VRA + ARLIS/NA 2011

Executive Board Meeting of the Visual Resources Association

Board of Directors Meeting for the Visual Resources Foundation

Joint meeting of the Visual Resources Association Executive Board and the Visual Resources Foundation Board of Directors

Conference Registration and Hospitality open

These free Morning Minne-Tours are intended to introduce conference attendees to the Minneapolis Skyway system, while showcasing works of architectural significance located within easy walking distance of the Hilton Hotel.  No need to register in advance, just show up in the Hilton lobby.

#A  IDS Tower and Crystal Court. Philip Johnson’s iconic 1972 glass and steel tower is Minnesota’s tallest building.  Its multi-story glass atrium, the Crystal Court, was the setting for performance artist Suzanne Lacey’s Crystal Quilt project in 1987, and is a great place to grab an early morning coffee and pastry.  As an added bonus, we’ll pay homage to the nearby life-sized statue of Mary Tyler Moore tossing her beret!

ARLIS/NA & VRA Career Mentoring Program - Organizer: Sarah Carter, Verman Kimbrough Memorial Library, Ringling College of Art and Design

Presenters: Rebecca Moss, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota; Sarah Sherman, Getty Research Institute; Rachel Resnik, Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Limit: 30 participants; MCAD Classroom 440 -  Participation in this four-hour workshop is the first activity in the year-long Career Mentoring program.  Each participant will be paired with another member of VRA or ARLIS/NA.  Space is limited, and acceptance to this program is determined in advance (please see application form).

This workshop is designed to prepare participants to successfully participate in the mentoring program.  It includes a DVD presentation led by Margaret Law, expert speaker at the 2005 ARLIS/NA Mentoring Program workshop. The lecture discusses characteristics of mentors, mentees, and mentoring relationships; communication methods; and benefits and pitfalls of mentoring.  The workshop facilitators will lead group discussion, role-playing, and breakout sessions.

Round-trip transportation between Hilton Minneapolis and MCAD will be provided. Please see our Conference Blog for further information.

Bridging Online Content to Your User: Best Practices for LibGuides and Online Pathfinders - Organizers: Jill Luedke, Temple University and Nedda Ahmed, Georgia State University 

Limit: 30 participants; Fee: $50.00; MCAD Lab 230 - Online content management applications such as LibGuides allow for local authoring of online pathfinders. The popularity of these applications largely stems from the fact that the interface frees the librarian from having to know HTML in order to make guides that are attractive and useful. The combined effect of relying less on web programming professionals and a lack of librarian education about design/usability issues has resulted in guides of wildly variable usability and, therefore, usefulness to end users. Back by popular demand from ARLIS/NA Boston 2010, this hands-on workshop gives attendees guidance on creating effective online pathfinders, and provides constructive criticism on existing pathfinders from fellow art librarian colleagues. This workshop is structured in four parts:

1. Presentation of best practices for effective online pathfinders
2. Group exercises using best practices
3. Demonstration of best practices when incorporating multimedia into online pathfinders.
4. Group feedback and sharing about online learning tools they've created.

The intended audience for this workshop includes all librarians with a major role in reference and/or instruction. Whether the participant is new to online content management platforms or a seasoned veteran, this workshop will provide useful and practical information for creating more user-friendly online guides.

Round-trip transportation between Hilton Minneapolis and MCAD will be provided. Please see our Conference Blog for further information.

From Millennial to Employee: Hiring, training and working with the 21st Century Student - Organizer: Betha Whitlow, Washington University in Saint Louis  

Presenters: Jennifer Green, Plymouth State University; Meredith Kahn, University of Colorado-Boulder; Meghan Musolff, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; Betha Whitlow

Limit: 30 participants; Fee: $50.00; MCAD Classroom 410 - Most visual resources facilities and libraries rely heavily upon student workers to keep operations running smoothly. However, with the rise of the Millennial generation and the cultural impact of Web 2.0, our former modes of training, motivating and supervising may no longer be effective. How do we effectively train and utilize this new generation of student staff? This fast-paced, highly interactive workshop will focus on strategies for developing and retaining quality student staff, addressing the varying needs and challenges of working with undergraduate students, graduate assistants, and interns.

Round-trip transportation between Hilton Minneapolis and MCAD will be provided.

Conference Registration and Hospitality

Executive Board Meeting of the Visual Resources Association

Board of Directors Meeting for the Visual Resources Foundation

Executive Board Meeting of the Art Libraries Society of North America - This event is open to all ARLIS/NA members.

ARCHITECTURAL HIGHLIGHTS OF MINNEAPOLIS  $40, maximum 25 participants

Please see our Conference Blog for specific information regarding transportation arrangements.

Minneapolis, the 'City of Lakes,' is home to a number of award-winning examples of innovative modern design, along with a variety of historic structures, many of which have been respectfully renovated for contemporary uses.  This mini-coach tour offers an intimate look at the city's park and lake system, as well as an overview of residential neighborhoods, religious and government buildings, skyscrapers, and museums.  Planned stops include the Guthrie Theater's 'Endless Bridge' observation deck, offering participants a panoramic view of the Mississippi River and a glimpse into the city's nineteenth-century industrial origins. [Includes gift shop opportunity at Guthrie Theater]

MILL CITY AND THE GUTHRIE THEATER $40, maximum 24 participants

Please see our Conference Blog for specific information regarding transportation arrangements.

Over the past decade, Minneapolis' Mississippi River waterfront has been transformed by the creation of the Mill City Museum and the opening of the adjacent Guthrie Theater complex.  The Mill City Museum, focusing on the city's industrial history and built inside the ruins of the nineteenth century Washburn flour mills, is an outstanding example of adaptive re-use of an historic structure. Tour participants will enjoy a private presentation from one of the Meyer, Scherer, Rockcastle architects who designed the museum.  Jean Nouvel's exciting new Guthrie Theater building includes multiple performance spaces, along with one of the city's best panoramic views; our guided visit will give participants a 'behind the scenes' backstage look at production facilities and design shops. [Tour includes gift shop opportunities at Mill City Museum and Guthrie Theater]

OWATONNA:  FROM LOUIS SULLIVAN TO FRANK GEHRY $55, maximum 50 participants

Please see our Conference Blog for specific information regarding transportation arrangements.

The National Farmers’ Bank of Owatonna, Minnesota was designed by Louis Sullivan, with decorative elements by George Grant Elmslie.  Built in 1907-1908, it has been called a 'jewel-box of the prairie,' and is considered to be one of Sullivan's outstanding surviving masterpieces.  Especially noteworthy are its distinctive art glass windows and terracotta ornamentation.  At the nearby Gainey Conference Center, tour participants will then enjoy a catered buffet luncheon (included in the tour price) before having an opportunity to view Frank Gehry's Winton Guest House, newly-restored on the grounds of the Norman-style Gainey Home, designed by Edwin Lundie.

2/22/2011 PLEASE NOTE: THIS TOUR HAS BEEN CANCELLED

'UP CLOSE AND HANDS ON' - MINNEAPOLIS ARTISTS' COLLABORATIVES 

These tours feature visits to several of Minneapolis' outstanding artists' collaboratives, with the opportunity for tour participants to engage in 'hands-on' activities under the guidance of skilled practitioners.  These tours are scheduled so that conference attendees may participate in visits to all three destinations, or any combination thereof.

HIGHPOINT CENTER FOR PRINTMAKING $25, maximum 24 participants

Tour the Twin Cities' outstanding artists' collaborative print shop, with its unique 'library' of historic lithographic stones.  Observe presses in action, and experience making a monoprint under the tutelage of Center staff.

'UP CLOSE AND HANDS ON' - MINNEAPOLIS ARTISTS' COLLABORATIVES 

These tours feature visits to several of Minneapolis' outstanding artists' collaboratives, with the opportunity for tour participants to engage in 'hands-on' activities under the guidance of skilled practitioners.  These tours are scheduled so that conference attendees may participate in visits to all three destinations, or any combination thereof.

MINNESOTA CENTER FOR BOOK ARTS  $25, maximum 24 participants  

Please see our Conference Blog for specific information regarding transportation arrangements.

Our guided visit offers an introduction to the book arts and artists' books, including a demonstration of the traditional crafts of papermaking, letterpress printing, and bookbinding, as well as a look at contemporary book making as an art form.  The MCBA includes an exhibition gallery and a shop selling artists' books and bookmaking supplies. [NOTE:  A more extensive visit to MCBA is also offered on Monday, March 28, 2011 from 9:00 AM - Noon]

PURCELL-CUTTS HOUSE TOUR $25; maximum 25 participants

Please see our Conference Blog for specific information regarding transportation arrangements.

The Purcell-Cutts House, built in 1913, is one of the outstanding examples of Prairie School architecture.  Architects William Gray Purcell and George Grant Elmslie designed this unique residence, featuring custom furnishings and art-glass windows, in keeping with their mentor Louis Sullivan's principles of organic design. The open plan interior is visually unified through use of natural light, and visually integrated with the exterior landscape and garden spaces. Located at 2328 Lake Place in Minneapolis, the house has been extensively restored and is now a part of the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Our docent-guided tour will include a brief circuit of the Lake of the Isles neighborhood to establish the architectural context of this landmark residential structure.  By special arrangement, tour participants will be permitted to photograph both on site and inside the house. [NOTE: this tour is also offered 3/24/2011 from 1:00-3:00 PM]

ARLIS/NA International Relations Committee Meeting - Kristen Regina, Chair

Building and Communicating Value: Collaborative Marketing Strategies for Libraries and Visual Resources Collection - Organizer: Betha Whitlow, Washington University in St. Louis  

Presenters: Sarah Cheverton, James Madison University; Beth Dodd, University of Texas at Austin; Elizabeth Schaub, University of Texas at Austin; Rina Vecchiola, Washington University in St. Louis; Mary Ann Chappell, James Madison University; Betha Whitlow, Washington University in St. Louis

Limit: 30 participants; Fee: $50.00; MCAD Classroom 410 - Librarians and visual resources professionals face a period of transition. With many institutions experiencing budget cuts, maintaining a loyal patron base and proving the value of our services is essential.  The shift from analog to digital resources has brought about myriad changes for librarians and visual resources professionals as well as for constituents. As a result, professionals must communicate effectively to stakeholders—including administrators, faculty, students and staff— about transformed services and resources in the digital age. Creative marketing is essential to this process. This workshop will focus on identifying target stakeholders, strategies for effective communication, and marketing techniques.

