VRA Travel Awards
The VRA Travel Awards Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of Travel Awards for the 2017 VRA conference in Louisville:Kathe Hicks Albrecht Award — Elliot McNally, Savannah College of Art & DesignNew Horizons Full Award — Joanne Lammers, Academy of Motion Picture Arts & SciencesNew Horizons Full Award — Jamie Zeffery, California State University, Los AngelesNew Horizons Student Award and Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Award— Andrew Wang, Indiana UniversityLuraine Tansey/VRA Travel Awards:Kristin Britanik, The Andy Warhol MuseumSusan Jane Williams, Independent Cataloging and Consulting ServicesIan McDermott, LaGuardia Community College, CUNYSheryl Frisch, Cal Poly, San Luis ObispoKate Thornhill, Oregon Health & Science UniversityMeghan Musolff, University of Michigan LibraryZoe Waldron, New York Public LibraryCongratulations to the award recipients, and thank you to all applicants for their interest and excellent applications.Additional thanks go to contributors to the travel awards fund, our generous travel award sponsors, the VRA Executive Board and the Travel Awards Committee.We're looking forward to seeing all of you in Louisville,Marcia Focht and Michael DonovanCo-Chairs, Travel Awards Committee
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 summer update
Dear VRA colleagues,As the days grow shorter and the evenings become increasingly crisp (for those of us in the the northern hemisphere!), I am writing to update you on a few VRA developments from this summer.First I want to first express deep gratitude to my fellow Executive Board members Jasmine Burns, Jen Green, Allan Kohl, Cindy Abel Morris, Chris Strasbaugh, and John Trendler for their ongoing dedication to the Association. In addition to performing specific tasks associated with their positions, throughout the year Board members address a broad array of issues relating to VRA operations, membership, professional engagement and advocacy, communications and outreach, and publications. Board members, all volunteers, are committed to advancing the interests of our profession and our members, and I am constantly amazed by their unwavering energy.Mid-year meetingThe Board met in Seattle for our mid-year meeting in July. We addressed the annual operating budget, long-range financial planning, and considered the overall state of the Association. A significant and routine part of this annual meeting is reviewing mid-year reports from officers and various appointees, task forces, committees, and chapters. We are now in the process of sharing our formal responses to these reports. In the meantime, we extend our sincere thanks with every VRA member who serves the Association. As always, there are wonderful developments underway at both international and regional levels. While these activities are documented in annual reports and posted for members’ access on My VRA (MemberClicks), one of the Board’s goals in the coming months is to facilitate more regular, year-round sharing of news from these various entities within the Association.2016 Seattle ARLIS/NA + VRA Joint Conference planning and websiteAs part of the ARLIS/NA + VRA Joint Conference advisory team, Board members also met in Seattle this July with ARLIS/NA leaders and members of the Joint Conference Implementation Team, led by Co-Chairs Alan Michelson and Josh Polansky. I’m very pleased to say that the conference planning process is proceeding smoothly under Alan’s and Josh’s excellent leadership, and details relating to the program and local arrangements are coalescing into an exciting set of offerings that you won’t want to miss.The conference website is now live at http://www.arlisna-vra.org/seattle2016/. The program will be published soon, and registration will open in December. More information is forthcoming, but for now, mark your calendars for March 8-12, 2016! Consider scheduling your arrival so that you can register for the THATCamp digital humanities unconference scheduled for March 8. Also, note that the annual meeting of the Association of Architecture School Librarians (AASL) will be held March 11-13 at our conference hotel, The Westin Seattle, with plans for some reciprocal cross-listed programming of interest to joint conference attendees. For those wishing to attend the entire AASL conference, we’ll share registration information when it becomes available.VRA endorsement of CAA's Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for the Visual ArtsThe VRA Intellectual Property Rights Committee and the VRA Executive Board have carefully reviewed CAA's Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for the Visual Arts, which I am pleased to announce that VRA has endorsed. You can find the letter to CAA leadership from the VRA Executive Board, including the VRA IPR Committee's response here: httpS://vraweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/VRA_Response_CAACode_20150903.pdf.This is an opportune time to remind you all about VRA’s own Statement on the Fair Use of Images for Teaching, Research, and Study. An excellent model of community standards in the application of fair use, the Statement is well suited for sharing with colleagues and others at your institution, such as students and legal counsel.Working group investigating webinars and online workshopsVice President for Conference Arrangements Cindy Abel Morris has assembled a working group to investigate online learning opportunities to be offered by VRA, such as webinars and workshops. In addition to Cindy, the group includes various representatives from VRA and the VRA Foundation: Anna Bernhard (past VREPS Co-Coordinator), Melanie Clark (Membership