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
OPPORTUNITY: VRA Bulletin Content Editor
The Executive Board is now accepting applications for the position of Content Editor for the VRA Bulletin, our association’s open access journal! We encourage all members to consider this opportunity to gain experience in editorial work, writing, open access, and electronic publishing. The Bulletin is published twice per year and the Content Editor is compensated $750 per issue. The Content Editor’s term length is four years in order to ensure continuity of Bulletin leadership, but the term length may be renewed or reduced subject to Board approval.The term will officially commence in July 2022, with the incoming Content Editor taking responsibility for the Fall/Winter issue after training with current Content Editor Jasmine Burns over the summer. They will also have the advantage of partnering with the VRA Bulletin Production Editor Amy Lazet and working closely with peer reviewers and copy editors.The board would like to express our sincere gratitude to Jasmine for their service to the Bulletin! Over the past two years many in our community had conference panels canceled or converted to a virtual format. By encouraging the adaptation of these presentations into articles, Jasmine and Amy were able to solicit wonderful content for the Bulletin.The mission of the VRA Bulletin is to serve the membership of the VRA by providing a professional forum for the discussion and dissemination of ideas and information directly related to the field of visual resources. It 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 including:
- digital imaging and digital projects
- cataloging and classification systems
- historical collections and archives
- digital humanities
- data standards
- education and professional development
- intellectual property rights and copyright
- library systems
- collection development
- digital curation and preservation
- visual literacy and instruction
- professional standards and ethics
A detailed charge and characteristic duties and responsibilities of the position follow below. To apply, please send a brief statement of interest, highlighting your relevant experience and skills, to Margaret McKee, VRA Public Relations and Communications Officer.The deadline for applications is Thursday, May 12, 2022.***Content Editor, VRA Bulletin Charge:To solicit and select news articles, professional information, and manuscripts for publication and to manage content uploaded to the electronic journal system. Partners with the Production Editor to plan and supervise the preparation and publication of the VRA Bulletin in electronic form.Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities:The VRA Bulletin Content Editor is appointed by and reports to the VRA Executive Board. The term of appointment is four years and any change in term is subject to Board approval. The term may be renewed or reduced by the Board. The VRA Bulletin Content Editor works in conjunction with the Production Editor.General
- In partnership with the Production Editor, plan and supervise the preparation and publication of the electronic VRA Bulletin.
- Develop and maintain editorial staff, peer reviewers, and occasional guest editors.
- Establish and maintain working relationships with Executive Board, Production Editor, Membership Services Coordinator, and attend Communications and Publications Group meetings at the annual conference whenever possible.
- Maintain VRA Bulletin editorial working files related to content.
Editorial
- Define and develop the content of the publication.
- Send out calls for content at least two times a year.
- Solicit and select articles, professional information, and manuscripts for publication.
- Work with editorial staff to review content and ask authors for revisions or copy editing.
- Make final decisions on the content for each issue.
- Oversee the progress of materials for publication, including editing for style, content, and organization.
- Write publication copy as needed.
- Communicate with the Production Editor on content readiness.
Administration
- Prepare the Mid-Year and Annual reports for the Executive Board with the Production Editor and include any budgetary information and requests.
- Work with the Executive Board to keep the electronic journal current with trends in electronic scholarship.
Apply now! VRA 2022 Project Grant
DEADLINE: May 27, 2022The Visual Resources Association 2022 Project Grant application period is now open. This grant program supports projects which reflect the VRA'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 2022 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 that result in a broader impact and be shared throughout the global community are of particular interest. Due to the Coronavirus, we encourage applicants to submit proposals that can be accomplished remotely. 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's website.For full consideration, please submit your application by Friday, May 27, 2022, 11:59PM Pacific Time. The recipient of the VRAF Project Grant will be announced by June 3, 2022. The Visual Resources Association 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 VRA Executive Board Grants Officers.On behalf of the VRA Executive BoardRobb DetlefsBonnie Rosenberg
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
VRA Regional Workshops - Call for Hosts!