Round-trip transportation between Hilton Minneapolis and MCAD will be provided. Please see our Conference Blog for further information.

Collection Development Special Interest Group Meeting - Hannah Bennett, organizer

This group will convene to discuss current topics and trends affecting collection development in art, design, architecture, and museum libraries. An agenda will be developed as the conference date draws near.

IRIS Users Group Meeting - Jesse Henderson, IRIS Chair, organizer

A bi-annual meeting for the members of the IRIS Collaborative.

Photography Librarians Special Interest Group Meeting - Deirdre Donohue, organizer

The Photography Librarians Special Interest Group provides an opportunity for librarians from institutions with interest in and collections related to the medium of photography to meet and discuss issues of common interest.

Postcards from the Edge IV: Fashion and Textiles - Organizers: Lisa Schattman, Design Institute of San Diego and Sandra Ley, Pima Community College

Presenters: Marie Botkin, Georgia Southern University; Edith W. Serkownek, Kent State University; Jane Carlin, University of Puget Sound; Robin Dodge, Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.

Limit: 30 participants; Fee: $50.00; MCAD Lab 230 -  As budgets get smaller, and libraries consolidate staffing budgets, art librarians are more-and-more frequently expected to be the go-to person for academic disciplines for which there is no dedicated liaison in the library, even if they don’t have an educational or experiential background in that field. This workshop continues the popular ARLIS/NA “Postcards from the Edge” series and intends to familiarize attendees with resources related to fashion and textile studies for the purposes of improving research assistance, instruction sessions, and print and electronic collection development. We will present a background on the disciplines, discuss the information needs of researchers as well as practitioners, and note how these communities’ informational needs differ. We will also discuss ways to collaborate with faculty and other institutions to best serve these users. This will be followed by demonstrations of and best practices for using electronic databases and print reference resources, interspersed with hands-on practice and Q&A. Hand-outs will include recommendations for essential reference resources, key publishers and vendors, and sample instruction sessions and learning tools.

Round-trip transportation between Hilton Minneapolis and MCAD will be provided. Please see our Conference Blog for further information.

Surviving & Thriving: Successful Job Searches & Career Transition - Organizers and Presenters: Meredith Kahn, University of Colorado-Boulder and Greta Bahnemann, Minnesota Digital Library

Limit: 30 participants; Fee: $50.00; MCAD Classroom 440 - The recent economic downturn has resulted in budget cutbacks, staff downsizing, and mandatory retirements. In this new and difficult reality, entrance or re-entrance into the profession can appear daunting. Our workshop will present practical tips for conducting a successful job search, focusing on the needs of students, new professionals and mid-career professionals. Topics for discussion include: starting a job search, networking, coping with unemployment, job interviews, and negotiating job offers. Workshop activities include mock interviews, written exercises based on real job descriptions and cover letters, and a discussion forum in which participants will be able to network and learn from one another.

Round-trip transportation between Hilton Minneapolis and MCAD will be provided. Please see our Conference Blog for further information.

VCat Users Group Meeting - Ryan Brubacher, organizer

The VCat User's Group has met at the VRA conference since 2005. VCat is a popular free database implementation written in Filemaker Pro that uses VRA Core 4 as a cataloging standard. Anyone may attend the meeting. This meeting will be particularly crucial in deciding next steps for VCat, the future direction of the tool, its purpose, utility and sustainability. Not only do those issues apply to VCat, but are generically important to discuss as the profession evolves.

ARCHITECTURAL GEMS OF ST. PAUL $40, maximum 25 participants

Please see our Conference Blog for specific information regarding transportation arrangements.

St. Paul, Minneapolis' Twin City, displays a rich tapestry of architectural styles, ranging from French Chateau to Art Deco, and from Italian Renaissance to Neo-Baroque.  This mini-coach tour will explore the relationship of the downtown core to historic residential neighborhoods like Summit Avenue, and features interior guided visits to the Gilded Age mansion of railroad baron James. J. Hill and Cass Gilbert's Minnesota State Capitol, plus glimpses of several locales made famous in Garrison Keillor's 'Prairie Home Companion' radio variety show and motion picture.

THE AMERICAN SWEDISH INSTITUTE - A SCANDINAVIAN EXPERIENCE  $55, maximum 24 participants

Please see our Conference Blog for specific information regarding transportation arrangements.

The American Swedish Institute, located in the historic Turnblad Mansion, serves as a gathering place to share stories and experiences around the universal themes of migration, folklore, crafts, and culture.  Our visit will feature a Swedish-style luncheon (included in tour price); a guided exploration of traditional craftsmanship used in the mansion's construction, with a hands-on introduction to tools and materials; and an interactive presentation (a la 'Antiques Road Show') of historic objects brought to Minnesota by nineteenth-century Scandinavian immigrants. [Includes gift shop opportunity at the Institute.]

ARLIS/NA Awards Committee Chairs Meeting - Jennifer Parker, Chair and organizer

ARLIS/NA Book Arts Special Interest Group Meeting - Teresa M. Burk, organizer

The purpose of this group is to share information, ideas, issues, and resources related to the book and paper arts. Last year at ARLIS in Boston we discussed items such as new acquisitions, upcoming exhibitions, conferences, competitions, practices, digital initiatives, useful links and other related book art topics. A holdover topic from years' past that I would like to address again is cataloging issues with artists books and the problem of the lack of data. The idea was floated of having a form online that book artists could fill out and print to accompany their work when shipping to libraries (or wherever) that would include data for fields that are important to cataloging it. I would like to do what I can to move forward with this idea during the Book Art SIG in 2011 and provide a forum for all interested in the book arts to come together to share ideas and announcements.

LGBTQ ARLIS/NA Special Interest Group - Deborah Evans-Cantrell, organizer

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer ARLIS/NA special interest group is interested in addressing the issues and needs surrounding the LGBTQ professional library community, especially within art libraries. The group looks to help art librarians develop professionally through networking opportunities with other LGBTQ art library professionals. The group is open to LGBTQ professionals and their allies alike; any member interested in supporting equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and queer library professionals.

MDID: Cultivating Multimedia on Your Campus - Organizer: Christina Updike, James Madison University; Speakers: Andreas Knab, Lead Software Developer, and Kevin Hegg, Assistant Director, Center for Instructional Technology, James Madison University

Andreas Knab and Kevin Hegg of James Madison University's MDID development team will present the latest version of the Madison Digital Image Database. MDID 3 is an open source multimedia management system with innovative tools for discovering, aggregating, and presenting digital media in a wide variety of disciplines and learning spaces. MDID 3 also provides a platform to build specialized multimedia applications with custom interfaces for teaching, learning, and sharing. The MDID team will demonstrate federated searching, which simultaneously finds content in remote sources such as other MDID installations, Flickr, and ARTstor; multimedia management and delivery; and the new MediaViewer presentation tool. In addition to these new core features, the presenters will showcase several innovative applications that have been developed and implemented at James Madison University in collaboration with instructional technologists, librarians, visual resources specialists, and teaching faculty. This informative session is open to anyone using or interested in MDID. A question and answer period will follow the presentation. Continuing the tradition of a freely shared educational resource, MDID is distributed free of charge under an open source license and is used at many institutions across the United States and around the world.

PURCELL-CUTTS HOUSE TOUR $25; maximum 25 participants

Please see our Conference Blog for specific information regarding transportation arrangements.

The Purcell-Cutts House, built in 1913, is one of the outstanding examples of Prairie School architecture.  Architects William Gray Purcell and George Grant Elmslie designed this unique residence, featuring custom furnishings and art-glass windows, in keeping with their mentor Louis Sullivan's principles of organic design. The open plan interior is visually unified through use of natural light, and visually integrated with the exterior landscape and garden spaces. Located at 2328 Lake Place in Minneapolis, the house has been extensively restored and is now a part of the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Our docent-guided tour will include a brief circuit of the Lake of the Isles neighborhood to establish the architectural context of this landmark residential structure.  By special arrangement, tour participants will be permitted to photograph both on site and inside the house. [NOTE: this tour is also offered 3/24/2011 from 10:00am-Noon]

Avery Index Users Group Meeting - Ted Goodman, organizer

We will being giving a report on the Focus Group conducted last year and updates on new initiatives.

'UP CLOSE AND HANDS ON' - MINNEAPOLIS ARTISTS' COLLABORATIVES 

These tours feature visits to several of Minneapolis' outstanding artists' collaboratives, with the opportunity for tour participants to engage in 'hands-on' activities under the guidance of skilled practitioners.  These tours are scheduled so that conference attendees may participate in visits to all three destinations, or any combination thereof.

NORTHERN CLAY CENTER  $25, maximum 24 participants

Please see our Conference Blog for specific information regarding transportation arrangements.

This guided visit will allow participants to observe ceramic artists at work, including a wheel demonstration by a master potter.  Along with viewing displays of glazing techniques and finished pieces, tour participants will have the opportunity to browse through the Center's library of books and catalogs on contemporary and historic ceramics. [Includes gift shop opportunity at the Center.]

