The Ashes of Waco

Browser Issues

Lately I've been looking at the CONTENTdm digital collection on different browsers (at least the major ones: Firefox, IE, Safari) because I've heard there are some display issues with IE and because I ran into problems last weekend when I presented on a project to a visiting group.

It looks like there are two major issues right now: the banner at the top does not display in Internet Explorer; and the way files open is inconsistent between browsers and computers. The way I want it to work is, audio and video files will stream in the window with the metadata (or, it opens a new tab or window to stream so a person can have both the file and the metadata open at once), and documents like PDF and visual images like JPEG open in the same window as their metadata, as well.

Regarding the first issue, I have our computer services information librarian looking into it (he's the one who noticed it in the first place). It's strange because there is no error message where the banner should be. Regarding the second issue, it seems to be so random: some files will open/stream and some won't, browser by browser. I don't see a setting to fix it, either. And when I used Safari on a different machine last weekend, it acted differently than the Safari on my computer. 

I think it's time to ask for help from the CONTENTdm listserv and/or customer support. I apologize for the inconvenience, and if anyone knows the setting that will fix the open/stream problem, please let me know. In related news, next week I'm meeting with an assistant professor of communication design here on campus. He might be able and willing to spruce up the website...and possibly give me advice on the CONTENTdm/browser issues.

Another New Acquisition

Funny what can happen in a couple weeks. In late September I was corresponding with Matthew Wittmer, an artist and librarian living in Los Angeles, whom I've gotten to know well over the past year because of this project, and mentioned in passing that he should donate his model of Mt. Carmel to us. Turns out, it currently didn't have a home (beyond his closet), and he was willing to consider it. He had thought about Baylor's The Texas Collection in the past, but they have a policy against acquiring artwork. He said he hadn't even thought about donating it to us before, since we're a writers' collection.

But, as various acquisition efforts, including the Lee Hancock Collection, have shown, Waco has taken on a life of its own around here. I ran the idea by our curators and got the green light. Then, this past Monday morning I received an e-mail from Matthew, saying his parents were visiting him in L.A. and could drive across I-10 on their way to Houston and deliver the model (in three specially-made crates) free of charge. Next thing I knew, they were at my doorstep with the crates!

Here is a photo of and an excerpt about the model, from Matthew's webpage, "Memorializing Mount Carmel Center in Waco, Texas":

"Through developing observational drawings from video footage and photos of the complex, I constructed a model of the building to better understand the layout and function it provided the community, which is the model pictured in the photos on this web page.  I also designed it to serve as a memorial to those who lost their lives during the events of 1993.  The model was eventually installed on the Mt. Carmel property where a Visitor’s Center Museum was created and in operation between 1998 and 2006. The Visitor's Center Museum was managed by the survivors and a local supporter up until March of 2006. During that time it exhibited artifacts from the building, surviving photos of the life at the center prior to the siege, donated photos from family and friends of residents who belonged to the community, and defense exhibit photographs of the property and events/agents present throughout the siege.  Tens of thousands of people traveling through the area have visited the property since 1993 and continue to visit to this day. My model served the survivors as a historical aid on the property from December of 2000 to September of 2006, much to the thanks of Clive and Edna Doyle who lived on the property at the time (Edna passed away in the summer of 2001) and expressed their desire for a model in their center. A mutual friend, Rollin, graciously helped in coordinating the installation process."

We're very excited Matthew has trusted us with his artistic and accurate rendering of Mt. Carmel, especially since the model has that connection to the visitor's center there. Also, in the Reavis Papers there is a postcard that Matthew made with a picture of the model on it, as well as a copy of line etchings of the model. You can view both of those in the digital collection. And Matt said he has old correspondence from Reavis, who initially gave Matt Clive's contact information. See, it all ties together!

Negotiation Transcripts

Arguably the biggest informational treasures in the Dick J. Reavis Papers is the collection of negotiation transcripts. From the first 911 call made by Branch Davidian Wayne Martin during the height of the Feb. 28 shootout, to FBI negotiator Byron Sage's loudspeaker instructions during the fiery chaos of April 19, the drama is captured in these transcribed conversations between the adversaries.

I believe we have the full set of transcripts, which were procured by Reavis during his investigation from defense attorneys. Technically one can get them from the FBI with a Freedom of Information Act request, but from what I hear, one will have to wait a while.

Most, but not all, of these transcripts are in digital format, and many of those are already included in the digital collection. You can see what's there so far with this link: http://tinyurl.com/yeh2kmk, or by searching "negotiation transcript" in the search bar of the digital collection.

I have been working on adding these lately and will continue to do so until they are all up there. They are one of the most researcher-requested items in the collection, and I can see why. Now, they will be fully keyword searchable, making this aspect of research much quicker and more productive.

The other type of item most requested are the actual negotiation recordings. Those will all eventually be in the digital collection too, and when they are, researchers will be able to find recorded content using the transcripts, all at their own desks at home.