will touch on other similar tools used for digital scholarship (such as Scalar) and offer practical information for planning digital projects.InstructorExhibit, Instruct, Promote will be taught by Meghan Musolff, Special Projects Librarian for Library IT at the University of Michigan Library. As part of her role, Meghan coordinates the U-M Library’s implementation of Omeka for the creation and presentation of online exhibits.RegistrationThe fee for Exhibit, Instruct, Promote is $125. To register or learn more about the workshop, visit http://vrafoundation.org.s119319.gridserver.com/index.php/projects/omeka_for_digital_scholarship_regional_workshop/If you have questions about registration, feel free to contact Betha Whitlow, VRAF Director, bwhitlow@wustl.edu. For questions about the Hunter College venue, please contact Steven Kowalik, Art Librarian, Judith and Stanley Zabar Art Library, skowalik@hunter.cuny.edu

Visual Resources Librarian or Digital Library Practitioner? Reflections on the 2015 DLF Forum

This Forum Update was provided by Andrea Schuler, Visual Resources Librarian for Islamic Architecture, MIT Libraries, Aga Khan Documentation Center.Ms. Schuler is the first recipient of the VRA + DLF Cross-Pollinator Fellowship, and attended the 2015 Digital Library Federation Forum. Her blog post, on the Digital Library Federation blog, describes her experiences at the Forum. 

Support the VRA – Shop Cyber Monday on Amazon!

Greetings All,Amazon is offering some truly amazing deals this week. How about a 42 piece set of Rubbermaid storage containers for all of those holiday leftovers? Why not buy a DC Comics Wonder Woman Apron or a Cat Playpen for everyone on your shopping list?Remember, a percentage of your purchase will go directly to the VRA. Just use the links located in the Support Us section located on the lower right side of the Association’s homepage.Happy Shopping!Barbara Brenny and Marie EliaCo-Chairs, VRA Development Committee

VRA Travel Awards Available - Apply Today!

We are delighted to announce that VRA Travel Awards are available for attendance at the 2016 joint VRA/ARLIS conference in Seattle, Washington March 8-12.  The deadline for receipt of applications will be Monday, November 9, 12pm EST.  The list of recipients will be announced on the VRA listserv the week commencing December 7.A preliminary conference schedule with a listing of workshops and sessions will be available soon. Information about registration and travel is already available on the conference site. http://www.arlisna-vra.org/seattle2016/hotel.phpBefore you apply, PLEASE READ "Travel Awards Rules, Guidelines, and Tips” for VRA Travel Awards Applicants, and "Types of Travel Awards."The application is available in the Travel Committee's page, and directly here. You do not need to be a member of the VRA to apply for a travel award, but please note that upon winning an award an applicant who is not a member of VRA must purchase a membership. Please also note that award checks are distributed at the conference and as such, recipients will not have access to those funds ahead of the conference to set against travel expenses.In order to allow funding to go further, 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/ other support. N.B. Travel Awards are only intended to assist people's attendance at the conference, so you should be prepared to seek funding from elsewhere.For 2016, we are fortunate to have generous financial support from sponsors and funds provided by the membership including:* Two New Horizons awards of $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 attendees* A New Horizons student award of $300, for a full-time student enrolled in an accredited degree program and considering a career in visual resources* Kathe Hicks Albrecht award of $850* Tansey fund awards ranging from $250 to $850 eachMore 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 if you have any questions not answered by the documents noted above.So don't delay - apply today!We look forward to receiving your applications,Vicky Brown & Jeannine KeeferCo-Chairs, VRA Travel Awards Committee