Registration Open! VRA Webinar: Stories from the Start
VRA 2020 Baltimore Cancelled
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the VRA Executive Board has cancelled the VRA 2020 Baltimore annual conference. A more detailed message has been sent to conference registrants. If you have any questions, please email board@vraweb.org.
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Update
As many of you know the situation surrounding the response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) has been changing day by day. The VRA Executive Board has been in constant communication regarding the multiple moving pieces in the program and arrangements, and the impact of changing travel plans. We are aware that many institutions are now restricting travel. A more detailed message has been sent to conference registrants. If you have any questions, please email board@vraweb.org.
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Events
Greetings All,The Equitable Action Committee invites you to attend the many events during VRA 2020 that are related to the VRA’s equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts.
- Incorporating Diversity in our Workplace: All are Welcome, but How Do We Get There? - Tuesday, March 24 • 10:30am - 11:45am
- How to GLAM in "Charm City:" Community Building between Baltimore and Its Cultural Institutions - Wednesday, March 25 • 10:15am - 11:45am
- VRA Convocation with Visual Resources Association Foundation Legacy Lecture speaker Ashley Minner presenting “Repatriating the Archives: An Urban Reservation Reunion” - Wednesday, March 25 • 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
- American Visionary Art Museum Tour ($) - Wednesday, March 25 • 12:00pm - 1:00pm
- Introduction to Critical Cataloging for Visual Resources Professionals Workshop ($) - Thursday, March 26 • 8:15am - 12:15pm
- Stories from the Start - Thursday, March 26 • 10:45am - 11:45am
- Equitable Action Committee Meeting - Thursday, March 26 • 12:30pm - 1:15pm
- Accessibility and Universal Design - Thursday, March 26 • 1:30pm - 2:30pm
- Anticipating Future Needs of Visual Literacy - Thursday, March 26 • 3:45pm - 4:45pm
- Oral Histories for the Uninitiated: Transcribing, Copyright, Metadata and Everything in Between - Friday, March 27 • 9:30am - 10:30am
- Community - Friday, March 27 • 11:00am - 12:00pm
- Navigating International Intellectual Property Rights for Teaching and Publishing in the Humanities - Friday, March 27 • 11:00am - 12:00pm
- Highlights of Hopkins Tour ($) - Friday, March 27 • 2:00pm - 4:30pm
Additionally, this newly formed committee will be at the Community Partnership Event collecting your concerns related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. If you are unable to attend VRA2020 and have suggestions, you may fill out the form here (http://bit.ly/EAC2020).Contributed by:Equitable Action Committee Co-chairs:
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Night Out at the Walters Art Museum & A Note About Thursday
Hieronymus Francken II and Jan Brueghel the Elder, The Archdukes Albert and Isabella Visiting the Collection of Pierre Roose, ca. 1621-1623, oil on panel, Walters Art Museum (Creative Commons Zero)
You might have noticed Dinner and Night out at the Walters Art Museum on the Sched---the fabulous Walters Art Museum is always free and open until 9 pm on Thursday nights! Located on historic Mt. Vernon Place with the Mt. Vernon Place United Methodist Church, the George Peabody Library, the Washington Monument, and just a few blocks from the Maryland Historical Society, the Walters is an encyclopedic collection of 36,000 objects covering more than seven millennia, from 5,000 BCE to the 21st century.
While some of you may be attending the The Walters Art Museum: Chamber of Wonders Tour at 4 pm (as of this post, there are still spots left, email join@vraweb.org to add a tour!), other conference attendees interested in spending a casual evening with other VRA’ers should meet in the hotel lobby at 5 pm or at 6 pm to find other interested parties. From there, it’s just a short $8-10 Lyft ride or free Charm City Circulator ride to Mt. Vernon. Please note that the visitor entrance to the Walters is on Centre Street. Once there, attendees may explore the museum at their own pace. Exhibitions up during our visit will include The St. Francis Missal, Excursions through the Collection, and From Mucha To Morris: Books of the Art Nouveau.
