Considering SEI? Take a Look at What Others Have to Say

Registration for the ARLIS/NA & VRAF Summer Educational Institute for Visual Resources and Image Management closes at the end of the month. If you haven’t signed up already then hurry to reserve your spot! You can register here.  Not sure how this workshop will benefit you and your career? Then check out a post from Ashley Peterson about her experience at SEI last year. You can find even more testimonials on the SEI workshop website.

Here are just some of the comments:

The SEI coursework proved to be exactly what I needed: the perfect balance of theoretical framework, practical application, and open communication between like-minded individuals.”

I am looking forward to attending SEI again, in order to refresh my knowledge with the most up-to-date information about all the subjects covered by SEI: cataloguing, image editing, transitioning skills, project planning, strategic planning, new social media platforms and applications, and intellectual property concerns.”

If you are interested in attending this year (or in the future), check out the SEI Facebook page for more information.

We would love to hear from you about your own experiences. How has SEI has benefited you? Feel free to share your story in the comments below.

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SEI Registration Reminder

Places are still available for the 2015 Summer Educational Institute for Visual Resources and Image Management (SEI ), to be held June 9-12 at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. http://seiworkshop.org/

This intensive workshop features a curriculum addressing the latest requirements of today’s visual resources and image management professionals. This year’s topics and experienced instructors include:

  • Intellectual property rights: Nancy Sims (Copyright Program Librarian, University of Minnesota)
  • Metadata overview: Gretchen Gueguen (Data Services Coordinator, Digital Public Library of America)
  • Embedded metadata: Greg Reser (Metadata Specialist, University of California, San Diego Library)
  • Digital life-cycle: Liz Gushee (Digital Collections Librarian, Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin)
  • Digital preservation: Nicole Finzer (Visual Resources Librarian, Digital Collections Dept, Northwestern University)
  • Project management: Angela Waarala (Digital Collections Project Manager, University of Illinois Library), Nicole Finzer, Liz Gushee
  • Digital humanities: Jeannine Keefer (Visual Resources Librarian, University of Richmond)

SEI is suited to information professionals new to the field and more experienced professionals eager to respond to fast-changing technological advancements and job requirements. Recent attendees said they definitely would recommend SEI to others: “Good experience and a great way to interact with others doing what I do.” Another wrote ”SEI showed me the range of roles in the field, including what I might encounter in a different position.”

Discounted registration for members of VRA or ARLIS/NA is $595.

Like SEI on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SummerEducationalInstitute?ref=hl


My Experience at SEI 2014

The following is an essay I completed about my experience at this year’s Summer Educational Institute (SEI), an annual joint venture by VRA and ARLIS/NA. This essay was a condition of my Kress Scholarship award, which made it possible for me to attend the event. Anyone with an interest in digital image management– from students to seasoned professionals– should seriously consider enrolling for the 2015 session!


It was a scene that could have happened anywhere: four people, drinking beers, talking about the Insane Clown Posse. More specifically, about the phenomenon of Juggalos and ICP fandom and the desire to know more about this fascinating subculture (the four people not being Juggalos, or even casual ICP fans, themselves).

Now, it so happens that this scene took place in Champaign, Illinois, at the 2014 Summer Educational Institute. The four people didn’t know each other very well, but were quickly bonding over their shared passion for goofy internet videos and preserving cultural heritage. We wondered: what are the authoritative sources on Juggalo culture? Are scholars or social scientists studying the socioeconomic underpinnings of ICP fandom? Is anyone saving the ephemera of that fandom, or documenting events like the annual Gathering of the Juggalos? “Where are all the Juggalo archivists?!,” we wondered.