ARLIS/NA Architecture Section Meeting - Kathy Edwards, Chair

Artist Files Working Group Meeting - Jon Evans, organizer

This is a working group that has been active for 6 years and has met at each ARLIS/NA conference since 2005.  Over the years, we have produced a number of documents and an online directory. 

We will discuss issues centered around the growing interest in establishing, managing, and maintaining artist files in both analog and digital formats.

Insight + LUNA Users Group Meeting - Nancy Harm, Luna Imaging, Inc., organizer

Join the Luna team discuss your LUNA implementation and to learn more about the recent v6.3 release (BookReader integration, Full Text Search) as well as the upcoming release.  (official agenda will be provided at a later date).  Session open to all.

Interlibrary Loan Special Interest Group Meeting - Alba Fernandez-Keys, organizer

The Interlibrary Loan SIG meets annually to provide a forum for the discussion of issues pertaining to resource sharing and interlibrary loan. The meeting is open to all conference attendees.

Tina Updike, organizer

Teaching Librarians SIG - Amy Ballmer, organizer

The Teaching Librarians Group is a roundtable meeting where participants discuss outreach, effective teaching techniques, and resources.

ARLIS/NA Public Policy Committee + VRA Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Committee Joint Meeting - Roger Lawson, ARLIS/NA Public Policy Chair, and Gretchen Wagner, VRA IPR Committee Chair

Committees will meet jointly to discuss issues of common concern, followed by a breakout to separate committee business meetings.

Cataloging Issues Discussion Group - Sherman Clarke and Meghan Musolff, co-organizers

This informal discussion of cataloging issues will be a joint meeting, based on the models of the existing Cataloging Problems Discussion Group (ARLIS/NA) and Cataloging Issues Special Interest Group (VRA). While there is no specific agenda, the discussion will be moderated by the organizers and we will solicit input on discussion topics before the conference by email. Topics to be addressed might include CONA, Built Works Registry, RDA, MARC, VRA Core, ULAN, LC/NAF, LCSH, AAT, ULAN, VIAF, etc. We look forward to this opportunity for catalogers to address issues of joint concern as well as some opportunity for discussion of matters which might be fairly specific to printed materials or VR.

EmbARK Users Group Meeting - Marlene Gordon and Robb Detlefs, co-organizers

EmbARK is a suite of software tools designed to catalog and manage collections. Cataloguer enables the user to input metadata; manage image, movie, sound, Excel, Word, Powerpoint, and PDF files; and provide import/export tools to easily migrate data. Records can be grouped into portfolios for managing thematic topics or internal projects. Comprehensive searching options are available. There will be time for discussion of the latest versions of EmbARK, Web Kiosk, and Arthur. Time will be allotted for questions and comments. Questions can be submitted in advance to the session moderator.

Future of Art Bibliography Meeting - Kathleen Salomon and Carole Ann Fabian, co-organizers

The Future of Art Bibliography is an international collaborative project with the goal of providing integrated access to art bibliography.  The meeting will include updates and discussion with task force members regarding current activities stemming from the Future of Art Bibliography project meetings and work done over the past year.

Materials Libraries Special Interest Group Meeting - Mark Pompelia and Carol Terry, co-organizer

Materials-based collections represent a challenging new mode of art librarianship with regards to subject specialization, physical description and accommodation, their close relationship to industry, and institutional mission. Whether a fully realized studio, a modest lab, or a nascent collection of samples, they play an important role in presenting the physicality of art and design objects to a digitally native audience of students from varied interests and disciplines that include architecture, interior design, furniture, textiles, lighting, color, painting, sculpture, etc. Increasing in number, materials collections are staffed by an equally diverse profile of librarians, curators, and directors. This proposed Materials Libraries Special Interest Group would ideally situate the gathering of such diverse yet common interests within VRA-ARLIS/NA’s strong legacy of best practices for art librarianship and visual resources.

ARTstor is a non-profit digital library that provides more than one million images of cultural objects and architectural works covering a wide range of historical, political, social, economic, and cultural documentation from prehistory to the present. ARTstor collections enable a wide range of users -- curators, scholars, educators, librarians, and students -- to teach and study with images in an online environment optimized for exploring visual content in new and exciting ways. This meeting will highlight ARTstor collections and platform features, including the Shared Shelf initiative.

 ARLIS/Midstates Chapter Meeting

Jennifer Parker, Chair

ARLIS/NA Cataloging Advisory Committee - Sherman Clarke, Chair 

SEI Reunion - SkyWater Bar, Hilton Minneapolis.

Kathe Hicks Albrecht, organizer

The Summer Educational Institute, a joint project of ARLIS/NA and the VRA Foundation, has provided educational summer workshops on image management since 2004.  A long-standing tradition, the SEI Reunions at the VRA and ARLIS/NA conferences offer the opportunity for SEI alums, instructors, and organizers to gather informally.  At this year's Reunion, SEI faculty, students, and planners from past Institutes can reconnect, meet the current SEI Implementation Team, and learn more about SEI 2011.  Students attending SEI 2011 are also invited to participate. Cash bar.

Founders' Fête Fund-raising Event

Limit: 250 participants; Fee: $40.00

Event at Gale Mansion: 7:00-9:30pm; shuttle bus service beginning at 5:30pm. Please see our Conference Blog for specific information regarding transportation arrangements.

Experience an Italian Renaissance architectural gem by attending the Founders' Fête fund-raising event at the historic Gale Mansion. In the spirit of the Collaboration theme of the 2nd Joint VRA+ARLIS/NA Conference, this single fund-raising event will be held in place of separate events traditionally held at ARLIS/NA and VRA annual conferences. Funds raised will go to the VRA's Tansey Travel Award fund and ARLIS/NA's Society Circle fund. 

A brief video celebration of the founders and early history of both organizations will be shown continually in the Mansion's elegant ballroom, alternating with live musical entertainment featuring popular music of the early Twentieth Century - complete with projections of sheet music covers, silent movie film excerpts, and lantern "song slides" from Minneapolis' famous MarNan Collection. 

Enjoy heavy hors d'oeuvres, wine and beer, and a ticket for one complimentary drink.  After indulging at the Mansion, take a shuttle to the nearby Minneapolis Institute of Arts, which will be open for Founders' Fête attendees to view the special exhibitions - "Titian and the Golden Age of Venetian Painting" and "The Mourners: Tomb Sculptures from the Court of Burgundy". 

Free shuttle transportation will be provided from the hotel to the Gale Mansion as well as to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Shuttles will run throughout the event between the Mansion and the museum.

This special fund-raising event is capped at 250; register early to make sure you don't miss a fabulous evening!

additional details to be announced

Annual breakfast event for new VRA and ARLIS/NA members and those attending their first VRA or ARLIS/NA conference.

Let breakfast be on us while you mix and mingle with both new and longtime members of the organizations. The event is also an opportunity to meet VRA and ARLIS/NA leaders. Attending the breakfast is a great way to meet others in your organization in a friendly and social environment. Be sure to bring your mentor or mentee. You definitely do not want to miss out on the fun!

These free Morning Minne-Tours are intended to introduce conference attendees to the Minneapolis Skyway system, while showcasing works of architectural significance located within easy walking distance of the Hilton Hotel.  No need to register in advance, just show up in the Hilton lobby.

#B  Minneapolis Art Deco. A number of public buildings in downtown Minneapolis feature stunning examples of Art Deco/Streamline Moderne décor: furnishings, windows, exterior sculpture, even elevator doors.  We’ll take a brief look at several of these locations, along with the Wells Fargo [formerly Northwestern National (Norwest)] Bank lobby, which hosts a revolving display of Modernist design.

Conference Registration and Hospitality

View full session details to see abstracts.

Moderator: Allison Benedetti, Harvard Graduate School of Design

• It's not you, it's Mimi! : Building an Institutional Repository Specifically for the Arts Community (Anne Hepburn, Technical Services and Archives Librarian and Jason Williams, Web Programmer, Pacific Northwest College of Art)
• Beyond Catalogues and Image Databases—Leading a Museum-Wide Collections Management System Committee (Eric Wolf, The Menil Collection)
• On Re-housing Special Collections of the Alternative Spaces (Ryan Evans, White Columns Curatorial Associate & Archivist,  Pratt MLS candidate)
• Rethinking the Reference collection (Anna Fishaut, Stanford University Art & Architecture Library)
• [KOHA-llaboration: Utilizing the resources of the open-source community to migrate the ANS library catalog (Elizabeth Hahn, American Numismatic Society Library) - CANCELLED]

Case Studies Sessions showcase participants projects in short presentations followed by a break-out to tables for group discussion and demonstration.

Abstracts:

It's not you, it's Mimi! : Building an Institutional Repository Specifically for the Arts Community (Anne Hepburn, Jason Williams): Anne Hepburn, MLS, and Jason Williams, web programmer, will be discussing their collaborative process for the design and build of an institutional repository and image management system at the Pacific Northwest College of Art. They will show a demonstration of the product, called Mimi, and discuss the creative process involved. 

Beyond Catalogues and Image Databases—Leading a Museum-Wide Collections Management System Committee (Eric Wolf): As the information landscape changes, librarians and VR professionals have the chance to leverage their unique skill-sets beyond traditional roles.  Co-chairing the Collection Management System Committee at the Menil Collection has been both a difficult and rewarding opportunity to demonstrate the continued relevance of our knowledge of organizing information and technologies.

On Re-housing Special Collections of the Alternative Spaces (Ryan Evans): Ryan Evans is Curatorial Associate and Archivist at White Columns, New York’s oldest alternative space, as well as a 2011 MLS Candidate at Pratt Institute.  The research for this paper informed an open source digitization effort for the organization’s archive.

