Fall 2019 VRAF 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, September 20, 2019, 11:59PM Pacific Time. If you have any questions about the VRAF Professional Development Grant or the application process, and to submit your application here: https://forms.gle/LHeYeRJFnEniJHJP9 or please contact the VRAF Board of Directors at vrafoundation@gmail.com. The recipient of the Fall 2019 VRAF Professional Development grant will be announced by Friday, October 4, 2019, and must be used before October 4, 2020.
Purpose:
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
Application:
- Please submit an online application to be considered for a VRAF Professional Development Grant.
On Behalf of the VRAF Board of Directors
vrafoundation@gmail.com
vrafoundation.com
Apply to Host a 2019-2020 VRAF Regional Workshop
The Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) is pleased to announce that it is accepting host applications for the VRAF Regional Workshop Program for 2019-20. The application deadline is Friday, August 23 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Thanks to the continued generous support from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, this program will allow the VRAF to continue to realize its mission to promote scholarship, research, education, and outreach in the fields of visual resources and image management.
For the 2019-2020 program, the VRAF will support four workshops for up to $3000 each, including an instructor stipend and travel expenses, a stipend for the local organizer, catering, and other minor expenses incurred by the host institution. The VRAF will provide significant logistical support, including locating a qualified instructor and managing registration. With the VRAF Regional Workshop Grant, host institutions will be able to offer a workshop without the burden of developing it from within, and provide valuable programming not only to their local constituents, but also to their broader region. This opportunity is open to Visual Resources Association (VRA) Chapters, VRA affiliates, related information management organizations, museums, libraries, and academic institutions. For a reasonable registration fee, the workshops will provide an immersive experience on a single topic, framed in a manner that is relevant to digital asset management professionals, users of cultural heritage information, and the larger information community.
Applications will be accepted to host one of the following workshops:
- Can We Do That?: Intellectual Property Rights and Visual Media
- Collaborating across the Institution: Creating Professional Partnerships to Support Cultural Heritage
- Learning to Look and Looking to Learn: A Workshop on Visual Literacy
- Moving Images: The Basics and Beyond
- Python for Beginners
- The International Image Interoperability Framework: What Is It, and How Can I Use It?
- Something Mappy This Way Comes: An Introduction to Digital Mapping Technologies
- From Project to Product: Effective Project Management and Strategic Planning
- Managing Digital Content
- Propose Your Own Workshop!
We will also consider applications in which the host site proposes its own workshop topic. International hosts welcome to apply. Please review the description of the VRAF Regional Workshop Programas well as the VRAF Mission Statement prior to confirm that your proposed workshop fits within both the program’s parameters and the larger goals of the VRAF.
To conform to the guidelines of our Samuel H. Kress grant, workshops must be held by June 2020. For more information about the VRAF Regional Workshop Program, visit https://vrafoundation.com/regional-workshops/. To apply, visit https://vrafoundation.com/apply/. If you have additional questions about the program, please contact the Regional Workshop Implementation Team, vraf.rwit@gmail.com. The deadline for application is Friday, August 23 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
On behalf of the VRAF Regional Workshop Implementation Team
vrafoundation@gmail.com
vrafoundation.com
https://twitter.com/vrafoundation
https://www.facebook.com/visrafoundation/
Submissions Are Now Being Accepted for the VRA Bulletin Fall/Winter 2019 Issue
We are now accepting submissions for our Fall/Winter 2019 issue!