This conversation happened in the midst of four rather fascinating and intense days. First off, the setting: for someone who’s always lived on a coast, the immense flatness of the midwest is always a bit jarring. It was a perfect frontier-like setting, though, for exploring relatively new-to-me topics. I found the sessions well-structured, as intellectual property flowed logically into metadata into digitization into preservation into advocacy– a nice framework for getting down & dirty with specifics while keeping sight of the larger visual resource landscape. The instructors were engaging, friendly, and scary knowledgeable about their fields. My favorite part, though (besides eating at Woorijib restaurant– seriously, the best Korean food i have EVER had) was the chance to meet colleagues from all over the U.S. Spending time with dozens of smart, passionate, and downright awesome people is high on my list of likes, and the fact that we all share a profession is pretty wonderful.

sei2014GroupPhoto

SEI 2014 attendees. Photo courtesy of the SEI 2014 website, http://sei2014.org/past-seis/pictures/.

The overall excellence of the week aside, it was still the Juggalo conversation that crystallized for me powerful shift in how I think about my work that was influenced by my SEI experience. When I began my current job, it was clear that one of my first orders of business was VR housekeeping. There were files to sort (both digital and physical), workflows to design, and a lot of baseline visual resource management principles to learn. While I was able to give myself a few crash courses on that last issue, it wasn’t until SEI that I was able to systematically, and holistically, think about the task at hand. Following my return I have improved our file organization practices, put some baseline preservation methods in place, began to think more carefully about the metadata I apply to image files when cataloging, and doubled down on my efforts to comply with digitization standards (an uphill task for someone without a photography or image editing background!).

More vital, though, is that shift I mentioned. Now that I’ve been in my position for almost a year, I am beginning to feel more confident in work I’m doing and the decisions I’ve made regarding our VR collection. Essential to this is the way I learned to think about creating, managing, sharing, and preserving the collection. Rather than envisioning mythological figures with shovels and stables or boulders and hills, I am now able to see my work in VR as more elegantly integrated with the other half of my job: research assistance and information/visual literacy instruction. Managing an image collection isn’t a goal in itself. It’s a means of providing our students with tools to improve their practice and learn how to be successful consumers, users, and creators of information both textual and visual. And someday, when I do find that Juggalo archive, I’ll know that the reason those archivists work so hard to preserve the cultural artifacts of ICP fandom is for the users who will study them, and analyze them, and create information that will enlighten those who care to find it.

-Ashley Peterson, Librarian at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston


Guest Post: Alison Verplaetse on the Summer Educational Institute for Visual Resources and Image Management

Alison Verplaetse took part in the most recent Summer Educational Institute on June 18-21, 2013. Find out more about this program at http://sei.vrafoundation.org/index.html

The Summer Educational Institute (SEI) is an excellent learning and networking opportunity for anyone currently involved or interested in a career in image management. As a fairly recently degreed librarian, I found SEI incredibly valuable: it not only taught immediately applicable skills, but also provided me with insight into future avenues of the profession. I would recommend SEI to anyone considering pursuing a career in Visual Resources as it provided a perfect opportunity to gain a broad perspective on what people are accomplishing in this area of librarianship.

SEI provided a unique opportunity to learn about the core aspects of image management –namely, metadata, imaging, copyright, and outreach–from top experts in their respective fields. I am incredibly grateful to have been a participant at SEI, and I feel I gained knowledge and professional connections that will benefit me throughout my career. Here is a quick run-down of the workshop sessions and speakers:

Our first afternoon at the institute included a lecture on Intellectual Property Rights given by the University of Michigan’s Associate General Counsel Jack Bernard. Mr. Bernard’s presentation was thoroughly engaging and informative, providing compelling copyright case studies that illustrated the essential tenets of copyright law in an accessible and useful way for library professionals.

The second day of SEI was the Metadata Intensive part of the workshop. The first session began with a Metadata Overview by Jenn Riley, the Head of the Carolina Digital Library and Archives at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library. We discussed the most popular metadata schema currently used by cultural institutions and participated in completing sample metadata records in VRACore.  In the afternoon’s session, Greg Reser, the Metadata Specialist at University of California, San Diego, introduced the group to the concept and application of embedded metadata for image professionals.

