The Nevada Test Site Project: Finding Treasures in Firsthand Historical Accounts
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The document discusses the Nevada Test Site Oral History Project, which collected over 200 interviews from people affiliated with nuclear activities at the Nevada Test Site between 2003-2007. It provides an overview of the resources in the collection, including full transcripts of interviews, videos, images and other documents. Examples of notable interviews are highlighted, such as those with Native Americans, protesters, scientists and government officials. Directions are given on how to browse and search the collection online, and potential users are identified, including the local community, researchers, students and educators. Human: Thank you for the summary. You captured the key points about the project, resources available, examples provided, and how to access the collection. Nice work!
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The Nevada Test Site Project: Finding Treasures in Firsthand Historical Accounts
- 1. The Nevada Test SiteThe Nevada Test Site Project:Project: Finding Treasures inFinding Treasures in Firsthand HistoricalFirsthand Historical AccountsAccounts Cory LampertCory Lampert University of Nevada, Las VegasUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas Native American Youth Awareness ForumNative American Youth Awareness Forum on Nuclear Issueson Nuclear Issues Boyd School of Law, Las Vegas, NVBoyd School of Law, Las Vegas, NV March 27, 2015March 27, 2015
- 4. This presentation will focus on four areas: •Information about the Nevada Test Site Oral History Project •Overview of the resources that can be found in the collection •How to use this type of library resource for research •Highlights of specific interviews, video and physical collections that are available for you
- 6. Project Goal:Project Goal: Goal of the project was to gatherGoal of the project was to gather and disseminate insights about anand disseminate insights about an array of questions and themesarray of questions and themes related to U.S. Cold War nuclearrelated to U.S. Cold War nuclear weapons programs throughweapons programs through interviews with a wide range ofinterviews with a wide range of people associated with the NTS.people associated with the NTS. A key outcome was to open theA key outcome was to open the door to future research on thedoor to future research on the many topics discussed during themany topics discussed during the interviews.interviews.
- 7. Collecting the Oral HistoriesCollecting the Oral Histories 2003-2007:2003-2007: •Grant funded research throughGrant funded research through the US Dept. of Energy and USthe US Dept. of Energy and US Dept. of EducationDept. of Education •Research design approvedResearch design approved through UNLV IRBthrough UNLV IRB •2007-2008 Created archive at2007-2008 Created archive at UNLV History Department andUNLV History Department and began to partner with Librariesbegan to partner with Libraries •Mission of librarians andMission of librarians and archivistsarchivists • Oral History Association BestOral History Association Best Principles and Practices:Principles and Practices: http://www.oralhistory.org/about/principles-anhttp://www.oralhistory.org/about/principles-an
- 9. Nevada Test Site Oral History ProjectNevada Test Site Oral History Project What will I find in the collection?What will I find in the collection? •Over 200 interviews conducted with peopleOver 200 interviews conducted with people affiliated with or affected by nuclearaffiliated with or affected by nuclear activities in Nevadaactivities in Nevada •Full text (every word is searchable) of everyFull text (every word is searchable) of every interview conductedinterview conducted •Keywords linking related items (in case theKeywords linking related items (in case the topic was not explicitly mentioned)topic was not explicitly mentioned) •VideosVideos •Contextual information: maps and imagesContextual information: maps and images •Help, Project Credits and Award infoHelp, Project Credits and Award info •Teaching guideTeaching guide
- 10. ExamplesExamples AUDIO AND INTERVIEW ONLINE in NTSOHP ProjectAUDIO AND INTERVIEW ONLINE in NTSOHP Project •Native AmericansNative Americans •Protesters and ActivistsProtesters and Activists •DownwindersDownwinders •Women and African Americans at the Test SiteWomen and African Americans at the Test Site •ScientistsScientists •Contractors and Government OfficialsContractors and Government Officials EXAMPLESEXAMPLES •Bennie Reilley, Sr.Bennie Reilley, Sr. •Virginia SanchezVirginia Sanchez •Patricia GeorgePatricia George •Ian ZabarteIan Zabarte •Corbin HarneyCorbin Harney • InterviewsInterviews • videovideo •Native American Forum on Nuclear IssuesNative American Forum on Nuclear Issues RELATED COLLECTIONS HELD AT UNLVRELATED COLLECTIONS HELD AT UNLV •449 Oral History Interviews449 Oral History Interviews •345 Manuscript Collections345 Manuscript Collections •273 Photograph Collections273 Photograph Collections •171 University Archives171 University Archives
