Category Archives: Features

Our features area include advice on masters programs, jobs, publishing, alternative careers, guest posts, interviews, and fun things we’ve found around the web.

ARLIS/NA Yearlong Career Mentoring Program

The ARLIS/NA Yearlong Career Mentoring Program is now recruiting mentors and mentees!

Our program begins with a virtual workshop just after the 2023 Mexico City conference and continues until the 2024 conference. The program has matched dozens of art library professionals in successful mentoring relationships and contributes to the wonderful bonds we have with each other for which the Society is known.

You will only need 1-2 hours a month to participate! You can develop your mentor/mentee relationship by Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, phone calls, or by email.

This year’s workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, April 26th at 2pm ET and will take place virtually. You do not need to plan to attend the Annual Conference in order to participate.

Are You New to Art Librarianship or Looking for Guidance? Apply to be a Mentee!

We’re looking for art librarians interested in building their skills for leadership roles (from project management to department management and everything in between) by working with mentors with leadership experience. You will cultivate a professional relationship with your mentor and mutually share your experiences with knowledgeable librarians to explore leadership. The program has matched dozens of art library professionals in successful mentoring relationships and mentors and mentees have raved about how beneficial the program was for them.

“I have gained a lot from the mentorship program and greatly benefited from the experience of having someone with an interest solely in my success without being a work connection and clearly free of ulterior motives. My mentor helps me put things in perspective.” – Delia Tash (former mentee)

Please fill out the mentee application at: https://forms.gle/jbCtkNg3u7dB1MPeA

Help Guide New Art Librarians: Serve as a Mentor!

“As a mentor, I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I have really enjoyed getting to know my mentee and helping her navigate the job search. I am extremely impressed with the program and have very much appreciated being a part of it.”- Traci Timmons (former mentor)

Great mentors have different levels of experiences, skills, and backgrounds. Have you been in a leadership role in your library or a professional organization such as ARLIS/NA? Have you led a project or other endeavor? Do you want to help someone else succeed and develop their full potential? Do you want to learn about new trends and what other libraries do? Then you would make a great mentor!

If you have interest in being a mentor but not sure what to do? We will help you! The workshop focuses on the mentoring relationship for both mentors and mentees. Everyone benefits from new experiences and the members of the Mentoring Subcommittee will provide you with guidance, coaching, and support throughout the program.

To become a mentor please fill out the form at: https://forms.gle/bueUVBHcMiPzM7YXA

The deadline to apply to the ARLIS Mentoring Program for both mentors and mentees is Friday, March 31st by 11:59pm PT. The Mentoring Subcommittee will be in touch with you regarding mentorship pairs by April 11th, 2023. We look forward to hearing from you!

If you would like to learn more about the program, or have questions, please contact the ARLIS/NA Mentoring Subcommittee Chair, Anna Boutin-Cooper at anna.boutin.cooper@gmail.com.

Scholarships for the 2023 Summer Educational Institute for Digital Stewardship of Visual Information (SEI)

The Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA) and the Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF), along with the SEI 2023 Implementation Team, are pleased to announce the Samuel H. Kress Foundation Scholarships for the 2023 Summer Educational Institute for Digital Stewardship of Visual Information (SEI), to be held online on June 12-16, 2023.

The Samuel H. Kress Foundation is once again generously funding scholarships for SEI 2023. This year, due to the reduced registration fee for the online workshop, we are able to fund more scholarships than in previous years. This intensive workshop is designed to serve a wide range of information professionals eager to learn about best practices and new technologies and/or update job skills in the realm of digital collections management, as well as to provide significant networking and professional development opportunities. The comprehensive curriculum seeks to address the requirements of today’s cultural heritage information professionals, including hands-on and lecture modules presented by expert instructors. SEI provides new professionals, current library school students, and mid-career professionals from a wide range of related fields the opportunity to stay current in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Museum professionals, archivists, visual resources professionals, digital librarians, art and architecture librarians, digital project managers, current and recent graduate students, and others in related fields are all encouraged to attend.