Walters Art Museum Building, Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons)
Feel free to stay at the museum until the doors close at 9 pm! But, if you’re wanting to grab dinner at one of the marvelous restaurants in Mt. Vernon with other conference attendees, sign up here for one of our Dinearounds at 7:30 or 8 pm. If you have signed up for a Dinearound, please meet at the Walters Art Museum gift shop at the noted meeting time on the signup. If you’d rather explore this culinary neighborhood on your own, we recommend:
B&O Brasserie, Brewer’s Art, Cazbar Turkish, Dukem Restaurant, the Helmand, Homeslyce, Hotel Indigo, Indigma Modern Indian Bistro, Maisy's, Mick O'Shea's Irish Pub, Minato, Mt. Vernon Marketplace, Owl Bar, Tabor Ethiopian, Topside
While the Walters is always open until 9 pm on Thursdays, this particular Thursday is also a big day for the downtown areas of Baltimore. Orioles Opening Day at 3:05 pm will draw a large number of folks to the harbor area and other areas of downtown Baltimore from early in the day through late in the evening. While you will see Yankee fans, as well, you will also see a sea of orange clad baseball fans filling many of the sidewalks and streets. The largest concentration will likely be around Pickles Pub, but expect traffic delays and larger crowds.
Contributor:Lael Ensor-BennettVRA Vice President for Conference ArrangementsJohns Hopkins University
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Hotel Rates Ending, Add Workshops and Tours
550 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21202(410) 234-0550 / 1-800-766-3782Block Name: Visual Resources Association 2020 Annual ConferenceGroup Code: 0329VSRSAS$149 per night, single/double occupancy, plus taxes and fees
Please contact the VP for Conference Arrangements with any questions about reservations.
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Very Close to Washington, D.C.
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Very Close to Washington, D.C. Consider taking a quick trip to D.C. after the conference! D.C. is only a 45-minute train ride away! Read on for travel tips, museum information, and food picks!GETTING TO D.C. MARC Train
- MARC Schedule and Timetable
- Tickets can be bought in advance online or at the station. You will have to purchase tickets each way. It’s $8 each way from Penn Station-Baltimore to Union Station-Washington, D.C. The MARC train leaves 1x or 2x per hour until 9pm.
Drive
- 1 hour. Driving to D.C. is recommended after or before rush hour. Rush hour is typically 7-10am and 3-6pm on weekdays. Street parking in D.C. can be tricky around the National Mall, Capitol Hill, and Georgetown so garage parking is recommended ($25-50 for 6hrs+).
GETTING AROUND D.C.Metro Rail or Bus: Residents and commuters frequently take the Metro Rail or Bus. Metro Rail fares are determined by destination and time-of-day (peak hours are 5am-9:30am and 3-7pm), starting at $2.25. Metro Bus is a flat $2 fee for each ride. Metro Rail runs 5am-11:30pm (M-Th), 5am-1am (Fri), 7am-1am (Sat) and 8am-11pm (Sun).All riders need a MetroCard. Cards can be purchased (cash or credit card) in any Metro station and costs $5 minimum with $4 to spend immediately (there’s a $1 fee for new cards). These are plastic cards and can be refilled at any station. Ronald Reagan National Airport is accessible by Metro Rail. Take the Yellow Line towards Huntington. All station managers are eager to help D.C. visitors so they’ll answer any questions you may have!D.C. Circulator: $1 flat-fee bus service along certain routes in D.C. Check the routes and schedule to see if it goes where you’re going. They accept MetroCards. Insider Tip: Take the National Mall route to enjoy a ride around the monuments for only $1. Capital Bikeshare: Find a docking station (they’re red and everywhere) and start biking! A 30-min ride costs $2 without having to sign up for a membership. Or you can buy a 24-hour pass for $8. Pick up a bike from any docking station, start biking, and return it to any docking station near your destination. Insider Tip: These are great alternatives to walking along the National Mall. Electric Scooters: You’ll find these