Because the Bulletin offers a hybrid peer review model, we can offer staggered submission deadlines based on whether or not an author is seeking peer review for their submission:
- Deadline for peer articles seeking peer review: October 15th, 2019
- Deadline for articles not seeking peer review: November 8th, 2019
*If you’re interested in serving as a peer reviewer, please volunteer via email by writing to the Content Editor, Hannah Marshall at marshall.hannah.marie@gmail.com
The Bulletin publishes a wide range of article types that correspondingly range in length - some rough guidelines to keep in mind:
- Feature articles: 2,000 - 5,000 words
- Perspectives (opinion pieces): 1,000 - 3,000 words
- Case studies & project updates: 500 - 2,000 words
- Reviews: 250 - 1,000 words
- Association news & reports - any length
There are two ways to get started publishing in the VRA Bulletin:
1. If you’d like to run your article idea by the editors before getting started, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Content Editor, Hannah Marshall (marshall.hannah.marie@gmail.com)
2. If your article is written and ready-to-go, upload it directly to our online journal system by following these instructions
Hannah Marshall, Content Editor
Amy Lazet, Production Editor
Now Available: VRA Bulletin Spring/Summer 2019 (Volume 46 Issue 1)
Dear Colleagues,
I am excited to inform you that the latest issue of the Visual Resources Association Bulletin has just been published and can be viewed here: https://online.vraweb.org/vrab/
This issue is the first fully open access Bulletin and is readily available to anyone with an internet connection - readers no longer need to sign in or be a VRA member in order to read the newest research on topics in the field of visual resources. This first OA issue focuses primarily on two topics - intellectual property rights and metadata - and features a variety of perspectives on both subjects.
Many thanks to each of the issue’s contributors and a reminder that the Bulletin is currently accepting submissions for its Fall/Winter 2019 issue. If you’re interested in publishing, don’t hesitate to reach out to Content Editor Hannah Marshall to discuss your article idea (marshall.hannah.marie@gmail.com). The submission process can be started on the VRAB website at: http://online.vraweb.org/vrab/.
Enjoy the issue!
Contents of the issue:
Association News
Knab, Andreas (2019) “Visual Resources Association 2019 Annual Business Meeting: Treasurer’s Report,” VRA Bulletin: Vol. 46: Iss. 1, Article 1.
Available at: https://online.vraweb.org/vrab/vol46/iss1/1/
Feature Articles
Ciuffa, Lavinia (2019) “The Ernst Nash - Fototeca Unione Collection and the Project ‘The Urban Legacy of Ancient Rome’,” VRA Bulletin: Vol. 46: Iss. 1, Article 2.
Available at: https://online.vraweb.org/vrab/vol46/iss1/2/
Gavell, Lisa (2019) “Tagging the Artstor Digital Library: A New Look at Tried and True (and Some AI) Strategies,” VRA Bulletin: Vol. 46: Iss. 1, Article 3.
Available at: https://online.vraweb.org/vrab/vol46/iss1/3/
Schumacher, Sara (2019) “Unlocking the Public Domain,” VRA Bulletin: Vol. 46: Iss. 1, Article 4.
Available at: https://online.vraweb.org/vrab/vol46/iss1/4/
Lazet, Amy (2019) “Intellectual Property Rights: Film, Pedagogy, and United States Code Title 17,” VRA Bulletin: Vol. 46: Iss. 1, Article 5.
Available at: https://online.vraweb.org/vrab/vol46/iss1/5/
Burns, Maureen (2019) "The Rights Stuff: Ethical Desition-Making and Image use in a Commercial Context," Bulletin: Vol. 46: Iss. 1, Article 6. Available at: https://online.vraweb.org/vrab/vol46/iss1/6/
Review
Westbrook, Georgia (2019) “Review of "Rights and Reproductions: The Handbook for Cultural Institutions" (2nd ed.),” VRA Bulletin: Vol. 46: Iss. 1, Article 7.
Available at: https://online.vraweb.org/vrab/vol46/iss1/7/
Sincerely, Amy Lazet
Production Editor, VRAB
Call for applications: VRA Foundation Internship Award, 2019-2020
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The Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) is pleased to invite applications for the sixth VRAF Internship Award in visual resources and image management. This internship is generously funded by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation.
The VRAF 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 VRAF 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://vrafoundation.com/internship-award/.
Applications are due on August 2, 2019. The award recipient for 2019-2020 will be announced on August 26, 2019.