The Visual Resources Association (VRA) is pleased to announce that it is accepting host applications for the VRA Regional Workshop Program for 2022. The application deadline is Friday, May 6, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Thanks to the continued generous support from the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, this program allows VRA to promote scholarship, research, education, and outreach in the fields of visual resources and image management. For the 2022 program, VRA will support at least four workshops. The VRA will provide significant logistical support, including locating a qualified instructor and managing registration. With the VRA 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 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. Sites can apply to host either an online or in-person workshop, but we will not be supporting hybrid content at this time. Applications will be accepted to host one of the following workshops:
- A Thoughtful Approach to Project Management: From Fundamentals to Practice
- Can We Do That?: Intellectual Property Rights and Visual Media
- Collaborating Across the Institution: Creating Professional Partnerships to Support Cultural Heritage
- Digital Accessibility for Visual Collections
- Learning to Look and Looking to Learn: A Workshop on Visual Literacy
- Metadata and Management of Cultural Heritage Digital Media: From Fundamentals to Future Trends
- Moving Images: The Basics and Beyond
- Something Mappy This Way Comes: An Introduction to Digital Mapping Technologies
- Propose Your Own Workshop!
Click here to find a roster of these workshops including a broader description and whether they are available as online or in-person workshops. We will also consider applications in which the host site proposes its own workshop topic. International hosts are welcome to apply. Please review the description of the VRA Regional Workshop Program to confirm that your proposed workshop fits within both the program’s parameters and the larger goals of the VRA. To apply to host a Regional Workshop, please complete the application form. Roster of available workshopsRegional Workshop FAQIf you have additional questions about the program, please contact the Regional Workshop Implementation Team. The deadline for applications is Friday, May 6, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.
Press Release: 2022 VRA Award Recipients
PRESS RELEASEFor Immediate ReleaseContact: Visual Resources Association Online Address: http://vraweb.org/about/committees/awards-committee/
VISUAL RESOURCES ASSOCIATION PRESENTS 2022 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD TO JOLENE DE VERGES; NANCY DELAURIER AWARDS TO AFSANEH NAJMABADI FOR FOUNDING THE WOMEN’S WORLDS IN QAJAR IRAN DIGITAL ARCHIVE AND LAEL ENSOR-BENNETT AND KENDRA WERST FOR THEIR FOUNDATIONAL WORK WITH THE EQUITABLE ACTION COMMITTEE; AND AN HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS AWARD TO ALLAN T. KOHL.
BALTIMORE—The Visual Resources Association (VRA), a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to furthering research and education in the field of image management, proudly presented the 2022 Distinguished Service Award (DSA) to Jolene de Verges, Southern Methodist University’s (SMU) Director of the Jake and Nancy Hamon Arts Library, at the 40th annual Baltimore conference on March 31st. 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.
De Verges served twice on the Executive Board, as Secretary (2007-2009) and as President (2012-2014), and as Co-Chair of the Strategic Plan Task Force (2016-2017). On the Board, de Verges’ noteworthy combination of innovative vision and gentle pragmatism helped guide the Association toward new partnerships, areas of programming, administrative procedures and investment policies to promote the Association’s financial health. She helped raise VRA’s visibility by strengthening relationships with like-minded organizations and shepherding the creation of the International Chapter. A model collaborator in resource-sharing projects, de Verges oversaw VRA’s formal affiliation with the Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) and supported their SAHARA project. She helped expand VRA’s programming to support emerging areas of practice and scholarship, such as digital humanities, visual literacy, and video. Her Board created the External Speakers Fund, which provided additional incentives to attract new, non-member conference presenters in order to diversify the perspectives shared at VRA’s Annual Conferences.This tireless work for VRA is only surpassed by her stellar professional career and educational experience–she holds advanced degrees in library and information science as well as art history. De Verges currently is the well-respected director of the SMU’s Arts Library overseeing a staff of subject librarians, special collections, and access and operations staff. She previously held library and visual resources positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Smith College, the Worcester Art Museum and Quinsigamond Community College. De Verges’ generous spirit of mentorship has extended to many emerging professionals and students.De Verges richly deserves the DSA for her vision, leadership, mentorship, service and dedication to the field of visual resources. John Trendler, current VRA President, stated: “I had the distinct pleasure of serving on the executive board during Jolene’s presidency. She presided with compassion for the association; calmly moving initiatives and discussions with grace and agility. Congratulations to Jolene on this well-deserved award.”The Nancy DeLaurier Awards (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, website creation, or other outstanding effort. Two NDL awards were bestowed on March 31st in Baltimore.
