Point foundation records, 1964-1975

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Summary

Creators:
Point (Foundation) and Raymond, Dick (Richard Harrington)
Abstract:
Records of the defunct foundation Point, founded in 1971 by Dick Raymond and Stewart Brand in California to fund small projects and produce Whole Earth publications.
Extent:
1 Linear Feet (2 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[identification of item], Point Foundation records (M1441). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Background

Scope and content:

Files including reports, correspondence, board materials, project reports, etc. Some older files concern the Portola Institute.

Biographical / historical:

The Point foundation (not to be confused with the National LGBTQ Scholarship Fund of the same name) was a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco and founded by Stewart Brand and Richard "Dick" Raymond, growing out of their work with the Portola Institute and the Whole Earth Catalog. Point was conceived from the profits of The Last Whole Earth Catalog and was dedicated to perpetuating the energies and ideals of the catalog, including environmentalism, sustainability, and innovation. Formed in 1971 (following Whole Earth's "Demise Party") it distributed more than $800,000 in small grants. These grants were chosen by individual Point directors for "relatively active purposes affecting issues of economic, environmental, sociological, and behavioral importance." Board members at various times included Raymond and Brand as well as Huey Johnson (Nature Conservancy), Jerry Mander ("radical ad-man"), Bill English (Xerox) and Michael Phillips (Glide Church). As its non-profit owner, Point later published works related to the Whole Earth Catalog. It was also a co-owner of The WELL (Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link) one of the oldest virtual communities in operation, selling it's 50% stake to Bruce Katz in 1994.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Richard Raymond, 2004. Accession 2004-190.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use. Audiovisual materials are not available in original format, and must be reformatted to a digital use copy.

Terms of access:

While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns.

Preferred citation:

[identification of item], Point Foundation records (M1441). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Location of this collection:
Department of Special Collections, Green Library
557 Escondido Mall
Stanford, CA 94305-6004, US
Contact:
(650) 725-1022
specialcollections@stanford.edu
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