There's still time! Apply now for the VRA Internship Award
There’s still time! To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the VRA Internship Award, we are extending this year’s application deadline to August 19, 2022.Generously funded by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, the VRA Internship Award provides financial support for graduate students and recent graduates preparing for a career in visual resources and image management. The award grants $3,000 to support a period of internship in archives, libraries, museums, visual resources collections in academic institutions, or other appropriate contexts. It also provides $1,000 for professional development, and a one-year complimentary student membership in the Visual Resources Association.Candidates should apply after developing a project with a specific collection and prospective supervisor. Priority will be given to applicants who submit projects that support art historical or related visual cultural heritage research and scholarship. The VRA Internship Award Committee favors opportunities in which the intern may integrate skills acquired during the course of his or her academic training to manage a project from beginning to end, with the host institution receiving needed help in making valuable but hidden cultural collections visible. Projects that would not occur without funding for an intern may be given special consideration. A complete description of the internship and application instructions are available at: https://vraweb.org/opportunities/awards/internship-award/.Applications are due on August 19, 2022. The award recipient for 2022-2023 will be announced on September 5, 2022.
Mid-Atlantic Chapter Meeting August 12th
The Center for Virtual/Material Studies (formerly the Visual Resources Centre) in the Department of Art History at Penn State is exited to host an in-person VRA Mid-Atlantic Chapter meeting. The meeting will be on August 12th from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The day will include an introduction to the Center's “new” space, business meeting, visit to the Matson Museum of Anthropology, and a visit to the School of Theatre Fashion Archive (VRA Project Grant), finishing the day with Creamery ice cream. The full agenda for the day can be found here and the RSVP is here.All are welcome even if you are not a member of the Chapter. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.Catherine Adams, Mid-Atlantic Chapter ChairCarolyn Lucarelli
SEI Is Recruiting a New Implementation Team!
The Summer Educational Institute for Digital Stewardship of Visual Information (SEI) is actively recruiting applicants for several positions on the SEI Implementation Team, details of which are at the end of this post: (1) Incoming Co-Chair, (2) Curriculum Specialists and Faculty Liaisons, (1) Web Manager and Publicity Specialist. It is a great opportunity for resume building and networking. SEI offers all positions a stipend for their time.
SEI is a joint project of the Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA) and the Visual Resources Association (VRA). SEI is an intensive three and a half-day workshop that features curriculum taught by expert instructors who present an overview of the digital life cycle in a broad range of topics.
SEI 2023 will be held virtually. SEI plans to remain a virtual workshop going forward, so you can expect that you commitment to SEI 2024 will also be for a virtual workshop.
To apply, please email your resume and a brief statement of interest to SEI Co-Chair Jasmine Burns (jburns@cornell.edu) by August 1, 2021. We expect to onboard the new Implementation Team members in October with biweekly team meetings. The Team typically has a break from biweekly meetings before and during the annual conferences of ARLIS/NA and VRA; it is possible to be an SEI IT member and present in the annual conference as a speaker and/or attendee. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the roles, I would be happy to discuss over email, phone, or Zoom.
Best,
Jasmine Burns, SEI 2023 Senior Co-Chair
SEI Curriculum Specialists and Faculty Liaisons ($750 Stipend, recruiting 2 positions: 1 from ARLIS/NA and 1 from VRA)
The two SEI Curriculum Specialists work closely together to analyze the results and participant feedback from the previous year’s SEI and to weigh emerging trends in the image management field in order to make curricular recommendations for the upcoming SEI. They serve as the primary contact with all SEI faculty prior to and during the Summer Educational Institute. The Faculty Liaisons are also responsible for facilitating faculty contact with students prior to SEI, and for collecting any curriculum-related materials. Areas of particular emphasis include recruiting and inviting SEI faculty; working closely with the SEI Curriculum Development specialists and SEI faculty to develop their specific modules and instructional materials; and maintaining all logistical information related to faculty, including arrival and departure information. They are responsible for creating descriptions of the proposed curriculum and bringing them to the SEI IT for discussion and consultation, along with suggestions for appropriate classroom spaces and technologies, potential teaching methodologies, and possible instructors. Once the SEI curriculum is established and instructors secured, the SEI Curriculum Specialists work on an as-needed basis with the SEI Faculty Liaison to make sure that curricular goals are communicated to faculty and faculty questions are properly answered. They are responsible for being “on the ground” during the virtual SEI workshop. And at the conclusion of SEI, the Curriculum Specialists and Faculty Liaisons are responsible for archiving copies of previous year's final documents in Basecamp in collaboration with the Incoming Co-Chair. This is a 1-year commitment, renewable for up to 3 years. This position is busiest in November/December and again in May, and can expect to work up to an additional 4 hours a month outside of the biweekly meetings during the busy times.
