Dear Collegues,
So what is the purpose and function of ARLIS/NA Divisions, Sections, and
Round Tables? If I am a VRA member should I be interested in
attending these meetings? What if I'm a new ARLIS/NA member and am
attending my first ARLIS/NA conference? Will attendance at these
meetings help me grow professionally? Will I be able to network
with colleagues? Will I be able to ask more experienced colleagues
for advice and guidance?
Divisions, Sections, and Round Tables form an essential part of the basic
organizational structure of ARLIS/NA.and reflect the interests of the
members of the association. The five Divisions--Academic Library,
Art and Design School Library, Museum Library, Public Library, and Visual
Resources--represent the work environments of most of the members.
In contrast, the 3 Sections and 7 Round Tables focus on areas of
topical interest to the membership. The three sections which
concentrate on broad, overarching areas are: Architecture,
Cataloging, and Reference & Information Services (RISS). Round
Tables tend to be more narrowly focused and might be but aren't
necessarily--smaller in size. The ARLIS/NA Round Tables that will
meet in St. Louis are: Decorative Arts (DART), Gay & Lesbian
Interests (GLIRT), Indigenous Art and Culture, New Art, Serials, Space
Planners (SPRT), and Women and Art (WomArt). All of these groups
sponsor a variety of conference programs, projects, and
publications. They also provide opportunities to network with
colleagues who share similar interests; most groups maintain web sites
and/or listservs.
All ARLIS/NA meetings are open, and every joint conference attendee is
welcome to attend. So if you are simply curious about a particular
Division, Section or Round Table, you should certainly try it out.
You might even decide to attend a meeting in an area that isn't directly
relevant to your day-to-day job. For instance if you are a VRA
member you might want to check out the Reference and Information Services
Section. Or maybe you are planning a new or renovated facility; if
so, you might want to attend the Space Planners Round Table. Maybe
you are interested in Indigenous Art, New Art, or Architecture! So
many choices!
If you are interested in learning more about these groups before the
conference, you can find out more via the following URL:
http://www.arlisna.org/groups.html
The meeting finder on the conference web site
(http://library.wustl.edu/~beth/Conference.html)
and in your final program will help you figure out when the groups you
are interested in meet.
Your Program Co-Chairs
Deborah Ultan and Margaret Webster
Margaret N. Webster
Visual Resources Facility
College of Architecture, Art & Planning
B-56 Sibley Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 255-3300
Email: [log in to unmask]
http://www.aapvrf.cornell.edu