Details:

The Kress Scholarship recipients will each receive complimentary registration to SEI.
SEI 2023 is a synchronous event and all attendees, including Kress Scholarship recipients, are expected to participate fully in the workshop
- We encourage you to review the schedule before applying
After the event, each Kress Scholarship recipient will be required to write a summary detailing how they benefitted from SEI and the scholarship
Applications will be evaluated by the SEI Co-chairs, with special consideration given to applicants who meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Are current members of ARLIS/NA or VRA
- Identify as BIPOC or one of the following US Census categories: African American/Black, Latinx/Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, or American Indian/Alaska Native
- Are currently enrolled in an MA, MLIS, MLS, or related graduate program
- Demonstrate financial need due to unemployment, underemployment, and/or the impact of COVID-19 on professional development funding

A note on successful applications:

In addition to asking for brief biographical information, the application form will ask applicants to share a brief statement (200 words or less) about the effect attending SEI would have on your studies and/or your career. We look forward to reading your statement! We encourage you to be as specific as possible in your statement: please tell us how certain SEI workshops or events will directly benefit the work you do in your collection or academic program.

Timeline:

Kress Scholarship applications will open Monday, February 13, 2023. Applications are due by Monday, February 27 at 5pm EST.
Recipients will be notified by March 10, 2023

How to Apply:

Complete the online application form by Monday, February 27, 2023.

Delmas Foundation Funding for ARLIS/NA 2023 Conference Attendance in Mexico City

Announcing conference attendance grants for attendees from Latin America, student members, and first-time attendees!

The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation* has very generously provided ARLIS/NA with a grant of $12,000 to support attendance at the Society’s upcoming Mexico City conference. We will be offering sixteen awards of $750 each to applicants who are attendees from Latin America, student members, or first-time attendees.

If you are a first-time attendee, a student member, or if you live and work in Latin America, we invite you to submit a request for travel support. We will be accepting applications through February 22nd, but the awards will be dispersed on a rolling basis. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

To be considered for a Delmas Foundation grant award, fill out this form.

If you have questions, contact Rebecca Price: rpw@umich.edu

Call for Proposals: New Voices in the Profession Session in Mexico City

Hello ARLISNA Students and New Professionals!

The Professional Development Committee and ArLiSNAP invite proposals from students and new professionals for the annual New Voices in the Profession panel to be held at the 51st annual ARLIS/NA conference in Mexico City.

New Voices in the Profession provides professionals new to art librarianship or visual resources 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 MLIS or Master’s programs leading to a career in art librarianship or visual resources, or those within five years of Master’s level study.

This year we are pleased to present New Voices as a hybrid session so that panelists can present their work to the widest possible audience. Interested panelists should note that they will be required to present in person in Mexico City, and that translation services will be available for those who prefer to present in Spanish. The session is currently scheduled to take place on Wednesday, April 19 at 2 p.m. CDT.

To see papers presented in past sessions, please view conference proceedings from previous years on the ARLIS/NA website (https://www.arlisna.org/news/conferences). Papers will be selected by representatives from ArLiSNAP and the ARLIS/NA Professional Development Committee in a blinded review process.

Submissions to New Voices should include a title for the presentation, a 250 word abstract, and details regarding the submitter’s title and institutional affiliation, and should be sent to PDC chair Courtney Hunt at hunt.877@osu.edu by Friday, February 17.

Apply now for the ARLIS/NA Conference Attendance and Travel Awards

The Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA) Travel Awards Subcommittee is now accepting applications for the ARLIS/NA Conference Attendance and Travel Awards to support attendance at the ARLIS/NA 51st annual conference in Mexico City, Mexico on April 18-21, 2023. Applications are due January 20, 2023 by 8 pm EST through this form: https://forms.gle/9xYvQzC1ZqwCXJ348.

Deliberations are expected to be complete by January 27, 2023 and the subcommittee will notify travel awards recipients by the end of January.

Please get in touch with Travel Awards Subcommittee chair, Courtney Stine, at courtney.stine@louisville.edu if you have any questions.

