I think that it's a little premature to suggest new organizational
names, but I wanted to point out that not all 'art librarians' work
in setting that deal with strictly visual culture. Some of us also
deal with information related to the built environment, city
planning, landscape architecture, construction technology, etc.
Maybe some of us are 'spatial culture' information experts?. In any
case I agree with statements that have already been made that
'library' and 'information' are important parts of our identity.
Otherwise we'd simply want to join organizations such as CAA, AAM,
and the like.
One other thought related to the chapter issue---what if IFLA started
a campaign to try to bring in all the various ARLIS organizations
into IFLA's Art Section as regional IFLA chapters? What does it mean
to have a 'North American' organization in an environment where much
of our communication is online? Maybe that's too big picture of a
discussion point, but maybe our relationship to IFLA should be
examined as we consider our potential membership base.
I'm also curious to know whether we have any arlis-l subscribers in
Mexico. If you are such a subscriber, this question is for you:
would a requirement to pay chapter dues as part of ARLIS/NA dues
encourage you to participate in chapter activities?
Best wishes,
Janine Henri
>Eric,
>
>"Visual Studies" is actually a new named initiative in Duke's next
>5-year strategic plan, which goes into affect next week. I don't
>think this is necessarily an 80s/90s thing. My department just
>changed its name from Art and Art History to Art, Art History &
>Visual Studies to better reflect what we teach, our part in Duke's
>interdisciplinary approach to all studies, and the growing
>importance of visual culture studies at this university. Visual
>studies offerings can be based in our department, Film and Video,
>Women's Studies, Classics, Literature, Languages, the Law School
>(art and the law), Information Studies, History, Genome Science, etc.
>
>I think the differentiation is between the traditional history and
>study of works of art and architecture and the history and study of
>images (those beyond art and architecture), whether they be cultural
>images from the past or images from popular culture today. We teach
>courses on art markets, "destinations" (Disneyworld, Las Vegas),
>artists and trauma, Roman spectacle, images of the nuclear age,
>caricature and comics, the monastic life, etc. Not easily
>classifiable as traditional art or architecture.
>
>I always felt "visual resources library" to be a vague term (whereas
>slide or photograph library never was). Even "image" or "media"
>library seems more descriptive of our collections now. Whenever I
>am describing my title, facility, or profession, I always have to
>add "slide, photograph, and digital image" as a subtext. What does
>"Visual Resources Association" really say to anyone who isn't in the
>field? I also don't see "art library" as exclusive of image
>collections, just as the Art Libraries Society already includes a VR
>division. Of course, back to my original point, it's not all about
>"art" anymore.
>
>John
>
>>I am all for closer relations between the two organizations.
>>Before any serious talk of mergers, however, I think at least
>>another couple joint conferences would be in order, to ensure that
>>the two cultures both can preserve everything they want and
>>complete their respective agendas within such a framework. If it
>>works well, then why not merge? It would be great for people like
>>me who are members of both organizations, but can only go to one
>>conference a year.
>>
>>Regarding the term "Visual Culture", I would have to take a
>>dissenting view here. That term was all the rage among art history
>>departments in the late '80s-early '90s. While they all considered
>>changing their names (and some did), it was never clear how this
>>was reflected in the discipline or curriculum. I think it is
>>always good to have titles whose meanings can be readily understood
>>by the laity, and I don't think this one can. As the bulk of us
>>are still in museum or academic art or architecture libraries and
>>departments, I rather like having the terms "art", "libraries" and
>>"visual resources" in our title. A professional organization
>>should work to improve society-at-large's image of librarians and
>>VR professionals-we shouldn't change are name to convince people we
>>are on the cutting edge-rather we should be on the cutting edge to
>>show people what our titles mean!
>>
>>I do think this discussion is very healthy!
>>
>>Eric Wolf
>>Director of the Library
>>New York School of Interior Design
>>170 E. 70th Street
>>New York, NY 10021
>>212-472-1500 x216
>>[log in to unmask]
>>
>>__________________________________________________________________
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>
>
>--
>John J. Taormina
>Director, Visual Resources Center
>Dept. of Art, Art History & Visual Studies
>Duke University
>Box 90764
>112 East Duke Building
>Durham NC 27708-0764
>
>Ph: 919-684-2501
>E-mail: [log in to unmask]
>http://www.duke.edu/web/art/
>
>"The spice must flow."
>-Frank Herbert, Dune
>
>
>__________________________________________________________________
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>administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc)
>to [log in to unmask] ARLIS-L Archives and subscription
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__________________________________________________________________
Mail submissions to [log in to unmask]
For information about joining ARLIS/NA see:
http://www.arlisna.org/join.html
Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc)
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