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One Month Left to Submit a Proposal for VRA 2020 Baltimore
VRA 2019 attendees agree: Sessions, Meetings, and Workshops are the most valuable parts of the conference!
In free text answers to Which elements or aspects of the conference did you find most valuable and why?
Networking and New were in the top 10 of words used, so share this Call for Papers widely so 2020 Baltimore can be a great networking opportunity for us all!
Sara Schumacher; vpcp@vraweb.org
Vice President for Conference Program,
Visual Resources Association
Meet Our New Social Media Manager
Dear VRA Colleagues,
On behalf of the VRA Executive Board, it is my great pleasure to announce the appointment of Devon Murphy to the role of Social Media Manager. Devon is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she received an MA/MSIS in Art History and Information Science. She is a VREPS member and the recipient of a New Horizons Student Award and Tansey Top-Up Award to attend VRA LA 2019. During the Lightning Round, she presented The Information Worlds of Art Museum Curators and Registrars.
Devon brings a vast knowledge of social media platforms to her new role. She worked for three years at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Libraries and at the UNC Writing and Learning Center, creating visual and video content for Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and utilizing social media management tools to schedule and publish content. The Board is especially excited about Devon's expressed interest in broadening the VRA's group of partner organizations via social media and encouraging cross-pollination and a diversity of voices. Devon will officially begin her new role on July 1, 2019.
This announcement would not be complete without acknowledging the hard work and dedication of our current social media appointee, Kendra Werst. Kendra has done an exceptional job during her two-year term, growing and elevating the social media presence of the VRA. Please accept our sincerest thanks.
Kendra and Devon are excellent examples of newer members sharing their talents and energy with the VRA, while gaining important, resume-building skills and expanding their professional networks. The Board welcomes all members, new and old, to stake a claim in the organization!
All best wishes,
Amy McKenna
VRA Public Relations and Communications Officer
Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) announces 2019 Project Grant recipient
The Board of Directors of the Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) is pleased to present the 2019 VRAF Project Grant in the amount of $3000 to Arden Kirkland, creator of the CostumeCore Toolkit, and Adjunct Professor at the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY.
The CostumeCore Toolkit project will provide a toolkit to users, in order to streamline the process of setting up standards-based, interoperable metadata for collections related to the study of historic clothing. The VRAF Project Grant will allow Ms. Kirkland to update current templates in CSV/Excel formats, create plug-ins for Omeka S, templates and vocabulary for JSTOR Forum, and provide RDF extensions of VRA Core, incorporate AAT/EFT Uniform Resource Identifiers in CostumeCore, and create plugins and modules to support micro-thesauri for linked data. The CostumeCore Toolkit is currently utilized at Smith College and Vassar College, and will continue to be built-out with CostumeCore Toolkit user testing with those Colleges, Visual Resources Association members, and Costume Society of America members input and feedback. The project will allow the CostumeCore Toolkit to be available to the public under a Creative Commons BY- SA license.
In accordance with its mission to support broad access to visual information, the VRAF is pleased to support a project that extends metadata schemas and standards, and dissemination of templates about visual culture into expanded fields of inquiry.
The VRAF Project Grant Program reflects the broad mission of the VRAF 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 visual information in the digital age. For more information about the VRAF, the VRAF Project Grant, and other VRAF programs, please visit vrafoundation.com.
On behalf of the VRAF Board of Directors
Nominations Sought for 2019 VRA Executive Board Elections
Please consider running for the VRA Executive Board!
Three key positions on the VRA Executive Board will be on the ballot for the Association’s election this coming November:
· Vice President for Conference Arrangements
· Treasurer
· Public Relations & Communications Officer
The Nominating Committee is actively seeking nominations for these positions. Running for office is an excellent way to serve the Visual Resources Association, get to know more of your colleagues in the field, and give yourself an opportunity to grow professionally. If you are interested in serving on the VRA Executive Board please feel free to contact any previous or current officer; they would be happy to share their experiences and reflections of their time in office.