The 1st NDL award went to Afsaneh Najmabadi, Harvard University’s Francis Lee Higginson Professor of History and Women, Gender, and Sexuality, for founding, guiding, developing and sustaining the Women’s Worlds in Qajar Iran (WWQI) Digital Archive.WWQI focuses on collecting and making available digital images of Qajar era (1796 – 1925) primary source materials that were created by or are relevant to the lives of women, or that address issues of gender during this period. In 2009, after several years of developing the idea for WWQI, Najmabadi, along with four other Qajar scholars (Nahid Mozaffari, Dominic Brookshaw, Naghmeh Sohrabi, and Manoutchehr Eskandari--Qajar), received WWQI’s first major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.Since then, Najmabadi has been the Principal Investigator for this project and has provided overall leadership for all aspects of WWQI. In addition to setting the work’s intellectual direction and supervising the activities of the project, she has led the efforts in developing and maintaining relationships with external collaborators (particularly museums and archives) and has carried out a portion of the work with individual families, who have donated to the archive. She also manages the Harvard-based portion of the work.The WWQI Digital Archive uses digital technology to overcome the challenges of geography, politics and ownership to piece together a richer, more nuanced and complete picture of the transformative Qajar era. For these extended efforts, which have significantly enhanced research and teaching in Iranian history and many other disciplines resulting in the inclusion of 214 collections, 10,266 texts and 51,331 images in WWQI, VRA is honored to bestow this award on Professor Najmabadi.
The 2nd NDL award was bestowed on Lael Ensor-Bennett, Johns Hopkins University’s Curator, Visual Resources Collection, and Kendra Werst, formerly Williams College’s Assistant Visual Resources Curator, now a Flower and Vegetable Farmer at Bluebird Meadows in Hurdle Mills, North Carolina, for their foundational work with the VRA Equitable Action Committee (EAC) and the innovative Community Hour programming.In response to growing calls for a “diversity committee” in recent years, Ensor-Bennett and Werst stepped up to form VRA’s Equitable Action Committee. As co-chairs, Ensor-Bennett and Werst gathered a diverse group of VRA members to accomplish the following: identify actionable initiatives; support equity and inclusion as well as underrepresented and minoritized members; educate and empower VRA members on topics related to accessibility and disability inclusion; and advise the Executive Board on matters related to equity. They have demonstrated dynamic leadership abilities, shown a welcoming spirit of collaboration, and developed important equity guidance for VRA as well as pertinent, accessible programming.One of the most important programs implemented under Ensor-Bennett and Werst’s leadership is the ongoing Community Hour discussion series. These gatherings are low-pressure virtual meetings that have allowed VRA members across the country to address pressing matters and check in on one another throughout the pandemic and beyond. It has created a space for members to talk about local challenges and to support one another. EAC programming has covered everything from critical cataloging to accessibility and equity in online instruction; from unionizing to mutual aid; from salary transparency to institutional responses to Black Lives Matter. Many sessions have invited both VRA member experts and external authorities to discuss a wide range of timely, pressing topics. The EAC has also worked with VREPS to provide programming specifically addressing concerns for those who are just starting their VR careers. They take extensive anonymized notes for their programs, ensuring privacy for attendees while inviting those unable to join Community Hour gatherings to still participate.For founding the EAC and establishing a spectacular model for how to support colleagues in an efficient and inclusive manner, Ensor-Bennett and Werst richly deserve the NDL, one of VRA’s highest honors. As their nominator, Andrew Wang stated, “They’ve truly breathed new life into VRA by providing leadership opportunities, representing some of the most marginalized members of our community both within and beyond VRA, and modeling ethical practices within our profession.”Special Honorary Life memberships (SHLM) are awarded to Individuals, designated representatives of an Institution, Contributing or Patron members by the Executive Board in recognition of eminent distinction in any of the fields of the Association’s purpose. Honorary Life members are not required to pay dues and they have all the privileges of Individual members.
