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Roberts (L. G. (Lawrence G.)) papers
LSC.2328
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Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: L. G. Roberts (Lawrence G.) papers
Creator:
Roberts, L. G. (Lawrence G.)
Identifier/Call Number: LSC.2328
Physical Description:
0.4 Linear Feet
(1 box)
Date (inclusive): 1962-2009
Abstract: In 1965, L. G. Roberts (Lawrence G.) successfully implemented the first computer-to-computer packet link between MIT and Systems
Development Corporation (SDC). In 1966, Roberts became the chief scientist and in 1967 the director of the Information Processing
Techniques Office (IPTO) of the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), later renamed the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency (DARPA) of the United States Department of Defense (DoD). As director, Roberts was responsible for designing and managing
the implementation of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) computer communications network, a research
packet switching computer communications network that was the precursor to the internet.
The collection contains the professional and research files of L. G. Roberts dating from 1962 to 2009 and includes publications;
notes written by Roberts concerning the development of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET); notes on the
internet and on networked computing more broadly; professional correspondence.
Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access note
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Property rights to the objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright, are retained
by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue
the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
The collection was donated in December 2011 by Lawrence G. Roberts to the UCLA Kleinrock Internet History Center.
UCLA Catalog Record ID:
9981345163606533
[Identification of item], Roberts, L. G. (Lawrence G.) papers (Collection 2328). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles
E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
This collection was acquired by University Archivist Charlotte Brown for a proposed Kleinrock Center for Internet Studies
(KCIS) at UCLA in 2011. The former collection number was KCIS001.
Processed by Ashton Prigge under the supervision of Kelly Besser, 2018. Processing by May Chua and Gretta S. Treuscorff with
assistance from Sonia Collazo was supported by UCLA University Archives and Kleinrock Internet History Center, 2012.
Collections are processed to a variety of levels depending on the work necessary to make them usable, their perceived user
interest and research value, availability of staff and resources, and competing priorities. Library Special Collections provides
a standard level of preservation and access for all collections and, when time and resources permit, conducts more intensive
processing. These materials have been arranged and described according to national and local standards and best practices.
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Collections.
L. G. Roberts (Lawrence G.) was born in Connecticut in 1937, the son of Elliott and Elizabeth Roberts. After graduating with
his BS (1959), MS (1960), and PhD (1963) in Electrical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Roberts
began work at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory, where he carried out research on computer networks. In 1965, Roberts successfully
implemented the first computer-to-computer packet link between MIT and Systems Development Corporation (SDC).
In 1966, Roberts became the chief scientist and in 1967 the director of the Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO)
of the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), later renamed the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the
United States Department of Defense (DoD). As director, Roberts was responsible for designing and managing the implementation
of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) computer communications network, a research packet switching computer
communications network that was the precursor to the internet.
In 1973, Roberts left IPTO to form the first commercial packet network, Telenet, where he held the position of Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) until his departure in 1980. Starting in 1983, Roberts served as CEO of NetExpress and of Netmax Communications,
president of ATM Systems, and founded Caspian Networks and Anagran Inc. while continuing his work with network technology.
For the development of computer packet switching and network technology, Roberts received many honors and awards including
the Charles Stark Draper prize (2001) and Secretary of Defense Meritorious Service Medal (1973).
This collection documents the professional and research life of L. G. (Lawrence G.) Roberts who was the Advanced Research
Projects Agency (ARPA) program manager responsible for designing and managing the implementation of the Advanced Research
Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The materials represent Robert's activities during the
early period of development (1966-1973) of the packet computer network, ARPANET, started by the Department of Defense. The
collection includes original data rate charts, logical and geographic maps, presentation slides, reports, conference itineraries,
trade and scholarly publications, and correspondence relating to the cost, efficiency, research and development of the ARPANET.
Materials dated later than 1973 consist primarily of special interest and trade publications which document the accomplishments
of Roberts, the development of the ARPANET, and early computer networking history.
The collection has been arranged in the following series:
Series 1: Network Notes and Diagrams, 1969-1988
Series 2: Correspondence, 1963-1973
Series 3: Publications, 1962-2009
Existence and Location of Copies
Digital reproductions of collection materials are available on the
UCLA Digital Library | Kleinrock Center for Internet Studies .
Leonard Kleinrock papers. Available at UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA.
Michael Allen Wingfield papers. Available at Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA.
Computer Science Department. Student papers, abstracts, and reports. 1965-1977. Available at Library Special Collections, University Archives, UCLA.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
ARPANET (Computer network).
Roberts, L. G. (Lawrence G.) -- Archives
United States. Advanced Research Projects Agency
- Collection Overview
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Collection Details
- Conditions Governing Access note
- Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
- Immediate Source of Acquisition note
- UCLA Catalog Record ID
- Preferred Citation note
- Custodial History note
- Processing Information note
- Biographical/Historical note
- Scope and Contents note
- Arrangement note
- Existence and Location of Copies
- Related Material