The Nominating Committee encourages members to place themselves, or other qualified individuals, in consideration for nomination by contacting the Chair or any member of the Committee. Feel free to contact any Nominating Committee member with any questions you may have regarding the nomination process.
VRA is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. Applicants from underrepresented communities and with diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
The VRA Bylaws provide additional information about the terms and duties of each officer position.
Thank you,
VRA 2019 Nominating Committee
Allan T. Kohl, Minneapolis College of Art and Design (Chair)
Krystal Boehlert, University of California, Riverside
Jasmine Elizabeth Burns, Cornell University
Chris Strasbaugh, Ohio State University
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Call for Proposals
Call for Proposals
The Visual Resources Association’s 2020 Annual Conference will be held in Baltimore, Maryland from Tuesday, March 24th through Friday, March 27th, 2020 at the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore. Presenting at the VRA Conference provides you with the opportunity to see how your ideas, research, work, and passion connect to those of other dedicated professionals while building networks and friendships in an open, collaborative environment.
Click here to access the conference proposal form.
The VRA Executive Board is soliciting proposals for papers, sessions, special interest/user groups, and workshops for the 2020 program until Friday, July 19th. All proposals are welcome, and if you have other conference ideas or suggestions that do not fit the conference proposal form, please reach out to the Vice President for Conference Program, Sara Schumacher. Please note a call for Lightning Round presenters will go out in the fall/winter, so that we can better accommodate recent innovations and activities, as well as, students and emerging professionals.
- A paper is an individual idea submission, which will be reviewed for possible grouping into a session. Your ideas, whether they come to us alone or in a group, are equally valued in the Board's proposal and selection process.
- A session is a maximum 60-minute moderated panel, usually consisting of no more than 3 presenters each, speaking for 15 to 18 minutes, followed by a brief facilitated question and answer period. If you feel your session topic requires more time, consider dividing it into two sessions, consisting of a Part I and a Part II.
- A special interest/user group is a 60-minute informal, community -driven, facilitated group discussion on topics related to a specific segment of the VRA membership.
- A workshop is a 2, 4, or 8-hour workshop to develop skills and experience in the field of visual resources with hands-on activities.
What should you propose?
Past conference schedules can give you an idea of the range of topics presented in previous years or read through the list below of suggested topics compiled from the 2019 post-conference survey responses to find inspiration. Please, do not be afraid to deviate and propose something new or highlight an area of concern that you feel has not been adequately addressed previously, as you may find new collaborators and colleagues. Moderators may put out calls for presenters within a proposed topic before or after the submission of a proposal. The VRA Executive Board will be looking for articulate and concise submissions with lists of presenters, but submissions without presenter lists are encouraged as well.
Suggested topics:
- Coding (PHP, Python, SQL, etc.)
- Community Outreach
- Copyright/Intellectual Property
- Digital Asset Management, Digital Curation, Digital Preservation, etc.
- Digitization (Workflows, Digital Capture and Imaging Technologies)
- Digital Scholarship and Digital Humanities
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Cultural Competencies, Social Justice
- Project Management (Communication, Grant writing, Prioritization, Leadership, etc.)
- Linked Data
- Materials/Objects collections
- Metadata/Cataloging Ethics (Decolonizing vocabularies, Radical cataloging)
- Storytelling and Oral History
- Technologies (GIS and mapping, 3D imaging, etc.)
- Tools: Open Source, Evolution, Future Trends
- Workplace cultures and professional transitions (academic departments, libraries, cultural heritage institutions, archives, corporate, etc.)
Please contact the Vice President for Conference Program, Sara Schumacher at vpcp@vraweb.org with any questions or concerns.
Again, the proposal deadline is Friday, July 19th, 2019. Click here to access the conference proposal form.
We look forward to hearing your ideas!
Sara Schumacher
Vice President for Conference Program
Visual Resources Association
vpcp@vraweb.org
Apply to be the VRA Social Media Manager
Dear VRA colleagues,
Are you interested in expanding your social media skills in Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, while serving the VRA in a dynamic outreach role?