everywhere in D.C. You’ll need the corresponding App to use any of these. Brands include Lyft (convenient because you can use the Lyft app), Spin, Skip and Jump. You can base your decision on whichever you see first on the sidewalks or pick one, download their App, and locate one nearby. Or you can look on Google Maps to see if one, of any brand, is nearby. Insider Tip: Stick to wide sidewalks otherwise use bike lanes.Walk: D.C. is a very walkable city and if the weather is nice, I highly recommend walking! Cars: D.C. is flooded with Lyft and Uber options. Costs depend on time of time (meaning traffic) and popular areas. When it rains in D.C., everyone rushes to their Lyft and Uber Apps so costs will surge suddenly. There usually is no cost difference between Lyft and Uber. Cabs: There are plenty of cabs around town especially near the Mall and airport. These will add up quickly if there’s traffic but can also cost the same, just depends on where you go. They accept cash and credit cards.STAY IN D.C.If you want to extend your stay after the conference, there are plenty of hotel options in D.C. and most, if not all, are close to a Metro stop. Some popular options that D.C.’ers even choose for staycations are the Conrad Hotel in City Centre and The Line Hotel in Adams Morgan area. Don’t forget that Arlington and Alexandria make great alternatives to D.C. and both are only 10-20 minute Metro rides away from downtown D.C. Check out AirBNB for opportunities to stay in a historic Capitol Hill townhouse or apartment with a view of the Washington Monument.WHILE IN D.C.D.C. is home to plenty of one-of-a-kind museums! There’s plenty to see and do during the day ending with a plethora of great dining options. Smithsonian Institution: The Smithsonian Institution is made of 19 museums, education and research centers and a zoo! All museums are free and open 364 days of the year. Here are just a few:
- National Museum of African American History and Culture - The newest museum on the mall! You will need to reserve passes ahead of your visit (free!) if you plan to visit before 1pm on weekdays otherwise there will be entrance lines. Same-day passes are available at 6:30am Mon-Sun or ahead of time the first Wednesday of each month. Click for more info about passes. Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Food options available indoors. Federal Triangle Metro Stop (Blue Line).
- National Museum of American History - Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Food options available indoors. Federal Triangle Metro Stop (Blue Line) or Metro Center Metro Stop (Red/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
- National Museum of Natural History - The newly renovated Dinosaur Hall is a must-see! Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Food options available indoors. Federal Triangle Metro Stop (Blue Line) or Metro Center Metro Stop (Red/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
- National Museum of African Art and Freer & Sackler Galleries - These two museums and galleries are next to each other and below the Smithsonian Castle Visitor Center. Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Smithsonian Metro Stop (Blue/Orange/Silver Lines) or Metro Center Metro Stop (Red/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
- Smithsonian Castle Visitor Center - A great way to start your Smithsonian adventure. Check-out a sampling of each museum’s collection in the west wing gallery or pick-up some souvenirs. Open Mon-Sun, 9am-5:30pm. Food options available indoors. Smithsonian Metro Stop (Blue/Orange/Silver Lines) or Metro Center Metro Stop (Red/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
- Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden - Experience modern and contemporary artwork inside and outside the Hirshhorn. Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Coffee shop available indoors. Smithsonian Metro Stop (Blue/Orange/Silver Lines) or L’Enfant Metro Stop (Yellow/Green/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines). (Our Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden tour is currently full, but what’s to stop you from going on Friday, too?)