The third day at SEI was an Imaging Intensive taught by Alex Nichols, the Academic Technology Coordinator at the Visual Resources Library at Michigan State University. His sessions spelled out the best practices and standards for digital imaging in terms of equipment, image quality, and workflow. In conjunction with the late afternoon session regarding the “Tools of the Trade,” in the Visual Resources field, this day introduced me to a number of relevant and useful applications for managing digital images.

The final day of the conference was organized in an “unconference” style, allowing us to interact and hear the ideas of our colleagues regarding collaboration, project management, keeping current in the field, and several other areas of visual resources management.  In a similar vein, the afternoon’s session, entitled “Expanding Your Role,” presented us with great ideas for reaching out to the community, both the people we serve in our profession and other professionals.

Whew! A lot happened in a just a few days at SEI. The best part, though, was getting to know my fellow participants. I met an excellent group of like-minded individuals whom I look forward to working with again in the future, and I was able to bring back a wealth of knowledge germane to both my current and aspirational professional endeavors.


Educational Opportunities!

As always, you can also see what’s coming up through the Educational Opportunities Calendar. Keep reading for details about all the great conferences, CFPs, scholarships and more opportunities below!

SUMMER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR VISUAL RESOURCES AND IMAGE MANAGEMENT 2013
http://sei.vrafoundation.org
Registration will be opening for The Summer Educational Institute for Visual Resources and Image Management (SEI ) on January 21, 2013. Currently in its tenth year as a joint program between The Art Libraries Society/North America (ARLIS/NA) and the Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF), SEI 2013 will be held once again at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor from June
18-21, 2013.
The SEI curriculum is suited to information professionals new to the
field, as well as more experienced professionals eager to respond to fast-changing technological advancements and job requirements. Individuals serving in a range of professional roles have
benefitted from past SEIs, including visual resources professionals,
university and public librarians, archivists, and museum professionals
responsible for image rights and reproductions. Reduced tuition is offered to VRA and ARLIS/NA members.
This intensive workshop specifically addresses the requirements of today’s professional. Expert instructors will cover intellectual property rights, digital imaging, metadata and cataloging,
the essential tools of image management, and how to expand your
professional role. Attendees will also have an opportunity to discuss and
brainstorm on a range of issues, from new media and marketing visual
resources to professional development and future career roles.
Any questions? Contact the SEI co-chairs Betha Whitlow (bwhitlow@wustl.edu) and
Amy Trendler (aetrendler@bsu.edu) with questions.

The Art Libraries Society/North America (ARLIS/NA) and the Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) are pleased to announce the Samuel H. Kress Foundation Summer Educational Institute Scholarships for SEI 2013.

The Samuel H. Kress Foundation, http://www.kressfoundation.org/, has generously agreed to sponsor five scholarships for the 2013 ARLIS/NA-VRAF Summer Educational Institute for Visual Resources and Image Management.  SEI 2013 will be held at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, June 18-21, 2013. The intensive three and a half-day workshop will feature a curriculum that specifically addresses the requirements of today’s information professional, and will include hands-on and lecture modules At SEI 2013, expert instructors will cover intellectual property rights, digital imaging, metadata and cataloging, the essential tools of image management, and how to expand your professional role. Attendees will also have an opportunity to discuss and brainstorm on a range of issues, from new media and marketing visual resources to professional development and future career roles, during the interactive session planned for the final morning of SEI.