Junior Co-Chair and Student Liaison ($1000 Stipend; must be an active ARLIS member)
The Junior Co-Chair and Student Liaison is the first year-long position of a two year SEI Commitment, and serves as the primary contact with all SEI attendees prior to and during the Summer Educational Institute, updating them as needed on matters regarding curriculum, virtual meeting arrangements, and fielding all questions related to attendance at SEI once registered. The Student Liaison also serves as the Junior Co-Chair of SEI and works closely with the SEI Senior Co-Chair and the Curriculum Specialists and Faculty Liaisons on the implementation of all aspects of SEI. The SEI Student Liaison is expected to be “on the ground” for the virtual SEI workshop. The Incoming Co-Chair is responsible for archiving copies of the previous year’s final documents in Basecamp in collaboration with the Senior Co-Chair. This position is busiest in February and May and can expect to work up to an additional 4 hours a month outside of the biweekly meetings during the busy times.
Web Manager and Publicity Specialist ($750 Stipend; must be an active member of ARLIS or VRA)
The SEI Web Manager/Publicity Specialist works with the SEI Co-Chairs and other SEI positions to maintain the overall brand and management of the SEI website and social media profiles, including uploading and editing graphics and pictures; coordinating graphic design; developing and managing the registration and payment pages and processes, etc. In addition, the role will develop a publicity campaign for SEI and collaborate on internal communication with registered SEI students. The publicity position is responsible for creating an SEI publicity calendar; collaborating with the SEI Co-Chairs to write announcements; distributing those announcements to multiple organizational and institutional listservs; developing SEI’s social media outreach presence; and managing how SEI provides information to its students, including managing the Student Portal and assisting with Zoom platform and recordings management. This is a 1-year commitment, renewable for up to 3 years. This position has deadlines in November/December, in March, and again in May. (While this position is welcome to attend SEI sessions for free, they are not expected to be “on the ground” and helping facilitating sessions during the virtual SEI workshop.)
July EAC Community Hour
Greetings all,We are living through tumultuous times, to say the least. Taking action to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility can seem like an overwhelming challenge, even for folks who have been doing this work for a while!Please join us Tuesday July 19th, 4:00-5:00pm EDT / 1:00-2:00pm PDT as we explore the Social Change Ecosystem Map. Created by writer, facilitator, and activist Deepa Iyer of the Building Movement Project, the "Social Change Ecosystem Map is a framework that can help individuals, networks, and organizations align with social change values, individual roles, and the broader ecosystem" of DEIA work in any context. For this Community Hour, we invite you to take some time to read and reflect through the Social Change Ecosystem Guide prior to our discussion if possible. If not, join us anyway! We will cover as much as we can during our time together.Do you have insights or questions about the reading? Add them to the discussion prompt section in the Community Hour doc here.As always, we do not record the community hours to encourage free and open discussion.Click here to register for EAC's Community HourCheers,Lael and Lesley, EAC Co-Chairs
VREPS Virtual Social Hour
Join the Visual Resources Emerging Professionals and Students (VREPS) on July 8th at 4 p.m. Pacific/7 p.m. Eastern for a virtual social hour! Learn about what VREPS does to support emerging professionals and students, share your ideas about what events we can hold, and meet other emerging professionals!The social hour will include an introduction to VREPS and upcoming events, opportunities to ask questions and make suggestions, and time to chat and get to know other emerging professionals in the Visual Resources fields.If you're interested, register below to receive a Zoom link! We look forward to seeing new and old faces!
VREPS Social Hour
July 8th, 4 p.m. Pacific/7 p.m. Eastern
Register here: https://forms.gle/fEyTJMQmxsANu1QHA
Meeting ID: 876 6069 5641
--Best regards,Karissa Hurzeler and Allie Scholten, VREPS Co-Chairs
VRA Quarterly Newsletter | Summer 2022
Summer 2022 Association News
New Membership Fees
This April the VRA introduced new, reduced membership rates to lower barriers to membership. The following rates went into effect May 1st:
Student, Retired, Unemployed, and New Member = $50
Individual = $100
VRA Advocate = $150
Institutional = $250
Visit MyVRA to renew or join.