Committee Chair), Marie Elia (VREPS Co-Coordinator), Jen Green (President-Elect), Jen Kniesch (past Web Technology Coordinator), Beth Wodnick Haas (Education Committee Co-Chair), Denise Massa (instruction expert), Stephen Patton (Communications Technology Advisor), Elaine Paul (President), Molly Schoen (VREPS Co-Coordinator), Chris Strasbaugh (Vice President for Conference Program), John Trendler (Public Relation and Communications Officer), and Betha Whitlow (VRA Foundation Board representative). We hope to offer a pilot webinar this fall; stay tuned for details.Joint VRA and VRAF Task Force on Development and FundraisingVRA has partnered with the Visual Resources Association Foundation to create a Joint VRA and VRAF Task Force on Development and Fundraising, with a charge to develop a strategy and a road map for identifying, planning, and implementing a portfolio of fundraising and developing initiatives for both VRA and VRAF. Billy Chi Hing Kwan (VRAF) and Marie Elia (VRA) are serving as co-chairs, with members Barbara Brenny, Chris Strasbaugh, Christine Hilker, and Linda Reynolds.Dissolution of the Greater Philadelphia ChapterFollowing a five-year period inactivity within the Greater Philadelphia Chapter, the Board has voted to dissolve the chapter. While this is a regrettable development, the reality is that the critical mass of VRA members needed to sustain a chapter did not exist in the area. Fortunately, depending on their locations VRA members in Central and Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Southern New Jersey can join the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, or Greater New York Chapters.Best regards,ElainePresident, Visual Resources Association
VRA33 Conference program (PDF) available
Dear colleagues,
I’m pleased to announce the conference program PDF is now available from the conference website’s Program page.
This year it’s more interactive than previous years, clicking on a sponsor's logo should take you to their website, clicking on a table of contents item takes you to that page, and some URLs in the program are live hyperlinks. Of course these won’t work if you print it out, but if you keep a copy on your computer, tablet or smartphone they should work just fine (depending on which pdf viewing application you use). The PDF is approximately 13MB, small enough to be portable but large enough to print nicely and look good on just about any screen.
You can find the download link on this page: http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra33/program/
See you in Denver!
John
VRA 33 Registration ENDS this Friday, Feb. 20th
Dear VRA colleagues,Here’s a final reminder that registration rates ends Friday, Feb 20! We are gearing up for what's sure to be an exciting and engaging conference in beautiful Denver. CO and hope that you can join us!For conference information, go to: http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra33/To register, go to: http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra33/registration/Questions about the registration process? Email join@vraweb.org or secretary@vraweb.orgQuestions about the program and events? Contact VRA Vice President for Conference Program at skowalik@hunter.cuny.eduOn behalf of the VRA Executive Board, we look forward to seeing you in Denver. A big THANKS to everyone who has already registered for VRA 33!All the best,Stephanie Beene
VRA33 Early Bird rates end tomorrow, Friday, Feb 6
Dear VRA colleagues,In a few weeks’ time VRA 33 attendees will be arriving in the exciting city of Denver for a diverse program complete with interesting sessions, tours and workshops, informative presentations, engaging social events and networking opportunities, etc. Don’t miss out. Here’s a timely reminder that reduced Early Bird registration rates end tomorrow, Friday, Feb 6. Take advantage of the savings now.For complete VRA 33 information, go to: http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra33/To register, go to: http://www.vraweb.org/conferences/vra33/registrationOn behalf of the VRA Executive Board, we look forward to seeing you in Denver. A big THANKS to everyone who has already registered for VRA 33!All the best,Steven______________________________________________________Steven Kowalik, MSLSVice President for Conference Program, Visual Resources Association
VRA Affiliated Society Session at CAA's 103rd Annual Conference
CAA 103rd Annual ConferenceHilton New York – Sutton Parlor North, 2nd Floor1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NYVRA Affiliated Society Session - Thursday, February 12, 20155:30-7:00 pm- this (and all affiliate sessions) are free and open to the public - From Creation to Classification to Consideration: How Technology is Changing the Role of Artist ArchivesSession AbstractFor this session we invite four archivists working for individuals or as part of larger institutions to discuss their experiences creating and using artist archives. The role archivists traditionally played in managing and supporting efforts to establish an artist’s legacy is changing in response to new expectations of users to have interactive, accessible information. Strides in technology now allow for better access to resources, especially for living artists who are prolific. Managing a digital image archive also plays an integral role in establishing a comprehensive survey of an artist’s work. Keeping records of transient works and meeting the needs of the studio provides access to scholars and curators in the future. The speakers in this session will also explore the collaborative aspect of artist-as-creator and archivist-as-mediator and steward of the documentation to