- National Air and Space Museum - Half of the museum is undergoing renovations but plenty of the collection remains on view! Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. L’Enfant Metro Stop (Yellow/Green/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
- National Museum of American Indian - Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. L’Enfant Metro Stop (Yellow/Green/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
National Gallery of Art: Also along the mall and made up of the East Wing, West Wing, and the Sculpture Garden. Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Food options available indoors. Archives Metro Stop (Yellow/Green Lines) or Judiciary Square Metro Stop (Red Line).Library of Congress: Take a free one-hour tour in the Thomas Jefferson Building offered everyday at every hour 10:30am - 3:30pm. Capitol South Metro Stop (Blue/Orange/Silver lines). National Botanical Garden: Escape the cold and some crowds by visiting the Botanical Garden between the National Museum of American Indian and Capitol. Open everyday 10am - 5pm. Free. Federal South Metro Stop or Capitol South Metro Stop (Blue/Orange/Silver lines). A quick walk north from the National Mall is the National Archives Museum to see the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill or Rights. Free. Open everyday 10am - 5:30pm. In Penn Quarter/Chinatown area is the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. Free. Open everyday 11:30am - 7pm. Chinatown/Gallery Place Metro Stop (Red/Orange/Silver/Blue/Green/Yellow lines). MUSEUMS - Off-The-Beaten-PathJust south of the National Mall is the newly built International Spy Museum, worth a visit with families and/or kids. $24.95/adults, $14.95/7-12y.o. 's, FREE for 6 and under. Open everyday 9am - 6pm. Get off at L’Enfant Plaza Metro Stop or take the FREE Wharf Shuttle. Don’t miss the National Women in the Arts Museum located in the Metro Center area. $10/adults, $8/65y.o and students, FREE for 18y.o and under. Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm and Sun 12-5pm. Metro Center Station (Red line).A 25-minute walk from the National Zoo (FREE, open every day 9am-4p.m) is the National Cathedral where you can take the Self-Guided Tour, Gargoyle Tour, Behind-the-Scenes Tour or catch a performance indoors. Tours and performances may have a fee. Open everyday. FOODJosé Andres is a D.C. celebrity and owns several restaurants in the Penn Quarter area including Oyamel, Jaleo, Zaytinya, and China Chilcano. Stop by Songbyrd Cafe in Adams Morgan for brunch, coffee, record shopping, and some live music up in the Adams Morgan neighborhood.Old Ebbitt Grill is a historic D.C. favorite across from the White House. Go for oysters and stay for a martini or burger.Don’t forget to have a second breakfast at Nellie’s Sports Bar’s drag brunch, in the U Street Corridor, on the weekends.Dupont Farmers Market open year-round on Sundays is one of the largest ones in the district.Eastern Market is an indoor market by Capitol Hill featuring butchers, florists, and The Market Place (great for pancakes!). There is also an outdoor market on weekends.Every D.C.’er has their favorite taco and ramen place so try them all and make your own decision! Tacos: Surfside, District Taco, Taco Bamba, Taqueria Nacional, El Centro, Espita and more. Ramen: Daikaya, Toki Underground, Haikan, Sakuramen Ramen Bar and more. Enjoy D.C.! Contributed by:Julia Murphy, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Mentoring Spotlight: Allan Kohl
Allan Kohl is the Librarian, Visual Resources and Library Instruction, at Minneapolis College of Art & Design (MCAD), and has been a VRA member for 26 years.Can you tell us a little bit about your background, and how you got into the field of visual resources?Over the past half-century, I’ve been a high school English teacher; then “Audio-Visual Services Librarian” in my first higher education job; then slide librarian and adjunct instructor in art history here at MCAD, gradually evolving into my current position, which is closer to many aspects of traditional library work, along with helping to manage the College's Archives.Which VRA mentoring activities did you participate in recently?Conference Mentor, Year-Round Mentor, and Year-Round Mentor for the Midwest Chapter Student Membership Scholarship Award.What services did you provide during your mentoring activities?Networking, professional guidance, and VRA Midwest Chapter Student Membership Scholarship Award mentoring. The latter seemed like a natural fit, in that I’m part of the selection committee for this award, and in looking over the applications I sometimes see specific ways I might help an applicant, based on that person’s career objectives.Briefly tell us about who you were matched with.I have tended to be matched with individuals who may be completing graduate degrees while also working at least part-time (on granted projects, etc.).What was your motivation for participating in the mentoring activities?Recruiting new, younger members to VRA to refresh our membership base, and helping first-time conferees have a rewarding experience.What aspects of the activities did you find the most valuable, and why?The opportunity to answer questions one-on-one. This is similar to what I do in reference work as part of my MCAD Library job, and it’s a natural segue into helping younger professionals navigate their integration into a peer community.Do you have any words of advice or wisdom for any of our members who may be thinking about participating in VRA's mentoring activities?Try it -- you'll like it!
