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Paper: Starting with Nothing: Archives at National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Volume: 377, Library and Information Services in Astronomy V: Common Challenges, Uncommon Solutions
Page: 341
Authors: Bouton, E.N.
Abstract: Founded in 1956, National Radio Astronomy Observatory had no Archivist or Archives program until mid-2003, when the new Archivist, working less than half time, began building the collection. Our institutional records were scattered between multiple storage areas at NRAO sites in four different states, and no one knew what we had. Personal papers of pioneers and participants in the development of US radio astronomy were also often scattered, unknown, and unindexed. This paper presents the highlights of how, on a limited budget but with broad support of NRAO staff, the NRAO Archives has begun a program to gather and organize materials on our own institutional history as well as the personal papers and recollections of contributors to US radio astronomy history as a whole.
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