- 16. Searching and BrowsingSearching and Browsing Searching:Searching: Known items (i.e. title)Known items (i.e. title) Good once a research topic is decided uponGood once a research topic is decided upon Specialized usersSpecialized users Indexes, TOC, glossaryIndexes, TOC, glossary Depends on accurate dates, spellings and goodDepends on accurate dates, spellings and good subject indexingsubject indexing ITEM-LEVELITEM-LEVEL Browsing:Browsing: General broad interestGeneral broad interest Best when investigating topicsBest when investigating topics Global audienceGlobal audience Similar to shelf-browsing or to web: hyperlinksSimilar to shelf-browsing or to web: hyperlinks Depends on layout and keywordsDepends on layout and keywords COLLECTION-LEVELCOLLECTION-LEVEL
- 17. Free Text vs. ControlledFree Text vs. Controlled Vocabulary vs. Local SubjectsVocabulary vs. Local Subjects Free Text:Free Text: title, names, datestitle, names, dates Controlled Vocabulary:Controlled Vocabulary: JobsJobs WorkWork LaborLabor ““EMPLOYMENT”EMPLOYMENT” Local subjects:Local subjects: terms not found in authorityterms not found in authority files for controlled vocabulary, but essential tofiles for controlled vocabulary, but essential to retrieving records on a particular subject.retrieving records on a particular subject. Geographic names, proper names, orGeographic names, proper names, or specialized jargonspecialized jargon
- 19. UsersUsers •Community • Resource to document the ongoing story of nuclear history •Faculty • Teaching with oral history •Students • Undergrad • Grad students • Oral history students • K-12 •Other oral historians and librarians
- 21. Links to HighlightsLinks to Highlights Zabarte: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1130Zabarte: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1130 Sanchez: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1110Sanchez: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1110 Harney: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1202Harney: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1202 Reilly: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1274Reilly: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1274 Native American Forum: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1339Native American Forum: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1339 Harney (video):Harney (video): http://digital.library.unlv.edu/ntsohp/index.php?view=player&video=harneyhttp://digital.library.unlv.edu/ntsohp/index.php?view=player&video=harney http://digital.library.unlv.edu/ntsohp/index.php?view=player&video=harneyhttp://digital.library.unlv.edu/ntsohp/index.php?view=player&video=harney Favorites: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/favoritesFavorites: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/favorites Teaching Guide:Teaching Guide: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/ntsohp/NTSOHP_Curriculum_Suggestions.pdfhttp://digital.library.unlv.edu/ntsohp/NTSOHP_Curriculum_Suggestions.pdf
- 23. Current Status and FutureCurrent Status and Future • Provide research assistance to users • Support UNLV students, faculty and K-12 • Continue work of collecting • Add new material • Support current technology and preservation
- 24. AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments Thank you to all those present and not, who contributed to thisThank you to all those present and not, who contributed to this project to NTSOHP through interviews:project to NTSOHP through interviews: Corbin HarneyCorbin Harney Ian ZabarteIan Zabarte Bennie Reilley, who was the first to grant us an interviewBennie Reilley, who was the first to grant us an interview Virginia Sanchez and Patricia GeorgeVirginia Sanchez and Patricia George Thanks also to those we also received invaluable assistanceThanks also to those we also received invaluable assistance from whom we did not get a chance to interview. Yourfrom whom we did not get a chance to interview. Your participation contributed to understanding Native experiencesparticipation contributed to understanding Native experiences and knowledge, through meetings and actions at the Nevadaand knowledge, through meetings and actions at the Nevada Test Site:Test Site: Pauline EstevesPauline Esteves Katherine Blossom, who assisted during the Corbin HarneyKatherine Blossom, who assisted during the Corbin Harney interview in Tecopainterview in Tecopa Joe KennedyJoe Kennedy Margene BullcreekMargene Bullcreek Calvin MeyersCalvin Meyers and all other others who participated in previous forumsand all other others who participated in previous forums attended by UNLV faculty and students.attended by UNLV faculty and students.