You can meet Allan at VRA 2020 in Baltimore! Want to learn more about becoming a VRA mentor? Visit our Mentorship page! httpS://vraweb.org/opportunities/mentorship/Have you had a great VRA mentoring experience? We would love to hear about it! Contact the Mentor Coordinator to find out to share your story here!
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Save $100 off Conference Registration
550 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21202(410) 234-0550 / 1-800-766-3782Block Name: Visual Resources Association 2020 Annual ConferenceGroup Code: 0329VSRSAS$149 per night, single/double occupancy, plus taxes and fees
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Museums and Attractions
The National Great Blacks in Wax Museum is the nation’s first and most comprehensive wax museum of African American history and culture.Located on the site of the University of Maryland’s first “Dental Infirmary and Laboratory Building,” which was then part of the Dental Department in the School of Medicine in 1882, the Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry boasts an extensive 40,000 object collection of dental instruments and equipment, pop culture and personal oral care items, artwork, and everything in between.The B&O Railroad Museum holds the most comprehensive collection of railroad artifacts in the Western hemisphere, and the Baltimore Museum of Industry celebrates Maryland’s industrial legacy and shows how innovation fuels ongoing progress.Opening day for Major League Baseball starts while the conference is in Baltimore. What could be more appropriate than a trip to the Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum or Oriole Park at Camden Yards?If you have access to a car head out to Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine and the towns of Ellicott City, Annapolis, or Washington D.C.For more information as well as additional venues to visit, see our Baltimore museums and attractions list.*Denotes discount with your conference badge! Also available at the Jewish Museum of Maryland and the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House.
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Announcing our Convocation Speaker Ashley Minner
The VRA Executive Board is pleased to announce that the Visual Resources Association Foundation Legacy Lecture will be given by Ashley Minner.
Ashley Minner is a community based visual artist from Baltimore, Maryland. An enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, she has been active in the Baltimore Lumbee community for many years, and regularly visits communities throughout the U.S South and Latin America as well. Ashley is a professor of the practice and folklorist in the Department of American Studies at University of Maryland Baltimore County, where she also serves as the inaugural director of the minor in Public Humanities. She is a doctoral candidate in the Department of American Studies at University of Maryland College Park, where she is completing her dissertation on the changing relationship between Baltimore’s Lumbee community and the neighborhood where they first settled.
Learn more about Ashley Minner here, http://ashleyminnerart.com/ and take her walking tour of the Lumbee neighborhood.
Join us Wednesday, March 25th from 4-6pm for the VRA Convocation.The Convocation begins with recognition of the Association’s honors and awards recipients, along with the generous donors who have made these awards available, followed by Ashley Minner's lecture titled “Repatriating the Archives: An Urban Reservation Reunion.”
The Board hopes that Ashley Minner’s insights, in conjunction with other conference content, will prompt dialogue and new forms of inquiry into questions of representation and inclusion we encounter in our institutions. Following the presentation, join Minner and conference attendees for the Convocation Reception to forge new connections.
Want to know more about the VRA 2020 Baltimore Annual Conference? Visit the Schedule here https://vra2020.sched.com/ and feel free to contact me!
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Special Room Rates Ending Soon
Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore550 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21202(410) 234-0550 / 1-800-766-3782Block Name: Visual Resources Association 2020 Annual ConferenceGroup Code: 0329VSRSAS$149 per night, single/double occupancy, plus taxes and fees
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Take a Tour and Marvel at Baltimore's Treasures!
Take advantage of your time in Baltimore with tours of some of the exciting cultural sites in the area. The local planning committee has thoughtfully curated a slate of activities to introduce you to what the city has to offer, from books to bejeweled walls!
