Vol. 51 No. 1 (2024): 50th Anniversary Edition

The Visual Resources Association Bulletin (VRAB) has a long and storied past; 50 years, to be precise. Through the ebbs and flows of the visual resources profession, it has been a constant presence, albeit under a variety of different names: Mid-America College Art Association Slides and Photographs Newsletter (MACAA Newsletter), International Bulletin for Photographic Documentation of the Visual Arts (Bulletin), and Visual Resources: An International Journal of Documentation, amongst others. 

As the field and organization have altered their course, so too has the VRAB. Indeed, its very adaptability may hold the key to its longevity, as current Content Editor Sara Schumacher posits in her article “Looking Back, Looking Forward: 50 Years of the Visual Resources Association Bulletin.” Its success does not occur within a vacuum, however; it is dependent upon article submission from its readers and scholars farther afield. Indeed, the next issue of the VRAB is guest edited by researchers from Apartheid Heritages and will focus on digital humanities during our current precarious time, exacerbated by systemic injustice. Titled “The Root of Things: Grounding the Digital Humanities in an Increasingly Groundless World,” we anticipate even more widespread readership of the VRAB due to the interdisciplinary nature of the guest editors.

This is what the VRAB needs to be, and part of what has sustained it in the field – its ability to be flexible. Unlike larger publications, the very smallness of the publication team may be an asset, allowing it to be agile and swift to respond to scholarly publishing needs. The small size of the team – two editors – and the in-house nature of the publication mean we can establish personal relationships with our audience and work closely with our writers. 

As we celebrate this milestone, let us recognize all the editors, advisors, and authors who have contributed to the professional and scholarly legacy of the VRAB over the years. We hope that you enjoy this 50th anniversary publication and we welcome your ideas to make the VRAB ever more relevant to the field over the next decades.