VRA-VRAF Merger Update
On January 19, 2022, the Visual Resources Association (VRA) and Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) merged into a single 501(c)(3) and assumed the name Visual Resources Association. Treasurer Ann McShane has been working to merge VRA and VRAF's finances with help from the former Treasurers, Membership Services Coordinator, Financial Advisory Committee, and Accountant. This work is ongoing, but means VRA will start the new fiscal year with shared bank accounts and book-keeping. Over the next several months, they will work through duplicative bills and workflows to help save VRA money going forward. Thank you to everyone who has offered their time and expertise in this process. If you would like to help shape the financial priorities of our combined VRA, contact Andreas Knab for information about joining the Financial Advisory Committee.
Conference Update
The Board is currently exploring options for the next VRA conference, including shifting the time of year the conference is held. Data from the 2022 post-conference survey indicated that having the conference at another time of year would increase the likelihood of participation for one-third of non-attendee respondents and not decrease the likelihood of participation for all other respondents. Be on the lookout for more information soon!
Board Office Hours
The Board has instituted monthly VRA Board Office Hours on the fourth Friday of every month from 10-11 a.m. Pacific (1-2 p.m. Eastern). Office Hours are an opportunity for members to meet the Board, ask questions, brainstorm, and engage. Members receive regular reminders of upcoming Office Hours.
VRA Core 4.0 Chinese Translations
The Visual Resources Association Cataloging and Metadata Standards Committee (CaMS) is excited to share a Chinese translation project for VRA Core 4.0, a data standard for the description of works of visual culture as well as the images that document them. The project team of CaMS members and library professionals from American institutions, led by Xiaoli Ma, worked with bilingual scholars and practitioners in the U.S., Taiwan, and P.R. China to develop these translations.
Summer Educational Institute (SEI)
SEI 2022 concluded on Friday, June 24. 50 new attendees have graduated from SEI’s curriculum, which offers a comprehensive introduction to the entire digital lifecycle for professionals who manage cultural heritage and visual information. We were pleased to offer nine curricular workshops taught by nine expert instructors on a range of topics from copyright to ethics and accessibility, project management and digitization, metadata and critical cataloging, and digital preservation and DAMs. SEI 2023 will again be held virtually, and the SEI Implementation Team will be recruiting new team members later this summer!
VRA Project Grant Awarded
The Penn State School of Theatre Fashion Archive has been chosen to receive the 2022 VRA Project Grant. Established in 2012, the Fashion Archive features an array of clothing and other ephemera including fashion magazines, pattern books, personal memorabilia in the form of photos and correspondences, and advertisements. With these funds, the school will complete an initial inventory of the Archive, a crucial first step in making these valuable resources available to a wider audience.
Conference Materials Available Online
Select slide decks from the 2022 Conference are available on the VRA’s Slideshare account. The keynote address by Ashley Minner, “Repatriating the Archives: An Urban ‘Reservation’ Reunion,” is available on the VRA Vimeo channel.
2021 Annual Reports and 2022 Annual Business Meeting
Annual reports from Executive Board officers, appointees, committees, and chapters as well as minutes from the 2022 Annual Business Meeting are available to members via the MyVRA portal.
Leadership Updates
VRA Bulletin Content Editor
Sara Schumacher was appointed to the position of VRA Bulletin Content Editor. The VRA Bulletin 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. Sara has editorial experience and has been an active member of the VRA, most recently serving on the Executive Board as Vice President for Conference Program from 2019 to 2021.
VREPS Co-Chair
Allie Scholten was elected Co-chair of the Visual Resources Emerging Professionals and Students group (VREPS). Allie is the Digital Collections Manager at the University of Chicago. If you would like to get involved with VREPS, contact Allie and her Co-chair Karissa Hurzeler at vreps@vraweb.org.
Current Opportunities
VRA Internship Award
We are currently accepting applications for the ninth VRA Internship Award in visual resources and image management. This internship is generously funded by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation and provides financial support for graduate students and recent graduates preparing for a career in visual resources and image management. The award grants $3,000 to support a period of internship in archives, libraries, museums, visual resources collections in academic institutions, or other appropriate contexts. It also provides $1,000 for professional development, and a one-year complimentary student membership in the Visual Resources Association.
Executive Board Openings
The VRA Executive Board is seeking volunteers for four Board positions: President-Elect, Secretary, Junior Director of Events and Initiatives, and Grants Officer. Executive Board Officers are elected by the Board. Candidates are needed by Fall 2022. Terms of office will begin in Spring 2023 following a period of shadowing the current officers. Benefits of serving on the Board include complimentary membership and conference registration. Contact board@vraweb.org to find out more.