Award Open to Current ARLIS Members:

Student Conference Attendance Award (1 award/$1200)

Eligibility: Student members who are active participants in ARLIS/NA and are currently enrolled in an accredited graduate program in Library Studies and/or Information Studies or have recently graduated (within 12 mos. of graduation). Purpose: To encourage participation in ARLIS/NA by assisting students considering a career in art librarianship or visual resources to attend the annual ARLIS/NA conference.

The recipient will write a brief post-conference report evaluating their conference experience.

Awards Open to All Eligible Applicants (ARLIS/NA membership not required):

Student Diversity Award for Conference Attendance (1 award/$1200)

Eligibility: Students from a traditionally under-represented group who are currently enrolled in an accredited graduate program in Library Studies and/or Information Studies or have recently graduated (within 12 mos. of graduation). To be considered for the award, applicants must meet the following criteria:

· Be enrolled as a graduate student in Library Studies or Information Studies or recently graduated (within 12 mos. of graduation)

· Be one of the following:

U.S. resident and a member of a racial/ethnic group as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau: African American/Black; Latino/Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, or American Indian/Alaska Native or
Canadian resident and of aboriginal identity, as defined in the Canadian Employment Equity Act (“aboriginal peoples” means persons who are Indians, Inuit, or Métis) or
Canadian resident and a member of a visible minority, as defined by the Canadian Employment Equity Act (members of “visible minorities” means persons, other than aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour)

· Be interested in career in art librarianship/visual resources

A mentor from the ARLIS/NA Diversity Committee, who will facilitate the recipient’s attendance at the Conference, will be assigned to the recipient of the award prior to the Conference. The recipient will write a brief post-conference report evaluating their conference experience.

Judith A. Hoffberg Student Award for Conference Attendance (1 award/$1200)

Sponsored by the Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA) the Judith A. Hoffberg Student Award for Conference Attendance is given annually in honor of the founding of ARLIS/NA and its first president. The Art Libraries Society of North America was founded in 1972 by a group of art librarians attending the American Library Association annual conference in Chicago at the initiative of Judith Hoffberg.

Eligibility: Students who are currently enrolled in an accredited graduate program in Library Studies and/or Information Studies or have recently graduated (within 12 mos. of graduation). Purpose: To encourage students considering a career in art librarianship or visual resources to participate in the activities of ARLIS/NA.

The recipient will write a brief post-conference report evaluating their conference experience.

Call for Applications: ARLIS/NA Student Advancement Awards

Are you a student who has written a paper that you’re especially proud of, and you want the opportunity to share it with the wider ARLIS Community AND get a $500 prize plus a scholarship to attend the upcoming conference?

Or maybe you’ve got an internship in an art library planned for next year, and you’d like to get paid for it?

Now’s your chance! Please see below for more information on the Student Advancement Awards.

Please submit all applications to ARLIS/NA committee chair, Gwen Mayhew, at gmayhew@cca.qc.ca.

The awards committee members are: Debra Riley-Huff, Giana Ricci, Larry Eames, Jessica Craig, Virginia Seymour and Heather Saunders.

________________________

ARLIS/NA Student Advancement Awards

Submission deadline for both awards – Sunday, December 18th, 2022

Gerd Muehsam Award

The Gerd Muehsam Award is given annually to recognize excellence in a graduate student paper or project on a topic relevant to art librarianship. Any student enrolled in an accredited graduate library program, or in a graduate program in art history or a related discipline, is encouraged to submit a paper or online project created in conjunction with a course assignment during the previous eighteen months (since June 2021). One submission per person. Applications should be submitted via e-mail to gmayhew@cca.qc.ca.

To apply, please submit the following:

Paper or online project about a topic relevant to art librarianship, written as a course assignment.
An abstract of 250 words and 10-25 pages typed, double-spaced, for a paper submission, or a 250-word summary for an online project.
A title page that includes the student’s name, the name of the institution, the course for which the submission was created, and the name of the faculty member assigning the paper/project.
Applicants must include their mailing address, email address, and telephone number with their applications.

