Mentoring Spotlight: Kendra Long
Kendra Long is the Archivist at 4S Bay Partners, and has been a VRA member since April/May of 2019.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background, and how you got (or hope to get) into the field of visual resources?
I finished my masters of library science in May of 2019. My undergrad was in film production, and I worked as a researcher on feature films until I got burned out from working freelance after a few years. I knew I wanted to stay in film or at least visual media at large, but I needed something full time and consistent. I ended up going back to school for my MLS in archives with the goal of being a film archivist.
Which VRA mentoring activity did you participate in recently?
Year-Round Mentee.
What outcomes did you seek during your mentoring activity?
Networking, professional guidance, and resume and cover letter reviews.
Briefly tell us about who you were matched with.
I was matched with Kendra Werst, who is the Assistant Visual Resources Curator at Williams College.
What was your motivation for participating in the mentoring activity?
The only people I had to bounce ideas off of or to seek advice on the job hunt from were other students in the same position as me -- looking for work, uncertain how to find a job that respected me, unsure if I was qualified for anything.
What aspects of the activity did you find the most valuable, and why?
Honestly just being able to chat with Kendra through Slack has been huge. She's looked over my resume probably a dozen times now, and has reviewed basically every cover letter I've submitted since she became my mentor, and having the perspective of somebody my age who's already gotten a job has made a huge difference. I can ask her anything about the job hunt or working in the field and she's always there to answer me.
Do you have any words of advice or wisdom for any of our members who may be thinking about participating in VRA's mentoring activities?
You don't need to have 25 years of experience under your belt to be a mentor. Being around just to bounce ideas off of is enough. I'm incredibly grateful to what Kendra's been able to help me through.
You can meet Kendra at VRA 2020 in Baltimore!
Need some guidance in the Visual Resources field? Let our mentors show you the ropes! Visit our VRA Mentorship page to learn more! httpS://vraweb.org/opportunities/mentorship
Have you had a great VRA mentoring experience? We would love to hear about it! Contact the Mentor Coordinator to find out to share your story here!
Mentoring Spotlight: Kendra Werst
Kendra Werst is the Assistant Visual Resources Curator at Williams College, and has been a VRA member for 4 years.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background, and how you got into the field of visual resources?
I have a BFA in Sculpture and Art History from the Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI). While at KCAI, I worked at the Jannes Library which inspired me to combine my love for information and art. I successfully completed my Masters in Library Science at Indiana University - Bloomington in 2017, specializing in Digital Collections and Art Librarianship. I had wonderful mentors (Jasmine Burns and Kristina Keogh) who helped guide me to the visual resources field.
Which VRA mentoring activities did you participate in recently?
Conference Mentor, and Year-Round Mentor.
What services did you provide during your mentoring activities?
Networking, and professional guidance. I correspond with my mentees either by email, phone, or Slack. I ask them questions related to their professional goals or concerns as well as how they are doing as a human on this earth.
Briefly tell us about who you were matched with.
Year-Round Mentees: Katherina Fostano - Digital & Visual Resources Curator at Fordham University. Squirrel Walsh - Special Collections Assistant, Princeton University. Kendra Long - Archivist at 4S BAY. Conference Mentees: (2019) Katelyn Harper - MLIS Candidate at University of Washington Information School. (2018) Arden Kirkland - Adjunct, School of Information Studies at Syracuse University; Project Coordinator, Design for Learning Program; Independent Digital Librarian.
What was your motivation for participating in the mentoring activities?
Through my lived experience as an adoptee and person of color, I know what it's like to be on the outside. I also understand the importance of finding supportive, engaging, and safe communities. During graduate school, I was lucky enough to have positive mentors to help me navigate the visual resources and librarianship field. It's important to me that I pay it forward by mentoring others. Being a mentor also allows me to stay in touch with the realities and challenges of those who are entering into the field. This gives me the opportunity to assist in creating an inclusive culture in our field. I believe a professional organization is only as strong as the commitment of its members to the organization's success. Mentorships also create lasting friendships and connections, which I believe makes the organization stronger.
