I want to begin by expressing my thanks to the Lois Swan Jones Award Committee and to all who made this award possible. This award provided me the opportunity to attend my first ARLIS/NA conference. As a student, attending this conference has strengthened my interest in pursuing a career in the field. This experience opened up my understanding of the real issues at work in art and architecture information positions.
On my first day at the conference in Atlanta, I participated in The Art and Architecture of Death Tour through Oakland Cemetery. The tour, conducted at twilight was a great way to learn about the history of Atlanta, the people, and the built works in the cemetery. It was also an informal way to interact with other conference attendees.
I started off several mornings with a yoga session that prepared me mentally and physically for the conference sessions to come. The first session I attended was Backpack to Briefcase, where professionals in the field shared their experiences and advice with students and recent graduates. As a student, this was particularly helpful in answering the many questions that arise as we transition into a professional role. Topics discussed were how to plan for your career, the importance of theory as well as practice in research, places to look non-traditional job opportunities, taking advantage of professional development opportunities, and navigating the tenure track.
Next, I attended the Architecture Section Meeting. The primary topic of discussion centered around the transitional period in ARLIS and potential dissolution of roundtables and sections in favor of a more fluid structure. While this could increase interchange and decrease the bureaucratic structure, there is concern that without a dedicated section, architecture would lose its presence within the organization. The idea of special interest groups was considered, wherein each group could determine its own structure, purpose, and requirements. The section determined there is sufficient interest and commitment to maintaining a group in some form. There was a call for thoughtfully considering the purpose of the group as this will contribute to the future organization.
The session Architecture of the Old South was appealing, as I am primarily interested in architecture resources and architectural history. Robert Leath of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) discussed the resources held at his institution and the questions that arise when attempting to present historically accurate recreations of architectural settings. Liz Gushy of the University of Virginia Fine Arts Library reported on a digital initiative of Frances Benjamin Johnston's work. Johnston was a photographer committed to documenting the vernacular architecture of Virginia as well as other southern locations. Louis P. Nelson of the University of Virginia's School of Architecture introduced his research on the relationship between the 18th century Anglican Church and social order, where architecture can be used as a lens through which to view social experience.
On Saturday, I started out with the Ten Years After: A Decade of Copyright Developments session, where legal experts discussed legislative initiatives, implications for digital copies, impact of recent lawsuits on visual images, and concerns regarding new works based on older works. Both lawyers presented Kelly v. Arriba Soft Corporation as a case where determinations were made regarding image size (thumbnail), commercial intent, and transformative use. The argument is that courts are looking at transformative nature as the primary issue.
Power to the People: Social Tagging and Controlled Vocabularies introduced the possibilities that others are exploring through new technologies. Speakers addressed their projects and how to allow for metadata contributions while maintaining authority. It was proposed that the value of social tagging is in representing the relationships that exist between things, as opposed to the terms applied.
My Sunday began with The Evolving Data Standards Landscape: Leading the Way to Integrated Access allowed speakers to discuss the various data content and data format standards in use in libraries, archives, and museums, namely RDA, CCO, DACS, MARC, VRA Core 4 and CDWA Lite XML. Speakers focused on where materials types intersect. According to Matthew Beacon, as many repositories begin digitizing materials, the physical distinctions between repositories are blurred so intellectual descriptions should allow for shared ideas. The primary lessons or objectives formulated are the importance of applying standards, sharing terminologies, and establishing shareable core metadata.
Atlanta and the Architecture of Twentieth-Century Georgia focused on the spread of modern architecture and the reactions to new styles in Georgia. Benjamin Flowers, from the Georgia Institute of Technology, discussed the spread of European modernism to the United States, especially through the work of Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius. Elizabeth Dowling of the Georgia Institute of Technology spoke about the work of Philip Schutze, a classical Georgia architect who worked during the time of modernism and rejected the functionalism of modern architecture. Robert Craig of Georgia Tech presented the work of several architects, namely Tucker and Howell and Alfred Willis.
To contribute at the conference, I volunteered at the registration desk on Saturday afternoon. This provided an opportunity to interact with other ARLIS members and learn more about the organization, the conference, and Atlanta. On my last night, I attended the Convocation Ceremony and Reception and experienced camaraderie and support within the organization. The reception was an excellent opportunity to meet more members, share conference experiences, and enjoy a lovely evening of music by the Dwight Andrews Jazz Band with Atlanta's High Museum of Art serving as the backdrop.
This award encouraged me to attend the conference. I truly appreciate the financial assistance, which always makes attending a conference easier, especially for a student. I am honored to have been selected as a recipient. The support of the Texas-Mexico chapter provided me with a chance to experience the conference and strengthen my membership in ARLIS/NA.
Sincerely,
Katie Pierce
School of Information
University of Texas at Austin