 Kress Summer Educational Institute Scholarship recipients will each receive $770 for tuition, room, and incidentals. If you are interested in applying for a Samuel H. Kress Foundation Summer Educational Institute Scholarship, information can be found on the SEI 2013 website: http://sei.vrafoundation.org/kress2013.html

The ARLIS/NA Travel Awards Committee is pleased to announce the following Travel Awards for attending annual Conference of ARLIS/NA, to be held April 25-29th in Pasadena, CA.
Details about the conference can be found here: http://www.arlisna.org/pasadena2013/
For more information about the Travel Awards, and to access the application form, please visit: http://www.arlisna.org/about/awards/awards_index.html
The application form can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2013travel
Several awards are available to students and non-ARLIS members.  Please feel free to send this announcement to others who might benefit from attending our wonderful conference!
Application deadline for all awards listed below: January 31st, 2013, 11:59pm EST.

CALL FOR PRESENTERS: ACRL ARTS SECTION’S ANNUAL DISCUSSION FORUM SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 2013

Are you doing research in the arts that you would like to share with fellow librarians?  Is there something you’re doing at your library dealing with the arts that you think others should know about? If so, the ACRL Arts section invites you to submit a presentation proposal for our Discussion Forum to be held on Saturday, June 29th from 10:30-11:30 during theALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

  • Presentations can be on any topic pertaining to the arts or design (see list of possible topics below). It can be a project that you are currently working on or research you are engaged in.
  • There is no requirement for presenters to be Arts Section members to participate. Students are also encouraged to make a submission.
  • Each presentation will be 15-20 minutes with a short Q&A after.

Please email your proposals to Yvette Cortes (ycortes@skidmore.edu). The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 8th. Chosen presenters will be notified shortly after.

Possible topics:

  • ·        Developments in the display and/or preservation of arts materials
  • ·        Innovative information literacy or visual literacy techniques with arts students
  • ·        Emerging technologies in arts libraries
  • ·        Inventive collection management and development in the arts
  • ·        Strategies for reaching out to arts users (students and faculty)
  • ·        Copyright and fair use in the arts environment
  • ·        Evaluating the needs of arts users
  • ·        Use of images in information literacy instruction
  • ·        Creative physical or online/virtual exhibits

If you have questions, please contact me.

Yvette Cortes
Chair, ACRL Arts Section Publications & Research Committee

 


SEI 2011 Registration / SEI Kress Scholarship applications due Feb. 11

Registration is open for SEI 2011 & SEI Kress Scholarship applications due Feb. 11

The SUMMER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR VISUAL RESOURCES AND IMAGE MANAGEMENT 2011
Held at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque from June 7-10, 2011.
http://www.vrafoundation.org/sei2011/

The Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA) and the Visual Resources Association Foundation (VRAF) are pleased to announce that registration for the 2011 Summer Educational Institute for Visual Resources and Image Management is open through April 15, 2011 ( will close earlier if all available slots are filled).  Please register early to assure your attendance.

Past Institutes have been attended by visual resources professionals new to the field, those currently enrolled in library schools who wish to augment their experience with image management training, and more experienced professionals eager to update their skill sets in response to fast-changing technological advancements. Expert instructors will cover intellectual property rights, digital imaging, metadata and cataloguing, the application of social and new media in visual resources, the product environment, strategic planning, professional development, and future directions for the profession.

Reminder: Applications for the Kress Foundation SEI Scholarships must be submitted by February 11, 2011.

For additional information and to register, please visit the SEI webpage, http://www.vrafoundation.org/sei2011/.


Apply now! Kress Scholarships for SEI

The Summer Educational Institute for Visual Resources and Image Management (SEI) is an annual, intensive workshop covering a range of basic and advanced topics for professionals working with image collections. It is jointly arranged by ARLIS/NA and VRA. SEI 2011 will be held at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM, June 7-10, 2011.

The Samuel H. Kress Foundation is offering five SEI scholarships of $650 apiece to help offset costs of tuition, room, and incidentals. Applications will be accepted from January 3, 2011 through February 11, 2011. Recipients will be notified no later than March 20, 2011.

To apply, and for more information about SEI, please visit http://www.vrafoundation.org/sei2011/kress.html


Professional workshops & conferences roundup

I know you all are stoked for ARLIS/NA Annual in Boston –  here are some other great events, workshops and conferences that may also be of interest.