The 2022 Honorary Life Members Award was presented to Allan T. Kohl, Minneapolis College of Art & Design’s Librarian, Visual Resources and Library Instruction, in recognition of generous philanthropy, outstanding service and career-long dedication to the field of visual resources.Kohl is a familiar face in VRA with an extensive VRA service record and a big conference presence, as witnessed at the Baltimore 2022 conference and many before it. But, what makes him extraordinary is his heartfelt devotion to VRA and that he has no intention of slowing down. He continues to keep his hand in many VRA activities by choice. Among his numerous accomplishments are: extensive service on the VRA Board, committees, task forces, etc.; support of conference activities, especially fundraising activities and entertainment; major philanthropy funding the New Horizons travel awards for many years; progressive research, scholarship, presentations and publications; and valuable open resource development with Art Images for College Teaching.This Honorary Life Members Award comes at a perfect time in Kohl’s career to acknowledge his extraordinary dedication, terrific service, many kindnesses and abundant generosity to VRA. It provides a way to demonstrate the gratitude of the Association and its members for his Herculean efforts over many years. Kohl has now received the full VRA awards trifecta–Distinguished Service, DeLaurier, and Honorary Life Member Awards–and is so very deserving of them all.Congratulations to all of the 2022 VRA award recipients and thank you to the nominators.Award Ceremony Recording
VRA 2022: Baltimore!
The Local Planning Committee is excited to welcome many of you to Baltimore next week in-person!Wondering where to eat? Visit the Committee’s Dining Guide. You’ll find helpful links (like this Outdoor Dining list), restaurants in neighborhoods close to the hotel, favorites from around the city, and dietary notations.Planning to spend some time sightseeing? Check out the Committee’s Museum and Attractions list. Do take special note that the Walters Art Museum, a short ~5-8 minute rideshare from the hotel, is open until 8 pm on Thursdays.The Committee is also pleased to announce two informal tours. Please follow the links to Sched for more details. Just ~5-8 minutes rideshares from the hotel, the George Peabody Library (March 29 and March 30) and the Enoch Pratt Free Library Central Library (March 30) will be open for several drop-in tours. Sign up to share a ride at the registration desk in the hotel. No registration is required for the tours themselves.Need some information about transportation? Click here. Specific questions about visiting Baltimore? Email the Local Planning Committee! Questions about the conference itself? Write the conference organizers (Registration/Membership, Conference Program, Conference Logistics/Hotel, Technology, Volunteering, Code of Conduct)!Looking forward to seeing you,VRA Baltimore 2022 Local Planning Committee 
VRA 2022: Sponsors and Land Acknowledgment
Today is the start of the Pre-Conference!As we kick off VRA 2022, we want to bring your attention to our conference Sponsors and the Land Acknowledgment.VRA Sponsors are invested in developing products and offering services that support our community directly. Thank you to vrcHost, Inter-American Institute, and JSTOR Forum for their financial support this year. Everyone will have the chance to thank our commercial partners at the Community Eventon March 31, 3:45-5:15 pm EDT. vrcHost (Gold-level sponsor) and Inter-American Institute (Bronze-level sponsor) will be available to meet with conference attendees at this reception-style event.This year, we are grateful to the members of the VRA 2022 Local Planning Committee and the Equitable Actions Committee, with contributions from Bridget Madden, for the VRA 2022 Land Acknowledgment. While it will be referenced throughout sessions this week and next, please take the time to read it in its entirety and spend a moment reflecting on its message. Then take action. There are resources for everyone.The next post will help you figure out what to experience and what to eat while in Baltimore. Take a sneak peek at a couple of tours recently added to Sched: VRA 2022 Informal Tours.
VRA 2022: Attendee Portal
Are you attending VRA 2022? If so, keep reading. This email covers how to access the online content and provides tips to help plan your schedule.First, whether attending the Pre-Conference, Conference, or both, definitely take advantage of the online program on Sched. Sign in at vra2022.sched.com to:
- select your local timezone;
- filter the schedule by type of content or venue (Zoom or the Conference Hotel);
- and save sessions, workshops, and events you plan to attend to your account.
Under your account settings, you can also:
- personalize your profile, adding information that will help you connect with others;
- and ask Sched to email you each morning to remind you what you planned for the day.
Is what you have planned for the day online? All access to the online conference content during the Pre-Conference and Conference will be through the Attendee Portal, linked at the top of our conference website. Page accessibility in the Attendee Portal is tied to your registration. If you have any issues with access, send an email to info@vraweb.org.Once again this year our online conference platform is Zoom. Most sessions and workshops will be in the Zoom Meeting format, to allow for more interactive Q&A. The Keynote Address, Annual Business Meeting, and Awards Ceremony will be in the Zoom Webinar format."See" you Monday for the start of the Pre-Conference. There is still time to register!
