Named after the small red sticker that once guided scholars through legacy 35mm slides, The Red Dot is here to help you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of visual and material research. While rooted in the University of California, Santa Barbara community, our posts are open to all.
At MIRL, we engage with art history, digital humanities, and material culture through hands-on research and archival projects. Guided by our core principles—critical engagement with visual and material culture, ethical stewardship of images and data, and innovative approaches to research and pedagogy—we work at the intersection of technology and the humanities. We are especially interested in how digital tools can expand the study of images, objects, and spaces.
Here, we’ll share insights on Digital Art History and Architectural History, highlight new image and data resources, discuss copyright and ethical considerations, and spotlight events that shape our field.
The Red Dot © 2025 is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
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U.S. Copyright Office Replaces Online Public Catalog with Copyright Public Records System
NewsNet 1071June 24, 2025 Today, the U.S. Copyright Office is pleased to announce that the Copyright Public Records System (CPRS) has replaced its Online Public Catalog. CPRS provides copyright registration and recordation data with advanced search capabilities, filters, and improved interfaces for public users and Office staff. CPRS is the second component of the Office’s Enterprise Copyright… Read more
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Keynote Address: “Ethical Digital Stewardship: Artificial Intelligence and Museums” (online/June 18, 2025)
When: Wednesday, June 18, 2025, 10:30 – 1:30pm PDT Where: https://www.youtube.com/live/kKHPlFkOK5A What: SEI 2025 Keynote Address presented by Jessica Herczeg-Konecny and Marshall Price, PhD. The Summer Educational Institute (SEI) is a collaborative project between the Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA) and the Visual Resources Association (VRA). The SEI curriculum provides a comprehensive overview… Read more
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Stories from the Vault: Mr. Smiley Man
by Susan Lucke, Collections Manager & Registrar for the Art, Design & Architecture Museum, UCSB. Art collections housed at university museums offer a treasure trove of unusual albeit valuable objects. And since they usually lack adequate funds to purchase objects comprehensively, university art museums often rely on the generosity of donors to provide objects to… Read more
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Communicating Culture: New Horizons for Museums (Oxford/online, 8 May-17 Jun 25)
Linacre College Public Lecture Series 2025: Linacre College is delighted to present its annual flagship public lecture series, continuing our commitment to interdisciplinary research and dialogue. “Communicating Culture: New Horizons for Museums” will run from May to June 2025 and is co-convened by Linacre Fellows Ashley Coutu, Tea Ghigo, and Vibe Nielsen. This year’s series… Read more
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United States Indigenous Data Sovereignty Network (USIDSN)
The U.S. Indigenous Data Sovereignty Network (USIDSN) is an organization dedicated to ensuring that data concerning Indigenous Peoples in the United States is utilized to advance their collective and individual well-being. By offering research information, training opportunities, and policy advocacy, USIDSN safeguards the rights and promotes the interests of Indigenous communities in relation to their data. In… Read more
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DH Monday: AI Community of Practice (CoP) Spring Symposium 2025 – AI in Action: Insights from the UCSB Community
April 28 – May 2 / Zoom, with in-person coffee meetups and a closing reception on campus. How are you using AI to enhance work, learning, teaching, research or community well-being at UC Santa Barbara? We invite all community members to submit your idea for a spotlight presentation or digital poster focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI)… Read more