The Executive Board is now accepting applications for the position of Social Media Manager. All members are encouraged to consider this important appointment for the VRA, especially if you are fluent in social media platforms and skilled in marketing and/or writing. The Social Media Manager is a volunteer position appointed by the Executive Board.
The two-year term will commence on July 1, 2019. The candidate will have the opportunity to shadow and train with the current Social Networking Coordinator Kendra Werst in June to make the transition a smooth one. Kendra has done an outstanding job expanding and elevating the Association's social media presence and the board wishes to express our sincerest thanks. She has worked with me to update the appointment's title and charge, and to draft characteristic duties and responsibilities (see below). She also designed the wonderful graphic featured above.
To apply, please send a statement of interest, highlighting relevant experience to Amy McKenna (info@vraweb.org). Queries about the position may also be sent to me or directly to Kendra Werst (socialmedia@vraweb.org).
The deadline for applications is Friday, May 31.
Thank you for considering this exciting and rewarding position.
Amy McKenna
VRA Public Relations and Communications Officer
Social Media Manager
Charge:
The Social Media Manager engages in outreach for the VRA through the creation and management of content published to VRA social media accounts, increasing the visibility of the Association’s online presence. The Social Media Manager reports to the Public Relations and Communications Officer.
Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities:
The Social Media Manager is responsible for communicating with VRA entities and allied/affiliated organizations to obtain, create, and facilitate current content for VRA’s social media accounts, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Posts should be timely and demonstrate the wide breadth of topics encompassed by the VRA. This board-appointed position utilizes a social media management tool, such as Hootsuite, to schedule and publish content across social media platforms. This approach streamlines the workflow, promoting consistent messaging and alleviating the urgency of real-time posting. An important aspect of this position is to interact with and support the social media profiles of the VRA Foundation and other related organizations and groups on behalf of the VRA. The Social Media Manager is expected to reach out to VRA committees, advisory groups, task forces, appointees, and regional chapters to collaborate on special projects, such as the Intellectual Property Rights Committee’s social media takeover for Fair Use week.
The term of appointment is two years with the possibility of renewal upon request. Annual reports to the Executive Board are required and the board reserves the right to request a Mid-Year report. Depending on the time of year and level of Association activity, the Social Media Manager should expect to spend at least 2-5 hours per week in this capacity. Time-sensitive updates may require a same-day response.
VRA Bulletin: Call for Content, Inaugural Open Access Issue
Dear Colleagues,
As part of the VRA Bulletin’s hybrid peer-review model, we’re able to continue accepting non-peer reviewed article submissions for the Spring 2019 issue through Friday, May 24th! The Spring 2019 Issue will be published in June as our inaugural Open Access issue.
We especially hope that, if you presented at VRA, you’ll take this additional window to adapt your presentation into an article. The Bulletin is flexible with the format and length of non-peer reviewed submissions, but some broad guidelines are listed below:
- Feature articles: 2,000 - 5,000 words
- Perspectives (opinion pieces): 1,000 - 3,000 words
- Case studies & project updates: 500 - 2,000 words
- Reviews: 250 - 1,000 words
- Association news & reports - any length
There are two ways to get started publishing in the VRA Bulletin:
1. If you’d like to run your article idea by the editors before getting started, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Content Editor, Hannah Marshall (marshall.hannah.marie@gmail.com)
2. If your article is written and ready-to-go, upload it directly to our online journal system by following these instructions
Sincerely,
Hannah Marshall, Content Editor
Amy Lazet, Production Editor
VREPS Spring Virtual Meeting Registration
If you are a Visual Resources Emerging Professional or Student please join your fellow VREPS colleagues for a Spring Virtual Meeting on Wednesday, May 15, 2019, from 2:00pm-3:00pm EST!
Please fill out this form to register & receive a zoom meeting link.