The Walters Art Museum: Chamber of Wonders. Thursday, March 26 • 4:00pm - 5:00pmThis entertaining tour of a delightful “collection of collections” that educates and amazes visitors of all ages will be led by Curator Joaneath Spicer. Three galleries in the museum are installed to suggest the collection of a 17th century nobleman, including an entry hall of arms and armor, a study for intricate small objects, and a larger chamber of arts and wonders.
Stick around after the tour to experience extended hours at WAM and visit the renovated 1 West Mount Vernon Place galleries and exhibitions, and other special exhibitions: Excursions through the Collection (through October 11, 2020) and From Mucha to Morris: Books of the Art Nouveau (through April 19, 2020). After you get your museum cup filled, stroll around Mount Vernon to enjoy one of the many great restaurants in the area. Be sure to save room for a night-cap at The Brewers’ Art. Stayed tuned for more info about dine arounds on Thursday evening!
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Workshops to Promote Communication and Success
Hello all!
Our exciting slate of workshops for 2020 Baltimore continues, with three more options for fostering efficacy in your communications. These workshops only have a limited number of seats available, so register for the conference today!
What to improve your retention and communication of key ideas?Visual Communication for Knowledge Acquisition, Processing and Dissemination on Tuesday, March 24: 8:30am - 10:30amJohn Trendler (Scripps College) and Rebecca Moss (University of Minnesota) help you learn how to mind map, sketchnote, draw, and storyboard for exploiting the power of visual communication.
Want to communicate your need and vision to successfully get grant funding?Grant Writing I on Friday, March 27: 8:30am – 10:30amCarmen Cowick (Preserve This) walks you through the grant process and how you start to identify grants to match your need and write clear goals and objectives that will resonate with granting agencies.
Grant Writing II on Friday, March 27: 11am – 1pmCarmen Cowick (Preserve This) leads you through the grant proposal and how to communicate your project in an elevator speech, a narrative/story statement of need, and through email correspondences. Cathleen Tefft (National Endowment for the Humanities) will discuss the ways of preparing for an NEH grant and tips for navigating the federal application process.If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Sara SchumacherVice President for Conference ProgramVisual Resources Association
Architecture Image LibrarianArchitecture LibraryTexas Tech University Librariessara.schumacher@ttu.edu806.834.1245Pronouns: she, her, hers
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Workshops to Advance Your Digital Collections
Hello all,
As we have an exciting slate of workshops for 2020 Baltimore, I wanted to share some details of three that can improve your skills and help you make an impact. These workshops only have a limited number of seats available, so register for the conference soon!
Want to know how to optimize your digital collections functionality through IIIF?IIIF in 2020: what you need to know to join the party on Tuesday, March 24: 8:30am - 10:30amJeff Mixter (OCLC) and Piotr Adamczyk (Artstor) provide a hands-on workshop of the tools and solutions to deploy an IIIF server with vendor or local support and use IIIF Image APIs, Manifests, and Presentation APIs to unlock the full potential of your image collections.
Want to learn how to address diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility in your collections?Introduction to Critical Cataloging for Visual Resources Professionals on Thursday, March 26: 8:15am -12:15pmKaren Li-Lun Hwang (Asian American Arts Centre) and Treshani Perera (University of Kentucky) provide the theory and tools for expanding digital collection descriptions for greater inclusion and crafting responsibly ethical policies at various stages of the digital project lifecycle.
Want to discover dynamic digitization practices to incorporate at your institution?Taking Your Digitization on the Road on Thursday, March 26: 3:45pm - 5:45pmChris Strasbaugh (The Ohio State University) and Doug Daniels (UCLA Library) give you the opportunity to get your hands around traveling copystands, drones, and 3D scanners, so that you can make the case for deploying these solutions at your institution.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Sara SchumacherVice President for Conference ProgramVisual Resources Association
Architecture Image LibrarianArchitecture LibraryTexas Tech University Librariessara.schumacher@ttu.edu806.834.1245Pronouns: she, her, hers
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Welcome to the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore, the Home of VRA 2020
So what will you find at the conference hotel? The recently renovated guest rooms offer a combination of modern amenities and architectural elements and furnishing. The second floor boasts a rotating Art Gallery, curated by a local artist. And from inside the hotel you can view the seasonal, urban apiary on the third-floor garden plaza. At the center is the functioning golden beehive sculpture created by Bob Benson and Rick Ames, local Baltimore artists.