Rethinking the Reference collection (Anna Fishaut): The Stanford University Art & Architecture Library has developed a new reference collection model which reflects current usage and publishing trends, and which augments the traditional definition of “reference book.”

[KOHA-llaboration: Utilizing the resources of the open-source community to migrate the ANS library catalog (Elizabeth Hahn): This project relied heavily on collaboration from in-house, out-sourced, and open-source options to migrate a locally developed database to a proper Integrated Library System. - CANCELLED]

View full session details to see abstracts.

Moderator: Merriann Bidgood, Visual Resources Library, School of Art, University of Houston

• I Spy with My Little Eye: Teaching Visual Literacy (Tammy Ravas, Visual and Performing Arts Librarian and Megan Stark, Undergraduate Services Librarian, University of Montana)
• Engaging faculty research and teaching through collaborative digital collections (Julia Simic, University of Oregon Libraries)
• The Role of the Information Professional in an Increasing Digital World (Teresa Slobuski, New Jersey Environmental Digital Library, Rutgers University)
• Q (a)R(t) Code Project: a Convergence of Media (Liv Valmestad, Architecture and Fine Arts Library, University of Manitoba)

Case Studies Sessions showcase participants projects in short presentations followed by a break-out to tables for group discussion and demonstration.

Abstracts:

Do You See What I See? Teaching Visual Literacy to Undergraduate Students (Tammy Ravas and Megan Stark): This session will share the experience of using visual media from the exhibit Capture the Moment: The Pulitzer Prize Photographs to encourage information literacy in undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Montana. By promoting visual literacy as a cornerstone of lifelong learning libraries can help users extend their critical thinking skills into the realm of media while simultaneously introducing the complex issues and challenges posed by visual materials. 
 

Engaging faculty research and teaching through collaborative digital collections (Julia Simic): University of Oregon Libraries has used traditional VR collection development strategies as a foundation for creating all Libraries digital collections. We will discuss the creation of new digital collections based on a collaborative faculty model. 

The Role of the Information Professional in an Increasing Digital World (Teresa Slobuski): Research was completed to determine the potential success of finding particular images in fine art databases given knowledge of a student not beyond Art History 101. Given the results, art librarians and visual resource professionals have the opportunity to use their skills and experience to position themselves as an indispensable member of any academic community.

Q (a)R(t) Code Project: a Convergence of Media (Liv Valmestad, Architecture and Fine Arts Library, University of Manitoba): Liv Valmestad, through a convergence of media, including Google Maps, Flickr, blogging, and QR codes, has not only created a virtual art gallery accessible to you through your Smart phone, but has also explored augmented reality with Wikitude and FourSquare.

2012 VRA Annual Conference Planning Meeting - Brian Shelburne, VRA Vice President for Conference Arrangements, organizer

Planning meeting for the 2012 VRA Annual Conference in Albuquerque, NM. Members of the local planning committee, nearby VRA Regional Chapters, VRA Executive Board, and interested others are all welcome to attend.

Exhibits Hall, opens 10:00am. Additional information on exhibitors to be provided.

Silent Auction

Opens 10:00am - Please join us by donating and bidding on items for our Silent Auction fundraiser "Shhh… Silent Auction!" in support of the VRA Tansey Travel Awards and ARLIS/NA professional development fund.

The auction will be open over two days, in the Exhibits Hall, Salons ABC, beginning Friday, March 25 and continuing through Saturday, March 26. See the "Shhh… Silent Auction!" blog for additional details.

Works and Fair Use:  Can Bridges Be Built Between Educational Users and Copyright Owners? - Jule Sigall, Associate General Counsel, Microsoft

Organizers: Gretchen Wagner, ARTstor and the VRA Intellectual Property Rights Committee

Moderators: Elisa Lanzi, Imaging Center, Smith College; President, VRAF and Cara Hirsch, Assistant General Counsel, ARTstor

Copyright remains one of the most divisive and challenging topics facing both copyright owners and users.  Despite the views of many (both among copyright owners and users) that there should be a distinction between the use of images and other materials in the classroom and for research, and the use of those materials for commercial purposes, finding a consensus on how to draw such distinctions remains elusive.  Similarly, though many content providers and users see the value of making orphan works more broadly accessible and usable - and though legislation was supported by the Copyright Office - such legislation (which was particularly opposed by photographers) seems to have died on the vine.

Jule Sigall, who has served as the  Associate Register for Policy and International Affairs at the U.S. Copyright Office, which assists the Register of Copyrights in advising Congress and executive branch agencies on  domestic and international copyright policy matters, has agreed to speak on his experiences with the orphan works legislation, lessons learned, and the likelihood that similar legislation will be passed in the future.

In his position at the Copyright Office, Jule Sigall (who currently serves as Associate General Counsel to Microsoft), regularly represented the Copyright Office in U.S. government delegations to meetings at the World Intellectual Property Organization, including its Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights. He has published several articles on copyright law and is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences on copyright and intellectual property and lectures at Duke University School of Law and The George Washington University Law School, where he is currently an adjunct professor.

ARLIS/NA Development Committee + VRA Development Committee Meetings - Sonja Staum, ARLIS/NA Development Committee Chair, Emy Nelson Decker and Jesse Henderson, VRA Development Committee Co-chairs

The committees will meet jointly to discuss issues of common concern, and to review/debrief over joint conference business, followed by a breakout to separate committee business meetings.

ARLIS/NA Gerd Muehsam Award Committee Meeting - Erin Elliott, Chair

ARLIS/NA Membership Committee + ARLIS/NA Diversity Committee Meeting - Bryan Loar, ARLIS/NA Membership Committee Chair, and Laura Haxer and Meredith Kahn, ARLIS/NA Diversity Committee Co-chairs

The ARLIS/NA Membership and Diversity Committees will meet jointly. 

ARLIS/NA Professional Development Committee Meeting - Sarah Falls, Chair

The ARLIS/NA Professional Development Committee will meet as a full committee, followed by breakout meetings for the Education and Mentoring Sub-committees.

RLG Roundtable - Dennis Massie, OCLC Research, organizer

This annual Roundtable at ARLIS is an opportunity for staff at RLG Partnership institutions to hear what RLG Programs has done, is planning to do, is grappling with, and wants to collaborate on with attendees. RLG Programs has staked out the most pressing issues facing the library community in the areas of renovating descriptive practice, managing the collective collection, new modes of scholarship and modeling new service infrastructures, and attendees will hear about the latest development in areas of particular impact to art libraries. While RLG partners determine the agenda through a survey, all conference goers are welcome to attend. Both the agenda and speakers are determined shortly before the conference proper to ensure the most timely and apropos information gets presented.

VRA Data Standards Committee Meeting - Johanna Bauman and Kari Smith, Co-chairs

The VRA Data Standards Committee will meet as a full committee followed by breakout meetings for working groups and task forces.

VRA Digital Initiatives Advisory Group (DIAG) Meeting - Sherrie Brittig and John Taormina, Co-chairs

VRA Education Committee Meeting - Betha Whitlow, Chair

VRA Financial Advisory Committee + ARLIS/NA Finance Committee Meetings - Jane Darcovich, VRA Financial Advisory Committee Chair, and Ted Goodman, ARLIS/NA Finance Committee Chair

The committees will meet jointly to discuss issues of common concern, and to review/debrief over joint conference business, followed by a breakout to separate committee business meetings.

VRA Membership Committee Meeting - Elaine Paul, Chair

VRA Travel Awards Committee Meeting - Heidi Eyestone and Victoria Brown, Co-chairs

Beyond the Silos of the LAMs - Organizer and Moderator: Elisa Lanzi, Imaging Center, Smith College

Speakers: Martha R. Mahard, Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science; Marilyn Nasserden, Centre for Arts & Culture, Libraries and Cultural Resources, University of Calgary; Michael Fox, Minnesota Historical Society; Ann Whiteside, Harvard Graduate School of Design

Abstract: Collaboration among libraries, archives, and museums has been a popular theme at conferences for the last five years. As we acquire a continually increasing amount of born-digital materials, our traditional boundaries are beginning to blend. The convergence of collections and technology, and the desire for users to easily access institutional content provides us with an important moment in time to break down our institutional silos and begin to work collaboratively across communities so that access to content is more transparent. The work done by Diane Zorich, Günter Waibel, and Ricky Erway and their subsequent 2008 report titled “Beyond the Silos of the LAMS: Collaboration Among Libraries, Archives, and Museums” offers some pragmatic ways for institutions to work across boundaries to break down their local silos. The result of the LAMS report is that several institutions have been purposely working across institutional boundaries to eliminate their silos in an effort to bring the management of cultural heritage materials together for the benefit of those who use those previously disparate collections for research and teaching.

• The Best of Both Worlds: Positioning Cultural Heritage Informatics in Library Science and Archival Education - Martha R. Mahard, Professor of Practice at Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science
• The Evolving and Converging Environment for the Libraries, Museums, Archives, and Special Collections at the University of Calgary - Marilyn Nasserden, Head, Visual & Performing Arts, Centre for Arts & Culture, Libraries and Cultural Resources, University of Calgary
• Raising Sheep: Helping Lam(bs) Grow Up - Michael Fox, Executive Director, Minnesota Historical Society
• Response from a Community Perspective - Ann Whiteside, Librarian/Assistant Dean for Information Resources, Harvard Graduate School of Design

Growing New Professionals through Mentorship: A Two Way Street - Organizers: Rebecca Moss, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota and Marcia Focht, Binghamton University  

Moderator: Rebecca Moss  

Speakers: Marcia Focht, Binghamton University; Kim Collins, Emory University; Maggie Portis, New York School of Interior Design; Kathe Hicks Albrecht, Katzen Art Center, American University; Jacqueline Protka, Corcoran College of Art and Design; Melanie Clark, Architecture Library, Texas Tech University

Abstract: This collaborative session will have three parts: First, an overview on the value of mentoring and the variety of mentoring opportunities available to us. Included will be specific information about mentoring in both organizations, and new ideas, approaches and tools that are on the horizon for both VRA and ARLIS/NA.