The award includes:

$500.00 prize.
Conference registration and up to $300 travel reimbursement to attend the ARLIS/NA 51st Annual Conference in Mexico City, April 18th-21st
Opportunity to present the winning paper at the conference as part of the New Voices in the Profession panel.
One-year membership to ARLIS/NA.

For more information, see https://www.arlisna.org/gerd-muehsam-award

_________________________________________________________________________________

Wolfgang M. Freitag Internship Award

The Wolfgang M. Freitag Internship Award aims to represent the multifaceted nature of the art library field by providing a paid internship opportunity to a student currently enrolled in, or having completed within the last 12 months, a graduate program in library and information science, art history, architectural history, architecture, studio art, or museum studies. Applications should be submitted via e-mail to gmayhew@cca.qc.ca.

To apply, please submit the following:

A current résumé.
A current transcript in PDF format (unofficial transcript is acceptable).
The names of two professional or scholastic references with addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses.
An essay of up to 900 words addressing your skills, background, and expectations of the internship experience, including the type of institution you are interested in as well as potential project ideas. The essay should also address the following questions:
- What are your professional goals and how do your plans for the experience funded by the ARLIS/NA Wolfgang M. Freitag Internship Award fit into your career path? In particular, how do you imagine this internship experience to be different than previous internship or work experiences?
- This award funds a one-year membership in ARLIS/NA. How do you see yourself participating in ARLIS/NA, or another professional organization, in your future professional life?
- If granted the internship award, when do you plan to fulfill it?

The award includes:

$3,000 to support a 150-hour internship in an art library or visual resources collection.

For more information, see https://www.arlisna.org/wolfgang-m-freitag-internship-award

All applicants will be notified of the results by January 31, 2023. Both awards will be announced and presented during convocation ceremonies at the 51st Annual ARLIS/NA Conference in Mexico City in April, 2023.

Questions? Contact Gwen Mayhew, Chair, Student Advancement Award Subcommittee – gmayhew@cca.qc.ca

Registration is Open! Join us for the 2022 ArLiSNAP / VREPS Virtual Conference

ARLISNAP & VREPS present the 2022 Fall Virtual Conference Saturday, November 5th 2022

Hey ArLiSNAP,

We are teaming up with the Visual Resources Association’s Emerging Professionals And Students Group (VREPS) to invite you to register for our 2022 Fall Virtual Conference.

This conference is open to all, but focuses on the needs of students and new professionals. Attendees interested in art librarianship or visual resource management will have the opportunity to learn from peers and celebrate each other’s work through virtual posters and presentations. Via this conference, we’re seeking to foster a sense of belonging and growth in our community, and we invite all interested students and new professionals to participate.

SAVE THE DATE
The virtual conference will take place on Saturday, November 5th. The full program and registration information will be released on the ArLiSNAP blog and VREPS blog. To stay up-to-date, subscribe to the ArLiSNAP listserv, follow ArLiSNAP on Twitter / Instagram, and check the VREPS blog.

REGISTER HERE

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYkf-usrTktE9BJdpSyIBpNVrEoor3jnycx

You will be emailed a link to join via Zoom once you register. If you have any questions, please send an email to arlisnap.na@gmail.com

SCHEDULE

1:00 pm ET | 10:00 am PT – Welcome!

1:10 pm ET | 10:10 am PT – Fresh Eyes 2.0

2:00 pm ET | 11:00 am PT – Posters/Break

2:30 pm ET | 11:30 am PT – Poster Q&A + Social

3:30 pm ET |12:30 pm PT – The End!

Save the Date + Call for Presenters: ArLiSNAP / VREPS 2022 Fall Virtual Conference

Hey ArLiSNAP!

We are teaming up with the Visual Resources Association’s Emerging Professionals And Students Group (VREPS) to hold our annual 2022 Fall Virtual Conference and invite you to save the date for November 5th, 2022 and join us!

Our calls for students and new professionals to present in different sessions are outlined below. If you have any questions in the meantime, please send an email to ArLiSNAP: arlisnap.na@gmail.com.