Upcoming Events
VREPS Virtual Social Hour
July 8 at 4pm PST/7pm ESTDrop by our Virtual Social Hour to meet other students and new professionals and to hear about VREPS and our upcoming events and opportunities! Share about your experience in the field or come with any questions about the field of visual resources. Contact vreps@vraweb.org for Zoom info.
VRA Core 4.0 Chinese Translations Now Available!
The Visual Resources Association Cataloging and Metadata Standards Committee (CaMS) is excited to share a Chinese translation project for VRA Core 4.0 led and assisted by members from VRA’s CaMS Committee and a group of five library professionals from American institutions. The VRA Core is a data standard for the description of works of visual culture as well as the images that document them.This team began the project to translate the VRA Core 4.0 Element Description into traditional and simplified Chinese in January 2021. The translation project went through multiple revisions before bilingual scholars and practitioners in the U.S., Taiwan, and P.R. China were invited to review the drafts. All reviewers have years of experience with cultural heritage metadata. In response to reviewers’ suggestions on the translation and formatting, the group carried through more rounds of modification and now presents to the communities the current versions:Traditional Chinese VersionSimplified Chinese VersionIn addition to congratulating the team on completing this amazing project for our community, we encourage you to share your thoughts via our feedback form. We are especially interested in feedback on the following points:
- Are the translations of the key concepts accurate, e.g. element names?
- Are the format and the structure of the translation easy to follow?
- Any suggestions on the formatting, for instance, the accessibility of the content, like table in google doc and then in PDF?
- Any issues?
- Comments/Suggestions
The deadline for feedback is July 18, 2022.Following the conclusion of the feedback period, the final versions of the translations will be hosted on the Library of Congress VRA Core page.Thank you to the following participants for your dedicated work on this project!Project Lead: Xiaoli Ma, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of FloridaDTP: K. Sarah Ostrach, Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford UniversityTranslators: Ching-jung Chen, The City College of the City University of New York Libraries; Sai Deng, University of Central Florida Libraries; Xiaoli Ma, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida; Jane Pen, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida;Reviewers: Sophy Shu-Jiun Chen, Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Charlene Chou, New York University Library; Fan Wei, Sichuan University, P. R. China; Carol Ng-He, Center for the Art of East Asia, The University of Chicago; Shu-Wen Lin, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Marcia Lei Zeng, School of Information, Kent State University--Leah ConstantineChair, VRA Cataloging and Metadata Standards Committee (CaMS)
Apply now! VRA Internship Award
Sara Schumacher Appointed VRA Bulletin Content Editor
On behalf of the VRA Executive Board, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Sara Schumacher to the position of VRA Bulletin Content Editor.The VRA Bulletin 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.
Sara is the Architecture Image Librarian at Texas Tech University, a position she has held since January 2018. Prior to this, Schumacher was the Technical Services Librarian and Art History Instructor at the University of the Cumberlands (2011-2017). She received her BA in Art History from the University of Texas at Austin (2005), MA in Art History from the University of Oregon (2007) and her MS in Information Studies from the University of Texas at Austin (2011).Sara has editorial experience through a contracted book with ACRL Press where she is a section editor working with six chapters and their associated editors. She has been an active member of the VRA, most recently serving on the Executive Board as Vice President for Conference Program from 2019 to 2021. Sara’s term as VRA Bulletin Content Editor will begin in July 2022, when she will assume responsibility for the Fall/Winter issue.The Board would also like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to outgoing Content Editor Jasmine Burns for their service to the Bulletin.Sincerely,Margaret C. McKeePublic Relations and Communications OfficerVisual Resources Association
EAC Community Hour: Visual Literacy and Instagram through a #SocialJustice Lens
Join the VRA's Equitable Action Committee (EAC) on Thursday, May 26th at 2:00-3:00pm EDT/ 11:00am-12:00pm PDT for our May Community Hour: Visual Literacy and Instagram through a #SocialJustice Lens with guest presenters Sara Schumacher and Millie Fullmer.How can Instagram provide insights into the intersection of visual literacy and social justice, which we can leverage for instruction and outreach efforts? Join us in exploring topics including cultural appropriation, digital blackface, algorithmic influence on the body, creator bias concerning gender, sexuality, and race, and filter bubbles.Sara Schumacher is the Architecture Image Librarian at Texas Tech University. Her research interests include visual literacy instruction, ethics, and bias.Millie Fullmer is the Acquisitions and Cataloging Librarian at the University of San Diego. Her research includes decolonizing library collections and metadata, and visual literacy instruction.They are two of the co-authors of The Framework for Visual Literacy in Higher Education, Companion Document to the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.As always, we do not record the community hours to encourage free and open discussion.Do you have a specific question for our guests? Add it to the discussion prompt section in the Community Hour doc here.Click here to register for EAC's Community Hour! Have an idea for a future Community Hour? Share your idea with this form!Best,Lael J. Ensor-Bennett and Lesley ChapmanEAC Co-Chairs
VREPS Cover Letter and Resume Review Session this Friday!