Next will be two examples of successful mentors and mentees who will discuss their mentoring experience within ARLIS/NA and VRA. The mentor/mentee relationship can forge bonds lasting throughout our professional careers, and they often start with a successful pairing at our conferences.

Finally, a paper on the introduction of a Mentoring Program for librarians at Texas Tech University, detailing the goals and the planning process; the successes and hurdles that were overcome; and how it led to new collaborative opportunities and other growth among the librarians at TTU. Examples will be included of what things worked better than others and how mentoring is a two-way street with rewards at both ends.

Images Unleashed: Expanding Beyond Traditional Disciplines - Organizers: Nicole Finzer, Northwestern University and Yuki Hibben, Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries  

Moderator: Beth Wodnick, Princeton University  

Speakers: Virginia Allison, University of California, Irvine Libraries; Carolyn Caizzi, Yale University; Caroline Caviness, ARTstor; Nicole Finzer

Abstract: The demand for digital images in higher education has increased dramatically in all disciplines, creating changes in pedagogical practice, a greater reliance on technological skills, and an expanded need for digital resources. This panel session is designed for art librarians and visual resources professionals interested in using innovative ways to expand their image collections and services to encompass disciplines outside of the arts. Speakers will discuss creative methods for outreach and marketing to broader audiences, strategies fostering collaboration, innovations in digital asset management for an array of subject areas, and models for promoting image-based fluency across campus.

Inside Out: Examining Studio Artists’ Perceptions, Representations, and Actual Use of the Fine Arts Library - Moderator: Gabrielle V. L. Reed, Massachusetts College of Art and Design Morton R. Godine Library

Speakers: Henry Pisciotta, Pennsylvania State University Libraries; Anna Simon, Indiana University

Abstract: As art information professionals, we find ourselves comfortably ensconced in the world of the art library, often taking for granted the underlying systems that orchestrate the library on a daily basis. This session encourages fine arts librarians and visual resource professionals to take a step backward in an attempt to examine the library through the eyes of one our most valued (yet elusive) constituencies—the studio artist. Presenters will explore the romantic and practical conceptions—and misconceptions—of studio artists’ interactions with the library. Gabrielle Reed will briefly introduce a recent project undertaken at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design library and IT departments to measure how their studio arts-based community view their services. This web-based project, called the MISO (merged information services organizations) survey, created quantitative results and insight into a unique institution. Henry Pisciotta examines artworks from 1962 to the present that challenge and redefine the traditional image of the library, while Anna Simon presents use-evidence from over 200 undergraduate studio students on their interactions with the library at different points in their program. Armed with insights from this broadly applicable research, the speakers posit how we can support studio practices by demystifying the library.

New Voices in the Profession - Organizer and Moderator: Maggie Portis, New York School of Interior Design

Speakers

• The Complications of Bridgeman and Copyright (Mis)use - Katherine L. Kelley, MLS Candidate, School of Library and Information Studies, University of Wisconsin--Madison, 2011 Gerd Muesham Award winner
• “Parchment to Pixel: The Walters Islamic Manuscript Digital Project.” - Diane Bockrath, Digitization Specialist, Department of Manuscripts and Rare Books, The Walters Art Museum, 2010 Gerd Muesham Award winner
• “Discovery Channel: Bringing Collections to New Audiences through Digital Displays” - Jamie Lausch, North Quad Programming Coordinator, University of Michigan, VRA Education Committee New Voices selection
• “You need more fingers than ten: Collaborating to Document Architectural Practice.” - Kathryn Pierce, IMLS Preservation Fellow, School of Information, University of Texas at Austin, ARLISNAP New Voices selection
• "Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Studies in Image Reference and Instruction for Film Studies" - Emilee Matthews, MLS Candidate, School of Library and Information Science, Indiana University, Co-chairs for Conference Program New Voices selection

Returning for a fifth year, the New Voices panel will provide new Art Librarianship and Visual Resources professionals the opportunity to present topics from exceptional coursework, such as a master’s thesis, or topics with which they are engaged early in their professional life. New professionals are defined as either students in MLS or Master’s programs leading to a career in librarianship or visual resources, or those 5 years post Master’s level study. For many, this is their first professional speaking engagement. This panel was begun at the ARLIS-NA 2006 conference in Banff and has received wide attention and praise in its four iterations since. The topics presented reveal new ways of thinking about old problems, as well as up-and-coming ideas, and give the conference attendees a glimpse of the academic interests and current discourse of the newest members of ARLIS/NA and VRA. Working closely with the Gerd Muesham committee this year, two speakers will be the Muesham award winners from 2010 and 2011. Additional speakers are presented at the suggestion of the VRA Education Committee, ArLiSNAP, and the VRA+ARLIS/NA Joint Conference Co-chairs for Program.

The Semantic Web, Libraries, and Visual Resources - Organizer and Moderator: Steve Tatum, Art and Architecture Library, Virginia Tech University

Speakers: Christine Cavalier, Department of Art and Art History, Tufts University; Amy Lucker, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University; Greg Reser, Arts Library, University of California San Diego

Abstract: The World Wide Web was conceived as a network of resources, where machines could discover data from diverse sources and assemble them into useful information, as if the web were an unbounded database assembled by infinite contributors. This is the semantic web. At its heart are well constructed metadata presented in machine readable form. Since the inception of the semantic web, tools and techniques have been developing to enable its purposes. Familiar examples are XML as a machine readable structure for metadata, Dublin Core, and VRA Core 4. Less familiar to many is RDF (Resource Description Framework), which links metadata from different sources and schemas, a function that is central to the semantic web. Although the semantic web is at an early stage in it growth, library and visual resource projects are already using its tools and concepts. One presentation in our group explores concatenating information which uses varieties of vocabularies as access points, that is, linking images and books and articles, all of which use different schema and have different content. A second describes how concept mapping in teaching art history is similar to visualizing linked data on the semantic web. A third describes writing metadata into digital images as a part of the visual resources workflow, using Adobe panels that incorporate XML and RDF. These presentations help to illumine diverse facets of the semantic web and also describe projects that are interesting in their own right. They indicate where we are headed as the semantic web gathers momentum.

The official opening event of the Conference. Come to hear ARLIS/NA President Mari Russell and VRA President Maureen Burns welcome you to the 2nd Joint VRA + ARLIS/NA Conference, and honor your colleagues as they receive awards.

The "Icebreaker" Welcome Party

Following the Convocation at the Hilton Hotel, the conference Welcome Party -- the "Icebreaker" -- will be held at Walker Art Center, one of the most exciting contemporary visual, performing, and media arts venues in the United States. Mix and mingle throughout the Walker's galleries and bookshop, while enjoying heavy hors d'oeuvres, a dessert bar, one free drink ticket, plus a cash bar. 

Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy current exhibits including "Sol LeWitt: 2D+3D", showcasing a range of artwork from his drawings and prints to sculptures, maquettes, and wall drawings, among other items, and "50/50: Audience and Experts Curate the Paper Collection", featuring some 200 works hung salon-style and addressing the dynamics between "audience" and "expert", curatorial practice and so-called "mass taste". 

Free shuttle provided from the hotel to the Walker Art Center and back. Please see our Conference Blog for specific information regarding transportation arrangements.

additional details to be announced

SEI Implementation Team Planning Meeting - Kathe Hicks Albrecht, organizer

The 2011 Summer Educational Institute (SEI) Implementation Team Planning Meeting. Senior co-chair Kathe Albrecht; Junior co-chair: Elizabeth Schaub; Incoming co-chair: Betha Whitlow

These free Morning Minne-Tours are intended to introduce conference attendees to the Minneapolis Skyway system, while showcasing works of architectural significance located within easy walking distance of the Hilton Hotel.  No need to register in advance, just show up in the Hilton lobby.

#C  Ivy Tower and Foshay Tower. These two recently-restored examples of late 1920s design explore the tension between historicism and modernism.  The Ivy Tower (1930) grafts Streamline Modern styling onto an Italian Renaissance-style tower. Once billed as 'the tallest building northwest of Chicago,' the Foshay Tower (1929) is a 4/5 scale model of the Washington Monument re-imagined as a Roaring Twenties office building.

Exhibits Hall, opens 8:00am. Additional information on exhibitors to be provided.

Conference Registration and Hospitality

Silent Auction

Please join us by donating and bidding on items for our Silent Auction fundraiser "Shhh… Silent Auction!" in support of the VRA Tansey Travel Awards and ARLIS/NA professional development fund.

The auction will be open over two days, in the Exhibits Hall, Salons ABC, beginning Friday, March 25 and continuing through Saturday, March 26. See the "Shhh… Silent Auction!" blog for additional details.

 View full session details to see abstracts.

Moderator: Meg Black, Metropolitan Museum of Art

• Reaching out to Readers: Launching a Successful Book Club (Susan Augustine, Head of Reader Services, Ryerson & Burnham Libraries, Art Institute of Chicago)
• Publications from Western European Art Foundations (Lindsay King, Northwestern University Library)
• The “liberty of the compiler”: catalogue raisonné as metaphor for collaborative design (Adam Lauder, York University)
• Analysis of University Press Production in Art and Art History, 1991-2007 (Henry Pisciotta, University Libraries, Pennsylvania State University; James Frost, Minitab, Inc.)
• Leveraging OA: Phase II (Sonja Staum, IUPUI University Library/Herron Art Library)

Case Studies Sessions showcase participants projects in short presentations followed by a break-out to tables for group discussion and demonstration.