be used by both artists and art historians alike.PresentersMissy Brown, Metadata Specialist, Pratt Institute (Moderator)Establishing a Legacy: Managing an Artist’s Archive within a Trust and Estate PlanJanine St. Germain, Consulting ArchivistArtist archives may be arranged and managed with an interest in supporting eventual estate plans tailored to the artist’s long-term legacy plan. The collection may serve as a resource for new works, as well as support a collection's future intellectual and financial value. Artists' archives can be managed with an interest in a range of eventualities: their donation to a suitable repository, the creation of trusts for heirs of the artist, future collaboration with other collections or institutions, or eventual sale. All of these outcomes are maximized when the archive is considered within an established estate plan, preferably put into place during the artist's lifetime, rather than as an afterthought following his or her death. Drawing from examples of work with a variety of recent archives and estates, discussion will focus on how artist archives can manage and support efforts to establish an artist’s legacy.Janine St. Germain is a consulting archivist in the NY metropolitan area. She has managed the archival collections of fine artist Robert Kushner, theater artist Robert Wilson, and performing/visual artist Christopher Knowles. She is currently working with the estate of earthworks artist Nancy Holt, as well as a variety of faculty and alumnae collections held at Vassar College’s Archives and Special Collections Library.Artists in the ArchivesIvy Marvel, Manager of Special Collections, Brooklyn Public Library.Jamel Shabazz is best known for his photographs of New York street life in the 1970s and 80s. Portraits of teens decked out in the finest new fashions – published in his books Back in the Days and A Time Before Crack – chronicle the birth of the hip-hop aesthetic in vivid color. Brooklyn Public Library started working with Shabazz in 2012, incorporating his photographs into its archive and engaging the public with his work and process through programming, online presentations and exhibitions. The Library’s archive of more than 250,000 photographs skews toward the first half of the 20th century; working with living photographers like Shabazz has allowed the Library to expand its coverage of Brooklyn into the latter half of the 21st century and up to the present day. Through this partnership with Shabazz, the library has developed a model to accession and make available the work of other living photographers.Ivy K. Marvel is Manager of Special Collections at Brooklyn Public Library, overseeing the library’s local history archive, the Brooklyn Collection. She earned a Master’s degree in Library Science at Pratt Institute in 2010 and has worked for the Brooklyn Public Library since 2007.The Living ArchiveNicole Root, Archivist, Lynda Benglis StudioIn the fast-paced studio of a prolific living artist, archival issues often take a back seat to the pressing concerns of daily business. Still, a working archive is essential to a studio's efficient operation and an important preliminary step in producing a resource for future scholars. In the Lynda Benglis studio, decades of different filing systems, inconsistent database entry and recent construction have become major obstacles to finding information quickly and preserving important documents. Furthermore, Benglis's working process demands an organizational method different from traditional object files. Using the perspectives of an art historian and artist, this presentation will discuss the development of a comprehensive organizational system that is tailored to Benglis's working process, the needs of the studio and future accessibility for researchers.Nicole Root is the archivist for the Lynda Benglis studio and an art history instructor at Adelphi University. In addition to her art historical training at New York University's Institute of Fine Arts, Root has worked in galleries, maintained the records of a large private collection of American art and served as an assistant to sculptor and performance artist, Maren Hassinger.Street Art Graphics: A People’s ArchiveCatherine Tedford, Gallery Director, St. Lawrence UniversityAlthough transient by design, street art stickers, flyers, and other paper-based ephemera capture the creative, cultural, and political pulse of time and place. With topics addressing environmental issues, economic crises, race, class, gender and sexuality, workers’ rights, Occupy movements, and presidential elections, these materials can be used for teaching and research in fields across the curriculum. St. Lawrence University’s digital archive of “Street Art Graphics” currently features over 2,200 such examples from around the world. The archive has been incorporated into course-related assignments and exhibitions at SLU and other alternative art spaces. During the past year, students, young alumni, and community members have collaborated on a new “People’s Archive” and investigative blog project that examines the ways ordinary citizens make use of public space to express themselves. The role of the archivist/activist as an agent for social justice and the notion of archival neutrality are also discussed.Catherine Tedford received a Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1983 and has served as the director of the Richard F. Brush Art Gallery at St. Lawrence University since 1989 (she loves her job). She has presented at academic conferences in England, Germany, Scotland, and the United States. Her writing about street art graphics can be found on her research blog Stickerkitty.