You will also find an indoor swimming pool, racquet ball courts, and tennis courts on the roof with the 24-hour fitness center. Complimentary high-speed wireless internet is available in the guest rooms as well as many of the amenities you have come to expect of the conference hotel.
There are two in-house restaurants. The first location is Explorers, an American Gastropub ideal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For those of you arriving on Monday – apparently Monday is trivia night at Explorers. The second is Formula Espressos, the lobby café, ideal for breakfast and lunch items, and of course coffee (illy coffee to be exact).Out the front door of the hotel you will find the Inner Harbor with the Maryland Science Center with the Davis Planetarium and the Baltimore Visitor’s Center. Within a fifteen minute walk north or south you will find several restaurants, watering holes, Camden Yards, the American Visionary Art Museum and parks.
Remember that staying at the conference hotel is not only convenient for you, it also helps the VRA meet its contractual obligations. Our $149/night rate is lower than we have had the last few years. If you are in need of a roommate to split the cost of the conference hotel, consider checking out the roommate spreadsheet (link sent in your registration confirmation email). Be sure to reserve your room today and I look forward to seeing you in Baltimore in March!Jeannine KeeferPresident-Elect, VRA Executive BoardVisual Resources Librarian, University of RichmondPhotos Courtesy of the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore
Announcing the VRA Travel Award Winners for 2020 Baltimore
Dear VRA colleagues,
The Travel Awards Committee is pleased to present the following as Travel Award winners for the 2020 Conference in Baltimore:
Katherine Lane, Free Library of Philadelphia – Kathe Hicks Albrecht Award
Alan Munshower, University of Mississippi – New Horizons Award
Charlotte Eagle, Pratt Institute – New Horizons Student Award/Tansey Award
Emily Crockett, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill – Garneta Taormina Memorial Student Award
Maureen Burns, IMAGinEd Consulting & Archivision – Tansey Award
Bria Sinnott, Towson University – Tansey Award
Chelsea Stone, Prologis – Tansey Award
Meredith Hale, University of Tennessee, Knoxville – Tansey Award
Tess Colwell, Yale University – Tansey Top-Up Award
Julie Irick, Seattle Municipal Archives – Tansey Top-Up Award
Our thanks to the members of the Travel Awards Committee (Catherine Adams, Morgan Bell, Lael Ensor-Bennett, Marcia Focht, Jean Hudson, Meghan Rubenstein, and Molly Schoen), who gave up significant portions of their Thanksgiving week schedules to evaluate and rank this year's applicants.
Please join us at the awards ceremony during the VRA Convocation on Wednesday, March 25, at 4:00 PM in the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Hotel to recognize and welcome these award recipients.