Abstracts:

Reaching out to Readers: Launching a Successful Book Club (Susan Augustine): Come hear what the Art Institute of Chicago's Libraries have done to attract a devoted book club. Sample reading guides and program descriptions will be distributed at the talk.

Publications from Western European Art Foundations (Lindsay King): Western European art foundations and their publications will be highlighted as under-recognized resources that offer unique programs and perspectives for research libraries.

The “liberty of the compiler”: catalogue raisonné as metaphor for collaborative design (Adam Lauder): I review some of the applications which compilation principles originally developed in the context of the eighteenth-century catalogue raisonnés have found in the prototype IAINBAXTER&raisonnE: an online catalogue raisonné developed in collaboration with York University and the Art Gallery of Ontario as well as an interdisciplinary team of researchers and the artist.

Analysis of University Press Production in Art and Art History, 1991-2007 (Henry Pisciotta; James Frost): This rigorously statistical study examined the monographic output of university presses in the visual arts and architecture at a level of detail meaningful for specialists in these disciplines. 

Leveraging OA: Phase II (Sonja Staum): Open access scholarly publication across the arts and humanities offers important opportunities for publication in the field of art and new media.  Working with faculty from the IUPUI School of New Media and Informatics, the Herron Library has taken a lead role to launch a peer-reviewed, open access scholarly publication covering art, design, and the media arts, The International Review of the Media Arts, (IRMA).  This session is a follow up to the presentation ‘Leveraging OA: Creating and publishing a hybrid scholarly journal’, Boston, MA, 2010, and will cover the journal’s continued development including the publication management, technology, and outreach.

  View full session details to see abstracts.

Moderator: Mary Alexander, University of Alabama Libraries

• Image Discovery Week: a holistic approach to marketing image resources (Barbara Brenny, North Carolina State University Libraries)
• The Orang Asli Archives: Visual Resources & Geo-Tagging (Rodney Obien and Kara Young, Mason Library, Keene State College)
• What the Heart Remembers: The Women and Children of Darfur (Audrey Powers and Barbara Lewis, University of South Florida Libraries)
• From Filing Cabinet to iPhone: How Collaboration and Technology can Introduce Photo Collections to New Audiences (Deborah Boyer, Azavea)
• Library Instruction in No Time! (Amy Trendler, Architecture Library, Ball State University)

Case Studies Sessions showcase participants projects in short presentations followed by a break-out to tables for group discussion and demonstration.

Abstracts:

Image Discovery Week: a holistic approach to marketing image resources (Barbara Brenny, North Carolina State University): Barbara Brenny, Visual Resources Librarian, will be discussing how the Design Library branch at North Carolina State University collaborated with the Special Collections Research Center at the main library to promote the image-based digital collections and other image resources available to faculty, staff, and students. 

The Orang Asli Archives: Visual Resources & Geo-Tagging (Rodney Obien and Kara Young, Keene State College): The Wallace E. Mason Library of Keene State College began in 2010 a project to research the application of geo-tagging in providing search and retrieval access to the visual resources of its Orang Asli Archives (OAA), one of the world’s largest research collections on the indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia. The presentation will provide an overview of the research and work to integrate Mason Library's existing digital asset management, CONTENTdm, with current and viable Web 2.0 geo-tagging applications. 

What the Heart Remembers: The Women and Children of Darfur (Audrey Powers and Barbara Lewis, University of South Florida Libraries): The development of a performance piece, What the Heart Remembers: The Women and Children of Darfur was inspired by original materials depicting the atrocities of genocide in Darfur and promoted the Library’s resources and initiatives.  This presentation includes the development of a web presence for these materials, digital image management, technology related to the visual arts, faculty outreach, and multidisciplinary collaboration. 

From Filing Cabinet to iPhone: How Collaboration and Technology can Introduce Photo Collections to New Audiences (Deborah Boyer, Azavea):  PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records, is a free online public database that provides access to over 90,000 historic photographs and maps from five Philadelphia organizations. Through PhillyHistory.org, the organizations were able to combine resources; gain access to features such as geographic search, mobile technology, and e-commerce; and promote their collections to new audiences. 

Library Instruction in No Time! (Amy Trendler, Ball State University): Designing effective but brief instruction sessions is a necessary skill for those librarians and visual resources curators who have limited time with students in the classroom. Examples presented will illustrate how this approach was applied to instruction sessions for first year students and graduate students in environmental design.

Following the successful introduction of this event at the 27th Annual VRA Conference in Toronto, VRA and ARLIS/NA are proud to bring you "Vendor Slam: Joint Conference Edition".

A variety of vendors and exhibitors will each give short presentations describing products and services of interest to library and visual resources professional.

Moderator: Erika Church, J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah

Participating Vendors: 

• ActarBirkhauser Distribution
• Archivision, Inc.
• Davis Art Slides
• designinform
• East View Information Services
• Innovative Interfaces, Inc.
• Le Corbusier Plans
• Luna Imaging, Inc.
• ProQuest, Bowker & Serials Solutions
• Scholars Resource
• Worldwide Books

The VRA Annual Business Meeting is the official forum for conducting Association business. The agenda includes the President's State of the Association message; the Treasurer's report; updates on current and future Association projects and activities; the recognition of outgoing officers, committee chairs, and appointees; the induction of incoming officers, committee chairs, and appointees; and the presentation on the 2012 conference host city. There will be an opportunity for questions and announcements from the membership. All members are encouraged to attend and catch up on Association business.

Buffet lunch for all conference attendees.

Join your colleagues and new conference friends for a Joint Membership Lunch Buffet.  VRA President Maureen Burns and ARLIS/NA President Mari Russell will welcome attendees, followed by the recognition of Travel Awards donors and the presentation of the VRA and ARLIS/NA Travel Awards by Travel Award Chairs Heidi Eyestone, Vicky Brown (VRA) and Rebecca Cooper (ARLIS/NA).

Greg Reser, organizer

All ARLIS/NA members are invited to the annual business meeting. Additional details to be announced.

Following the successful introduction of this event at the 27th Annual VRA Conference in Toronto, VRA and ARLIS/NA are proud to bring you "Vendor Slam: Joint Conference Edition".

A variety of vendors and exhibitors will each give short presentations describing products and services of interest to library and visual resources professional. 

Moderator: Vicky Brown, History of Art Department, University of Oxford

Participating Vendors:

• Archivision, Inc. 
• Gallery Systems 
• Innovative Interfaces, Inc. 
• Le Corbusier Plans 

Engaging New Technologies - Organizer: Meghan Musolff, University of Michigan

Moderator: Betha Whitlow, Washington University in St. Louis

Speakers: Tracy Bergstrom, University of Notre Dame; Sarah Carter, Ringling College of Art and Design; Heather Cleary, Otis College of Art and Design; Bryan Loar, SC Search Consultants; Meghan Musolff, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Greg Reser, University of California, San Diego; John Trendler, Scripps College; Suzanne Walsh, Independent Consultant

Abstract: This fast-paced 90 minute session will demonstrate a rich variety of new technologies and provide concrete examples on how to engage with this array of contemporary products, services, and tools. Utilizing the expertise of tech-savvy presenters from both ARLIS and VRA, the session will provide a basic knowledge of new tools, demystifying them to empower session attendees to further investigate on their own.  Emphasis will be given to technologies related to teaching, learning, and research environments and their practical applications for use in the library and visual resources environments.

How do we Shelve It? The Place for Vendor Provided Electronic Titles in Art and Architecture Collections - Organizer: New York School of Interior Design

Moderator: Shalimar Abigail Fojas White, Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection

Speakers: Susanne Javorski, Wesleyan University; Jennifer Friedman, Harvard Graduate School of Design; Sarah Falls, New York School of Interior Design; Stephanie Frontz, University of Rochester

Abstract: In an age of rapidly expanding electronic content, Ebooks, music, television shows and movies are all easily obtained and viewed on portable handheld devices. With the ease of access our patrons experience at home and in their public libraries, it is no wonder that they expect the same level of access to research content. Scholarly content, however, is mostly still relegated to the small frame of the internet browser, a model which severely limits access
and transformative use with ever evolving technologies such as the IPad. Content for art and architecture research is further complicated by copyright restrictions that may require withholding images from scholarly journals and publications.

In art and architecture libraries, the image is central to research. Large catalogs that contain beautiful color reproductions of paintings or detailed architectural drawings, may not translate
well to 1024 x 768 pixels, or the black and white screen of a Kindle. The format, either electronic or print, can drive collection development of these titles and either limits or expands
access. In this session, four librarians will explore collection development and other inherent issues around Ebook and EJournal titles at their institutions. Susanne Javorski, Art and Reference Librarian, Wesleyan University, will discuss consortial Ebook content provided through a grant funded project on collaborative collection development, addressing image quality and what is not collected due to this. Jennifer Friedman, Librarian for Collection Resources and Access, Frances Loeb Library, Harvard Graduate School of Design will discuss selection criteria for a large
architecture library that also has access to the local university press Ebook titles. Sarah Falls, Director of the Library at the New York School of Interior Design will discuss how individual
selection of titles drives access and how open titles can be integrated into the catalog of an Arts and Design School Library. Stephanie Frontz, Art Librarian, University of Rochester, will discuss the problems of copyright and whose responsibility is it to maintain access to critical portions of academic articles (i.e. the image.)

