“I think of CANVAS as a dynamic group of professionals who help raise awareness and funds to support the VMFA’s efforts,” says Lee Ceperich, Director of the Margaret R. and Robert M. Freeman Library and Special Collections at VMFA. Her department focuses on acquisitions and assembling art materials that enhance the museum’s object collections. In other words, she explains, “We add the stories.”
Ceperich has the ability to multi-task and think on her feet in ways that few of us can. She says, “Our role is to support museum staff and those conducting art related research in all of their endeavors and to provide library resources to all.” The depth and breadth of this experience has made her a creative problem solver. When the new Fabergé collections were installed, this exhibition required special materials to put in the Gallery. She says, “We were able to tell the story of Lillian Thomas Pratt who accumulated over four hundred eggs in her private collection through her correspondence.” The next day, she found herself researching volumes of original images for the Black Photographers Annual, a collection of rare books celebrating the enormous talent of black photographers. Each day presents new challenges and a hunt for information.
Ceperich graduated from James Madison University and went on to obtain a Masters in art history with a concentration in museum studies from Virginia Commonwealth University; she also received an MSLS from Catholic University in 1995. Afterwards, she spent several years working for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. Thanks to fourteen years of experience with VMFA, Ceperich is extremely knowledgeable on the museum’s myriad resources.
The VMFA library is a resource for all visitors. Prior to 2010, a visit to the library was by appointment only. Today the library is a vital resource that is accessible to anyone wanting to conduct research on the collection or the arts in general. Patrons may also use archival material or rare books in special collections with advance notice. The library catalog is available online and research requests may be submitted via an online form or by email: library@vmfa.museum.