Allan KohlHeather SeneffCo-Chairs, Travel Awards Committee
VRA at CAA 2020 Chicago
The 2020 CAA annual conference has 300+ sessions exploring over 200 diverse fields of study with 50% focused on women-centered content to celebrate the Centennial of Women's Suffrage. VRA has planned two events that we hope many of you will be able to attend on Wednesday, February 12th. The ever-capable Bridget Madden, from the University of Chicago, will be chairing these sessions.Midday, a VRA Business Meeting is scheduled (free and open to the public) which we have turned into forum opening with a presentation entitled "From Archive to Classroom: The Use of Omeka and Companion Tools in the Curation of Digital Stories and Exhibits" involving Matt Taylor, Director of the Media and Design Studio, and Rebecca Zorach, Mary Jane Crowe Professor of Art and Art History, and their students from Northwestern University. This will be followed by what will surely be an engaging discussion among VRA members and those others who attend.In the afternoon, a formal session has been organized entitled, "Hands-On to Eyes-On: From Material Collections to Digital Exhibitions" (abstract below). It will take place at 4pm at the Hilton Chicago in the Wilford C room. You will have to be registered for the CAA conference to attend this event (session-only or one-day registrations are usually available). Here are the topics and speakers:1) "Materials in Context: Experiential Learning in Art History" at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design with Allan T. Kohl, Librarian in charge of Visual Resources and Library Instruction, presenting a collection curator's perspective, partnered with Jessica M. Dandona, Associate Professor of Art History, providing a faculty perspective.2) "Materiality Made Visible" will be presented by Melanie E. Emerson, Dean of the Library + Special Collections, from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.3) "Exhibition in Practice" at the Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago, will be presented with Leslie Wilson, Curatorial Fellow for Diversity in the Arts, providing "A Perspective from the Classroom" and Berit Ness, Assistant Curator of Academic Initiatives, talking about "Execution in the Museum."We hope that you will be able to consider joining us and attending CAA 2020. Periodic updates, will be sent, but if you have any questions about this winter conference ahead, please don't hesitate to contact me or Bridget.All the best wishes,Maureen BurnsVRA CAA Affiliate Society Representativemoaburns@gmail.com310-489-3792Hands-On to Eyes-On: From Material Collections to Digital ExhibitionsMany visual resources collections are expanding their purview of managing image collections to added responsibilities for a variety of materials or partnerships with other like-minded resource collections. The hands-on use of materials and museum collections allows students to experience authentic learning by applying knowledge in real-life contexts. This session focuses on specific examples of these types of partnerships and learning situations in two art and design colleges and a university museum. The presenters will discuss: the use of a materials collection in teaching art history survey courses to studio art and design students; fashion and textile resources transitioning from physical to digital collections for enhanced access; and a two-term curatorial practice course sequenced to design and install a museum exhibition. In all cases, the collections used in teaching are prioritized and sustained, not treated as occasional visits or demonstrations, and staff are embedded into the experience to support faculty instruction. The presenters will discuss pedagogical strategies, such as open-ended inquiry, discourse, and social learning, along with the issues of collection development, maintenance, description, access, and usage, while exploring how access to such physical and digital collections as primary sources for pedagogy and student assignments allows for the integration of practical experience into coursework. The role of professional staff supporting these collections and facilitating their use by faculty and students is integral. It will be shown how effective these collaborations can be, including how they can lead to more engaging, active learning experiences in the classroom.
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Travelling to Baltimore and Exploring the City
Baltimore’s location and proximity to Washington DC makes travel easy. Flying? Baltimore Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI) is only 9.8 miles away from the conference hotel, the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore, and Baltimore Penn Station (BAL-Amtrak/MARC), is only 1.9 miles away.See the Travel Details page on the conference website for complete information on flying, rail, driving, ride sharing, and parking. Valet and self-parking at the hotel will be available to conference attendees at discounted rates.Would you like to share a ride with other attendees to the conference hotel, BWI (airport), Penn Station, or Washington, DC? New this year, a link to a hotel room and ride sharing spreadsheet will be included with your registration confirmation. Save money and network while you navigate the city.When you’re ready to explore, take the free Charm City Circulator to all of the downtown tourist spots or ride the Baltimore Water Taxi through the harbor to historic Fells Point, Federal Hill, and Canton. Feeling adventurous? Take the MTA MARC Train to Washington DC for only $16 round trip. Feeling not so adventurous? Walk across the street from the conference hotel and investigate all of the attractions in the Baltimore Inner Harbor.
Lael Ensor-BennettVice President for Conference Arrangements, VRA Executive BoardAssistant Curator, Visual Resources Collection, Johns Hopkins UniversityJodi Hoover2020 Baltimore Local Planning CommitteeManager, Best & Next Department, Enoch Pratt Free Library