VRA 2022: Social Events
An important part of the conference experience is socializing with colleagues and friends. The VRA Conference Planning team has created several opportunities to mingle in-person and online.In Baltimore, coffee breaks are scheduled throughout the day so you can squeeze in a quick catch-up or introduce yourself to someone new. Other opportunities to get to know the VRA community include the Welcome Reception on Tuesday (5/29) at 5:30 pm ET, the Membership Business Meeting Breakfast on Thursday (5/31) at 9 am, and the Vendor and Poster Session Event on Thursday (5/31) at 3:45 pm. No doubt folks will also linger after the Convocation Keynote on Wednesday (5/30) at 4:30 pm, and the Awards Ceremony and Celebration on Thursday (5/31) at 5:15 pm.Are you looking for a dining companion on someone with whom to visit Baltimore museums and attractions? Stop by the VRA reception desk at the hotel to leave a note on our bulletin board. Or, send a message over the VRA-L if you like to plan ahead.During the online Pre-Conference, we will once again use the VRA Wonder Room (aka VRA Lounge) as our primary online social space. It is also the place to hang out if you are attending the Baltimore Conference remotely or are more comfortable socializing from your room at the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Hotel. Do you want to try it out in advance? The VRA Lounge is always open! This week, we will have hosted hours on Wednesday (3/16) and Thursday (3/17) from 5:00-7:00 pm PDT/8:00-10:00 pm EDT. The Wonder Room is accessible via a web browser. If you haven’t visited before, click here to check out our help guide, then click here to enter the VRA Lounge. Participants in the VRA Lounge are expected to adhere to the VRA 2022 Code of Conduct.Keep an eye out for the next VRA 2022 email this Thursday. We will be linking the Attendee Portal to the VRA 2022 website, which you will use to access the Pre-Conference and online/hybrid Conference content.
VRA 2022: DEIA Program Highlights
Greetings from the Equitable Action Committee!We would like to highlight the numerous Pre-Conference and Conference events that relate to the VRA’s equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility efforts. We hope you are able to join us virtually and/or in person.VRA 2022 Pre-ConferenceMonday, March 21
- 10:00am – 12:00pm EDT EAC Cash Rules Everything Around Me: Salary Negotiation Workshop
- 12:30pm – 2:30pm EDT Accessibility Guidance for Digital Cultural Heritage Workshop
- 4:00pm – 5:00pm EDT Major New Initiatives of the VRA Core and CCO Subcommittees
Tuesday, March 22
- 9:00am – 12:00pm EDT Accessibility Part Two: Building in Accessibility in Your Digital Collections Workflow
- 1:00pm – 2:00pm EDT Individual papers: Description Specialists and Artist’s Archive
- 2:45pm – 3:45pm EDT Balancing Acts: User Community Expectations and Art Information Transparency in a Shared Database
- 4:00pm – 5:00pm EDT Anti-Racist Work and the Solo Visual Resources Professional
VRA 2022 ConferenceTuesday, March 29
- 4:30pm – 5:30pm EDT Critical Cataloging Conversations in Teaching, Research, and Practice
Wednesday, March 30
- 10:00am – 11:00am EDT Community Building
- 4:30pm – 5:30pm EDT Convocation Keynote: Ashley Minner, “Repatriating the Archives: An Urban Reservation Reunion”
Thursday, March 31
- 11:15am – 12:15pm EDT Disrupting Our Teaching: Visual Literacy and Social Justice
- 12:30pm – 1:30pm EDT EAC Community Hour: Empowering Future Advocacy
Can’t attend this year? Not to worry! The EAC welcomes your suggestions for ongoing year-round initiatives; you may submit your ideas and comments here (https://tinyurl.com/2p8y6ca9), or email us at ea@vraweb.org.Contributed by Equitable Action Committee Co-chairs:Lael Ensor-Bennett, Johns Hopkins UniversityLesley Chapman, Colgate University
VRA 2022: Keynote Speaker Ashley Minner
Repatriating the Archives: An Urban Reservation ReunionThe place now known as Baltimore, like the rest of what is now known as the United States of America, has always been home to Native peoples. Baltimore is part of the ancestral homelands of the Piscataway and the Susquehannock, and a diverse host of American Indian folks from many nations have passed through or lived here at different times, and still do. In the mid-twentieth century, thousands of Lumbee Indians and members of other tribal nations migrated to Baltimore City, seeking jobs and a better quality of life. On the east side of town, they created a vibrant, intertribal American Indian community, which they affectionately referred to as their "reservation." In the decades since, due to a complex set of factors ranging from upward mobility, to Urban Renewal, to gentrification, most American Indian people moved away from the area, which continues to transform. In collaboration with her elders, Ashley Minner has been mining archives to repatriate their heritage and reconstruct East Baltimore's "reservation." She sees this as an urgent project of reclamation of history, space, and belonging.