1/20/2011 PLEASE NOTE: THIS SESSION HAS BEEN CANCELLED

The paper "Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Studies in Image Reference and Instruction for Film Studies", Emilee Matthews, Indiana University, will be presented in the session New Voices in the Profession, Friday March 25th, 3:15-4:45pm

 ARLIS/Central Plains Chapter Meeting

Skye Lacerte, Chair

 ARLIS/Mountain West Chapter Meeting

Marly Helm, Chair

The ARLIS Mountain West Chapter welcomes VRA members from Mountain states to participate in this meeting.

 ARLIS/Southern California Chapter Meeting

Alyssa Resnick, Chair

All VRA Regional Chapters and ARLIS/NA Chapters will meet at this time -- jointly or separately, in formal meeting room or informal social settings.  Please check SCHED* for specific details regarding individual chapters and meeting arrangements or consult with your organization's chapter chair.

Chapters which have not previously requested and been assigned a meeting room may also meet simultaneously in a room to be determined.

VRA-Great Lakes Chapter Meeting

Marlene Gordon, Chair

VRA-MidAtlantic Chapter and ARLIS/DC-MD-VA Chapter Joint Meeting

Macie Hall (VRA) and Yuki Hibben (ARLIS), Chairs

VRA-Midwest Chapter and ARLIS/Twin Cities Chapter Joint Meeting 

Wendall Sullivan (VRA) and Kristen Mastel (ARLIS), Chairs

 VRA-Southern California Chapter and VRA-Northern California Chapter Joint Meeting

Heather Cummins and Karen Kessel (VRA-NoCal) and John Trendler (VRA-SoCal), Chairs

 VRA-Southeast Chapter and ARLIS/Southeast Chapter Joint Meeting

Barbara Brenny (VRA) and Caley Cannon (ARLIS), Chairs

 VRA-Texas Chapter and ARLIS/Texas-Mexico Chapter Joint Meeting

Katherine Moloney (VRA) and Beverly Mitchell (ARLIS), Chairs

Exhibits Hall and Silent Auction Closing

 Closing event for the Exhibits Hall and Silent Auction fundraiser "Shhh… Silent Auction!" in support of the VRA Tansey Travel Awards and ARLIS/NA professional development fund.

See the "Shhh… Silent Auction!" blog for additional details.

additional details to be announced

These free Morning Minne-Tours are intended to introduce conference attendees to the Minneapolis Skyway system, while showcasing works of architectural significance located within easy walking distance of the Hilton Hotel. No need to register in advance, just show up in the Hilton lobby.

#D  Milwaukee Road Depot. This 1899 Renaissance Revival-style railroad station once witnessed the daily arrival and departure of dozens of intercity passenger trains.  Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the Depot has been carefully restored as a boutique hotel, and its train shed converted for use as a seasonal ice skating rink, open to the public, which includes skate rental facilities. (2010-2011 season calendar).

This invitation-only breakfast is a chance for the VRA and ARLIS/NA Leadership to gather and discuss organization matters and interests.

• Discovery by Design: A Wayfinding Approach to Browsing - Michael Wirtz, Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar
• Collections and Collaborations at the Metropolitan Museum of Art - Claire Dienes, Metropolitan Museum of Art
• MDID: Taking the “Repose” Out of Repository - Christina Updike, Andreas Knab, and Kevin Hegg, James Madison University
• Bridging Past and Practice: New Models for Incorporating Special Collections Materials into the Architectural Classroom - Adrienne Lai and David Hill, North Carolina State University, College of Design
• The Library as a Site of Artistic/Intellectual Discovery - Yvonne Boyer, Vanderbilt University
• E-books in the Visual Arts: Hands On & Questions Answered - Greg Albers, Hol Art Books
• Promoting Subject Specialists as Curators - Celia Walker, Vanderbilt University
• Simple Visuals for Complex Research - Jesse Vestermark, California Polytechnic State University
• What’s In Your Digital Content Toolkit? Exploring Options for Online Exhibitions - Carrie L. McDade, University of Utah
• User Community as Project Advisors: NCSU Libraries’ Collaboration with the Architecture Community - Kristen Merryman, North Carolina State University
• ‘Surviving Research’ Anywhere: Using Meeting/Webinar Software to Bring Library Instruction Online - Heather Koopmans, Savannah College of Art and Design
• Collaboration in Developing a Book Art Genre Index - Mary Anne Dyer, Virginia Commonwealth University; Yuki Hibben, Virginia Commonwealth University 
• Using Flashcard Apps for Art History Study - Heidi Eyestone, Carleton College
• Demonstrating Our Value: Visual Resources Leadership For Implementing Visual Literacy Initiatives - Carrie L. McDade, University of Utah
• Developing a Collaborative Model for VCUQatar Digital Collections of Student Work - Victoria Bleick, Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar
• Building Bridges to Serve Your Community: READ: Hope in Action - Kari Horowicz, Rochester Institute of Technology
• A Composition: Fine Arts Databases - Hillary Veeder, LSU Libraries

Conference Registration and Hospitality

Collaborative Ventures, Collaborative Gains - Organizer and Moderator: Karin Whalen, Reed College

Speakers: Stacy Brinkman and Diane Fellows, Miami University; Christina Updike and Mary Ann Chappell, James Madison University; Carolyn Caizzi and Barbara Rockenbach, Yale University

Abstract: Following the digital transition, image professionals, librarians, faculty and technologists are finding new, collaborative ways to support critical student skills in the areas of visual and information literacy, media literacy, and writing. At Yale University and James Madison University, such collaborations are used to support faculty in the area of visual pedagogy and technology-enhanced teaching. At Miami University, faculty-librarian collaborations have developed the incorporation of visual tools and methods to engage students in the research and writing process. These examples have enabled vital new dialogues across campus, and can be utilized to forge similar collaborations at your home institution.

At Yale, the Library, the Visual Resources Collection, and the Instructional Technology Group have worked together to support faculty in the area of visual pedagogy and technology-enhanced teaching through a partnership called the Collaborative Learning Center. The Center has responded to support faculty across various disciplines as they implement images, video, and creative student assignments into their classes. A representative from the Library and its Visual Resources Collection will discuss this collaboration and the creative outcomes that have happened at the intersection of technology, collections, and pedagogy at Yale.

At James Madison University, the Visual Resources Center and the Center for Instructional Technology have collaborated for more than a decade to support visual pedagogy. Their most important project is continued design and development of the Madison Digital Image Database, a web-based software system designed to bring visual images into the teaching and learning process. Its newest version, MDID3, incorporates several ubiquitous social media tools such as tagging, and seamlessly interacts with popular media tools such as Flickr, JMUtube, the University’s video delivery system, and Blackboard, the University’s course management system. These and other enhancements have broadened its appeal and usefulness beyond the School of Art & Art History and opens almost infinite possibilities for the integration of visual pedagogy into the teaching and learning experience.

At Miami University, a faculty-librarian collaboration explored the question: how can visual tools and methods encourage students to engage in not only finding topics and organizing ideas, but also in the entire research and writing process? This presentation describes pedagogical practices in a graduate architecture research methods class, where visual tools and methods familiar to the designer were used to introduce information literacy concepts such as audience, authority, methodology, and source evaluation. Through these methods, students were encouraged to make connections between visual thinking processes and the iterative nature of writing and research.

More Than Meets the Eye?  Retrieving Art Images by Subject - Organizer and Moderator: Karen Kessel, Art and Art History Department, Sonoma State University

Speakers: Patricia Harpring, Getty Vocabulary Program; Judy Weedman, San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science; Dustin Wees, ARTstor; Hans Brandhorst, Iconclass

Abstract: In the past, image collection curators, with limited staffing, urgent deadlines, lack of authority sources, and the broad range of subjects their collections represent, found little time for indexing their materials by subject. As we develop shared online cataloging with other collections and with libraries, we should have more time and incentive to engage in subject indexing to enable access to a broader group of users.  The panelists will define subject indexing, discuss why it is important, describe some of the challenges in applying subject terms, but also demonstrate how we can create effective tools to make it easier to do.

Survival Techniques for Art Librarians at Public Libraries - Organizer and Moderator: Alyssa Resnick, Development, Technology & Collection Services, Glendale Public Library

Speakers: Alyssa Resnick; Cathy Billings, Glendale Public Library; Mary Stark, Beverly Hills Public Library

Abstract: Art librarians from public libraries will discuss how their jobs have changed, expanded and been modified to accommodate budget cuts and staff reductions. Such changes include the art librarian being asked to take on responsibilities for system wide activities such as blogs, online exhibitions, displays, social networking, Web 2.0 applications, graphic design, exhibitions, shared reference responsibilities, and managing multiple sites or departments. This session will clearly demonstrate that change is a part of our current landscape and that the talents and expertise of an art librarian can extend beyond the art section.

ARLIS/NA Academic Libraries Division Meeting - Patricia Kosco Cossard, Chair

ARLIS/NA Art and Design School Libraries Division Meeting - Co-Moderators: Elinor Nacheman, Fleet Library, Rhode Island School of Design and Gabrielle Reed, Morton R. Godine Library, Massachusetts College of Art and Design

Agenda
1. Welcome and Attendance Sheet
2. Introduction of current officers (Elinor Nacheman and Gabrielle Reed)
3. Announcement of next year’s co-moderators (Heather Koopmans and Deborah EvansCantrell)
4. Volunteers for incoming vice-moderators
5. Announcement of conference sessions involving ADSL members
6. Open Forum Topics:

• Studio artists in the library…what is the collaboration?
• How do we keep ourselves relevant to today's student?
• What social networking tools do you use in your library?
• Collaborative collection development…How are we collecting?
• Special Collections (artists book etc)…How are we teaching with our collections?
• Consortia power…are you alone at your library?
• Accreditation statistics…are we collecting what they are asking for?
• Vertical files / Artist files …. Collect and manage, what are people doing?
• Changing demographics …. What role might distance learning play?

