This year’s annual meeting included several updates from the steering committee and fascinating and informative presentations. Here are some of the things the steering committee has been up to the past year, under the leadership of Chair Alexis Peregoy.
In March, we distributed a member survey which came back with many helpful ideas, some of which the steering committee has already begun work on. Multiple respondents suggested updating the visual materials resources and bibliography on the website. We have formed a working group to accomplish that task (still room for additional members – contact me at SCaloia@wayne.edu if you are interested in joining!). We are collecting information via this form so you can submit your favorite resources for inclusion. The updated resource list will be available on the VMS microsite. Which brings us to another big news piece - the sunsetting of the section's website, saavms.org. This site, which filled a unique need when it was created, had become difficult to update. These days, SAA offers each section a microsite which we will be transitioning to. The microsite will be updated over the next few months and will be the official location of VMS information. We have also been hard at work on the VMS three-year plan - take a look to see where we are headed in the coming years!
Election results came in: Lillianne Keaney of Harvard's Houghton Library will be our new vice chair/chair-elect. Amanda Claunch and Mari Khasmanyan will be joining our steering committee as members-at-large. Congratulations - we are happy to have you!
If you’re kicking yourself for not adding your name to the candidate pool, not to fret. There are several additional opportunities for members to be involved with the section. In addition to the resource update working group mentioned above, we have a need for a communications coordinator, a social media manager (can be combined with communications coordinator), and members for the standing rules revision working group. The Visual Materials Cataloging and Access Committee (VMCAC) has been inactive for some time now, so there is an opportunity for a new chair and members for that committee. And every year we elect steering committee members and a new vice chair/chair-elect, so start thinking about adding your name to the ballot next year! Send an email to SCaloia@wayne.edu if you are interested in any of these opportunities or want more information.
The second half of the meeting consisted of four great presentations. Lillianne Keaney shared her work teaching visual literacy. Carol Ng-He shared her work with the Center for the Art of East Asia. Alan Renga shared how he has been successful with a (pre-pandemic) remote work arrangement. And Alexis Peregoy shared new cold storage facilities at the Center for Creative Photography. Here are some helpful links shared in the chat: CCAHA conservation videos, Caring for Photographs webinars, Collection Management System comparison.
That wraps up this year’s VMS Annual Meeting. I hope this summary was helpful to those who could not attend. Stay tuned for information on a fall event where you will have the opportunity to chat with steering committee members. Thank you for being a part of SAA’s Visual Materials Section!
Stefanie Caloia, VMS Chair (2022-2023), Archivist for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Walter P. Reuther Library, Wayne State University.