Are you a student or new professional looking for someone to review your cover letter and resume?
One-on-one interview practice sessions are your opportunity to work with a VRA professional to polish your self-presentation. We'll help you work on your cover letter and resume, as well as provide constructive feedback for you to put together a strong job application.
We're also looking for more experienced professionals to act as reviewers! Please free to sign up on the spreadsheet if you're interested in acting as an interviewer for our sessions--aka your chance to be a shining lighthouse that helps steer our new professionals and students into the safe harbors of employment!
Our next practice sessions will take place on Friday, May 20th, from 3-6pm EST/12pm-3pm PST.
Best,
Karissa Hurzeler and Allie Scholten
VREPS Co-Chairs
VRA Membership: New reduced rates!
The strength of the VRA is its members and the supportive, multidisciplinary community we have created. To keep this community growing and vibrant, the VRA Executive Board is lowering barriers to membership by introducing new, reduced membership rates! The following rates go into effect May 1st:
Student, Retired, Unemployed, and New Member = $50
Individual = $100
VRA Advocate* = $150
Institutional = $250
* VRA Advocate memberships help offset the cost reductions for student, retired, unemployed and new members. If you’re able to, please consider joining as a VRA Advocate.
Benefits of membership include:
- Subscription to the VRA Listserv and access to MyVRA members-only portal
- Opportunity to publish in the open access VRA Bulletin without paying a publication fee
- Registration discounts on VRA conferences and workshops, including the Summer Educational Institute for Digital Stewardship of Visual Information (SEI)
- Opportunity to take on leadership roles in the organization and participate on committees, advisory groups, and task forces
Visit MyVRA to renew or join. Please share this information with your colleagues, institutions, and related organizations. Thank you for being a part of the VRA community!
The VRA Executive Board
Who would you like to see win a Distinguished Service Award or Nancy DeLaurier Award in 2022?
Has someone or something positively impacted your work in the field of visual resources and image management? We would love to celebrate their achievements!The VRA Awards Committee is scouting for potential nominators and nominees for the Distinguished Service (career achievement) and Nancy DeLaurier (project, publication, or other accomplishments) 2022 Awards to be given at the Annual Conference in Baltimore. To learn more about these awards, please see: httpS://vraweb.org/about/committees/awards-committee/This is not a nomination, but a simple Google form that can be completed quickly to offer your ideas about deserving people or impactful projects. The Awards Committee will follow-up with you about your suggestions and provide assistance with any potential full nomination later this summer. See: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexCYTy1fM3Q1jjPkKWjILrNCWXX6E1X1Dwi4JrVxlNdv5Cww/viewformAlthough nominations need to be initiated by Visual Resources Association members, the nominees themselves do not need to be members of the organization.Please consider contacting us about any colleagues deserving of recognition and take a few minutes to complete this new Google form. We so welcome your ideas and suggestions.All the best wishes for a wonderful summer,Maureen BurnsVRA Awards Committee Chair
Announcing the VRA Distinguished Service Award and Nancy DeLaurier Recipients
PRESS RELEASEMarch 29, 2021Contact: Visual Resources Association info@vraweb.orgOnline Address: httpS://vraweb.org/about/committees/awards-committee/VISUAL RESOURCES ASSOCIATION PRESENTS 2021 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD TO MARCIA MEEKER FOCHT AND NANCY DELAURIER AWARD TO ANNA BERNHARD AND HEATHER LOWE FOR THEIR WORK FOUNDING THE VISUAL RESOURCES EMERGING PROFESSIONALS AND STUDENTS GROUPVIRTUAL CHICAGO, Illinois—The Visual Resources Association (VRA), a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to furthering research and education in the field of image management, proudly presented the 2021 Distinguished Service Award (DSA) to Marcia Meeker Focht, Binghamton University’s Visual Resources Curator, at the Virtual Chicago conference on March 25th. 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.
