2019 NLA Conference

The University of Nevada, Reno Libraries' @One Digital Media Technology department has been working on a cultural preservation project that includes the scanning and photographing of a portion of the UNR Anthropology Department’s collection of Native American baskets, which are housed in a secured and condition-monitored vault and are rarely seen, handled or interacted with, especially by the public. The scans will comprise a Virtual Reality museum--developed entirely in-house, and both the scans and photographs will comprise a digital collection hosted in the Libraries’ digital asset management system: Islandora. Thus, the delicate and sacred baskets can be digitally seen, researched, and virtually touched and interacted with far more broadly than ever before. A compliment to this will be a documentary highlighting the Native American tradition of basket weaving, featuring interviews of several Native American basket weavers from a variety of Northern Nevada/regional tribes, sharing their feelings/impressions about and experience(s) with the tradition. This project has organically created opportunities to build relationships between the University and a variety of Native communities and individuals throughout the region. Several of these relationships have additionally led to collaborations with said communities/individuals in relation to various aspects of the overall project--one of which includes reuniting interested parties with the baskets housed at UNR. Many Natives who have put on a VR headset and seen the 3D scans of the baskets have been surprised and impressed by how realistic they look, as well as by the fact that they offer a way for this integral part of their culture to be shared with a broader audience, while simultaneously preventing the physical baskets from being damaged and digitally preserving them. The project will be discussed in full detail--genesis, process (workflow, relationship-building, obstacles along the way, reception, lessons learned,) and technical aspects--and those interested will get to put on the VR headset to see the baskets for themselves.