2020 Nancy DeLaurier Award
The VRA Awards Committee is seeking nominations for the 2020 Nancy DeLaurier Award.
Although nominations must be initiated by a member of the Visual Resources Association, recipients do not have to be VRA members. We encourage the VRA membership to look at any presentations, projects, publications, research, tools, technologies, and other outstanding efforts that have made an impact on your work in visual resources and to submit a nomination.
Past project-based recipients include:
- 2016 - Developers of VRA Core (Esme Cowles, Ben Kessler, Trish Rose-Sandler, Jan Eklund)
- 2015 – Editors of Cataloging Cultural Objects (Murtha Baca, Patricia Harpring, Elisa Lanzi, Linda McRae, Ann Whiteside)
Please note that current members of the VRA Awards Committee or the Executive Board should not write in support of a nomination, nor should they be included in nominations. Please reach out to a current Awards Committee member if you have a recommendation in mind, and we will guide you through the nomination process.
Who would you like to see recognized for their contributions? Feel free to contact any member of the Awards Committee if you have any questions about the nomination process, or if you’d like to suggest a nomination for the 2020 VRA Distinguished Service Award. Here’s the link for more details and contact information: httpS://vraweb.org/about/committees/awards-committee/
We hope to learn of some fantastic efforts happening across the Visual Resources Association and beyond that have made a tremendous influence on your work.
Regards,
Steven Kowalik
VRA Awards Committee chair
VRA LA 2019: Presentations Now Available on SlideShare
Still thinking about those engaging sessions you saw in LA or wishing you could have been able to attend?
Select presentations from VRA LA 2019 are now available on SlideShare:
Deadline Extended to May 10th for 2019 VRA Foundation Project Grant Call for Applications
2019 VRA Foundation Project Grant: Call for Applications
Deadline Extended to: May 10, 2019
The Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) 2019 Project Grant application period is now open. This grant program supports projects which reflect the VRA Foundation’s mission to advance education, research, and outreach in the field of visual resources and image management.
A single grant is available during the spring 2019 cycle with up to $3000 to be awarded. This funding may be used for a stand-alone project, a pilot or start-up financing for a larger project, or for a significant component of a larger project. In general, collaborative projects and those proposed by groups, whether or not affiliated with an organization or institution, are encouraged. In addition, innovative projects thatresult in a broader impact and be shared throughout the global community are of particular interest. Categories to be considered for funding include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:
- Metadata for Visual Media
- Visual Media Cataloguing Standards
- Visual Media Data Standards
- Digitization Projects of special or unique collections (Educational Institutions, Libraries, Museums)
- Visual Literacy
- Technology Development for Visual Media Management and Pedagogy
- Intellectual Property Rights
The project must be completed within one year from the time the grant is formally accepted. The grant will be disbursed in two increments: $1500 at the start of the granting period, and $1500 pending the submission of a mid-project progress report. A final report, including a financial statement, on how the funds contributed to the project is due within one month of the project's completion. Failure to complete the proposed project may result in the grantee returning the funds.
More information about the Project Grants, including the application form and previous recipients, can be found on the Visual Resources Association Foundation website at: https://vrafoundation.com/project-grant/
For full consideration, please submit your application (https://forms.gle/wgJHo2CtvaR7FWmE9) byFriday, May 10, 2019, 11:59pm Pacific Time. The recipient of the VRAF Project Grant will be announced by May 24, 2019.
The VRA Foundation has United States Internal Revenue Service status as a 501(c) 3 non-profit entity. All elements of a proposed project must be performed within the legal parameters of United States local, regional, and federal government requirements. International applications are welcome from institutions or individuals provided applicant institutions have the equivalent of US non-profit status, and applicant individuals have a similar non-profit, educational purpose.
If you have further questions about the Project Grant Program or the application process, please contact the VRAF Board of Directors at vrafoundation@gmail.com.
On behalf of the VRAF Board of Directors
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!
