Academic Computing Collection, circa 1950-1985. Finding Aid.

Summary Information

Title: Academic computing collection
Dates: circa 1950-1985
Creator: Charles Babbage Institute.
Extent: 40 boxes (35.75 cubic feet)
Language: English
Collection Number: CBI 61
Abstract:

Contains literature about computer hardware, software, and systems that originated or were developed at specific academic institutions. Since many universities can be identified with certain developments in information processing, this collection provides some access to information about projects (such as Project MAC, and the ILLIAC, ORDVAC, and Whirlwind computers) and systems (such as ALOHA). Information about any one topic is not necessarily comprehensive, e.g. there may be only a few items relating to any one computer. In some cases the collection also includes information relating to the academic computing facility itself.

Repository: University of Minnesota Libraries. Charles Babbage Institute.

Access and Use

Acquisition Information:

The records were given to the Charles Babbage Institute in several accessions by a number of individuals, institutions, and corporations.

Access Restrictions:

Access to the collection is unrestricted.

Copyright:

The Charles Babbage Institute holds the copyright to all materials in the collection, except for items covered by a prior copyright (such as published materials). Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provisions of the copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code).

Preferred Citation:

Academic Computing Collection (CBI 61), Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically by university. The phrase "University of" has been entered under the next significant word in the title, i.e., the entry for "University of Minnesota" is between "Midwestern Universities Research Association" and "Mississippi Southern College".

Historical Note

Computer research and development at academic research institutions in the United States intensified during World War II, prompted by the United States government's wartime need for rapid, complex mathematical calculations. The nation's research institutions continued computer research and development projects into the Cold War years, many still supported by the government and related to military applications. Universities are often identified with certain developments in information processing. For example, the first real-time text / graphic display was developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for the Whirlwind computer; the Aloha protocol for radio packet switching was developed for the University of Hawaii's ALOHA system. Research institutions and the government agencies that sponsored them generated a wide variety of reports, manuals, and other documentation.

Collection Scope and Content Note

The Academic Computing Collection contains literature about hardware, software and systems that originated or were developed at specific academic institutions. Since many universities can be identified with certain developments in information processing, this collection provides some access to information about those projects. In some cases information relating to the academic computer facility itself is also included. Often projects were sponsored by the government, so the researcher should also refer to the U.S. Government Computing Collection (CBI 63) for information on joint projects. However, most of the material that has been identified primarily with a single university will be found in the Academic Computing Collection, regardless of government sponsorship.

Related Material

U.S. Government Computing, CBI 63

Subject Terms

Index Terms

• This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
• Aloha system (Electronic computer system)
• Computation Laboratories -- United States -- History -- Sources.
• Computers -- United States -- History -- Sources.
• Illiac computer.
• Medical sciences -- Computer programs.
• Ordvac computer.
• Whirlwind computer.
• Carnegie-Mellon University.
• Case Institution of Technology.
• Case Institution of Technology -- Systems Research Center.
• Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory.
• Cornell University.
• Harvard University -- Computation Laboratory.
• Illinois Institute of Technology.
• Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton, N.J.)
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology -- Digital Computing Laboratory.
• Moore School of Electrical Engineering.
• New York University.
• Northwestern University (Evanston, IL)
• Ohio State University.
• Pennsylvania State University.
• Project MAC (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
• Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.
• Stanford Research Institute.
• Stanford University.
• Stanford University -- Applied Mathematics and Statistics laboratory.
• Stanford University -- Computer Science Dept.
• State University of New York.
• University of California, Berkeley.
• University of California, Los Angeles.
• University of California, Los Angeles -- Dept. of Engineering.
• University of California, Los Angeles -- Health Sciences Computing Facility.
• University of Hawaii (Honolulu)
• University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign campus) -- Digital Computer Laboratory.
• University of Michigan.
• University of Minnesota.
• University of Pennsylvania.
• University of Utah -- Computer Science Division.
• Wayne State University.