ARLIS/NA Museum Library Division + VRA Museum Visual Resources Group Joint Meeting - Lee Viverette, ARLIS Museum Library Division Chair and Billy Kwan, VRA Museum Visual Resources Group

Groups will meet jointly to discuss issues of common concern, followed by a breakout to separate business meetings.

ARLIS/NA Visual Resources Division Meeting - Nicole Finzer, Chair

ARLIS/NA + VRA Joint Chapter Chairs Meeting - Co-organizers: Laurel Bliss, ARLIS/NA Chaper Liaison and Trudy Levy, VRA Membership Committee, Chapter Liaison

The ARLIS/NA Chapter Chairs and VRA Chapter Chairs will meet separately to discuss business specific to each organization for 1/2 hour, followed by a joint meeting for 1/2 hour to discuss issues of concern to both organizations and identify potential areas of collaboration. 

ARLIS/NA Cataloging Section Meeting - Organizers and Co-Moderators: Laurie Chipps, Ryerson and Burnham Libraries, Art Institute of Chicago and Dan Lipcan, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Speakers: Elizabeth O'Keefe, Morgan Museum and Library; Penny Baker, Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute

Abstract: "The Morgan/Clark RDA Survey Experience" - Elizabeth O'Keefe and Penny Baker will share their institution's experiences during the national testing phase of RDA.

ARLIS/NA Reference and Information Services Section Meeting - Virginia Allison, Chair

VRA + ArLiSNAP Student and New Professionals Meeting - Bryan Loar and Elaine Paul, co-organizers

Every year since 2005, the ARLIS/NA special interest group Art Library Students and New ARLIS Professionals (ArLiSNAP) has conducted meetings at the ARLIS/NA national conference. VRA has held Student Member Q&A events, hosted by the VRA Membership Committee at their annual conference since 2009. These meetings have addressed the needs of student members, acting as forums for discussion and a catalyst for new services.

The 2nd Joint VRA+ARLIS/NA Conference affords an opportunity for ArLiSNAP to partner with the Visual Resource Association and discuss the contributions and needs of students and emerging professionals.  The outcome of having the space to conduct a joint meeting will be increased cross-organizational collaboration, networking, and the potential for the creation of new innovative services for both organizations.

VRA Publishing Advisory Group (PAG) + ARLIS/NA Communications and Publications Committee Meetings - Betha Whitlow, VRA PAG Chair  and Jonathan Franklin, ARLIS/NA Communications and Publications Chair 

VRA PAG and ARLIS/NA Communications and Publications will hold separate business meetings followed by a joint meeting for a portion of the allotted meeting time to discuss issues of common concern to both organizations. 

Organizer: Sandra Ley

Paving the Way for an Uncertain Future: Teaching Art Information Management in the 21st Century - Organizer: Heather Gendron, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Moderator: Rebecca Frank, Art, Architecture & Engineering Library, The University of Michigan

Speakers: Amy Lucker, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University;  Ken Soehner, Pratt; Heather Gendron and J.J. Bauer, UNC Chapel Hill; Tony White, Indiana University

Abstract: Are specializations in art librarianship and visual resources still relevant?  The identities "art librarian" and "visual resources curator" made sense 40 years ago, but what do these mean today?  Few LIS programs offer such specialized courses, but the courses that are offered receive praise from students and are in demand.  What attracts students to the art specialization, and is there a future for them in this field?  Speakers will discuss the role these courses play in the larger scheme of LIS curricula, different approaches to teaching the subject, and how these courses help prepare future art (and other) information professionals. 

Transforming Publishing Practices in the Arts - Organizers: Deborah Ultan Boudewyns, University of Minnesota and Patrick Tomlin, Virginia Tech University

Moderator: Patrick Tomlin, Virginia Tech University

Speakers: Petra Chu, Nineteenth Century Art Worldwide; Christine Kuan, ARTstor; Niels Schaumann, William Mitchell College of Law

Abstract: This session illuminates the expanding field of scholarly communication in the visual arts. Presenters will address the emergence of open access publications, new initiatives for the use of images in publishing, and the increasingly complex relationship between arts scholarship and copyright law in the digital environment.  Presenters in this session are key contributors to the newest directions in publishing and the visual arts, including Petra Chu, Managing Editor, Nineteenth-Century Art Worldwide; Christine Huang, Chief Content Officer & VP of External Affairs, and Coordinator for Images for Academic Publishing, ARTstor; and Niels Schaumann, Vice Dean for Faculty, William Mitchell College of Law.

Introduction by George Slade, Program Manager/Curator, Photographic Resource Center (PRC), Boston 

Wing Young Huie is an award-winning photographer who has received international attention for his many projects that document the changing cultural landscape of his home state Minnesota. His best-known work is Lake Street USA, which in the summer and fall of 2000 transformed six miles of a well-known Minneapolis thoroughfare into one of the most remarkable public art projects in recent memory. One of Wing's recent project, 9 Months in America: An Ethnocentric Tour, presents a post 9/11 America; a place where Asians, particularly Chinese, happen to be in the majority. This ambitious, cross-country odyssey frames the complexity, nuance, appropriation, humor, contradictions, and surprises of American life in our time. Whether in epic public installations or major museum exhibitions, Wing creates up-to-the-minute societal mirrors of who we are, seeking to reveal not only what is hidden, but also what is plainly visible and seldom noticed. The Minneapolis Star Tribune named Wing "Artist of the Year" in 2000. His three published books are Frogtown: Photogaphs and Conversation in an Urban Neighborhood, Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1996, Lake Street USA, Ruminator Books, 2001, and 9 Months in America: An Ethnocentric Tour, University of Minnesota Press, 2007.

Organizational Collaboration: Building Bridges between ARLIS/NA and VRA -  Elaine Paul, organizer

The ARLIS/NA-VRA Joint Task Force on Collaboration submitted its final report in 2008. It contains specific recommendations for "a more fertile infrastructure for information exchange between the two organizations and a corresponding reduction in redundancy, while maintaining the individual identities of each group." Where do we stand as affiliated organizations three years later? Where are we going over the next several years? This discussion forum is an opportunity for the members and leaders of both groups to communicate about the most promising possibilities for collaboration between our organizations, and how we might continue moving forward with implementing and sustaining them.

Post-conference debriefing meeting for CPAC

ST. JOHN'S ABBEY  $55, maximum 50 participants

Please see our Conference Blog for specific information regarding transportation arrangements.

This renowned Benedictine abbey and university campus features the world-famous Chapel of St. John the Baptist, designed by Marcel Breuer, with impressive stained glass and liturgical objects crafted in the modernist tradition.  The abbey is also home to the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library, among the nation's outstanding collections of historic manuscripts.  Our visit will feature a guided introduction to the Manuscript Library's rich holdings given by the collection's curator, along with an opportunity to view portions of the magnificent Saint John's Bible, the first hand-written, hand-illuminated complete biblical text produced since the Middle Ages.  The St. John's Bible features calligraphy by Donald Jackson, and is illustrated with original artwork in an amazing variety of styles, media, and materials.  (Note:  A private buffet luncheon in campus dining facilities is included in the tour price.)

'UP CLOSE AND HANDS ON' - MINNEAPOLIS ARTISTS' COLLABORATIVES 

These tours feature visits to several of Minneapolis' outstanding artists' collaboratives, with the opportunity for tour participants to engage in 'hands-on' activities under the guidance of skilled practitioners.  These tours are scheduled so that conference attendees may participate in visits to all three destinations, or any combination thereof.

MINNESOTA CENTER FOR BOOK ARTS  $40, maximum 24 participants

Please see our Conference Blog for specific information regarding transportation arrangements.

Our guided visit offers an introduction to the book arts and artists' books, including a demonstration of the traditional crafts of papermaking, letterpress printing, and bookbinding, as well as a look at contemporary book making as an art form.  This exclusive opening will also provide extended time for individual browsing in the MCBA library of artists' books under the guidance of its curator, along with private access to the exhibition gallery and shop. [NOTE:  A shorter visit to MCBA is also offered on Thursday, March 24, from 10:00 AM - Noon.]

Executive Board Meeting of the Art Libraries Society of North America - This event is open to all ARLIS/NA members.

Copyright Practicum for Librarians and Visual Resources Curators - Nancy Sims, Copyright Program Librarian, University of Minnesota

Organizers: Allan Kohl, MCAD and the VRA IPR Committee

Limit: 50 participants; Fee: $50.00  Nancy will provide an introductory overview of copyright law concerns in daily practice, with guided interactive discussion of strategies for dealing with specific problems submitted in advance by workshop participants. She will guide participants in assessing copyright issues of particular relevance to higher education contexts, including: using teaching materials in class and online, web dissemination of information resources, understanding and managing rights in one’s own work, and a number of other issues. There will be time for questions and answers.

The second part of this workshop will include development of practical resources for copyright management to be determined by the specific needs of the workshop participants.  Possible “take-away” tools and  statements may include draft outlines for community practice guidelines, notices that clarify to users how they are allowed to use online resources, or forms for embedding rights information into image files and metadata.  Consideration will be given to ways of facilitating open access to content in institutional repositories, and alternative models for promoting and protecting content, including application of Creative Commons and open source licensing.

Round-trip transportation between Hilton Minneapolis and University of Minnesota Andersen Library will be provided. Please see our Conference Blog for further information.

Nancy Sims is the Copyright Program Librarian at the University Libraries. She has an M.L.S. from Rutgers and a J.D. from the University of Michigan. She previously worked at the University of Michigan Libraries, and with the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Silicon Valley law firm Fenwick & West, LLP. She has given numerous presentations on copyright law to audiences including university faculty in a variety of disciplines, as well as to library and archives professionals in the academic and cultural heritage fields.

Executive Board Meeting of the Visual Resources Association