VRA 2022: Back to Baltimore
The cancelation of VRA 2020 was a huge disappointment. Not only did we miss out on our collegial gathering, but many of us were also looking forward to exploring Baltimore. Fortunately, VRA 2022 is the return of the in-person conference and the return to Baltimore, Maryland.
Baltimore’s location and proximity to Washington DC makes travel easy. Flying? Baltimore Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI) is only 9.8 miles away from the conference hotel, the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore, and Baltimore Penn Station (BAL-Amtrak/MARC), is only 1.9 miles away.See the Travel Details page on the conference website for complete information on flying, rail, driving, ride sharing, and parking. Valet and self-parking at the hotel will be available to conference attendees at discounted rates.When you’re ready to explore, take the free Charm City Circulator to all of the downtown tourist spots. Feeling adventurous? Take the MTA MARC Train to Washington DC for only $16 round trip. Feeling not so adventurous? Walk across the street from the conference hotel and investigate all of the attractions in the Baltimore Inner Harbor.
Lael Ensor-BennettLocal Planning Coordinator, 2022 Baltimore Local Planning CommitteeCurator, Visual Resources Collection, Johns Hopkins UniversityJodi Hoover2022 Baltimore Local Planning CommitteeManager, Best & Next Department, Enoch Pratt Free Library
VRA 2022: Pre-Conference Highlights
VRA 2022 is around the corner! We are just three weeks out from the Pre-Conference (March 21–22) and one month from the start of VRA 2022 in Baltimore (March 29–31). As we gear up for this annual event, we will be sending emails on Mondays and Thursdays with information about the conference program and Baltimore.Today we want to highlight the VRA 2022 Pre-Conference program, a new addition to our annual conference schedule. These two days of workshops and sessions are fully remote (over Zoom) the Monday and Tuesday before the Baltimore Conference. The $50 Pre-Conference rate is available to everyone, members and non-members. If you register for the Conference in Baltimore, the Pre-Conference is included!Do you want to learn more about salary negotiation?Why don’t you check out the AAUW Work Smart / EAC Cash Rules Everything Around Me: Salary Negotiation workshop on March 21, 10:00am–12:00 pm ET.Are you wondering how to make your collections more accessible?There are two workshops that will help you to evaluate your data and manage your workflow. Accessibility Guidance for Digital Cultural Heritage is scheduled for March 21, 12:30–2:30 pm ET (this workshop is capped at 30. sign up when you register). Accessibility Part Two: Building in Accessibility in Your Digital Collections Workflow is scheduled for March 22, 9:00am–12:00 pm ET. We also suggest you attend Major New Initiatives of the VRA Core and CCO Subcommittees' session March 21, 4:00–5:00 pm ET, to learn about the exciting plans for VRA Core schema and Cataloging Cultural Objects (CCO) that include built-in support for accessibility.Are you curious about new work in the visual resources profession?Sometimes it is nice to step back and see what others are doing and how they are doing it. Don’t miss these three sessions on Tuesday: Individual Papers: Description Specialists and Artist’s Archive March 22, 1:00–2:00 pm ET, Balancing Acts: User Community Expectations and Art Information Transparency in a Shared Database March 22, 2:45–3:45 pm ET, and Anti-Racist Work and the Solo Visual Resources Professional March 22, 4:00–5:00 pm ET.Is retirement on your radar?Stories from the Start is always one of our most popular sessions. Now you can hear about the other end of the spectrum from our seasoned professionals who are retired or whose retirements are pending. Join them for Stories from the Stop (and Re-Start): Visual Resources Professionals Face Retirement March 21, 2:45–3:45 pm.You can sign up for the Pre-Conference at this link. If you are attending the Pre-Conference and the Conference, sign up using the VRA 2022 Conference link—remember, the Pre-Conference programing is included!