New VRA Core 4.0 Introduction document available
The VRA Core Oversight Committee (Core OC) is pleased to announce the availability of a new document - VRA Core 4.0 Introduction (dated 10.28.2014)This document replaces the Introduction document created in 2007 which has now been renamed How to convert Version 3.0 to Version 4.0 and moved to Previous Versions/4.0.Our goal with the new document was to create a very focused and succinct overview of the 4.0 version that is more appropriate for people encountering the standard for the first time.The new document is available from the VRA Core Schemas and Documentation page at http://www.loc.gov/standards/vracore/schemas.html::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::VRA Core on the WebVRA Core Schemas and Documentation (Library of Congress Official Site)VRA Core Support Pages
Get ready to Elevate Your Image in Denver this March!
The Colorado members of the VRA are excited to welcome our colleagues to Denver for the 2015 VRA Conference, Elevate Your Image!
Denver City was incorporated in 1861 and became the territorial capital of Colorado six years later, when the city’s name was shortened to Denver. Mining and cattle brought prosperity to the city and both endeavors remain strong components of Denver’s and Colorado’s economies (you’ll see cattle frequently in public art around Downtown). You’ll delight at the cultural offerings brought by Denver’s twenty-first century innovation economy, most of which are within easy access of our conference hotel.
The conference hotel, the Westin Downtown, is well situated for access to museums, innovative restaurants of all price ranges and types, a variety of entertainment options, and public transportation. The Westin sits adjacent to the 16th Street Mall, an outdoor pedestrian shopping mall with free bus transportation (the Mall Ride) running along its mile length. The Mall Ride runs from the recently remodeled Union Station to the conveniently located Civic Center Bus Station near the “Golden Triangle Museum District.” A great map of Downtown is available as a pdf on the website for visitors to Denver:
http://www.denver.org/includes/content/docs/media/Downtown.pdf
You can see the Westin is almost dead center (a little up from center) on Lawrence, between 16th and 17thStreets.
Denver’s excellent bus and lightrail service make getting around town a breeze:
Take advantage of public transit to visit Denver’s diverse cultural institutions! A brief list of museums you might want to visit can be found here:
http://dusaahvmc.blogspot.com/p/vra-conference-2015.html
Denver’s nickname is the Mile High City because we are 5280 feet above sea level (a number you may see frequently during your visit!). If you find yourself a bit “breathy” using the stairs or walking around town, remember you’re a mile up! Drink lots of water and, if you feel a headache coming on, drink more water. For tips about dealing with the altitude, check out the official site for Denver visitors (which is chock full of information in general about Denver):
http://www.denver.org/about-denver/high-altitude-tips/
Colorado is also one of the few states to legalize recreational marijuana. Visitors to Colorado who are curious about this subject should check out the official Colorado website on the topic:
https://www.colorado.gov/marijuanainfodenver/
Denver is situated on the “Front Range”--the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains and the Continental Divide (the western side of the Divide is known as the Western Slope). The weather in Denver can be quite changeable (one day in early January this year the temperature rose 50 degrees from sunrise to afternoon!). Keep your eye on the weather forecast before the conference and bring layers. And bring your sunglasses—Denver gets over 300 days of sunshine a year!
The local VRA members look forward to helping the 2015 Conference attendees have a great experience in the Mile High City! If you have any concerns or questions, don’t hesitate to contact one of the local VRA members!
