Visual Resources Association
Not a member yet
248 research outputs found
Sort by
Joy, Hope, Value, Meaning, Strength: An Interview with Amber and Kieran from QLL
No full textIn this interview, Amber and Kieran, members of the Queer Liberation Library (QLL) steering committee share their perspectives on the creation, growth, and future of this digital library. The QLL supports LGBTQ2IA+ people with information resources that may not be available or safe for them to access at their local libraries. Amber and Kieran emphasize the safety, privacy, and security of patrons, the steering committee, and the QLL in the implementation of the technologies, relying on a collaborative network to achieve their goals. Feedback gathered through social media interactions, surveys, and in person interactions evidences the impact of the QLL on patrons and queer authors
2025 VRA State of the Association Address
No full textThe organization remains financially stable, with the annual conference being its largest expense. The Board emphasizes adaptability and progress, facilitating the evolution of the organization by initiating member-driven projects--such as adopting new membership software for better user experience. Ongoing discussions center on expanding VRA’s impact through increased funding, organizational development, and documentation efforts. Conference planning now considers factors like travel funds and virtual fatigue, surfacing models fit the needs of the time. Chapter engagement has also been revisited, reflecting a mix of informal and traditional structures
Decolonization Methods for Creating Inclusive Technologies
No full textIn this article, I show how decolonization methods sourced from Aboriginal database scholarship can address colonial legacies found within Western, art-based institutions and their databases. In this study, decolonization refers to long-term, iterative, fluid practices that are first initiated by acknowledging colonial legacies and are then continued by partnering with communities and imagining alternate, Indigenous-based practices. The Indigenous-based databases analyzed include Mukurtu, a database platform developed for the Warumumgu, an Australian Aboriginal community, and now used by Indigenous communities around the world; Yolŋu Studies, a database used by the Yolŋu people, an Aboriginal community of northern Australia; and the database system of the Vanuatu Kaljoral Senta (VKS), a Melanesian cultural center in the Republic of Vanuatu. With the insights gathered from these databases, I documented and juxtaposed the decolonization practices used in the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa’s database, EMu, and the Museum of Fine Arts Houston’s (MFAH) TMS System using interviews with museum professionals. Te Papa Tongarewa and the MFAH serve as good case studies as they exhibit decolonization characteristics and practices from two different phases of decolonization: during and after recognizing colonial legacies. Key insights from this study include that an institution’s colonial legacies must first be acknowledged before cataloging processes can be altered to apply the methods and practices of Indigenous databases. Although conflicting opinions exist regarding whether a database can truly be decolonized, this article provides methods for professionals to address and repair records with legacy data to better represent and serve their communities
2024 VRA Awards Recipients & Recognition: Presented at the 42nd annual conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota
No full textThe Visual Resources Association (VRA) presented three awards to twenty-four deserving individuals at the 42nd annual conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota on October 10th, 2024.
The 2024 recipient of the VRA Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is Meghan Rubenstein, Curator of Visual Resources & Lecturer, Colorado College. Members of the Trans Metadata Collective were awarded the Nancy DeLaurier Award in recognition of their role in the research and development of “Metadata Best Practices for Trans and Gender Diverse Resources.” Fourteen were selected as recipients of the 2024 vrcHost Membership Awards, including Charlie Coffey, De’Ivyion Drew, Madison Ferrell, Diego Roberto Irigoyen, Ariell Lomax, Kaylie Longley, Liz Miller, Meina Naeymirad, Elisabeth Narkin, Sureshkrishnan Ramakrishnan, Spencer Roberts, Isis A. Serna, Amanda Smith, and Marsha Taichman
Preserving Architectural Heritage: The Transition of Diazo Prints to Digital Archives
No full textArchitectural drawings are seldom held onto for more than fifty years and even fewer are digitized for use in architectural classes. A set of architectural drawings from 1970 that were kept in a series of offices over a fifty year period required extensive paper conservation before they could be digitized. A team that consisted of individuals from three different departments on campus worked together to overcome the unique challenges presented by these drawings. This set of drawings was humidified, flattened, and repaired using paper conservation methods that could be reversed at any time in the future. They were then digitized using a unique set up that was designed for oversized materials without the need to "stitch" the drawings together after the fact. Finally, these drawings are now available to be used for any number of architecture classes without the need of using the paper copies
Personal Archiving for Undergraduate Art Students
No full textIn 2019, the Art Department at Colorado College began piloting a Personal Archive project in select undergraduate studio courses that combined visual and digital literacy instruction with personal reflection and professional development. The authors, a Curator of Visual Resources and Professor of Art, discuss the drive behind this initiative to develop student competencies within a liberal arts setting. This paper outlines the iterative process as well as select student activities and learning outcomes that may be adopted to various institutions. We also provide a summary of the current state of the Personal Archive project, which has been incorporated into the department curriculum
Fiscal Year 2024 Visual Resources Association : Treasurer’s Report
No full textThis article contains the Visual Resources Association (VRA) Annual Treasurer’s Report provided at the VRA’s Mid-Year Business Meeting on March 27, 2025. The report summarizes the end-of-fiscal-year finances for 2024
In a Flood, Secure your Life Vest: Pitts Theology Library and the disaffiliation of 327 churches from the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church
No full textThis paper is partially adapted from a panel discussion delivered at the VRA Annual Conference in 2024, “In a Flood, Build an Ar(k)ive: A Collaborative Approach to the Unexpected,” presented by Elizabeth Miller, Brinna Michael, Emily Corbin, Ann McShane, and Spencer Roberts. As the archival repository of the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church, Pitts Theology Library experienced a dramatic increase in accessions beginning in 2023 due to disaffiliation. To manage the “flood,” staff at Pitts worked together to create a project structure and new workflows around these acquisitions. Since October 2024, the project has undergone changes to both its staffing and scope. To capture the content of our earlier presentation while also providing a meaningful update to it, this paper includes a brief history of United Methodism, a brief history of the recent disaffiliation event within the United Methodist Church; the workflows devised and undertaken by Pitts Theology Library in response to disaffiliation, and the revisions to those workflows in response to changes in staffing during 2024
“We Gather Together”: A History of the Visual Resources Association Annual Conferences
No full textThe annual conference of the Visual Resources Association has been a key component of the organization’s identity and activity since its founding in 1982. This article traces the history of the VRA Conferences, from their early development as two-day supplemental programs linked to the much larger College Art Association conferences, to fully independent, multi-faceted weeklong schedules of sessions, demonstrations, workshops, and specialized meetings. Recent post-COVID trends toward remote participation and hybrid events offer benefits, and challenges, to both in-person and online conferees.