The Nevada Test Site The Nevada Test Site Project: Project:

Finding Treasures in Finding Treasures in Firsthand Historical Firsthand Historical

AccountsAccounts

Cory LampertCory LampertUniversity of Nevada, Las VegasUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas

Native American Youth Awareness Forum Native American Youth Awareness Forum on Nuclear Issueson Nuclear Issues

Boyd School of Law, Las Vegas, NVBoyd School of Law, Las Vegas, NVMarch 27, 2015March 27, 2015

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

Project Goal:Project Goal:

Goal of the project was to gather Goal of the project was to gather and disseminate insights about an and disseminate insights about an array of questions and themes array of questions and themes related to U.S. Cold War nuclear related to U.S. Cold War nuclear weapons programs through weapons programs through interviews with a wide range of interviews with a wide range of people associated with the NTS.people associated with the NTS.

A key outcome was to open the A key outcome was to open the door to future research on the door to future research on the many topics discussed during the many topics discussed during the interviews.interviews.

Collecting the Oral Histories Collecting the Oral Histories 2003-2007:2003-2007:

•Grant funded research through Grant funded research through the US Dept. of Energy and US the US Dept. of Energy and US Dept. of EducationDept. of Education•Research design approved Research design approved through UNLV IRBthrough UNLV IRB•2007-2008 Created archive at 2007-2008 Created archive at UNLV History Department and UNLV History Department and began to partner with Librariesbegan to partner with Libraries•Mission of librarians and Mission of librarians and archivistsarchivists• Oral History Association Best Oral History Association Best Principles and Practices: Principles and Practices: http://www.oralhistory.org/about/principles-and-practices/http://www.oralhistory.org/about/principles-and-practices/

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 people Over 200 interviews conducted with people affiliated with or affected by nuclear affiliated with or affected by nuclear activities in Nevadaactivities in Nevada•Full text (every word is searchable) of every Full text (every word is searchable) of every interview conducted interview conducted •Keywords linking related items (in case the Keywords 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

ExamplesExamples

AUDIO AND INTERVIEW ONLINE in NTSOHP ProjectAUDIO AND INTERVIEW ONLINE in NTSOHP Project•Native Americans Native 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

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 uponSpecialized usersSpecialized usersIndexes, TOC, glossaryIndexes, TOC, glossaryDepends on accurate dates, spellings and good Depends on accurate dates, spellings and good subject indexingsubject indexingITEM-LEVELITEM-LEVEL

Browsing:Browsing:

General broad interestGeneral broad interestBest when investigating topicsBest when investigating topicsGlobal audienceGlobal audienceSimilar to shelf-browsing or to web: hyperlinksSimilar to shelf-browsing or to web: hyperlinksDepends on layout and keywordsDepends on layout and keywordsCOLLECTION-LEVELCOLLECTION-LEVEL

Free Text vs. Controlled Free Text vs. Controlled Vocabulary vs. Local SubjectsVocabulary vs. Local Subjects

Free Text:Free Text:title, names, datestitle, names, dates

Controlled Vocabulary:Controlled Vocabulary:JobsJobsWorkWorkLaborLabor

““EMPLOYMENT”EMPLOYMENT”

Local subjects:Local subjects: terms not found in authority terms not found in authority files for controlled vocabulary, but essential to files for controlled vocabulary, but essential to retrieving records on a particular subject.retrieving records on a particular subject. Geographic names, proper names, or Geographic names, proper names, or specialized jargonspecialized jargon

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

Links to HighlightsLinks to Highlights

Zabarte: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1130 Zabarte: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1130 Sanchez: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1110 Sanchez: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1110 Harney: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1202 Harney: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1202 Reilly: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/objects/nts/1274 Reilly: 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=harney http://digital.library.unlv.edu/ntsohp/index.php?view=player&video=harney http://digital.library.unlv.edu/ntsohp/index.php?view=player&video=harney http://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/favoritesTeaching Guide: Teaching Guide: http://digital.library.unlv.edu/ntsohp/NTSOHP_Curriculum_Suggestions.pdfhttp://digital.library.unlv.edu/ntsohp/NTSOHP_Curriculum_Suggestions.pdf

DEMODEMO

http://digital.library.unlv.edu/ntsohp/http://digital.library.unlv.edu/ntsohp/

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

Acknowledgments Acknowledgments Thank you to all those present and not, who contributed to this Thank you to all those present and not, who contributed to this project to NTSOHP through interviews:project to NTSOHP through interviews:

Corbin HarneyCorbin HarneyIan ZabarteIan Zabarte

Bennie Reilley, who was the first to grant us an interviewBennie Reilley, who was the first to grant us an interviewVirginia Sanchez and Patricia GeorgeVirginia Sanchez and Patricia George

Thanks also to those we also received invaluable assistance Thanks also to those we also received invaluable assistance from whom we did not get a chance to interview. Your from whom we did not get a chance to interview. Your participation contributed to understanding Native experiences participation contributed to understanding Native experiences and knowledge, through meetings and actions at the Nevada and knowledge, through meetings and actions at the Nevada Test Site:Test Site:

Pauline EstevesPauline EstevesKatherine Blossom, who assisted during the Corbin Harney Katherine Blossom, who assisted during the Corbin Harney

interview in Tecopainterview in TecopaJoe KennedyJoe Kennedy

Margene BullcreekMargene BullcreekCalvin MeyersCalvin Meyers

and all other others who participated in previous forums and all other others who participated in previous forums attended by UNLV faculty and students.attended by UNLV faculty and students.

Questions?Questions?

THANK YOUTHANK YOU

Cory LampertCory LampertHead, Digital CollectionsHead, Digital Collections

UNLV University LibrariesUNLV University Librariescory.lampert@unlv.educory.lampert@unlv.edu