In over 30 years of active participation in VRA, Focht has helped to shape the association through her empathetic leadership and extraordinary service record—two terms on the VRA Executive Board, participation in various committees, task forces, and other special interest groups, and currently, Chair of the VRA Foundation. This breadth of service is only surpassed by her considerable professional talents, sincere dedication, and engaging personality. For example, she is primarily responsible for the success of the VRA Mentor Program with 13 years of “cheerleading” and matching new members with nurturing veterans to contribute to positive conference experiences and to help with ongoing professional development. She has welcomed more people to VRA than any other member, mentored many a future leader, and contributed to member retention.A forward-looking embracer of new technologies, Focht successfully transitioned her image collection from analog to digital images, collaborated with other campuses in the SUNY system to find ways to share Binghamton’s growing collection, and she continues to experiment with new technologies through digital humanities initiatives. As Tom McDonough, a Binghamton professor, stated in his letter of support, “What I’d most like to emphasize here, however, is not so much her assistance to the Art History faculty—her role was never merely supplemental or supportive—but her groundbreaking role in introducing us to the research and pedagogical potentials of the new tools offered by digital technology. Marcia could never be mistaken for a complacent figure; she has consistently sought out new ideas, new opportunities, and brought them back to campus to share with students and faculty alike.” An “ambassador” of embedded metadata, she has presented and published on the innovative tools the VRA developed at regional, national, and international conferences.Focht’s career-long dedication has involved hard work, intellectual curiosity, and impressive productivity, all accomplished with boundless enthusiasm, genuine warmth, and an infectious sense of humor. VRA President, Jeannine Keefer, stated “Marcia exemplifies the numerous ways that members can participate and give back to VRA via committee and chapter participation, leadership roles, discussion contributions, and sharing our work with the world outside the association. Her mentorship and encouragement has meant the world to me over the years. I could not have asked for a better professional role model or a more dear friend.” Focht richly deserves the DSA award for her unparalleled spirit of volunteerism and career-long dedication to the visual resources profession. She has given “her head and her heart” to VRA and the membership has benefitted greatly from her generosity.
The Nancy DeLaurier Award (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, Web site creation, or other outstanding effort. The NDL was enthusiastically bestowed on Anna Bernhard and Heather Lowe for their foundational work with the Visual Resources Emerging Professionals and Students group (VREPS).Under the initial leadership of these two founding chairs, VREPS created a space where emerging VRA professionals can build kinship, network, exchange ideas, collaborate, and thrive. Anna, Heather, and the newfound VREPS group recognized that early professionals and students were entering a drastically different employment landscape than their more established VRA colleagues, and they sought to provide a variety of support for these association members. As the nominator, Jasmine Burns of Cornell University, shared, "Anna and Heather set a wonderful example of what emerging professionals could accomplish in and outside of the VRA. Their example gave me the confidence and eagerness to run for office, serve in chapter leadership, and continue building my job-related skills before I even hit the job market. The inclusive space that they created during my first-ever conference experience made me a long-lasting member and fostered my connections with other people in the same boat, many of whom remain my treasured, life-long colleagues."The group focuses on developing job searching skills, networking, and finding professional development opportunities, such as relevant webinars, workshops, and conferences. VREPS sponsors VRA conference sessions and workshops as well as the annual “Night Out,” an informal, open, social outing that provides emerging professionals an opportunity to get to know each other and form new relationships in an informal setting, both of which have become a formalized features of the VRA conference. They alert group members about calls for papers/proposals, fellowships, internships, scholarships/awards, employment openings, and other opportunities. The VREPS blog became the go-to source for job and internship opportunities in the field and inspired the creation of the VRA Job Digest. By the time Anna and Heather stepped down from their VREPS leadership roles, the group had firmly solidified its place within the VRA. Bernhard and Lowe have more than paid back any mentorship they received by developing this new mechanism to warmly welcome emerging professional and students to the field of visual resources.Visual Resources Association http://www.vraweb.org/
VRA Activities at CAA in Chicago
The CAA conference in Chicago is approaching fast. For those of you fortunate enough to be able to attend this year. Here is some current news to help with your planning, even if you are jumping in late.
I'm happy to report that CAA is offering Pay-as-You-Wish registration for one day only, Friday, February 14, thanks to generous support from the Carl and Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation. But, on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, they also offer a variety of onsite registration options including:
- Single-session timeslot ticket— $20
- Book & Trade Fair only pass— $20
- One Day Pass— $100
- Full conference registration— prices vary depending on your membership tier .
