Starting with Nothing: Archives at National RadioAstronomy Observatory

摘要

Founded in 1956, National Radio Astronomy Observatory had noArchivist or Archives program until mid-2003, when the new Archivist, workingless than half time, began building the collection. Our institutional records werescattered between multiple storage areas at NRAO sites in four different states,and no one knew what we had. Personal papers of pioneers and participants inthe development of US radio astronomy were also often scattered, unknown, andunindexed. This paper presents the highlights of how, on a limited budget butwith broad support of NRAO staff, the NRAO Archives has begun a programto gather and organize materials on our own institutional history as well as thepersonal papers and recollections of contributors to US radio astronomy historyas a whole.