Heather Seneff, Co-Chair, Local Arrangements Committee
Hannah Unsderfer, Co-Chair, Local Arrangements Committee
Elaine Paul
Lynn Lickteig
Kress Foundation Scholarships Available for SEI 2015
The Art Libraries of North America (ARLIS/NA) and the Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) are happy to announce that five scholarships to the Summer Educational Institute for Visual Resources and Image Management (SEI) will be sponsored by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation (http://www.kressfoundation.org/).SEI 2015 will be held at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign from June 9-12, 2015. This intensive workshop features a curriculum that specifically addresses the requirements of today's professional in hands-on and lecture modules. SEI is suited to information professionals new to the field, and for more experienced professionals eager to respond to fast-changing technological advancements and job requirements. Past graduates of SEI have praised the expertise and preparedness of the instructors, and appreciated opportunities for networking and sharing problem-solving perspectives. One participant noted, ”I left SEI feeling renewed in my passion for what I do.”Kress Foundation Scholarship recipients for SEI 2015 will each receive $770 to cover tuition, accommodations, and minor incidentals. Applications are being accepted now for the SEI Kress Scholarships, with a deadline of Friday, February 14, 2015. Recepients will be notified no later than March 14, 2015. If you are interested in applying for a Kress Foundation Scholarship, information can be found on the SEI 2015 website at http://seiworkshop.org/scholarships/.SEI registration will open in mid-January. Look for a description of the curriculum and information on accommodations at http://seiworkshop.org. Please feel free to contact the SEI co-chairs, Meghan Musolff (musolffm@umich.edu) or Greta Bahnemann (bahne002@umn.edu) with any questions.Follow SEI on Facebook!https://www.facebook.com/SummerEducationalInstitute
Visual Resources Association Foundation Announces 2014 Project Grant Winners
The Board of Directors of the Visual Resources Association Foundation is pleased to announce the presentation of its 2014 VRAF Project Grants to Matthias Arnold, University of Heidelberg, and Krystle Kelley, University of Colorado Boulder. The amount of each award is $1500.Matthias Arnold, Heidelberg Research Architecture, University of Heidelberg, will use the award to support the development of the VRA Core 4 XML Transform Tool. This tool will enable any user who can supply descriptive image metadata in a standardized CSV form (comma separated values, e.g. via Excel) to create validating VRA Core 4 XML. Useful on its own, this XML also represents an important step for further transformations to other XML schemas, like RDF to support output of data as LOD (Linked Open Data). The tool is being developed in consultation with both the VRA Data Standards and the Core OC Committees, will be shared with the image management community during beta-testing for feedback, and will be open-source and freely available upon completion. Susan Jane Williams (Independent Cataloging and Consulting Services) will serve as coordinator for the mapping templates and will help create documentation, demonstrations (sample records and mappings), and further mapping help in use of the tool. We are confident that this tool will have broad value and impact within the visual resources community, and for the VRA Core 4 standard.Krystle Kelley, M.A. student in Art History at the University of Colorado Boulder, will use the award to support a pilot project to digitize and make broadly accessible 500 images that highlight the extraordinary depth and breadth of the 30,000 Ronald M. Bernier Image Archive. The particular strength of this archive is in the cultures of Nepal, India, Tibet, and Southeast Asia, and in its emphasis on documentation of less studied indigenous traditions, notoriously difficult to access countries and sites, and sites and works that are now in peril or have now disappeared altogether.The project aims to provide broad, public access to a unique, incredibly valuable archive, and do so at the highest standard. As the project evolves, members of the scholarly community at the University of Colorado Boulder and beyond will be consulted to contribute metadata, providing the project with a crowdsourcing element that could serve as a model for others who are trying to grapple with important—but minimally described—collections. Krystle has assembled an excellent project team at the University of Colorado Boulder, including an Art History faculty member, and Elaine Paul and Lia Pileggi from the Visual Resources Center. We anticipate that the project will lead to a resource that will be of lasting value to scholars and image management professionals, as well as to the broader general public.The purpose of the VRA Foundation’s Project Grant is to provide support for projects in the field of visual resources and image management. Please visit vrafoundation.org for more information.The mission of the VRA Foundation is to advance knowledge in the field of visual resources and image management and to provide educational and training opportunities in support of broad access to cultural information in the digital age. The Foundation advances awareness of important issues for digital information management; encourages the application of professional standards, innovative technology, and metadata cataloging protocols; facilitates workplace training; and promotes awareness of intellectual property rights and copyright issues. The VRA Foundation supports a range of educational offerings to help ensure that such information reaches a diverse and global audience.
