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Point foundation records
M1441
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Department of Special Collections and University Archives
Title: Point foundation records
creator:
Point (Foundation)
source:
Raymond, Dick (Richard Harrington)
Identifier/Call Number: M1441
Physical Description:
1 Linear Feet
(2 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1964-1975
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.
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.
Files including reports, correspondence, board materials, project reports, etc. Some older files concern the Portola Institute.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Richard Raymond, 2004. Accession 2004-190.
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.
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.
[identification of item], Point Foundation records (M1441). Dept. of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford
University Libraries, Stanford, Calif.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Point (Foundation)
Brand, Stewart
Raymond, Dick (Richard Harrington)
Portola Institute