Dear VRA and ARLIS/NA Colleagues,

As the Presidents of VRA and ARLIS/NA, we cordially invite you to attend the 2nd Joint Conference, March 24 - 28, 2011 to be held in the Twin Cities at the Hilton Minneapolis Downtown hotel.  The theme of the conference is "Collaboration: Building Bridges in the 21st Century."  The conference website is at http://www.vra-arlis2011.org/ and will be updated with extended information soon.

The local conference planners are "building bridges" and working together to offer programs with timely and relevant content.  Check out the schedule at  http://vraarlis11.sched.org/ to see an expanding array of workshops, tours, plenaries, sessions, case studies, exhibits, meetings, special interest groups, etc.

In addition there are other exciting events planned in this culturally vibrant city.  On Thursday, March 24, experience an Italian Renaissance architectural gem by attending the fundraising "Founders' Fete" at the historic Gale Mansion.  Following this event, the Minneapolis Institute of Art will be open for our members to view the exhibit "Titian and the Golden Age of Venetian Painting."

The opening convocation will be held at the Hilton Minneapolis Downtown hotel on Friday, March 25, followed by the Welcome Party.  This "Icebreaker" will be held at the Walker Art Center, one of the most exciting contemporary visual, performing, and media arts venues in the United States.  On Saturday, March 26, the Silent Auction will close with great fervor.

This joint conference is blending the best traditions of both organizations while creating something new and exciting.  Come and mix it up with like-minded colleagues from both organizations.  We, your Presidents, are enjoying working together and exploring the similarities of our organizations and we hope you will too.  Join us for the 2nd Joint Conference, March 24 - 28.  Save the dates.

Best regards,

Maureen Burns, VRA President

Marilyn Russell, ARLIS/NA President

Marilyn Russell, Ph.D.

Library Director

President ARLIS/NA

Haskell Indian Nations University

155 Indian Avenue

Lawrence, KS 66046

Phone: 785-832-6661

Link to website: http://russell.marilyn.googlepages.com