Also, with your conference badge, you can get into many of Chicago's museums and cultural institutions for free or reduced admission. There is a list of participating institutions here:
https://www.collegeart.org/programs/conference/conference2020/resources/museums
I would like to express my sincerest appreciation to Bridget Madden of the University of Chicago for taking the lead on a VRA Business Meeting turned Forum and a VRA Session since I am unable to attend this year. She is your best contact on the ground in Chicago, but I'm happy to answer any questions that I can from afar.
Both events take place on Wednesday, February 12th, starting with a VRA Business Meeting scheduled midday (free and open to the public), which we have turned into a discussion 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, as well as their students from Northwestern University. It will be followed by what will surely be an engaging discussion about online exhibitions and other current trends in the field of visual resources. This takes place on the 3rd floor of the Hilton Chicago in the Williford B room.
In the afternoon, a formal session entitled, "Hands-On to Eyes-On: From Material Collections to Digital Exhibitions" will take place at 4 pm on the 3rd floor in the Wilford C room. A distinguished panel of artists, art historians, librarians, museum and information professionals will discuss the hands-on use of materials and museum collections to allow students to apply their knowledge in real-life contexts (full slate below). 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. 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.
Here is the terrific lineup:
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."
Thank you to all of the participants for bringing together this terrific content and sharing their expertise with this important CAA audience. Hope you can get to Chicago to experience these VRA events and more!
With best wishes,Maureen BurnsVRA CAA Affiliate Liaison
2020 VRA Foundation Professional Development Grant: Call for Applications
The Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) is pleased to announce that it is accepting applications for the VRAF Professional Development Grant program. This program offers two $1000 grants yearly. This grant can be used to support conference participation, enroll in a workshop, for an online education opportunity, or for research activities. For consideration, please submit your application by Friday, February 14, 2020, 11:59PM Pacific Time. If you have any questions about the VRAF Professional Development Grant, please contact the VRAF Board of Directors at vrafoundation@gmail.com. The recipient of the 2020 VRAF Professional Development grant will be announced by Friday, February 28, 2020, and must be used before February 28, 2021.APPLY HEREPurpose: The purpose of the VRAF Professional Development grant is to support professional development in the field of visual resources and cultural heritage information management. The grant can be used to participate in a professional development opportunity of the grantee’s choosing (such as a conference, symposium, workshop, online education), or to enroll in relevant research activities (such as hands-on field work or a site visit for scholarly purposes). Priority will be given to applications that include participation at a conference (giving a paper, teaching a workshop, chairing a committee, etc.); research that shows promise to lead to publication or contributes to the visual resources and cultural heritage information management community; or to applications that can demonstrate that the receiving the opportunity will have a broader benefit to an institution or region. Please note that recipients of the award are required to submit a report outlining how the award contributed to his or her professional development within 30 days following the event.Eligibility
- Applicants should have a professional interest in visual resources and cultural heritage information management, and may include retirees, the currently unemployed, or students seeking educational and training opportunities in support of broad access to cultural information.
- Membership in the Visual Resources Association is not required.
- Statements of financial need will be strongly considered.
Acceptable Uses of Award Money
- Transportation costs to and from the event venue
- Registration fees or tuition
- Required course materials (e.g., workbooks, DVDs)
- Lodging
- Meals – including meals in transit to and from the educational event
- Research expenses
- Grant monies may not be used to cover indirect costs (For example, a percentage of the grant money/funding taken by the grantee's institution to cover perceived overhead.)
Application Criteria
- A goals statement outlining the opportunity, how it will benefit your work, and any potential contributions this opportunity may allow you to make beyond your own professional development.
- A comprehensive budget and breakdown of your proposed travel, lodging, meal, and other expenses. When costs are estimated, please explain (e.g., “roundtrip airfare on United as determined via Expedia search”; my lodging costs reflect an estimate for a shared room). If your institution requires you to use a specific airline, or has set a corporate airfare rate, please note this in the comments section. Be as clear and complete as possible about other funding support you will receive or are applying for, such as from your home institution, or other grants and awards.