Box and Folder List

Location		Title
Box 1		American University  Box 1
		University of Arizona  Box 1
		Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn  Box 1
		Brown University  Box 1
		California Institute of Technology [Caltech]  Box 1
Box 9-10		University of California--Berkeley  Box 9-10
Box 1		University of California--Davis  Box 1
		University of California--Irvine  Box 1
Box 10-11		University of California--Los Angeles (UCLA)  Box 10-11
Box 12		Carnegie Institute of Technology [includes several dissertations completed as part of sponsored research]  Box 12
		Carnegie-Mellon University
Box 12		Center for the Study of Information Processing  Box 12
		Computation Center [includes IT for IBM 650]  Box 12
		Department of Computer Science  Box 12
Box 6		Mellon institute of Industrial Research [later CMU Graduate School of Industrial Administration]  Box 6
		Speech Understanding Systems Study Group [IPTO contractors including Perlis, Licklider, and Reddy: initial (1971) and follow up (1975) reports printed through CMU]  Box 6
Box 13		Case Institute of Technology  Box 13
Box 1		University of Chicago  Box 1
		Clemson University  Box 1
		University of Colorado--Boulder  Box 1
		Columbia University  Box 1
Box 14		Cornell University  Box 14
Box 1		Dartmouth College  Box 1
		University of Denver  Box 1
		Duke University  Box 1
Box 2		George Washington University  Box 2
		Georgetown University  Box 2
		Georgia Institute of Technology  Box 2
		University of Georgia  Box 2
Box 7, 15, 39		Harvard University  Box 7, 15, 39
Box 16		University of Hawaii  Box 16
Box 2		University of Houston  Box 2
Box 19		Illinois Institute of Technology  Box 19
Box 17-18		University of Illinois  Box 17-18
Box 2		Indiana University  Box 2
		University of Iowa  Box 2
		Johns Hopkins University  Box 2
		University of Kentucky  Box 2
		Lehigh University
Box 35		Center for the Information Sciences  Box 35
		Institute of Research  Box 35
Box 2		Louisiana State University  Box 2
Box 3		University of Maryland  Box 3
		Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Box 38		Artificial Intelligence Group, MIT Computation Center, and Research Laboratory of Electronics  Box 38
Box 40		Artificial Intelligence Laboratory: EMACS for Twenex, 1980.  Box 40
Box 22		Center for International Studies  Box 22
Box 7, 22		Digital Computer Laboratory [includes Project Whirlwind and summer courses]  Box 7, 22
Box 22		Education Research Center  Box 22
Box 7, 40		Electronic Computer Division [includes Whirlwind I brochure]  Box 7, 40
Box 7. 22		Electronic Systems Laboratory  Box 7. 22
Box 22		Industrial Relations Section  Box 22
		Instrumentation Laboratory [includes Project Whirlwind]  Box 22
Box 7, 22		Laboratory for Computer Science [formerly Project MAC]  Box 7, 22
		Lincoln Labs [includes TX-2]  Box 7, 22
Box 40		LINC [v. 16]  Box 40
Box 38		Machine Methods for Computation and Numerical Analysis  Box 38
		MIT Computation Center  Box 38
		MIT Cooperative Computing Group, Department of Physics, and Solid State and Molecular Theory Group  Box 38
		NERComP [New England Regional Computing Program]  Box 38
		Project Intrex  Box 38
		Project MAC [includes report by Minsky and Papert on preceptrons, several dissertations, and a MULTICS manual]  Box 38
		Research Laboratory of Electronics  Box 38
Box 40		Research Laboratory of Electronics and Computation Center [includes COMIT and LISP manuals]  Box 40
		School of Industrial Management [Electronic Computers and Business Problems, 1956]  Box 40
Box 38, 40		Sensory Aids Evaluation and Development Center  Box 38, 40
Box 40		Servomechanisms Laboratory [includes Project Whirlwind]  Box 40
		Technical Information Program  Box 40
		University of Massachusetts--Amherst  Box 40
		University of Michigan [includes information on MIDAC, MIDSAC, MAD and GAT]
Box 20		College of Engineering: Summer Courses, 1956-58, 1963.  Box 20
		College of Engineering: Use of Computers in Engineering Education, 1960-1961.  Box 20
		College of Engineering Industry Program.  Box 20
Box 21		College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, Department of Philosophy  Box 21
		Communication Sciences Laboratory.  Box 21
		Computing Center [includes information on MTS]  Box 21
		CONCOMP: Research in Conversational Use of Computers [directed by Frank Westervelt]  Box 21