TIMELINE

Wednesday, 10/19: Deadline for submissions
Please submit a form for each session category in which you are interested (see below!)
Rolling basis: All applicants will be informed of the conference team’s decision for each submission
Friday, 10/23: Deadline for selected submissions to accept participation in the conference
Week of 10/31: Technology Check-In / (optional) practice session
Tuesday, 11/01: Deadline for materials (virtual posters and presentation slides)
Saturday, 11/05: Conference date

SUBMISSION FORM

You are welcome to submit for more than one of the categories below. Please submit a form for each session category in which you are interested.
https://forms.gle/rKyqaPSeaoitwcFV8

CALL FOR VIRTUAL POSTER PRESENTATIONS:

ArLiSNAP and VREPS welcome proposals from students and new professionals with an interest in art librarianship or visual resources management to share newly completed or in-progress projects, be they research or outcomes from an internship/practicum, at the virtual poster presentation at our 2022 Virtual Conference. This is an opportunity for emerging professionals to share their work in a supportive and engaging space while connecting with other students and early career information professionals. Proposals are open to individual presenters and co-presenters. Virtual posters will be available for asynchronous browsing by attendees, with a live Q&A for all presenters during the conference followed by a social hour. Formatting details will be sent if selected.

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS:

Fresh Eyes 2.0

Following the success of the inaugural Fresh Eyes session during our last virtual conference, we are bringing the Fresh Eyes session back.

Are you a student or emerging professional who solved a problem for your school or institution? Did you complete a project during an internship, suggest a new workflow that helped speed up digitization or researcher requests, or start an amazing new program for community members? We want to hear from you!

Students and emerging professionals have the opportunity to bring “fresh eyes” to an institution. These “fresh eyes” can often add valuable perspectives, allowing for opportunities to ask questions, make suggestions, and create new approaches to work that’s been done “the way we’ve always done it.” In the session, speakers will present via lightning talks case studies detailing how they experienced a workflow or problem, and how their suggestions and perspectives as students and emerging professionals helped create a better process or environment. This is a space for us to celebrate the valuable contributions students and emerging professionals can bring to an institution.

This session will feature virtual lightning talks of five to seven minutes from five to six presenters, followed by live Q&A.

CALL FOR STUDENT RESEARCH COLLOQUY:

Do you have an ongoing research project? Are you currently working on a thesis, dissertation, or paper for your program? If so, we’d love to hear about it and provide an opportunity for you to get feedback from other students and professionals in the field while it’s still in progress.

ArLiSNAP and VREPS invite you to share your current research initiatives in the field of art information and visual resource management.

Proposals can encompass ongoing or in-progress research and writing. This prompt is purposefully open-ended to encourage a variety of topics. Presentations from students and new professionals can be solo or collaborative if you are working with a larger team.

Presenters will provide an overview of their current project, share where they are at in their process, and where they feel they would like support, or share any questions that have come up throughout their research or writing process.

Following the presentations, the session will break out into virtual rooms organized around each presenter for a smaller group discussion. Participants can ask questions, offer feedback, and connect with one another to build a group of support for research and writing.

Please note we will confer with selected presenters if they wish to be recorded.

If you have any questions, please send an email to ArLiSNAP: arlisnap.na@gmail.com!

We hope to see you there!

Introducing our new Canadian Co-Liaison, Emma Metcalfe Hurst!

Hi everyone!

My name is Emma Metcalfe Hurst (she/her/hers) and I am excited to be the second half of the ArLiSNAP Canadian Co-Liaison duo with Ashely Huot. I am currently a third year dual MASLIS student at UBC iSchool in Vancouver, BC, on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations, which is where I was born and raised. I also hold a BFA in Critical and Cultural Practices and a Curatorial Studies Minor from Emily Carr University of Art & Design, and am currently working as a Dance Archivist for Karen Jamieson Dance and interning at the Museum of Anthropology Library and Archives this summer. More recently, I held positions at grunt gallery, coordinating the multi-year program Recollective: Vancouver Independent Archives Week, did reference work at UBC’s Music, Art, and Architecture Library, and arranged and described the recent acquisition of ceramic artist Paul Mathieu’s fonds at Emily Carr University of Art & Design Library and Archives.