- Your resume/curriculum vitae
ApplicationPlease submit an online application to be considered for a VRAF Professional Development Grant.Past recipients include Anne Young, Manager of Rights and Reproductions at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, to attend the 2013 American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education (ALI CLE) Legal Issues in Museum Administration course. Her attendance was crucial in the production of Rights & Reproductions: The Handbook for Cultural Institutions, an indispensable resource. About the grant, Anne wrote, “The Grant funded a portion of my course tuition and associated travel costs to attend the program. It is my belief that this Grant was also a contributing factor to my receiving a partial-scholarship, half of the course tuition, from ALI CLE that further supported my attendance… Without my attendance at ALI CLE’s LIMA and the VRAF’s Grant support, I would not have been able to make the vital connections to make the Handbook contributors and legal review panelists as robust as they are today.” The Handbook is now available and can be downloaded from the American Alliance of Museums website.The VRAF Professional Development Grant Program reflects the broad mission of the VRAF to support professional development in the field of visual resources and cultural heritage information management. The grant can be used to participate in a professional development opportunity of the grantee’s choosing (such as a conference, symposium, workshop, online education), or to enroll in relevant research activities (such as hands-on field work or a site visit for scholarly purposes). For more information about the VRAF, the VRAF Professional Development Grant, and other VRAF programs, please visit vrafoundation.org.https://vrafoundation.org/vrafoundation@gmail.comhttps://twitter.com/vrafoundat
Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) Announces Can We Do That? Regional Workshop
The Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) is pleased to announce that Can We Do That? Intellectual Property Rights and Visual Media will be held on March 13, 2020 at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA. Can We Do That? Intellectual Property Rights and Visual Media is one of the four workshops being offered in the fifth year of the VRAF Regional Workshop Program. The VRA Foundation is grateful to the Samuel H. Kress Foundation for their continued support of this exciting opportunity to partner with cultural heritage and educational institutions.How do I know whether something is protected by copyright? What is fair use and how can I apply it? What copyright exceptions are available for library or archival use? How can I clear a copyright? How do I navigate and negotiate licensing agreements? If you’ve asked yourself these questions, this workshop is for you! Aimed at providing real-world applications within the academic, archival, library, gallery and museum environments, we will use relevant case studies to explore issues such as educational and scholarly usage, securing academic publication rights (including for online use), creative reuse, fair use guidelines, VARA and moral rights, licensing from vendors and rights holders, and the public domain. Participants will also be introduced to tools and resources to help them and their constituents in making decisions regarding appropriate use and dissemination of visual media.Can We Do That? Intellectual Property Rights and Visual Media will be taught by Cara Hirsch, Deputy General Counsel at The Virtual Reality Company, a studio focused on the creation of content for virtual reality film and other experiences. At VRC, Cara oversees all intellectual property matters relating to the company’s business. She is the former Associate General Counsel at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, where she supported Guggenheim’s legal affairs in a wide variety of areas including intellectual property. Prior to the Guggenheim, Cara was Deputy General Counsel for Artstor, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to use digital technology to enhance scholarship, teaching, and learning in the arts, humanities and other fields. Among her duties at Artstor, Cara collaborated in refining Artstor’s intellectual property and other legal strategies for the organization. She also supervised the rights review and clearance process for media collections in the Artstor Digital Library, a digital image resource that makes available to nonprofit institutions over 1.7 million digital images in the arts, architecture, humanities, and sciences. Cara also worked as an Associate at the law firms of Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and Andrews Kurth LLP, where she practiced in the field of intellectual property. She served as Co-Chair of the Intellectual Property Rights Committee of the Visual Resources Association from 2011-2014. Cara received her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and her B.A., with distinction, from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.Registration for Can We Do That? Intellectual Property Rights and Visual Media is now open. The fee for the workshop is $125. For more information about the workshop and to register, visit here. If you have any questions about registration, please feel free to contact Beth Haas, VRAF Director, bwodnick@princeton.edu. For questions about the venue, please contact Anne Mar, Assistant College Archivist/Metadata Specialist, amar@oxy.edu.https://vrafoundation.org/vrafoundation@gmail.comhttps://twitter.com/vrafoundat
VRA Foundation (VRAF) has a New Website
Dear VRA Foundation Friends,With the new year and new decade upon us, the VRA Foundation has a new website! Visit us at vrafoundation.org.We have updated the VRA Foundation logo, the aesthetic of the website and the domain. While the appearance of pages and posts has been refreshed, there are no major structural or programming changes at this time. As always, we are continually considering new forms of educational programming and support for professional development and research in the field. We hope you enjoy the updates to the website and if you need to contact us please do so at vrafoundation@gmail.com.Best wishes,On behalf of the VRA Foundation Board of Directorshttps://vrafoundation.org/vrafoundation@gmail.comhttps://twitter.com/vrafoundat