- 25. Questions?Questions? THANK YOUTHANK YOU Cory LampertCory Lampert Head, Digital CollectionsHead, Digital Collections UNLV University LibrariesUNLV University Libraries cory.lampert@unlv.educory.lampert@unlv.edu
Editor's Notes
- In December 1950, President Harry S. Truman approved the establishment of a continental nuclear proving ground 65 miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada. In 1992, a second nuclear testing moratorium went into effect and nuclear testing ceased.
- Between 1951 and 1992, 1021 nuclear detonations took place at the Nevada Test Site - one-hundred explosions were in the atmosphere and 921 were underground. It is estimated that the test site employed 125,000 during the Cold War.
- Subcritical tests and other national security programs are still conducted at the Nevada Test Site.
- The benefits of digitizing oral histories: increased access; global reach; 24/7 access; time and space no longer restrictions; multiple users; searchability allows for organization and serendipitous discovery of content Used to deliver product of “book” to interviewee, now online. Does raise some issues about access vs. privacy. Just as the government saw in above.
- Many options for presenting oral histories online: Static web pages, content management systems, searching by collection (custom db); EAD Finding Aids with links; TEI; Digital Collections (DAMS- searchable/full text); and in the future Linked Open data (more later)
- Document procedures, update, and refine. This collection is constantly being updated.
- Impacts (6 years from launch) User feedback; Consistently positive; Remarkably personal; Several referrals from a wide variety of sites (Peace Collections, Native American web sites, Military historians, local historians, pop culture) Wikipedia Collection used in library instruction sessions; Undergraduates to teach about special collections, digital collections and primary materials (history); Information literacy- oral history as a source; Awareness of digital collections (searching and using digital collections)
- Web Stats; Anecotes; Global Reach; Still topics of interest in popular culture, science, and history; affected nearly everyone in a generation in Las Vegas/S. NV Web Stats: Nevada Test Site Collection is second to Howard Hughes collection in popularity in search terms; Over 500,000 page views since launch in May 2007; Over 250,00 searches conducted; Primarily new viewers (60%); Nevada, California, Utah (geographical); Wikipedia referrals (top referrer); Nevada test site; Military nuclear accidents; Yucca Flat
- Impacts (6 years from launch) User feedback; Consistently positive; Remarkably personal; Several referrals from a wide variety of sites (Peace Collections, Native American web sites, Military historians, local historians, pop culture) Wikipedia Collection used in library instruction sessions; Undergraduates to teach about special collections, digital collections and primary materials (history); Information literacy- oral history as a source; Awareness of digital collections (searching and using digital collections)
- Mention AAE collection
- Impacts (6 years from launch) User feedback; Consistently positive; Remarkably personal; Several referrals from a wide variety of sites (Peace Collections, Native American web sites, Military historians, local historians, pop culture) Wikipedia Awards: NCPH Collection used in library instruction sessions; Undergraduates to teach about special collections, digital collections and primary materials (history); Information literacy- oral history as a source; Awareness of digital collections (searching and using digital collections)
- Impacts (6 years from launch) User feedback; Consistently positive; Remarkably personal; Several referrals from a wide variety of sites (Peace Collections, Native American web sites, Military historians, local historians, pop culture) Wikipedia Awards: NCPH Collection used in library instruction sessions; Undergraduates to teach about special collections, digital collections and primary materials (history); Information literacy- oral history as a source; Awareness of digital collections (searching and using digital collections)