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G2S Project Code: 2020-IN-85615
State: Indiana
Fiscal Year: 2020
Grantee
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Project Director
Director Name: Jennifer Johnson
Director Phone: 317-278-6709
Director Email: jennajoh@iupui.edu
General Information
Title: Funderburg Library, Manchester University: The Creation of a Virtual Experience of Northeaster Nigeria
State Project Code: D20-1-3(3)
Start Date: 10/08/2020
End Date: 07/31/2021
Abstract: Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) partnered with Manchester University to create a Virtual Reality (VR) experience of northeastern Nigerian ethnographic art objects that are currently housed in Manchester’s Funderburg Library. In 2019, 30 Nigerian objects were 3D scanned to preserve and provide access to a portion of the collection that is currently in storage. Using the 3D objects, photographs, and oral histories of native Nigerian lands, IUPUI University Library (UL) and the Funderburg Library created a location that has been destroyed by the Boca Haram. The experience is available for download for use with Virtual Reality hardware and software and through Sketchfab, a 3D viewer. Complementing the VR experience is the creation of a CONTENTdm digital collection. This collection holds the 3D objects, photograph images, and video files with accompanying metadata used to create the VR experience. 
State Goal: Information Access
Budget Information
LSTA
MATCH-State
MATCH-Other
Total
$13,602.24
$0.00
$2,921.31
$16,523.55
Intent(s)
Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.
Arts, Culture & Humanities
History
Activities
Activity Details
Title: Creation of a virtual reality experience of northeast Nigeria
Narrative: IUPUI published a VR experience on SideQuest Platform called "Roots of the Tamarind." It recreated eight locations from the ground up based on photographs, Google Earth, and recollections from missionaries, for users to explore. Locations, or chapters of the VR experience, include general areas, such as a Nigerian medical compound and market, as well as specific locations destroyed by Boca Haram, such as Chibok and Garkida. Users could interact with 290 digital assets created for the experience, such as historical markers, audio clips, photographs, and 3D objects.
Intent: Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.

Activity: Content
Mode: Creation
Format: Digital


Quantity
Number of items digitized: 290
Number of items digitized and available to the public: 290
Number of physical items: 0
Number of open-source applications/software/systems: 0
Number of proprietary applications/software/systems: 1
Number of learning resources (e.g. toolkits, guides): 0
Number of plans/frameworks: 0


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis
Address: 425 University Blvd
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Zip: 46202-5143
Name: Manchester University
Address: 604 E. College Ave
City: North Manchester
State: IN
Zip: 46962
Activity Details
Title: Creating digital collections of Nigerian art and artifacts
Narrative: Over the past 70 years, Manchester University (formerly Manchester College) has been gifted with many ethnographic art objects from northeastern Nigeria. These objects, dating from 1930-1970, were given by alumni and friends serving in the country as Church of the Brethren missionaries, the denomination with which Manchester is affiliated. Manchester allowed IUPUI to make 3D scans of 290 objects and create digital collections on CONTENTdm, Sketchfab, and Indiana Memory. In addition to these 3D objects, collections included photos and video and audio recordings. The items were also incorporated into the VR experience created by IUPUI on SideQuest.
Intent: Improve users’ ability to discover information resources.

Activity: Content
Mode: Creation
Format: Digital


Quantity
Number of items digitized: 290
Number of items digitized and available to the public: 290
Number of physical items: 0
Number of open-source applications/software/systems: 0
Number of proprietary applications/software/systems: 0
Number of learning resources (e.g. toolkits, guides): 0
Number of plans/frameworks: 0


Partner Information
Organization Type of Partner Organization(s):
Libraries: No
Historical Societies or Organizations: No
Museums: No
Archives: No
Cultural Heritage Organization Multi-type: No
Preschools: No
Schools: No
Adult Education: No
Human Service Organizations: No
Other: No


Legal Type of Partner Organization(s):
Federal Government: No
State Government: No
Local Government (excluding school districts): No
School District: No
Non-Profit: No
Private Sector: No
Tribe/Native Hawaiian Organization: No


Beneficiaries
Is the activity directed at the library workforce: No
For a targeted group or for the general population: General


Locale
Is the activity state-wide: No
Specific Locations: Yes
Name: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis
Address: 425 University Blvd
City: Indianapolis
State: IN
Zip: 46202-5143
Name: Manchester University
Address: 604 E. College Ave
City: North Manchester
State: IN
Zip: 46962
Project Outcomes
Project Outcomes
List any important outcomes or findings not previously reported:
The objects in Manchester's collection reflect the pre-1970 cultural heritage of northeaster Nigeria, and reflect life before the discovery of oil, a shift in socio-cultural dynamics as village populations gravitated towards the cities, and the current burning of buildings, kidnapping of students, and the more modern cultural devastation imposed by the Boca Haram. Ideally, these artifacts would be sent back to their source, bur current insurgent warfare puts them at risk. As such, both the physical and digital items are preserving a part of history that is rapidly disappearing, while making it widely available via multiple online platforms.
Please briefly describe the importance of these outcomes and findings for future program planning:

Explain one or two of the most significant lessons learned for others wanting to adopt any facets of this project:
Building VR locations from the ground up took an incredible amount of time and manpower. The project director stressed that the concept phase and research should have been conducted prior to the start of the project rather than throughout the year.
Do you anticipate continuing this project after the current reporting period ends:
No
Do you anticipate any change in level of effort in managing this project:
No
Explain:

Do you anticipate changing the types of activities and objectives addressed by the project:
No
Explain:

Was an evaluation conducted for this project:
No
Was a final written evaluation report produced:
No
Can the final written evaluation report be shared publicly on the IMLS website:
No
Was the evaluation conducted by project staff (either SLAA or local library) or by a third-party evaluator:
Third-Party
What data collection tools were used for any report outcomes and outputs:
Did you collect any media for the data:
What types of methods were used to analyze collected data:
Other:
How were participants (or items) selected:
What type of research design did you use to compare the value for any reported output or outcome:
Exemplary: Yes
Exemplary NarrativeIUPUI has moved beyond digitization and creating digital copies of objects to using these objects to create an interactive experience in a virtual recreation of now-destroyed villages. They're not only preserving artifacts for future generations, but are preserving the memory actual places in a specific moment of time.
Project Tags: vr, virtual reality, 3D scans