The ARLIS/NA-VRA Task Force on Collaboration is seeking your comments about collaborative opportunities between ARLIS/NA and VRA. This information is for internal committee use. While a survey instrument is being used for convenience, our primary intent is to obtain your opinions, to stimulate discussion, and to foster creative thinking. So, please tell us what you think!

Go to the survey

These are the questions you'll find on the survey:

1. Do you think VRA and ARLIS/NA should have more joint committees or task forces?
2. If yes, in what areas? If no, why not?
3. Would you like to see ARLIS/NA and VRA have more joint national conferences?
4. Please explain why or why not.
5. Would you like to see ARLIS/NA and VRA collaborate on publications?
6. What are some subjects for publication by both organizations?
7. Do you think ARLIS/NA and VRA should collaborate on hosting regional conferences?
8. What are the benefits or drawbacks of ARLIS/NA-VRA collaboration with regional conferences?
9. What are some other areas in which VRA and ARLIS/NA could collaborate?
10. With what other organizations should there be greater collaboration with ARLIS/NA and VRA? What would be the focus of the collaborative effort?
11. Other comments?

About the ARLIS/NA-VRA Task Force on Collaboration

Membership: Amy McKenna, Elaine Paul (co-chair) Greta Bahnemann, Meghan Gross , Brian Shelburne, Ed Teague (co-chair). Liaisons: Macie Hall, Ann Whiteside

Charge: To study the relationship between ARLIS/NA and the VRA, analyzing the overlap of interests as well as areas of uniqueness focusing on the organizational structures of the two associations and recommending collaborative possibilities. The Task Force will gather information from the memberships of the VRA and ARLIS//NA through open fora, surveys, focus group sessions, interviews, and other appropriate means. Finally the Task Force will look at other organizations with interests related to those of ARLIS/NA and the VRA to explore the concept of creating a federation of affiliated societies and associations. A federation would pull like groups together more often for conferences, workshops, or other appropriate joint ventures. Different than a merger, a federation provides opportunities for similar groups to work together more formally than is done now.

Appointed by VRA and ARLIS/NA in December 2006.