VRA 2022: CfP Poster Session
Proposals are now being solicited for the VRA 2022 Poster Session in Baltimore, MD! The Poster Session is part of our VRA Community event scheduled for March 31, 2022, 3:00–4:30 pm ET. Remote presenters will be able to participate in the session alongside in-person participants. Proposals are due by 11:59 ET March 7, 2022. Notifications will go out by the end of the day March 9, 2022.The Poster Session is an opportunity to present a professional topic both graphically and through direct interaction with conference attendees in Baltimore. In addition to the traditional 30” x 42” poster, the VRA Executive Board will also accept “digital posters” consisting of a series of no more than three presentation slides on a laptop. We hope this format will also encourage the one-on-one discussions and self-paced viewing of physical posters, while also easing some of the inconveniences of bringing a physical poster to the conference. Regardless of format, posters may depict workplace initiatives, research works in process, and other library/visual resource topics of contemporary interest.Submit your poster proposal via our online submission form.A poster consists of a visual display accompanied by pertinent handouts. The physical poster display can take any form or look, provided it is confined to the 30” x 42” area. The digital poster may contain up to three slides (PowerPoint, Keynote, PDF, etc.), displayed on a laptop, and may include embedded audio and video. Creating the opportunity for conversation is the main goal of the poster session.Beyond the display panels and certain basic mounting supplies, poster presenters will be required to bring all materials and mount their own display at the designated time. Presenters opting to display digital posters in-person are responsible for their own laptop and technical troubleshooting. Full details will be provided in March, following selection and confirmation of poster presenters.Please contact vpcp@vraweb.org if you have any questions regarding the poster formats or proposal process. Thank you and we look forward to your submissions!
VRA 2022: Registration is Open
Registration for VRA 2022 Baltimore is open! We invite you to join us for five days of presentations, workshops, discussions, and events divided into a fully remote Pre-Conference (3/21-3/22) and a hybrid Conference in Baltimore, Maryland (3/29-3/31). Topics include digital asset management, intellectual property rights, digital humanities, metadata standards, coding, imaging best practices, and more! We also have a wonderful keynote speaker, Ashley Minner, a community-based visual artist and Curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian.You can browse our online program, where you can view sessions, workshops, and create your custom schedule at https://vra2021.sched.com. Sign up for VRA 2022 on our conference website at http://vraweb.org/2022-baltimore/. Direct links to the registration forms are also included below. Please note: the registration fee for the Conference in Baltimore (in-person or remote) includes access to the Pre-Conference programming. If you are only able to attend the Pre-Conference, you can register for it separately.VRA welcomes all attendees, new and returning. We are committed to strengthening our community by creating an equitable environment that values and encourages diversity in its membership and work. While the VRA Equitable Action Committee, formed in 2019, serves as a resource to the organization, members are expected to take an active role in promoting and supporting our BIPOC colleagues, colleagues with disabilities, and colleagues who have been historically discriminated against or excluded for any reason.Direct link to sign up for the Pre-Conference ONLY: https://vra.memberclicks.net/2022vra40preconference Direct link to sign up for the Conference (which includes the Pre-Conference): https://vra.memberclicks.net/2022VRA40
Registration Open for ArLiSNAP and VREPS 2021 Fall Virtual Conference
Art Library Students and New ARLIS/NA Professionals (ArLiSNAP) and Visual Resources Association's Emerging Professionals And Students Group (VREPS) invite you to register for our 2021 Fall Virtual Conference.
This conference is open to all, but focuses on the needs of students and new professionals. Attendees interested in art librarianship or visual resource management will have the opportunity to learn from peers and celebrate each other's work through virtual posters and presentations. Via this conference, we're seeking to foster a sense of belonging and growth in our community, and we invite all interested students and new professionals to participate.
Please register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcpfu-oqzojGdHnnXsq6bJ7tj2-j7jMTp2P
You will receive a link to join via Zoom when you register. If you have any questions, please send an email to arlisnap.na@gmail.com
SAVE THE DATEThe virtual conference will take place on Saturday, November 13th. The full program and registration information will be released on the ArLiSNAP blog and VREPS blog. To stay up-to-date, subscribe to the ArLiSNAP listserv, follow ArLiSNAP on Twitter / Instagram, and check the VREPS blog.
