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
Announcing the 2022 VRA Project Grant Recipient
The Visual Resources Association Executive Board is pleased to present the 2022 VRA Project Grant in the amount of $3000 to Carolyn Lucarelli, Manager, Center for Virtual/Material Studies at Penn State. The Center will collaborate on this project with the School of Theatre.
During the fall 2022 semester, an undergraduate student will be hired to complete a digital inventory of the Fashion Archive. New identification numbers will be assigned while each piece is carefully photographed and documented (making use of the CostumeCore standard as funded in the 2019 Project Grant).In accordance with the VRA Project Grant Program and VRA mission to support broad access to visual and cultural information, the VRA is pleased to support an interdisciplinary project that will provide open access to not just the Penn State community but also costume and fashion historians online.The 2022 Project Grant Application process is now completed. Please check back in 2023 for the next Project Grant application announcement.For further information about the Project Grant Program, including eligibility and previous winners please see the Project Grant webpage.
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
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.