		Dept. of Electrical Engineering  Box 21
		Dept. of Electrical Engineering. Information Systems Laboratory  Box 21
		Dept. of Electrical Engineering. Sensory Intelligence Laboratory  Box 21
		Dept. of Electrical Engineering. Radiation Laboratory  Box 21
		Dept. of Electrical Engineering. Systems Engineering Laboratory (  Box 21
		Department of Industrial Engineering [later Industrial and Operations Engineering  Box 21
		Department of Philosophy  Box 21
Box 20		Division of Research Development and Administration  Box 20
		Engineering Summer Conferences  Box 20
Box 21		Engineering Research Institute  Box 21
Box 20		MAD [Michigan Algorithm Decoder]  Box 20
Box 21		Mental Health Research Institute  Box 21
		MERIT Computer Network [with Wayne State and Michigan State]  Box 21
Box 20		Statistical and Computing Laboratory  Box 20
		Summer Course Notes  Box 20
Box 8		Willow Run Research Center [later Willow Run Laboratory]  Box 8
Box 3		Midwestern Universities Research Association  Box 3
Box 23		University of Minnesota  Box 23
Box 3		Mississippi Southern College  Box 3
		Montana State College  Box 3
		University of New Mexico  Box 3
		University of North Carolina  Box 3
		Northeastern University  Box 3
Box 25		Northwestern University  Box 25
		New York University [NYU] [includes Symposium on digital computing in the aircraft industry (1957) in cooperation with IBM]
Box 24		Department of Electrical Engineering. Laboratory for Electroscience Research  Box 24
		Institute for Computer Research in the Humanities. Linguistic String Project  Box 24
		Institute of Mathematical Sciences. AEC [Atomic Energy Commission] Computing and Applied Mathematics Center  Box 24
Box 26		Ohio State University  Box 26
Box 29		Pennsylvania State University [includes manual for PENNSTAC/PENNCODE]  Box 29
		University of Pennsylvania
Box 27		Computer Center  Box 27
		Institute for Cooperative Research [in cooperation with the Moore School]  Box 27
		Office of Computer Research and Education  Box 27
Box 27-28		Moore School of Electrical Engineering [includes Moore School Lectures; reports on ENIAC, EDVAC, MSAC]  Box 27-28
Box 3		University of Pittsburgh  Box 3
Box 30-31		Princeton University  Box 30-31
Box 3		Purdue University  Box 3
Box 4		Rensselaer Polytechnic  Box 4
		Rice University  Box 4
		University of Rochester  Box 4
		Rutgers, The State University [N.J.]  Box 4
		University of Southern California  Box 4
		Southern Illinois University  Box 4
		Stanford University
Box 33		Applied Mathematics and Statistics Laboratories. Institute for Mathematical Studies in the Social Sciences  Box 33
		Center for Economic Policy Research  Box 33
Box 7		Center for Interdisciplinary Research, Program in Information Technology and Telecommunications  Box 7
Box 33		Computer Center Information Systems  Box 33
		Computer Science Division [later Computer Science Department]  Box 33
Box 32		Division of Engineering Mechanics  Box 32
Box 34		Graduate School of Business. Institute for Communication Research [SPIRES project]  Box 34
		Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory  Box 34
		Stanford Electronics Laboratories. Digital Systems Laboratory  Box 34
		Stanford Electronics Laboratories. Solid-State Electronics Laboratory  Box 34
		Stanford Electronics Laboratories. Systems Theory Laboratory  Box 34
		Stanford Linear Accelerator Center  Box 34
Box 33		Stanford Research Institute  Box 33
Box 34		Study and evaluation of the status of university programs in the United States in computers, data-processing and related fields including recommendations to Stanford University on their potential role in these fields, prepared by Louis Fein, Oct. 1957, 31 p.  Box 34
		State University of New York [SUNY]
Box 24		Computer Sciences Consulting and Coordinating Committee  Box 24
		State University of New York at Albany [SUNY]  Box 24
		State University of New York at Buffalo [SUNY]  Box 24
		State University of New York at Stony Brook [SUNY]  Box 24
Box 4		Syracuse University  Box 4
		Temple University  Box 4
		University of Texas  Box 4
Box 36		University of Utah  Box 36
Box 5		University of Vermont  Box 5
		Washington University [St. Louis, MO]  Box 5
		University of Washington  Box 5
Box 37		Wayne State University  Box 37
Box 5		University of Wisconsin  Box 5
		Yale University  Box 5