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In this section we have tried to answer some of the more frequently asked questions regarding VIRCONA.
  What is VIRCONA?
  What is the Purpose of VIRCONA?
  What kinds of artists are included in VIRCONA?
  How are the artists in VIRCONA selected?
  How many artists are represented in VIRCONA?
  Is VIRCONA a registry for Native American artists?
  What information does VIRCONA contain?
  How authoritative is the information in VIRCONA?
  Why are the examples of artworks presented only as thumbnails?
  Does VIRCONA supply publishable images?
  Where can I find publishable images of the artworks cataloged in VIRCONA ?
  Will VIRCONA staff answer reference or research questions?
  How do I search VIRCONA?
  How do I contact VIRCONA?
     
  teal bullet What is VIRCONA?  
    VIRCONA is a database of Native American visual artists. It consists only of those artists represented in the catalog of the collections of the Bunting Visual Resources Library.  
       
  teal bullet What is the purpose of VIRCONA?  
    VIRCONA is intended to improve access to information about Native American visual artists and their art. We believe this improved access will promote both the appreciation and creation of that art. We hope VIRCONA will help scholars, collectors, curators, researchers, artists, arts administrators and other educational agents identify and research Native American artists.  
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  teal bullet What kinds of artists are included in VIRCONA?  
    VIRCONA contains both deceased and living artists from across the spectrum of traditional and contemporary practice including painters, printmakers, sculptors, carvers, ceramists, basket makers, textile workers, jewelers, designers, photographers, installation artists, digital artists and more.  
       
  teal bullet How are the artists in VIRCONA selected?  
    Only artists represented in our collections are included in VIRCONA. Artists are added to the collections when images of their art are accessioned into the teaching collections at the request of College of Fine Arts teaching faculty to support College curricula.  
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  teal bullet How many artists are represented in VIRCONA?  
    In the 2007 publication, VIRCONA included 500+ Native American artists and 1,000+ Native American artworks. New artist and artwork entries are added to VIRCONA as resources permit. Thus, the 2015 re-launch includes 1500+ artists and 3500+ artworks.  
       
  teal bullet Is VIRCONA a registry of Native American artists?  
    No VIRCONA is not a registry - (see above, What is VIRCONA?). No complete Native American artist registry exists in 2015. However, a more extensive list is available in the Native Artist Files at the Institute of American Indian Art. The National Museum of the American Indian maintains a searchable database of Native America.  
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  teal bullet What information does VIRCONA contain?  
    Each artist's entry varies in completeness according to information known or available to the slide library staff. Some entries are as brief as a name, a life role and a single example of an artwork. Others extend fully to a name, variant names, life roles, gender, nationality, tribal affiliations, years and locations of birth and/or death, relationships to other artists represented in VIRCONA, and multiple examples of artworks.  
       
  teal bullet How authoritative is the information in VIRCONA?  
    Information is gathered from both primary and secondary sources. The information is as authoritative as those sources. Library staff take great care to present information as fully and accurately as possible, but cannot guarantee the correctness of the data. Errors or omissions in data should be brought to the attention of the slide library staff. Contact information appears on the Contact Us page.  
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  teal bullet Why are the examples of artworks presented only as thumbnails?  
    Thumbnails were chosen for ease of display on the Web and with respect for the concerns copyright holders have about protecting their copyrights and usage of their images. For more information on copyright issues see the Sources and Copyright page.  
       
  teal bullet Does VIRCONA supply publishable images?  
    No, VIRCONA does not supply publishable images, but does make every effort to list a source for publishable images in the entry for each artwork. A citation, address and/or URL for each image source is listed when available.  
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  teal bullet Where can I find publishable images of the artworks referenced in VIRCONA?  
    VIRCONA makes every effort to include image source information in each artwork's entry. By contacting this source you might be able to learn more about the suppliers and/or copyrights for publishable images of the artworks documented in VIRCONA. See also the see the Sources and Copyright page.  
       
  teal bullet Will VIRCONA staff answer reference or research questions?  
    No, unfortunately, we are not able to provide any additional services beyond sharing the database in its current format.  
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  teal bullet How do I search VIRCONA?  
    For information on how to search the database see Search Tips.  
       
  teal bullet How do I contact VIRCONA?  
    For information on how to contact VIRCONA see Contact Us.  
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