VRA Travel Awards
Dear VRA colleagues,
The VRA Travel Awards Committee is pleased to announce the following recipients of Travel Awards for the 2015 VRA conference in Denver:Archivision International Award – Frances Narkiewicz, Chester Beatty Library, DublinKathe Hicks Albrecht Award — Rosanna Meindl, Rhodes CollegeGallery Systems — Ann Walt Stallings, Isabella Stewart Gardner MuseumNew Horizons Full Award — Leah Rios, University of ArizonaNew Horizons Full Award — Vanessa Miller, College for Creative StudiesNew Horizons Student Award — Keri Marken, Corita Art Center/UCLALuraine Tansey Memorial Award —Marie Elia, University of BuffaloMember Challenge Award – Inga Theissen, Macalester College
Luraine Tansey/VRA Travel Awards:Michael Donovan, University of ChicagoLinda Callahan, Mount Holyoke CollegeBeth Wodnick Haas, Princeton UniversityHannah Marshall, Cornell UniversitySarah Gillis, Worcester Art MuseumMolly Schoen, University of Michigan, Ann ArborJennifer Kniesch, Dickinson College
Congratulations to the award recipients, and thank you to all 36 applicants for their interest and excellent applications.
Additional thanks go to contributors to the travel awards fund, our generous travel award sponsors, the VRA Executive Board and the Travel Awards Committee.We're looking forward to seeing all of you in Denver,Vicky Brown and Jeannine KeeferCo-Chairs, Travel Awards Committee
Memo from the President
'Tis the Season - Shop Amazon and Support the VRA
Greetings All,
The holidays are just around the corner! Avoid the chaos of the shopping mall and use Amazon to fulfill all of your holiday needs and wants. How about a Gnome Nativity Scene to spice up your decor or a Hanukkah in Your Pocket LED Menorah?
Is the thought of spending time with relatives bringing you down? Then pack your bags and head to the Caribbean! Look no further than Amazon for a Luxury Divas Flat Tan Wide Brim Sun Hat, SPF 110 Sunscreen, and a Beekeeper Suit for the ultimate sun protection.
Simply click on one of the Amazon links under the Support Us section located in the lower right sidebar. The Visual Resources Association will receive a percentage back for every dollar you spend!
Barbara Brenny and Mary AlexanderVRA Development Committee Co-Chairs
Plenary speakers for Denver conference; registration begins tomorrow
Dear VRA colleagues,I am very pleased to announce the exciting plenary speakers for our upcoming 33rd Annual Conference in Denver (March 11-14, 2015). Opening speaker Aaron Straup Cope, Head of Engineering at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Museum and also an artist, will discuss how the New Cooper Hewitt Experience engages visitors with interactive and immersive creative technologies. Closing speaker Emily Gore, Director for Content with the Digital Public Library of America, will address the strategic vision for DPLA content and oversight of the DPLA Hub program.Kudos and many thanks to Vice President for Conference Program Steven Kowalik for coordinating these innovative thinkers' presence at our conference.See the conference website for more information about the preliminary program (including more details about our plenary speakers), accommodations, travel arrangements, and more. As you will see from the preliminary program, we have stellar sessions, workshops, meetings, and events lined up for attendees.And get ready: conference registration begins tomorrow! Keep an eye out for an e-mail with registration information.I'm looking forward to seeing many of you in the Mile High City for what promises to be an outstanding conference.Best wishes,Elaine
Election Results
Dear VRA colleagues,I am pleased to report the outcomes of the recent VRA membership vote, held November 1-30, 2014.Please join me in congratulating and welcoming our incoming Executive Board members, who will take office at the Annual Business Meeting in Denver, March 13, 2015.President-Elect: Jen Green, Plymouth State University Secretary: Jasmine Burns, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Vice President for Conference Program: Chris Strasbaugh, Vanderbilt UniversityOn behalf of the Executive Board I would like to warmly thank all of the candidates for being willing to serve the Association in leadership roles. We would also like to extend our gratitude to the Nominating Committee: Jolene de Verges (Co-Chair), Robb Detlefs, Marcia Focht, Jeannine Keefer (Co-Chair), and Heidi Raatz, with special thanks to Robb Detlefs and Heidi Raatz for serving as election tellers.The following are the results for the votes on the amendments to the VRA Constitution and Bylaws:Amendment to VRA Constitution, Article VII (New): RELATIONS WITH THE VRAF: Passed with a 90% margin Amendment to VRA Bylaws, Article III: NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS: Passed with a 90% margin Amendment to VRA Bylaws, Article V: DUTIES OF OFFICERS: Passed with a 90% margin Affiliation with the Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC): Passed with an 89% marginMany thanks to the membership for voting on these important Association matters.Best wishes,Elaine
VRA Travel Awards November Member Challenge - final total and thank you!!!