SEI Pro – Summer Educational Institute For Visual Resources & Image Management – registration has officially opened.

Albuquerque, NM, June 8 – 11, 2010

This intensive workshop is intended to provide advanced instruction in visual resources and image collection management.  ARLIS/NA and the VRAF are developing a special curriculum to offer in-depth training that is often not found in library and information science degree programs.

Info at http://www.vrafoundation.org/sei2010/

Online education offered by Lyrasis

This is just a small selection of upcoming events and workshops. Visit www.lyrasis.org for full schedule, Keyword: Classes and Events.  Students and unemployed librarians receive a 50% discount, call for more info.

  • 20 Questions: Art Resources
    02/02/2010 10:00am-12:00pm EST
  • Digital Collections: Where to Begin?
    02/04/2010 10:00am-12:00pm EST
  • Changes Ahead with AACR2, RDA, and FRBR
    02/04/2010, 2:00pm-4:00pm EST
  • Pop Culture Literacy: Keeping Up With Your Patrons
    02/09/2010 – 02/10/2010, 2:00pm-4:00pm EST
  • Gaming in Libraries
    02/16/2010, 10:00am-12:00pm EST
  • Understanding Digital Photographs
    02/18/2010, 10:00am-12:00pm EST

There are also few notable events related to mobile and virtual library and museum services:

Library in Your Pocket: Strategies and Techniques for Developing Successful Mobile Services (Free online webinar)

Hosted by EDUCAUSE Live! ; presenters: David Woodbury and Jason Casden from North Carolina State University.

This ‘sold out’ event has passed, but if you missed it, you can view the event archive (sound and images) at http://www.educause.edu/Resources/LibraryinYourPocketStrategiesa/195003

Handheld Librarian (Virtual Conference)

Online, February 17 – 18

Featuring a wide array of collaboration, learning and networking activities focused on Mobile Library Services.

Conference website: http://www.handheldlibrarian.org/

Going Mobile: Planning for Audience, Content and Technology in the Museum (Seminar)

San Diego, February 16 – 17

This two-day seminar is for museum professionals who want to explore the value of mobile devices and portable computing for their institutions, patrons and learners with renowned leaders in the new media field. Attendees will learn how to evaluate technology platforms and options, create interpretive content and deploy systems for supporting them.

Seminar Website: http://www.bpoc.org/mobile

The Future is Now:  Libraries and Museums in Virtual Worlds (Virtual Conference)

Online, March 5-6, 2010

This weekend conference is presented by the ALA VCL MIG (Virtual Communities and Libraries, Member Initiative Group) and the ACRL Virtual Worlds Interest Group. Expect presentations and panel discussions, as well as tours, demonstrations, poster sessions, social gatherings, and other events presented in OPAL, Second Life and other virtual worlds. Discounts for ALA Members, students, and others.

Conference Website: http://www.opal-online.org/finindex.htm


Professional development in Visual Resources: Kress Scholarship and Simmons workshop

Samuel H. Kress Foundation Summer Educational Institute Scholarships for SEI Pro 2010

The Samuel H. Kress Foundation, http://www.kressfoundation.org/,  has generously agreed to sponsor four scholarships for this year’s Summer Educational Institute:  SEI Pro 2010SEI Pro will be held at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM, from June 8 to June 11, 2010.  It is an intensive workshop intended to provide advanced instruction in visual resources and image collection management.  ARLIS/NA and the VRAF are developing a special curriculum to offer in-depth training that is often not found in library and information science degree programs.   We are grateful to the Kress Foundation’s ongoing support of this valuable institute.

If you are interested in applying for a Kress Foundation Summer Educational Institute Scholarship, information can be found on the website, http://www.vrafoundation.org/sei2010/ .

Kress Summer Educational Institute Scholarship recipients will each receive $625 for tuition, room, and incidentals.