I come from a background working in community archives, public programming, and experimental publishing, with a focus on contemporary, performing, and ceramic arts. My entry into information studies was largely informed by this context, as well as my work as an artist, curator, and writer, and participation in DIY initiatives and collectives. I am interested in intellectual property rights, bringing visibility to underused collections, creating educational, engaging, and accessible experiences with digital materials, and applying creativity in information practices and environments.

I got involved with ARLIS/NA last year, in the months leading up to the virtual 2020 conference, and attended my first in-person conference this year in Chicago, where I gave a lightning talk presentation on an oral history and community archives project I’ve been working on over the last few years called Coming Out of Chaos: A Vancouver Dance Story. I am also partaking in the year-long mentorship program through ARLIS/NA this year and hope to join some SIGs once school wraps up.

I felt a strong sense of gratitude and relief when I first encountered ArLiSNAP – including the many resources and the community behind it – and was motivated to become more involved. In this Canadian Co-Liaison position, Ashley and I are keen to focus on building a stronger Canadian presence in the chapter and opening up the lines of communication across the provinces and affiliated chapters through outreach and advocacy, as well as to share more resources on arts librarianship and archives for students and emerging professionals in a Canadian context. We both welcome your ideas, recommendations, and / or input in our efforts to support your needs and look forward to connecting with you!

Welcoming our new Canadian Co-Liaison, Ashley Huot!

Hello,

My name is Ashley Huot (she/her) and I am looking forward to being one of your new ArLiSNAP Canadian Liaisons alongside Emma Metcalfe Hurst. My life has somehow weaved art, museums and galleries, community advocacy and education work, and contemporary arts publishing, which has now accumulated into entering the world of libraries!

I reside on the prairies in Winnipeg (Wiinibiigong), Treaty 1 Territory, and the homeland of the Metis Nation; and have a BFA in Art and Design and an MLIS from the University of Alberta in Edmonton (Amiskwaciwâskahikan, Treaty 6 Territory). As an MLIS student, I had the chance to support the Winnipeg Art Gallery Clara Lander Reference Library’s transition to its new location in Qaumajuq’s Niizhwaaso Collaborative Research Centre and had the opportunity to complete a practicum with the Manitoba Library Association’s Prison Libraries Committee which involved creating a new email reference service for people incarcerated in provincial institutions. My volunteer work with this group also delves into creative library programming, such as the publishing of chapbooks featuring writing and art by prisoners.

Since the summer of 2021, I have been a Humanities Liaison Librarian at the University of Manitoba’s Fine Art/Architecture Library, where I serve the Faculty of Architecture (Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Interior Design, City Planning, and Environmental Design) and the Faculty of Classical Studies. My own research interests involve library instruction and pedagogy, particularly in studio-based, research-creation practices and conceptualizing art as information, engagement in open access, and information access issues, specifically in prisons. I (rather inconsistently) try to maintain an artistic practice!

I’ve had the pleasure of being involved with ARLIS/NA and ArLiSNAP in various ways, as an ARLIS/NA mentee, attending and presenting at conferences, and being a member of the Architecture and Planning SIG, the Canada Chapter, and the Northwest Chapter. Most recently I’ve taken a position as co-editor of ARLIS/NA’s newest publication, Library Exhibitions Review, and further support scholarly communications through my role as Editor-in-Cheif of Pathfinder: A Canadian Journal for Information Science Students and Early Career Professionals.

As one of your Canadian Co-Liaisons, I look forward to collaboratively working towards highlighting opportunities and the work and concerns of art and architecture information professionals and institutions across Canada. I welcome ideas, recommendations, and input from our members as to how we can best serve you. Being more geographically dispersed and having fewer art libraries and institutions here in the north, I see networks such as ARLIS/NA and ArLiSNAP as absolutely vital and look forward to connecting with you!

http://www.ashleyhuot.com/ www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyhuot