2:40 pm - 5:00 pm I Tour: Mezcla de Culturas | A Walking Tour of ABQ Sawmill District & Historic Old Town + Local Brew

(limit of 12 people and $50.00 fee)
Leave El Vado Motel reception at 2:40pm
Difficulty Level: 1 Easy

Walking tour meets in the lobby of Hotel Albuquerque and ends at our H.I. Travel Hub inside Hotel Chaco. Guests can then continue on to Paxton’s at the Sawmill Market to enjoy a complimentary beverage.

“Mezcla de Culturas is Spanish for “the mix of cultures” and this immersive and enchanting two-hour walking tour celebrates the mixture of influences and cultures that make up the heart of Albuquerque’s 18th Century Historic Old Town. This tour is a shared journey where guests get a glimpse into Albuquerque’s past and still living history. During your walk, our discussion will focus on how Albuquerque has grown over the last three hundred years and bloomed into the city it is today.

Next, you’ll visit the exciting Sawmill District. Originally occupied by the American Lumber Company, the Sawmill District is being re-envisioned and redeveloped into a vibrant and eclectic neighborhood. An up and coming area with loft-style housing, artist studios and mixed-use residential and commercial buildings; the new Sawmill District celebrates its industrial roots and attracts entrepreneurial thinking. Thereby, mixing an innovative trend toward urban living with New Mexico’s rich industrial past.

On the Mezcla de Culturas tour, you’ll see the living history and mix of cultural traditions through the repurposing of old buildings invigorated with new life as well as celebrate the refined aged character of buildings that have existed here since the early 1700s. If you want to experience this interaction of cultures, art, architecture and history, then Albuquerque is the place and this tour is for you!”

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm I Tour: Self-guided tours of the University of New Mexico

These tours can be done at any time but Stephanie Beene has generously offered to be available between 4-6pm on Wednesday. To schedule a private tour of the Fine Arts & Design Library and Zimmerman Library with Stephanie Beene, Art, Architecture, and Planning Librarian at the University of New Mexico, please contact her at sbeene@unm.edu. All other rules and guidelines apply (e.g., government-issued ID, time guidelines, transportation, etc.).

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm Welcome Happy Hour

Connect with fellow members during a cash bar happy hour at the Monterey Motel’s Momo Lounge (next door to El Vado), offering a full bar and selection of beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. Food options are available from nearby partner restaurants.

THURSDAY, MARCH 16

7:30 - 8:30 am Coffee and Bagels

8:45 am - 9:00 am

Welcome from AASL Conference Planning Chair/VP Ann Whiteside and AASL President Jesse Vestermark

9:00 am - 9:45 am 

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Theodore Jojola

Introduced by Stephanie Beene

Link to donate to UNM's Indigenous Design + Planning Institute

15 MINUTE BREAK

10:00 am - 11:00 am

SESSION 1 - ABQ: N-S and E-W

Moderator: Stephanie Beene

Lightning Talk: Acequias, Long-lot Agriculture, and the Role of Water in Albuquerque's Development

Gabriella Karl-Johnson, Princeton University

Abstract: This lightning talk will provide an overview of the riparian orientation of the city of Albuquerque, long-lot agriculture, and the city’s acequias, which have endured throughout Albuquerque’s history as functional irrigation ditches as well as linear recreational spaces and intra urban connectors. 

Bio: Gabriella Karl-Johnson has served as Architecture Librarian and director of the Architecture Library at Princeton University since 2015. Previously she worked in rare books cataloging at Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library at Columbia University and in project acquisition at Steven Holl Architects, among other roles. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Beloit College, a Master of Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Library Science from City University of New York. Her research interests include architectural representation techniques and touristic promotion of the ordinary built environment. 

Panel: Discovering and Documenting a “New Route” 66 in New Mexico

Audra Bellmore, University of New Mexico; Donatella Davanzo, National Park Service; David Senk, University of New Mexico

Abstract: For the past 10 years, the Architecture Archives at University of New Mexico (UNM) has worked with national partners (National Park Service, Route 66 Heritage Corridor Preservation Program; National Park Service Initiative, Research Route 66; National Trails Program, National Trust for Historic Preservation; and the private non-profit The Road Ahead) to document Route 66-related sites and stories, supporting collection development, scholarship, storytelling and hands-on preservation of sites along the famous “Mother Road.” Three recent projects are underway, the Research Route 66 multi-state collaborative, focused on collection development of Route 66 materials; the Hidden Legacies project, discovering and story mapping under-represented stories on Route 66; and Route 66 Connected, a multi-disciplinary photo-documentation project, uncovering how the “Road” both preserves and reinterprets narratives in New Mexico. All three projects derive from the Architecture Archives at UNM. The panel will outline the projects, discuss their significance, and engage in a lively discussion on the possibilities of architecture archives working as active participants in both documentation and interpretation projects.

Bios: Dr. Audra Bellmore is an Associate Professor and Endowed Curator of the John Gaw Meem Archives of Southwest Architecture at the University of New Mexico. She holds an M.S. in Historic Preservation and a doctorate in Public History. She has been the University of New Mexico’s representative for the National Park Service Initiative, Research Route 66, for the past 10 years. She is co-PI on the National Trust for Historic Preservation Hidden Legacies Project.

Dr. Donatella Davanzo, PI National Park Service, “Route 66 Connected” Project, received her PhD in American Studies from the University of New Mexico. Before settling in New Mexico, she spent a career working as a professional photographer in her native Italy. She worked as the photographer for the University of New Mexico’s “Albuquerque Route 66 Photographic Survey”. For this work she walked the entirety of Albuquerque’s Route 66 corridor, photographing all buildings, signs, spaces, and public art. Today, Davanza is similarly walking and photographing the material culture along New Mexico’s Route 66, from Tucumcari to Gallup, for the National Park Service “Route 66 Connected” project.

David Senk, is an M.S. candidate, University of New Mexico, Historic Preservation Program, working as a field experience intern for the Hidden Legacies Project with the National Trust for Historic Preservation collaboration with the UNM Architecture Archives. David is both discovering and documenting under-represented sites along Route 66’s pre-1937 “Old Alignment”. With a specialty in cultural planning and interpretation, David is correlating a new story map of Route 66.

11:00 am - 12:00 pm

SESSION 2: COLLECTIONS

Moderator: Rebecca Price

Renovating Architectural Publications: Dialogue Between Texts Spanning Centuries

Viveca Pattison Robichaud, Canadian Centre for Architecture

Abstract: This presentation looks at new ways to engage with collections by putting rare and historic architectural publications in conversation with more contemporary books. This idea for this project grew out of the physical architectural fabric of the Canadian Centre for Architecture, but the results can certainly be applied to other institutions and their collections. The building in question is itself a mix of a historic mansion with a modern research center built alongside. In person, the researcher is confronted with both the old and the new, however, with regards to the library collections, the old and rare are often hidden from view. 

While the Canadian Centre for Architecture has a strong collection of printed material, more and more of these objects are not incorporated into museum exhibitions, so the general and interested public does not have an outlet to engage with these remarkable books and learn more about their history. Taking the nature of the physical space as the foundation to engage with this historic collection, I have started a project where I juxtapose Renaissance and early modern books with 20 and 21st century books to construct a new dialogue between the historic and contemporary. The aim of this project is to showcase these remarkable printed materials, which spend their days on shelves in underground vaults, by putting them in conversation with other titles. Creating a discourse with contemporary publications illustrates ways for the public to engage with our collections outside of the traditional exhibition framework. We can look at the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (1499), a Renaissance bestseller, alongside Ed Ruscha’s Twentysix Gasoline Stations (1963) as unconventional travel guides; our copy of Sebastiano Serlio’s seventeenth-century architectural treatise, with annotations that demonstrate in-depth study by famous seventeenth-century architect Inigo Jones, in comparison with corrections Frank Lloyd Wright made to his own printed work, When Democracy Builds (1945), as a way to reveal how great thinkers engage with text; or a nineteenth-century printed study of a neoclassical triumphal arch in relationship to Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s art installation of wrapping of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. 

This paper will outline a few of these book comparisons and discuss the ways in which they are introduced to the public: by moving away from the traditional lecture format, the public is invited into our reading room to engage with the objects themselves, all while listening to the stories on the material and cultural history of the objects in conversation. Alongside these in-person events, these narratives will also be published pieces to reach more than the local audience.

Bio: Viveca Pattison Robichaud, Curator of Books at the Canadian Centre for Architecture, holds a Master's in Library Science (MSLS, 2010) from the Catholic University of America (Washington, D.C.), where she concentrated in Cultural Heritage Information Management. Robichaud's training in special collections and rare book librarianship is complemented by her background in Art and Architectural History, which she studied at Concordia University (Montreal; BA, 2005) and at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD; MA, 2009). Prior to coming to the Canadian Centre for Architecture, Robichaud was the Special Collections Librarian for Architecture at the University of Notre Dame.

New Routes in Exploring Visual Collections: Topolski’s Chronicle as Case Study
 

Luke Leither, University of Utah

Abstract: Topolski’s Chronicle is a visual record of 20th century history in need of discovery. The Chronicle, a serial publication distributed by the artist Feliks Topolski for over two decades, is a masterpiece in craftsmanship and reportage illustration. Unfortunately, it has been forgotten and overlooked despite the breadth and depth of its content.

The Chronicle is a series of broadsheets distributed bimonthly to subscribers from 1953 through 1982. Each “issue” was based on a theme pulled from current events and was depicted in the artist’s unique style. Topolski has been lauded as a superlative draughtsman and his Chronicles showcase his talent as an artist and recorder of the world around him. Because Topolski believed that the artist was the eye of history, he devoted his time to acting as witness to the most important social and political events of the day. The Chronicle features issues about world politics, the equal rights movement, popular culture, and more. Its focus on Place and on-location observation make it a unique artifact for researchers across many fields, including architectural history and urban planning.

Visual resources like the Chronicle are often overlooked as sources by academics engaged in humanities and social science research. Perhaps the most obvious and difficult-to-address reason for this is the challenge of searching library catalogs, databases, and other indexes for visual content related to a specific topic. The grant-funded project presented in this paper will bring Topolski’s Chronicle to light using techniques perfected in the digital humanities. Examples of Topolski’s unique treatment of architecture, cityscapes, and place will be highlighted and compared to other, historical artifacts. The project transforms a work rich in content but obscured by incomplete metadata into an open, discoverable object ready for interpretation and deeper understanding. Mapping, text mining, metadata enrichment, and data visualization are used to accomplish this goal.

Developing unique, visual collections into sources for research is a challenge for libraries and archives. Traditional methods of cataloging do not allow for fulsome description and granularity, which would make items like the Chronicle discoverable. However, digitization and analysis are providing a new route to ameliorate this problem and transform resources. Topolski’s Chronicle deserves researcher’s time and attention, and with luck this case study will facilitate its recognition while encouraging similar efforts across the profession.

Bio: Luke Leither is the Art & Architecture Librarian at the University of Utah's J. Willard Marriott Library. His research interests include the life and work of Feliks Topolski, the material research and selection methods of architects, and ephemeral art and architecture. A selected list of Luke’s publications and conference papers can be found here: https://bit.ly/3FatEvR.

Routes and Offshoots: The Frank Lloyd Wright Digital Archive at Avery Library

Margaret Smithglass, Avery Library, Columbia University

Abstract: Thanks to a generous donation, Avery Library is in the early stages of creating The Frank Lloyd Wright Digital Archive, designed to make Avery’s Wright collections accessible online. The Frank Lloyd Wright holdings include a diverse range of formats, including drawings, photographs, correspondence and audio visual materials. The first phase, a three-year project, is focused on Wright’s residential drawings, which comprise over half of the collection’s more than 24,000 drawings, spanning the entirety of his career from 1885-1959. What was initially conceived of as a traditional, albeit large-scale, digital imaging project has presented unexpected opportunities to critically assess how the collection has been historically described and used. This presentation will highlight three early offshoots that promise to enhance researcher access and establish new models for digital projects at Avery.

Bios for Co-authors:

Margaret Smithglass is Head of Exhibitions and Digital Asset Management at the Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library at Columbia University. Working with Avery's three special collections (Avery Classics, Drawings & Archives, and Art Properties), she oversees the creation and management of digital assets representing objects for discovery, publication, and exhibition, and coordinates all details related to external exhibition loans, domestic and international.

Katherine Prater is the Digital Project and Outreach Librarian at Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University. She is the Project Manager for the Frank Lloyd Wright Digital Archive project, overseeing the daily operations of the digitization, metadata, web publishing, and outreach components of the project.

12 noon - 1pm - LUNCH BREAK

1:15 pm - 2:15 pm

SESSION 3 - NARRATIVES

Moderator: Chris Sala

Panel: Using Stories in Archives & Special Collections

Pamela Casey, Avery Library, Columbia University, Audra Bellmore, University of New Mexico, Carson Morris, University of New Mexico

Abstract: Despite their differences, most stories employ certain narrative tools: beginnings and endings, characters and backstory, description, dialogue, and a sense of place. What role do these storytelling techniques have in supporting research and instruction in special collections? How do librarians and archivists employ narrative tools in our work? We support research on a daily basis through bringing in collections, processing and describing these, engaging in reference interactions, and by leading instruction sessions. Researchers visit our reading rooms and delve into our collections to create compelling arguments and tell stories of the places and people they encounter. Faculty encourage students to visit the library, and bring their students to special collections reading rooms to engage with primary sources. We lead tours and instruction sessions with our collection materials, and try to find ways to stimulate student interest and enthusiasm. How do we use stories to support these activities? Are there ways that employing narrative techniques can help us in our work? By sharing their insights and experiences, the panelists will consider new ways we can think about uncovering stories in our collections. Four panelists will consider narratives in their collections, and share experiences of engaging with stories in their work. With three of these panelists based in Albuquerque, conference attendees will have the chance to hear about special collections local to New Mexico and how the panelists engage and connect with their research communities. In terms of panel format, each panelist will briefly present on their work and collections (5-7 minutes each, 20-28 minutes total), followed by a discussion on the topic of using narrative tools and storytelling techniques to support research and instruction, moderated by the panel convener (15-20 minutes). There will be time for audience participation (15 minutes).

Bios: Pamela Casey, panel convener, is the Architecture Archivist at Drawings & Archives at Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library at Columbia University in New York. Previously the Archivist at the Canadian Center for Architecture, she has a background in film and creative writing. At Drawings & Archives, Pamela Casey is the lead archivist for instruction, and is particularly interested in how archival stories during class sessions stimulate student engagement and curiosity.

Dr. Audra Bellmore is an Associate Professor and Endowed Curator of Architecture in the John Gaw Meem Archives of Southwestern Architecture at the University of New Mexico. Her recent publication, Old Santa Fe Today, 2022, Museum of New Mexico Press, is a survey of historic properties in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Audra Bellmore will focus on the stories that architectural materials can reveal about New Mexico’s unique regional architectural styles and consider these in instruction settings. Blending Pueblo, Spanish and Euro-American antecedents, informed by climate, topography, landscape and settlement patterns, these reveal a complicated cultural convergence.

Jonna C. Paden (Acoma & Laguna Pueblo) is the Librarian and Archivist at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center Library and Archives in Albuquerque, the only special collections research library focused on the histories, lives, and cultural traditions of the Pueblo people. The Chair of the Native American Libraries Special Interest Group (NALSIG) and an active member of the New Mexico Library Association (NMLA) and the Society for Southwest Archivists (SSA), Jonna assisted with an Oral History project at the Center. She will speak about the importance of collecting Indigenous voices which provide a view into the lives and stories of people often missing or overlooked.

Dr. Carson Morris is the History and Literary Arts (HLA) Program Manager at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. With a PhD in Latin American and Comparative Gender History from the University of New Mexico, she has over 16 years of experience teaching history and languages. Previously the Director of Programs at the New Mexico Holocaust Museum and Gellert Center for Education, Carson Morris has extensive experience leading programs with primary source materials. She will explore the ways that narrative informs the learning of language and history, with a particular emphasis on Hispanic and Latine communities. Storytelling has a special role in the history and culture of Hispanic New Mexico, making narrative fundamental to the National Hispanic Cultural Center’s Library, Archival, and Genealogical collections and programming.    

2:15 pm - 3:00 pm

SESSION 4 - STUDENTS

Moderator: Corinne Kennedy

Library Instruction that Sticks: Investigating the unique information seeking behavior of “Post-Pro” architecture and design students

Tess Colwell, Robert B. Haas Arts Library, Yale University

Abstract: During the fall 2021 semester, the architecture librarian and architecture records archivist at Yale University Library pursued a research study to explore the unique information seeking behavior of Master of Architecture II students, also known as “post-pros.” This group is particularly unique because they are coming from a professional background with at least five years of experience in the field, and several years removed from academic study. In an effort to bolster critical library research skills, a design research assignment was embedded into the 2021 orientation program that prompted incoming students to analyze, design, and build a hybrid model of two Yale campus buildings. To facilitate the assignment and meet students at their point of need, the authors led a two-part library orientation workshop that taught students how to navigate, use, and interpret primary and secondary sources through a series of large and small group activities. A pre-session activity and assessment survey were distributed to students to help with instruction design. These two data points showed gaps in student knowledge regarding library resources and critical research skills. Midway through the semester the authors conducted a focus group session that explored the information-seeking behavior of post-pro students to explore opportunities for the library to enhance research support and services for their unique needs. This presentation will outline the details of the orientation program, results from the research study, and a discussion on takeaways and opportunities for improved research support for M.Arch II students.

Bios for Co-authors:

Tess Colwell is the Arts Librarian for Research Services at Yale University’s Robert B. Haas Arts Library where she serves as liaison to the School of Art and School of Architecture.

Jessica Quagliaroli is the Chief Archivist for the Yale Center for British Art. She oversees the arrangement and description of the museum’s institutional and manuscript collections, facilitates access to collection materials, and promotes the interpretation and scholarly use of the archives’ holdings. Jessica was previously the Architecture Records Archivist for Manuscripts and Archives at Yale University Library.

Overdue: Collaborating with Architecture Students and Faculty on Co-creation of Academic Library Design Interventions

James Murphy, University of Calgary

Abstract: This project emerged out of a goal to examine academic library spaces, and specifically smaller branch locations, with a hope to re-invigorate their futures. Through proposing and co-instructing a work-integrated learning architecture studio, this presentation will discuss the Architecture Librarian’s experience engaging with architecture students and faculty in the creation of design interventions for academic library spaces, and specifically the under-addressed branch library. Also under-represented in the literature is the focus on students being involved in the design of library spaces that are ultimately and primarily for them. Benefits and reflections of this collaboration will be discussed, along with highlights of student design proposals.

Bio: James Murphy is STEM and Architecture Librarian at the University of Calgary.

Lightning Talk: Architecture Student Groups as Collaborators
Jenna Rinalducci, UNC Charlotte

Abstract: Collaborating with student groups in the School of Architecture has been integral to developing our relationships with all members of the school, including faculty and staff. Specifically, this outreach has increased the number of programs held in the library, including exhibits and tours. In addition, we are growing the collection to meet the needs of this specialized group in mind. Our progress began when we reached out to the school for help in creating a Free Little Library. This project led to a close, ongoing relationship with the local Freedom by Design (FBD) student chapter. Based on this relationship, I curated several online and in-person exhibits. The current exhibit features the full-size prototype as well as plans and sketches documenting the process, and it was featured in the school’s 50th anniversary celebrations. In turn, this group reached out to the library when planning a mental health awareness event. Library colleagues who created a self-care collection were able to showcase items from the collection, such as books, white noise machines, and color therapy lamps. They even checked out items on-site during the event. Students also provided feedback on future purchases for this collection. The foundation we built with this group led to additional student groups reaching out to us. For instance, the student chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS) approached us to hold a series of events in the architecture library. The inaugural event included introducing students to library services and collections available to them in a “cozy” setting in the library. Another highlight was the model competition they sponsored. These models were then exhibited in the library and featured on our Omeka site. Building on this relationship, I worked with members of the NOMAS chapter to further develop our DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility) collection focused on arts and architecture. They have provided valuable insight into what our students' current needs are related to these issues. We celebrated this endeavor with multiple book displays that acknowledged both their group and individual contributions. By reaching out to student groups and cultivating these relationships, the library has become embedded in the daily workings of the school.

Bio: Jenna Rinalducci is the Arts & Architecture Librarian at UNC Charlotte. She holds an MLIS from UNC Chapel Hill in Library Science and an MA in Art History from Florida State University. In addition, she has a BA in Art and History from Lehigh University.

3:15 - 4:00 pm  BREAK

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm 

Transportation to Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Tour - Indian Pueblo Cultural Center museum

6:30 pm - 8:30 pm 

Group dinner at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in the Pottery & Private Ballroom catered by the Indian Pueblo Kitchen.

The room has an exquisite pottery wall representing all 19 Pueblos of New Mexico. The private balcony provides breathtaking views of the Sandia Mountains. Link to donate to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

8:15 pm - 9:00pm

Transportation back to El Vado

FRIDAY, MARCH 17

7:30 am - 8:30 am Vendor Showcase with Coffee and Bagels

We will view pre-recorded 7-minute vendor presentations followed by a question and answer period. Vendors include AMAG magazine, Art & Architectural ePortal, OnArchitecture, The Plan Magazine, and Urban Next.

8:30 - 8:45  BREAK

8:45 am - 9:30 am

SESSION 5 - MATERIALS

New Routes for Materials Collections: Material Order at Twelve Years  

Mark Pompelia, RISD and Ann Whiteside, Harvard Graduate School of Design

Abstract: Material Order is the academic consortium of material sample collections (including wood, metal, glass, ceramic, polymers, plastics, textiles, bio-materials, etc. —any material that might be used in or considered for art, architecture, and design disciplines). It provides a community-based approach to management and access to material collections utilizing and developing standards and best practices. Material Order created the Materials Profile that serves as a shared cataloging tool on the LYRASIS CollectionSpace platform and can be further developed as the different needs of consortium members are identified. Open Web searching across all collections occurs via a front-end discovery system built with Wordpress.

Material Order is now pivoting to the question of how the platform (with its rich, relational, authority-driven back end and front-end discovery portal)  can be used pedagogically and how the consortium can play a role in pedagogy within design curricula across institutions. This paper will explore the process of increasing membership and the ideas brought by new members that are leading us to expand our paths.

Material Order represents not just holdings on shelves but a knowledge-base of compositions, uses, forms, properties, and processes with increasing pedagogical connections and applications —a new path not originally emphasized. At the same time libraries themselves embark on a new path of supporting object-based teaching and learning —often to find solutions to the challenges of the 21st century that require an iterative design-based approach of critical thinking and critical making. Material Order is moving from a tool that manages collections to a resource that supports object-based learning from a materials perspective and can be used by institutions outside the consortium for teaching and learning, research and discovery. As we engage new members in the consortium, new directions for the expansion of collections will be in accessible associated services (i.e., circulation of collections across the consortium, online tutorials and talks, and engagement with making spaces/fabrication labs providing the project with a broad swath of new routes it can follow to expand the potential use of Material Order both within the consortium and to those in related communities.

Bios: Mark Pompelia started at RISD in 2010 as the Fleet Library at Rhode Island School of Design’s visual and material resource librarian. Here he oversees non-text collections that include a 40,000-item material samples collection and a growing consortium of member colleges and universities with a shared database, digital image subscriptions and the half million-item picture collection, and the school’s institutional repository on Digital Commons, which now holds nearly 30,000 files. Pompelia is active in the Art Libraries Society of North America and Visual Resources Association and participates consistently in those organizations’ conferences, as well as meetings of related organizations, including international affiliates. He is the co-author of a chapter on materials libraries included in the second edition of the Handbook of Art and Design Librarianship (2017)—the first to include materials collections in librarianship. He currently serves on the ARLIS/NA executive board as past president.

Ann Whiteside is Librarian/Assistant Dean for Information Resources in the Frances Loeb Library at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design where she has responsibility for long-term vision and the integration of the library into the intellectual life of the school. Her career focuses on expanding digital resources in close collaboration with scholars, digital library collection building, and the use of technology to support teaching and research. She is active in many professional organizations and committees that shape approaches to the changing needs and opportunities faced by research libraries in a digital environment. She currently serves as the Vice President of AASL.

Collaborating with Faculty and Engaging Students: Examples from a Materials Collection

Bradley Johnston, Ball State University

Abstract: As Building Materials Librarian, one of two librarians serving the Architecture Library at Ball State University, I am constantly exploring and adapting ways in which the Architecture Library’s building materials collection can best support faculty and students with varying needs and interests through a broader scope of collections/services including orientation visits, in-depth research consultations with the building materials librarian, and an ongoing series of guest lectures on emerging material technologies and construction techniques. In this presentation I will offer several key examples of successful collaborations with instructors to help them achieve a range of course objectives and connect with students with different levels of experience. Examples will include a design exercise for first-year students that incorporates the exploration of textures and materials and my experience as an embedded librarian in a course engaged in a community design-build project. Through these examples, I hope to demonstrate how working with the faculty and making use of different library services for different situations led to increased student engagement and use of the collections.Bio: Bradley Johnston is the Building Materials Librarian at Ball State University. He holds a MLIS from Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis and a Master’s of Science in Information and Communication Sciences from Ball State University. Librarianship is his passion, and he loves engaging in discussions about the fascinating world of building materials with students, faculty, and fellow librarians.

Bio: Bradley Johnston is the Building Materials Librarian at Ball State University. He holds a MLIS from Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis and a Master’s of Science in Information and Communication Sciences from Ball State University. Librarianship is his passion, and he loves engaging in discussions about the fascinating world of building materials with students, faculty, and fellow librarians.

New Routes in Design Education: Using Special Collections Materials to Teach Visual Literacy Skills

Kasia Leousis, Auburn University

Abstract: This presentation will highlight a collaboration between the librarian and professor to create a series of visual thinking workshops for undergraduate architecture students enrolled in the senior thesis seminar. This new approach, designed to develop students’ visual literacy skills, was first tested in 2019, revised for an online format in 2020, and returned to in-person sessions for 2021 and 2022. The workshops, using materials from Special Collections & Archives and open source digital repositories of historical works, introduce the students to a variety of rare and original illustrated materials related to natural forms and the representation of architecture. In the natural forms workshop, students are engaged to draw connections between flora and fauna illustrations and the design of contemporary structures. A recent iteration of this workshop focused on a creative design project where students were asked to propose a residence for the character Gregor Samsa in Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis, making the home habitable for Gregor’s human and insect forms. In this session, students drew inspiration for their designs and models from the rare book collection of entomological illustrated works. In the architectural rare materials workshop, selected items provide the basis for guided exploration of the built environment’s visual representation, informing students’ drawings in studio practice and their final portfolios. Formative and summative assessments have confirmed the value of these workshops to nurture the development of visual thinking skills for architecture undergraduate students.

Co-authors

Bio: Kasia Leousis is Associate Professor at Auburn University Libraries. She received her <A in art history and MS in library sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to becoming the Instruction and Research Librarian for Special Collections & Archives, she served for ten years as librarian for the College of Architecture, Design, and Construction. In her new role, she continues to be the liaison for the Art and Art History Department and the Master of Community Planning Program. Her teaching and research interests include engaging undergraduate students with workshops that are hands-on, multi-sensory explorations of illustration and the book as an object using original materials from special collections archives, visual literacy, and visual thinking strategies.

Il Kim is Associate Professor and Architecture Chair at Auburn University. He received his BA in architecture from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, and M. Phil and Ph.D. in art/architectural history from Columbia University’s Department of Art History and Archaeology. As an architect his built work, all in Japan, includes a private residence, a clinic/home, an orphanage, and a geriatric hospital. He has co-edited books focusing mainly on contemporary American residential architecture. Professor Kim's primary scholarly works are in the field of Renaissance architecture and engineering. Many of his articles on these subjects have been published in European and American journals and books. His current research centers on the influence of scientific knowledge and engineering techniques in the development of fifteenth-century philosophy/theology. He is working on a book, which is on the intellectual relationship between the architect/theoretician Leon Battista Alberti and the philosopher/theologian Nicolaus Cusanus. Il Kim is Interim President of the American Cusanus Society (until 2024).

9:30 am - 10:15 am

SESSION 6 - LIBRARY SPACES
Moderator: Jenna Rinalducci

Undergraduate Research Advocates Foster First Generation Student and Librarian Collaboration

David Eifler, University of California, Berkeley

Abstract: UC Berkeley has steadily increased the number of first-generation and transfer undergraduates served in an environment that increasingly articulates diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice goals. As a subject library -- proximate to numerous dorms -- the Environmental Design Library assumes responsibility for outreach to many traditionally underserved students. In Spring of 2022, at the suggestion of the Library’s Social Sciences Division head, a pilot Undergraduate Research Advocates internship was developed to expand library exposure to this community and identify ways to make the Environmental Design Library a more welcoming space.

Bios: David Eifler has been a librarian at UC Berkeley's Environmental Design Library for the past 15 years and centered social and economic justice in his work there. He is a proud member of the University Council of the American Federation of Labor's Local 1474 Executive Council.

Instruction, Outreach, and Engagement in Today’s Architecture Libraries During a Pandemic and Isolation

Corinne Kennedy, Mississippi State University

Abstract: The presenter was appointed as the new Design Librarian to the College of Architecture, Art, and Design at Mississippi State University in June 2020.  Facing a woefully outdated collection, with cataloging errors, missing items, and a community who rarely visited the library’s physical space, the presenter had to come up with solutions to engage people while updating the collection. By Spring 2021 COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were lifted and people began returning to campus. Even though most faculty and students returned to campus, the presenter had a health diagnosis which limited her time on campus.  Due to this, she experienced many obstacles to overcome while engaging students. Over the course of three years, the presenter has had successes incorporating library instruction, collaborating with faculty, and creating relationships with students all while in isolation. These successes in library instruction have led to further collaboration with faculty in creating a library session that will be incorporated into the architecture curriculum.  The presenter will go over her experiences and obstacles in encouraging students to use the library and physical resources while she was in isolation undergoing treatment. 

Bio: Corinne Kennedy serves as Librarian for the College of Architecture, Art and Design at Mississippi State University (MSU) located in Starkville, MS. Her research and teaching interests incorporate the use of images, as well as Visual Plagiarism. In addition, she works with faculty to incorporate images as a basis to teach critical thinking. She has published an Open Access project through the NEH Institute for Advanced Topics in Digital Humanities using Knightlab story map using images for art history, literature, and religion classes. She also serves as a reviewer for the Common Ground Research Network. Ms. Kennedy has two published articles in Art Documentation about image use in the classroom, visual literacy, and copyright regarding images. 

Making Travel Plans: Realigning an Architecture Library’s Mission + Vision

Shannon Marie Therese Robinson

Abstract: New leadership within a library often results in taking a new route. The presenter became head of an architecture library after a tumultuous period of closures due to both the pandemic and a building retrofit. Evidence suggested a new direction was needed, but how does one determine this new course of travel aligns with curricular practices? Through continual conversation and collaboration with faculty and library colleagues, the presenter developed a curricular-driven strategic plan that realigns the library’s goals from “what we have” to “what we do with what we have.” These goals facilitate learner’s exploration, experimentation, and informed reflection when engaging in applied architectural research practices. Using a curricular lens to develop collections and programming ensures learners see themselves reflected in the library. In this presentation, the author will share practical methods for planning and executing a new direction for an architecture library. Borrowing from the business world, she will discuss tools and techniques that improve project management, assure those projects maintain a curricular focus, develop a flexible timeline for achievement, and stay within the library’s capacity. Ultimately, this new route will transition the architectural library from a quiet study and storage space to a hub of critical learning and making.

Bio: Shannon is Head of the Architecture and Fine Arts Library at the University of Southern California (USC). Prior to relocating to LA, she was the Assistant Director of the Fisher Fine Arts Library at the University of Pennsylvania and has worked at several institutions as an art and design subject specialist. She has a MFA from Tyler School of Art, Temple University and her MLIS from Drexel University. Shannon’s research interests include the information behaviors of artists and designers and the application of arts-based research and speculative design methodologies to library science. She is continually active in the art librarianship profession through conference presentations, journal publications and book reviews, and serving on various local and national committees. Learn more at https://linktr.ee/ShannonMarieRobinson.

10:15 - 10:30  BREAK

10:30 am - 11:15 am

SESSION 7 - LIGHTNING TALKS: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

Moderator: Ann Baird

Problematizing DEI Assessment in Pratt's Architecture Collection

Catherine Hartup, Pratt Institute and Maggie Portis, Pratt Institute

Abstract: In concurrence with Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture’s diversifying the curriculum project, the Libraries have spent the past year conducting a multi-step assessment project of the architecture collection through the lens of diverse, equitable, and inclusive titles. What is a diverse collection, if one is possible at all? What should we be striving for? Is our collection appropriately aligned with the needs of our users, and how do we plan to commit to meeting more diverse needs going forward?

Our presentation highlights the steps and methods we employed to begin to answer these questions, with an emphasis on how much still feels nebulous in a project with already-nebulous terms and procedures within its defined goal of ‘increasing diversity’. As crucial as it is to do the work of diversifying collections that have largely been controlled by dominant modes of thinking about these subjects, it is as crucial to consider the implications of simply asking, “Is our collection diverse?” We want to push back against the notion that this is a static process, in hopes that our own process and reflections can provide for effective future subject assessment work.

Bio(s): Catherine Hartup is a graduate student finishing her MSLIS at Pratt Institute in Spring 2023. She works both as a graduate assistant in reference and public services at Pratt Libraries and as an adjunct reference and instruction librarian at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (CUNY).

Maggie Portis is an Associate Professor and the Liaison Librarian in Architecture & Design at Pratt Institute.

DEIB and Library Engagement: Avenues of Enhanced Collaboration

Alisha Rall, Kansas State University and Ellen Urton, University of Arkansas

Abstract: As we recognize the entrenched systemic injustice within our society, the concept of new routes takes on a special poignancy and urgency for the fields of architecture and the library systems that serve them. At Kansas State University, Weigel Library forged a unique collaboration with the APDesign Intercultural Collaborative Committee (ICC), a student and faculty group devoted to supporting DEIB in design. To support the ICC’s goals of “awareness, connection, joy and empowerment,” Weigel Library developed a multifaceted initiative to advance ICC’s mission by co-hosting community outreach events, conducting analysis of library collections to evaluate equitable representation, and creating physical and online research guides. By co-hosting discussions, movies, lectures and community gatherings in the library space, we are signaling to our community that our library values diversity, equity and inclusion. In maintaining a commitment to the ICC partnership, Weigel Library strives to become a place of greater belonging.

Bios: Alisha D. Rall is an assistant professor at K-State Libraries and manages the Paul Weigel Library of Architecture, Planning & Design. Serving as the liaison to the college of Architecture, Planning & Design, GE Johnson Department of Architectural Engineering and Construction Science, and the department of Interior Design.

Ellen R. Urton is an associate professor and Director of Research & Instruction at the University of Arkansas Libraries in Fayetteville. Previously, she worked at Kansas State University as an Academic Services Librarian, served as Team Lead for the Arts, Humanities & Design Team, and liaised to the college of Architecture, Planning & Design, Art department, and department of Interior Design & Fashion Studies. Her research interests include team-based librarianship, patron-centered librarianship, library instruction, and leadership.

A Window to the World of Architectural Traditions: Edward Teague and the World Architecture Index

Barret Havens, Woodbury University

Abstract: The publication in 1991 of Edward Teague's World Architecture Index: A Guide to Illustrations was a critical innovation for architecture librarians, students, and scholars. Teague’s work levelled the playing field in terms of inclusion by highlighting, in one volume, an unprecedented number of architectural works from around the globe. It bridged a gap in coverage that, arguably, is yet to be filled adequately by other resources. This discussion will explore the impact the book had when it was first published, and whether it remains relevant to the work of architecture librarians today. 

Bio: Barret Havens is the architecture subject liaison librarian at Woodbury University in Burbank, California.  

11:15 am - 12 noon

SESSION 8 - ROUTES OF THE MIND

Moderator: Katie Pierce Meyer

New Routes for Architecture and Design Librarians: Planning for AI Futures

Kai Alexis Smith, MIT and Stephanie Beene, University of New Mexico

Abstract: This presentation will explore the connection between new designs and techniques made possible through artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in architecture, planning ,and affiliated disciplines. These technologies are being used to innovate architecture renderings, designs, and urban plans. Controversies abound, however. In this era of expanding AI and ML, what is the role of the architect, designer, or planner? Are humans prepared to critically interrogate AI-created works? How can we ensure that we are not codifying societal biases and inequities into these new technologies? Is the concern that AI will replace human workers legitimate? Or does it have the potential to make architecture and design more innovative, efficient, and easier? How can we support patrons, students, and creators as they work with these technologies? And, what skills will be needed?  Two academic librarians from widely differing contexts (e.g., types of institutions, geographic region, patrons, collections budget, labs) will discuss their experiences supporting these emerging challenges and opportunities among their communities. 

Bios: Kai Alexis Smith is the Architecture and Planning Librarian at MIT. With over ten years in the profession, she has a strong interest in shared and open knowledge, AI and machine learning at the  intersections of the arts, architecture, planning and diversity, equity, inclusion, social justice and accessibility.  

Stephanie Beene is an Associate Professor and Art, Architecture, and Planning Librarian at the University of New Mexico, in Albuquerque. In this capacity, she supports the teaching, learning, and research of students and faculty within the Art Department in the College of Fine Arts and the School of Architecture and Planning. Her research interests include visual and information literacy frameworks as they relate to trust, lifelong learning and the politics of identity.   

Architecture of Artists’ Books

Lynn Kawaratani, Carnegie Mellon University and Jill Chisnell, Carnegie Mellon University

Abstract: Artists’ books are constructions, a “medium of artistic expression that uses the form or function of a book as inspiration (Smithsonian, n.d.).” They push the boundaries of a book through experimentation with non-traditional materials, new types of structures and innovative ways of experiencing them. Artists’ books provide an intimate and tactile interaction between the viewer and the object.

In fall 2022, we partnered with School of Architecture studio professor Mary-Lou Arscott and students in her Materiality and Aesthetics course to preview a curated selection of artists' books. Each student chose a book to focus on, closely studied its multiple characteristics including the ideas carried within it, and created a 30-second video of their discovery. Each book revealed new meaning through the vantage point of the filmmaker.

Our presentation will describe the creative process where the artists' book experience was captured on film which in turn enhanced the display of artists' books in the library which could lead back to new responses to the artists' books in different media. We plan to screen some of the films that were made and give the attendees a chance to directly interact with the books as well. We will then open up a discussion about future ways to use artists' books in teaching and learning in architecture studios.

Bios: Jill Chisnell is a liaison librarian to the Schools of Art and Design at Carnegie Mellon University. Her library practice and research interests explore playful methods to support creative inquiry, critical thinking, and curiosity. She is the creator and keeper of the Libraries’ zine cart, a mobile studio that contains everything one needs to self-publish. As an artist and crafter, Jill uses reclaimed materials and found objects in her work which is heavily influenced by her love of libraries and archives.

Lynn Kawaratani is the liaison librarian for the School of Architecture and the archivist of the Architecture Archives at Carnegie Mellon University. Her current initiatives include introducing a materials library and a rotating exhibition of non-circulating materials to the library as well as expanding access to the archives through K-12 outreach. She earned both a Bachelor and Master of Architecture degrees from University of California, Berkeley and is currently completing her Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to relocating to Pittsburgh, she spent over 15 years as an exhibit designer/developer for several museums including the Smithsonian Institution.

12:00 noon - 1:00 pm  LUNCH BREAK

1:00 pm - 2:45 pm - The Evolving Path

Jessica Roybal, Designer

Abstract:  1:00-2:00 | Take a trip, following the study of light into the study of street life. Discover how an architecture graduate maneuvers between design and documentation, while building community resources.

2:00-2:45 | The presentation will culminate with nostalgic photo opportunities along the classic roadway, Route 66, in the El Vado parking lot. Several Drifters Car Club members will be available outside with their classic bombas for you to capture images and have moments to chat with these Route 66 street cruisers.

Bios: Jessica Roybal “@jesree” is a sustainable building designer with a passion for community documentation via photography. She strives for personal connectivity to the past, present, and southwest culture in her perspectives. As an Albuquerque local and native New Mexican, Jessica’s portfolio includes Route 66 daily life, vintage neon signs, and classic cars that once flourished on our streetscapes.

3:00 pm - 4:30 pm - AASL Membership Meeting and Breakout Discussion 

Moderator: Jesse Vestermark, President

AGENDA:

General Business (10 minutes--Jesse) 

Announcement of Award Winners 

Announcement of New Website Design 

Discussion and Recruitment of Committee Work  (10 minutes--Jesse) 

Ad Hoc Committee to Revise Core Reference List 

Call for new members 

Ad Hoc Committee Professional Development Committee to Revise PD Guide 

Call for new members 

Call for new Webmaster 

Call for Chair of Membership Committee 

Ad Hoc Bylaws Revision Committee 

Election (5 minutes--Jesse) 

VP/President-elect 

Secretary 

Treasurer’s Report & Related (10 minutes--James) 

Digital Archives Task Force (10 minutes--James) 

Google Workspace as part of the Digital Archives Task Force (esp. concerning access/use of the new shared drives). 

Breakout Discussion Session (45 minutes--Jesse and Ann Whiteside) 

5:00 pm - 8:00 pm FIRESIDE CHAT and BRAIN BREAK

Decompress after day two of programming with an activity of your choice:

SATURDAY, MARCH 18

8:00 am - 9:00 am Avery Index Focus group meeting (invitation only)

James E. Sobczak, Avery Index, Columbia University

Abstract: Structured discussion regarding the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals. The goal of this session is to share and receive feedback on the Avery Index in terms of content coverage and quality. As honest and open feedback is crucial to informing the future developments of the Avery Index as a research database, moderators hope to learn more about how students, faculty, and librarians are using the Avery Index in their respective institutions. Breakfast bagels/sandwiches will be provided. By invite only.

Bios: James Sobczak (he/him/his) is the current editor of the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals at the Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library at Columbia University. As the former STEM librarian at the University of Miami (Florida), James has a strong interest in the interdisciplinarity of architecture education, research, and practice. This interest is also informed by his time working in architectural design firms in Ohio, New York, North Carolina, and Washington. He holds an MLIS from the University of Washington iSchool, an MArch from Yale University, and a BS in Architecture from the University of Michigan.

9:00 am - 9:15 am  BREAK

9:15 am - 10:45 am

SESSION 9 - Panel - The Journal Debate

Sara Schumacher, Texas Tech University; Barbara Opar, Syracuse University; Lucy Campbell, New School of Architecture and Design; Rose Orcutt, University of Buffalo

Abstract: The panel promises a lively and potentially controversial discussion surrounding Architecture journals. The panelists will debate on hot-button questions like: Can we go digital-only for academic journals? Are we going to need both print and digital versions of our trade journals? Should libraries have to fund Open Access publications when it is an institutional priority? Can journal publishers be held accountable for diversity in firm representation and editorial board? Can the Core Journal list be used to influence publishers? Do we still need the Core Journal list? Attendees will have a chance to contribute to the debate and ask their own controversial questions of the panelists.

Bio(s): Sara Schumacher is the Architecture Image Librarian at Texas Tech University, where she works to improve visual media resources and promote visual literacy through discipline specific and professional applications. She holds a M.A. in Art History from the University of Oregon (2007) and a M.S. in Information Studies from the University of Texas at Austin (2011). Her research interests include ethical concerns surrounding using and creating visual media, disciplinary-based visual literacy instruction, and bias within visual collections. She serves as the content editor for the Visual Resources Association Bulletin, has published articles in Journal of Documentation, Journal of Visual Literacy, portal: Libraries and the Academy, Art Documentation, and was part of the task force that authored the ACRL Framework for Visual Literacy in Higher Education.

Barbara Opar holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Syracuse University and has worked as a librarian at the Syracuse University Libraries since 1975. She serves as an embedded librarian for the School of Architecture. Barbara is responsible for reference and information services, instruction and collection development for architecture students, faculty and staff. She oversees the student staff and services of the King+King Architecture Library, 302 Slocum Hall. She is active in the Association of Architecture School Librarians and has been President (2003), a board liaison, column and co-column editor and a member of both the Core Periodicals Review Task Force for the 4th and 5th editions as well as the Core Reference Works Task Force.  She prepares the monthly Society of Architectural Historians Booklist and contributes to ARLIS/NA Reviews. Barbara is also the librarian for French language and literature. She presents and helps organize the annual French Colloquium.

 Lucy Campbell is Librarian of the Richard P. Welsh Library at NewSchool of Architecture and Design. She holds a Masters in Library and Information Science from University College London (UCL). She is co-editor of the AASL ACSA column, and an Editorial Board Member for arcCA Digest. She has published articles in Art Documentation and College and Research Libraries and served as President of AASL in 2020. Lucy is interested in fostering innovative research pedagogies within the design disciplines.

Rose Orcutt is a Senior Assistant Librarian with the University at Buffalo Libraries and is the subject liaison to the University of Buffalo’s School of Architecture & Planning and Curator of the Polish Collection. She served as AASL president in 2019 and is an active member of the Core Periodicals Review Task Force. Rose received her MLS from the University at Buffalo, a BFA in Printmaking from Buffalo State College, and an AA in Studio Art from Cazenovia College. Her research interests focus on scholarly communication practices within the Social Sciences and Humanities.

10:45 am - 11:45 am  BREAK