Schedule1:00 pm ET | 10 am PT - Welcome!1:10 pm ET | 10:10 am PT - Fresh Eyes Lighting Talks2:00 pm ET | 11:00 am PT - Skill Shares2:20 pm ET | 11:20 am PT - Break2:30 pm ET | 11:30 am PT - Poster Q&A + Social3:30 pm ET |12:30 pm PT - The End!
Vote today!
The VRA annual election of officers starts today, November 1, and will end on November 30. The 2021 ballot also includes a referendum on disaffiliation from the CAA. Please review the Executive Board’s recommendation before voting. VRA Members, you should receive your invitation to vote in the 2021 VRA Election on November 1. If you do not receive an email with a link to the ballot, please contact Chris Sawula, Vice President for Conference Program.
Vote today!
Meet the 2021 Executive Board Candidates: Margaret McKee, Candidate for Public Relations and Communications Officer
About the Candidate
Margaret C. McKee is the Digital Asset Manager at the Menil Collection in Houston, Texas, where she oversees photography of collection objects, digitization of analog photography, rights and reproductions, and the implementation of a digital asset management system. Previously, she worked in photographic and imaging services at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. She began her professional career as the Slide Librarian at Southwestern University. She holds an AA from Bard College at Simon’s Rock, a BAFA in Art History from the University of New Mexico, and an MS in Information Studies from the University of Texas at Austin.
Margaret first joined the VRA in 2003 and has participated in multiple VRA conferences, including moderating and speaking in sessions. She served as co-chair of the Intellectual Property Rights Committee from 2017-2019 and as a member of the Identity Task Force from 2018-2020.
Goals
The VRA has been a rich resource for me throughout my career, and I would be honored to have the opportunity to give back to the organization by serving as part of the Executive Board. As Public Relations and Communications Officer, I would strive to maintain and further develop the association’s public relations program. Serving on the Executive Board would be a wonderful opportunity for me to further develop my communications skills while learning more about association governance. It would be a privilege to work closely with the Social Media Manager, Website Content Manager, Communications Technology Advisor, Jobs Digest Coordinator, and Bulletin editors to facilitate communication within the organization and also ensure we are communicating our organization’s continued vibrancy and relevance through our public-facing channels.
Meet the 2021 Executive Board Candidates: Ann McShane, Candidate for Treasurer
About the Candidate
Ann McShane is currently the Digital Asset Librarian at Pitts Theology Library. In their current position, Ann coordinates a digitization program for Special Collections, maintains legacy digital access projects, manages new digital collections projects, and writes grants. Their professional interests include digitization, open digital access, library labor issues, and empathy in the workplace.
Ann has a BA in History from Earlham College, a Master’s in Archival Studies from Clayton State University, and is a Certified Archivist through the Academy of Certified Archivists. They currently serve on the VRA Awards Committee and the Atla Scholarly Communications and Digital Initiatives Committee.
Goals
My name is Ann McShane and I am running for Visual Resources Association (VRA) Board Treasurer. As a worker, I am an enthusiastic collaborator, a quick study, and a creative problem-solver. Prior to my current position, I gained a breadth of experience in the odd jobs that crop up in small libraries’ “other duties as assigned.” These duties included payroll, desktop IT support, web design, food service, and podcast production, among other things. Roles in professional organizations fill a similar niche of small teams splitting up odd jobs, and it is a kind of teamwork I find interesting and fulfilling.
More personally, I am a digital librarian nearing the end of what might charitably be called my early career. I have the time and the administrative support to give back to organizations that supported me during my paraprofessional and early professional work. VRA is an organization that provides services well beyond its member base. It is an organization I benefited from before I could become a member, and one I continue to benefit from now. I want to help however I can.
My own interests and goals aside, there is an ongoing global pandemic during my candidacy for Treasurer. The future is always uncertain, but this moment seems to bring reminders of that uncertainty daily. Listing the ways our profession, our coworkers, and our neighbors have been affected by the past two years would be a list of individual entries. I want to avoid an uncritical tendency towards “going back to normal” for its own sake and be mindful of what makes sense for VRA going forward.
Thank you for your consideration.