Dear all,We are absolutely delighted to announce to you that as of theclose of play on the final day of the our challenge yesterday(November 30), the membership had donated an astonishing $1390! Thatmeans that we didn't just meet our initial target of $850, nettingthat extra travel award to fund attendance at VRA33 in Denver, but wesurpassed it by $540, meaning that we will be able to make one otherTA applicant a happy recipient of the 'Member Challenge Award'.A colossal thank you to you, the membership, for your generosity.It makes us feel proud to be members of this association.The committee has been deliberating the many strong TAapplications it has received this cycle and will be announcing theoutcome to the VRA-L in the next couple of weeks. It's great that wehave not even just one, but two other awards to bestow this year, sothank you once again.Warmest wishes,Vicky & Jeannine
November Member Challenge - update and final call
Dear VRA members,Welcome to the fourth weekly update for our November Member Challenge.With just under a week to go we are delighted to announce that we now have a total of $1037 sitting in the pot, so as well as having earned that all important extra $850 award (the Luraine Tansey Memorial Travel Award), we now have a further $187 to bestow on a deserving TA recipient. Our challenge to the membership is to get that figure up with a final push, so before you disappear off on your holidays and spend your hard earned cash on Black Friday, spare a thought for your fellow VRA members and make a donation before November 30!Simply go to the VRA Membership ‘Join’ and select ‘Separate Donations andChapter Membership’. Sign in to MemberClicks and enter the amount ofyour donation, large or small (every little helps!) in the TanseyTravel Award Donation box.Thank you again for your generosity!Vicky and Jeannine (TA Co-Chairs)
GREAT NEWS! And TA Application re-opened
Good Morning VRA Members,1. We have fantastic news from the November Member Challenge - we have reached our initial goal of $850 and an additional travel award (the Luraine Tansey Memorial Travel Award) for the Denver conference (in fact we've received donations totaling $937)!!! A sincere thank you goes out to all of those members who have helped us reach this goal, your generosity is much appreciated.As per the terms of our anonymous donor, we can shoot for another $850 - that's just $763 to earn by the end of November. To help make this happen, go to the VRA Membership ‘Join’ page and select ‘Separate Donations and Chapter Membership’. Sign in to MemberClicks and enter the amount of your donation, large or small (every little helps!) in the Tansey Travel Award Donation box. If you are renewing your individual membership, you can donate via this form too.2. We are also happy to announce that we have received donations for two awards sponsored by our generous vendors. Archivision will be supporting an international travel award in the amount of $1000 and Gallery Systems will be supporting a museum professional with a travel award in the amount of $700. Thank you to Archivision and Gallery Systems!3. In light of these developments we will be re-opening the Travel Award Application this morning and will accept applications until 12:00 PM EST on Friday November 21st. If you were on the fence about applying, now is the time to take the plunge!http://goo.gl/forms/96FqOULrVOBefore you apply, PLEASE READ "Travel Award Rules, Guidelines and Tips” for VRA Travel Awards Applicants, and "Types of Travel Awards", both linked here as PDFs.Again a sincere thank you goes out the membership and our travel award sponsors. We look forward to seeing you at a great conference in Denver!!!Jeannine and Vicky
November Member Challenge Update
Good afternoon VRA Membership,
We are entering the second week of November and our third Travel Awards November Member Challenge update brings fantastic news – your generosity has landed us in the 87% range of our goal to attain an extra travel award for attendance at VRA 33 in Denver!We have just $108 to go and no amount is too small - $2, $5, $10…. Or too big. Remember, any funds we raise beyond our $850 goal will be matched by our anonymous donor – so we could strive for a second award if our goal is met.How can you help us meet this goal? Simply go to the VRA Membership ‘Join’ page and select ‘Separate Donations and Chapter Membership’. Sign in to MemberClicks and enter the amount of your donation, large or small (every little helps!) in the Tansey Travel Award Donation box. If you are renewing your individual membership, you can donate via this form too.Looking forward to next week’s update…Vicky and Jeannine (TA Co-Chairs)