Leigh Gates, Chair
lgates@artic.edu
Tel: 312/899-1223
Fax: 312/263-0141

Leadership

During 2000-2001, Leigh Gates, The Art Institute of Chicago, served as Chair of the Visual Resource Advisory Committee, which consisted of the following members: Brenda McEchern, Linda McRae, Gregory Most, Maryly Snow, Marty Stein and Anne Whiteside.

Gregory Most, National Gallery of Art, will be the in-coming Chair in 2001-2002. Mary Wasserman will replace Linda McRae, who is stepping down. Brenda McEchern has also asked to be replaced, new member to be decided. There has been an informal attempt to maintain continuity between the leadership of the VRD and the VRAC, as well as provide representation from the Visual Resource Association leadership whenever appropriate or feasible.

Activities

Karen McKenzie, ARLIS/NA President, initiated discussion with Leigh Gates, Greg Most, VRD moderator, and VRA president, Ann Whiteside, concerning the closure to the public of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts slide collection. Acting on the observations and advice of these people, the Executive Board decided that a cautious approach was appropriate and would continue to encourage communication between the visual resource community and the museum.

The VRAC continued its support of the Getty Vocabulary Program and was encouraged to see the resumption of Getty Vocabularies Users Training workshops during the year at one chapter meeting and at the Los Angeles 2001 annual conference.

The Chair submitted a proposal to the ARLIS/NA Development Committee and Executive Board for an ARLIS/NA Visual Resources Division Conference Travel Award, which was not approved this year.

The Chair responded to a questionnaire and by telephone with Karin Whalen, Chair of the new VRA Continuing Education Task Force. This Committee shares the VRAC’s interest in investigating the possibility of offering courses of interest to visual resource professionals at institutions around the country.

Future Activities

A suggestion was made that the committee encourage a web site where incomplete vocabulary term submissions to the Getty Vocabularies might be "held" until full literary warrant was met using our collective research. Since Patricia Harpring has pointed out that a Getty-sponsored web site is not feasible due to administrative and technical problems, the VRAC might find another host institution to collect information for a record.

The committee should pursue opportunities for collaboration with the VRA or other professional organizations in the area of education for visual resources managers.

In order to solidify collaborative efforts, the committee will explore the possibility of having the VRA president serve as an ex officio member in order to function as a liaison between ARLIS and VRA.

Strategic Plan

The VRAC continued its discussion on-line of items concerning visual resources for incorporation in the ARLIS/NA Strategic Plan 2000-2005. The committee’s proposals addressed the following areas:

1. Standards
2. Professional Development
3. Outreach/Membership Retention

NEW ACTION ITEMS:

1. Continued support and maintenance of standards and authority programs should be aggressively offered. Mechanisms for contributing to the Getty Vocabulary Program should be developed.

2. The establishment of a basic workshop to provide education for new visual resource professionals in core issues should be investigated.

Possible affiliations and support from host institutions around the country should be explored. Educational components drawing on the experience and expertise of the Society's membership should be developed.

3. Professional development and continuing education should be addressed by sponsorship of workshops at either the regional or national levels, on topics of relevance to visual resources professionals. Topics to be addressed could cover training in use of the Getty Vocabulary Program (including the training of trainers) and other standards, training in digital imaging technology and management, and other areas identified by the Visual Resources Advisory Committee.

4. Membership growth and retention should be addressed by the establishment of a travel award to enable a visual resource professional to attend any of the workshops mentioned above.

5. Conference programming integrating the interests of visual resources managers and art librarians should be proposed. The opportunity provided by the joint ARLIS/VRA conference scheduled for 2001 should be taken full advantage of.

6. Experts and speakers in the visual resources field from outside the Society should be identified who might contribute to programming and continuing education.

7. New collaborative efforts between ARLIS/NA and the VRA, whether in publications, conference programming or workshops, should be identified.

Concerns

An ongoing concern to the VRAC is how to foster and sustain interest in the Society of its visual resources members and to strengthen outreach to art librarians and visual resources professionals.

Summary

The committee continues to serve a useful advisory role to the Executive Board and the Visual Resources Division. The VRAC anticipates excellent opportunities for collaboration in programming and education with the 2002 joint ARLIS/VRA conference.

Leigh Gates
Slide Librarian
MacLean Visual Resource Center, Ryerson Library
The Art Institute of Chicago
Chair, Visual Resources Advisory Committee, 2000-2001