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United States government computing collection

 Collection
Identifier: CBI 63

Scope and Content Note

The U.S. Government Computing Collection contains government publications, technical reports, descriptions and manuals of computer hardware, software, systems, installations and projects. All of the documents were produced by some agency of the government, and in most cases the documents are concerned with work performed specifically by these agencies. However, some of the documents concern non-government produced items, such as a survey of industry minicomputers. Also, there are cases of joint projects between government, private industry, and universities (e.g., the Oak Ridge National Laboratory was operated by Union Carbide for the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission). Other CBI collections should be consulted in the case of joint projects (see Computer Product Manuals Collection, Computer Product Literature Collection, and Academic Computing Collection).

Dates

  • circa 1945-1990

Creator

Language of Materials

English

Use of Materials:

Access to the collection is unrestricted.

Copyright:

All of the records in this collection were produced and/or published by government agencies. Questions about reproducing material in this collection should be directed to the agency responsible for producing the record(s).

Historical Note

Prompted by the wartime need for rapid, complex mathematical calculations, the United States government became heavily involved in computer research and development during World War II. Government agencies including the US Navy, the National Bureau of Standards, and NASA continued to sponsor computer research and development projects in the post-war period, many still related to military applications. Early government investment in computer technologies provided a basis for the nascent computer industry. Government agencies and the research institutions with which they collaborated generated a wide variety of reports, manuals, and other documentation.

Extent

41 boxes (40.2 cubic feet)

Abstract

The U.S. Government Computing Collection contains government publications, technical reports, descriptions and manuals of computer hardware, software, systems, installations and projects. All of the documents were produced by some agency of the government, and in most cases the documents are concerned with work performed specifically by these agencies.

Arrangement

Materials are neither alphabetical nor chronological. The box and folder list includes basic bibliographic information for each document in the collection: a document title, date of publication, and any available information about the government agency that produced the document. Researchers should use the Edit-Find feature on their browser to search the box and folder list to locate materials of interest.

Physical Location

This collection is stored off site and requires 3 days' notice for retrieval.

Acquisition:

This collection represents an accumulation of records donated to the Charles Babbage Institute from a number of sources beginning in 1983.

Related Material

Computer Product Manuals Collection (CBI 60)

Computer Product Literature Collection (CBI 12)

Academic Computing Collection (CBI 61)

Title
United States Government Computing Collection, circa 1945-1990. Finding Aid.
Author
Prepared by Bruce H. Bruemmer and Kevin D. Corbitt, December 1997; revised by Matthew James Buell, December 2001 and David P. Berge, July 2002.
Date
2002
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Collecting Area Details

Contact The Charles Babbage Institute Archives Collecting Area

Contact:
Elmer L. Andersen Library
222 - 21st Avenue South
Minneapolis MN 55455
612-624-5050