Robb Detlefs, 2019 VRA Distinguished Service Award Winner
The Awards Committee of the Visual Resources Association is delighted to announce that Robb Detlefs, Gallery Systems, EmbARK Product Manager, is the 2019 recipient of the Association’s Distinguished Service Award. He was nominated for this award by Julia Deal, Davidson College.
For more than twenty years, Robb has proven himself to be a steadfast supporter of the visual resources profession and the VRA in particular. He has worked to support the creation of important visual resource technologies (e.g., LIDO - Lightweight Information. Describing Objects, and CDWA Lite). Through his skilled networking across organizations, institutions, and commercial partners, Robb has been an unofficial liaison between the VRA and other professional organizations, such as the Museum Computer Network. As proof of his dedication to the VRA and its members, Robb has worked on four VRA committees, and was the Public Relations and Communications Officer while serving on the VRA Executive Board. The VRA Core Advisory committee has long benefitted from his practical expertise. He is active in the VRA Northern California Chapter and has participated and presented at CaVraCon and numerous VRA conferences. On a personal note, those who know him discover that although Robb may start out as a professional colleague, he will soon become a true friend.
Please take a moment to learn more about the 2019 Distinguished Service Award recipient by reading the 2019 VRA Conference nomination speech presented by Julia Deal and Marcia Focht (Binghamton University, SUNY) as well as Robb’s acceptance speech at: httpS://vraweb.org/about/committees/awards-committee/vra-awards-recipients/.
Being a member of the Awards Committee comes with an award all its own. What could be more rewarding an obligation than taking part in choosing and celebrating a colleague that has given so much to VRA! The heart of this association is its dedicated, hardworking members who keep this association vital and pertinent as we move into the future. Do you know someone that fits this description? It’s not too early to start thinking about next year’s recipient. The Awards Committee solicits nominations from you, the membership, for consideration for this award. Who would you like to see recognized for their contributions? Feel free to contact any of us on the Awards Committee if you have any questions about the nomination process, or if you’d like to suggest someone for the 2020 VRA Distinguished Service Award. Here’s the link for more details and contact information: httpS://vraweb.org/about/committees/awards-committee/
Sincerely,
Steven Kowalik
VRA Awards Committee Chair
VRA LA 2019: Conference Survey: Attendees and Non-Attendees
Dear colleagues,
The VRA Executive Board is already hard at work preparing for future conferences, but we need your voice to ensure everyone can benefit from conference activities.
Attendees of the VRA 2019 Annual Conference in Los Angeles should have received last week, an email invitation to complete a post-conference survey. With your experiences in Los Angeles still fresh in your mind, the VRA Executive Board would greatly appreciate it if you would take 10-15 minutes to complete the 28-question survey and share your comments and suggestions. If you did not receive this invitation, here is a link to the survey for attendees:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7G88HFG
If you did not attend VRA 2019, we would also like to hear from you, to gain some insight into why you didn’t attend this year, and to hopefully get some feedback that will make it more likely that you will attend future conferences. Here is a link to the survey for non-attendees:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7ZF8LR2
Your responses will give the Executive Board guidance as we plan the programming for the 2020 Baltimore conference. The surveys are anonymous, so please be open and honest with your feedback. The surveys will close on Friday, May 3rd, 2019.
Again, thank you to everyone that participated in the 2019 conference, and thank you for taking the time to assist us as we consider ways to improve future VRA conferences. Please feel free to contact me directly (vpcp@vraweb.org) if you have any questions or concerns.
-Sara
Sara Schumacher
Vice President for Conference Program
Visual Resources Association
VRA LA 2019: Conference Photos
View and Upload Conference Photos at the VRA Events Group in Flickr
Conference attendees are invited to upload their photographs from VRA LA 2019 to the Visual Resources Association Events group in Flickr. Visit https://www.flickr.com/groups/vra_events/ to join the group, upload your photos, and browse some amazing shots that just might include you!
Please assist the VRA in documenting our past, current, and future conferences, meetings, and other events. Add your favorite photos and let them go down in history!