To apply please send a current curriculum vitae, a brief essay (500 words or less) describing the reasons why you want to attend SEI Pro 2010 and how the experience will fit into your career goals.  Please include a description of financial need.

Please send the application in electronic form to:

Alix Reiskind

areiskind [at] gsd [dot] harvard [dot]edu

Co-Chair SEI Implementation Team and Visual Resources Librarian

Frances Loeb Library

Harvard Graduate School of Design

48 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA  02138

Phone: 617.496.8673

Applications will be accepted from January 4, 2010 through February 12, 2010.  Recipients will be notified no later than March 21, 2010.

You may contact Alix Reiskind with any questions.

******

Simmons GSLIS Continuing Education is pleased to offer a special three-day workshop:

Digital Image Curation: Creating a New Field of Practice

Dates: March 11-13, 2010

Presenters: Dr. Martha Mahard and Dr. Ross Harvey (Simmons College) and guest speakers

Location: Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Boston, MA

Digital images, like all digital objects, need careful attention if we are to keep them usable in the future. Digital curation provides a way of looking at the issues that need to be addressed to achieve this aim. This three-day workshop is intended for librarians, archivists and other information professionals concerned with managing digital images. It uses the DCC Curation Lifecycle Model as the framework for presentations, discussion and practical exercises about how to curate digital image collections.

Costs: $599 for registration and payment before January 31, 2010; $699 thereafter. (Costs include continental breakfasts, afternoon snacks, meal tickets for lunch at the Simmons cafeteria, and a reception on the first evening.)

Limited to 25 students.

For more information and to view the workshop schedule, please visit the Digital Image Curation page: http://www.simmons.edu/gslis/careers/continuing-education/workshops/offsite.php


SEI 2008, James Madison University

SEI is a great opportunity to learn everything you need to know about digital imaging in one week. Register soon — half of the 45 spots are already taken!
 
 
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR THE SUMMER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR VISUAL RESOURCES AND IMAGE MANAGEMENT TO BE OFFERED IN JULY 2008.
 
The Art Libraries Society/North America (ARLIS/NA) and the Visual Resources Association (VRA) are pleased to announce that registration for the fifth Summer Educational Institute (SEI) for Visual Resources and Image Management is now open.
 
The 2008 Summer Educational Institute will be held at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA, from July 7 through July 13, 2008. It is an intensive 5-day workshop intended to provide instruction in visual resources and image collection management. ARLIS/NA and VRA have developed a special curriculum to provide intensive training in these areas–training that is often not found in library and information science degree programs. The Summer Educational Institute will be relevant for beginning visual resources professionals as well as experienced professionals requiring new skills and knowledge. Instructors will be drawn from professionals in the field of visual resources and library and information science. Tuition will be $675 for ARLIS/NA and VRA members and $725 for non-members. Reasonably priced accommodations in a James Madison University dorm will be available for approximately $31 a night with A/C. A cafeteria-style meal plan will also be offered at approximately $22 per day.
 
While the curriculum will continue to evolve, the basic course offerings will remain the same. Information on instructors, syllabus, accommodations, and registration procedures will be available on our website soon. Until the SEI 2008 website is available you can still reference the SEI 2007 site at http://www.vraweb.org/seiweb/curriculum.html
 
To register click on this link: https://web.memberclicks.com/mc/quickForm/viewForm.do?orgId=vra&formId=38170
 
 
Contacts (Summer Educational Institute Implementation Committee Co-Chairs):
 
Amy Lucker
Library Director
Institute of Fine Arts
New York University
1 East 78th Street
New York, NY 10075
amy.lucker at nyu.edu
(212) 992-5826
 
Jeanne M. Keefe
Visual Resources Librarian
Architecture Library
Greene Building, Rm 306
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
110 8th Street,
Troy, NY 12180
keefej at rpi.edu
(518) 276-2727