Do you have any words of advice or wisdom for any of our members who may be thinking about participating in VRA's mentoring activities?
Do it!
You can meet Kendra at VRA 2020 in Baltimore!
Want to learn more about becoming a VRA mentor? Visit our Mentorship page! httpS://vraweb.org/opportunities/mentorship/
Have you had a great VRA mentoring experience? We would love to hear about it! Contact the Mentor Coordinator to find out to share your story here!
Donate & Win: Congrats to Allan Kohl & Amy Lazet!
The Executive Board is delighted to announce the donation drawing winners, Allan T. Kohl and Amy Lazet! They can choose a free conference registration for 2020 Baltimore or a one-year membership to the VRA for themselves or a friend.
Regarding his reasons for supporting VRA with his donation, Allan wrote “I really do believe in the spirit of ‘members helping members’ in a direct and tangible way.”
Amy responded that “VRA has been a fabulous source of professional development opportunities…as well as a prime place for networking and forming lasting relationships, both professionally and personally.”
Thanks again to all the members that donated in our donation drive, and the Executive Board looks forward to providing new raffle or donation prize opportunities in Baltimore for 2020!
Donate, Win, and Save-the-Date
Would you like to win a free conference registration for 2020 Baltimore, March 24-27, or a one-year membership to the VRA?
CLICK HERE FOR THE DONATION BUTTON
Due to strict gambling laws in California, the Executive Board was unable to include a raffle at this year’s conference in Los Angeles. However, we did implement an inclusive giveaway that everyone can participate in, whether you attended the conference or not!
For every $5 you donate to the Visual Resources Association by April 15, your name will be entered to win a year-long membership OR a 2020 conference registration (i.e. if you donate $15, your name will be entered three times). Two names will be drawn, and each winner will select which prize they prefer. The prize is fully transferable, so you can pass along your prize to a friend if you wish!
For every $800 raised, the Executive Board has pledged to offer an additional travel award for the 2020 conference! We have set an overall goal of $2400, with the hopes of adding three additional awards for travel to Baltimore. Please donate by clicking the link above to support this initiative and win yourself a membership or 2020 conference registration!
**Please note that due to restrictions on how we are able to allocate funding as an organization, any donations to the VRA Foundation will not be entered into this drawing.**
Reasons to Renew Your VRA Membership
Dear VRA Members,
As the end of the year approaches, I want to remind current VRA members of some benefits received from the organization. The VRA has undergone some exciting changes over the last year, including preparing to transition the VRA Bulletin to an open access journal at the start of 2019. While all articles will be readily available to anyone with an internet connection (in keeping with the movement in many sectors towards information accessibility), VRA members will continue to be able to publish free of charge (non-members will pay a fee prior to publication).
Another benefit of membership which is probably on everyone’s mind is the steeply discounted registration rate for the VRA Annual Conference to be held March 26-29, 2019 in sunny Los Angeles, California. Some highlights of the program include sessions on visual literacy, digital humanities, and multiple sessions on intellectual property rights (x2).
VRA membership also provides numerous opportunities for monetary awards for: professional development; attending the VRA Annual Conference; and participating in the Summer Educational Institute, sponsored by both the national organization as well as chapters.
Finally, one of the benefits that I personally appreciate the most is the ability to network with others in similar positions. The conference provides the opportunity to connect in person with professionals in the field, as do local chapter meetings. There is also a strong online community as demonstrated by the VRA Listserv; another example is the Slack Channel established by and for VREPS that is devoted to sharing resources for professional development, websites with downloadable images and information, and good old camaraderie and discussion.
The Membership Committee strives to advance the VRA’s mission to provide a forum for issues of concern in the field by strengthening membership retention and enrollment. As you reflect on the past year, please take moment to share a positive VRA membership experience via this Google Form. Your testimonial will be used for facilitating outreach to prospective members and marketing.
Thank you for all your participation in and support of the organization. I hope you choose to renew your membership with the Visual Resources Association!
Sincerely,
Amy Lazet
Membership Committee Chair