A. Michael Noll Papers: Finding Aid mssNoll
Brooke M. Black
The Huntington Library
February 2022
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Business Number: (626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: A. Michael Noll papers
Creator:
Noll, A. Michael
Identifier/Call Number: mssNoll
Physical Description:
2.08 Linear Feet
(5 boxes and 1 oversize folder)
Date (inclusive): 1949-2016
Abstract: Papers belonging to American engineer A. Michael Noll.
Language of Material: Materials are in English with a few items in German.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more
information.
Conditions Governing Use
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and
obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item]. A. Michael Noll papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gifts of A. Michael Noll, 2001-2016.
Biographical / Historical
A. Michael Noll is an American engineer born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1939. He has a B.S.E.E. from the Newark College of
Engineering, an M.E.E. from New York University, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn.
Currently, he is professor emeritus at the Annenberg School for Communications at the University of Southern California. Noll
is an early pioneer in digital and 3D art and proposed that the digital computer could be a creative artistic medium. He worked
at Bell Labs in New Jersey studying three-dimensional computer graphics and animation as well as human-machine communication
and speech signal processing and became one of the first researchers to use a computer to create artistic patterns. In 1965,
his work was exhibited at the Howard Wise Gallery in New York City and was ultimately used in many articles and books. Noll
has published over ninety professional papers, was granted six patents, and is the author of ten books. He contributes regularly
to newspapers and magazines.
Scope and Contents
The collection is composed primarily of published and typewritten articles by Dr. Noll, J. R. Pierce, and other authors. It
also contains correspondence between Dr. Noll and J. R. Pierce as well as W. O. Baker. Several noteworthy items include the
earliest piece of Dr. Noll's artwork and a letter from J. R. Pierce to Richard Nixon. Letters to and from Arthur C. Clarke
are also included, which discuss Clarke's forthcoming books, and a typewritten article by J. R. Pierce provides technical
counsel for the film "2001: A Space Odyssey."
Processing Information
Processed by Catherine Wehrey-Miller in August 2013. In 2022, Brooke M. Black created a finding aid.
Arrangement
Arranged in the following series: 1. Published articles; 2. Correspondence, artwork, media; 3. Typewritten articles; 4. Magazines,
art catalogs, addenda; 5. Oversize.
General
Former call number: mssNoll collection.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Computer art
Engineers -- United States
Telecommunication
Articles
Letters (correspondence)
Papers (documents)
Baker, W. O.
Clarke, Arthur C. (Arthur Charles), 1917-2008
Mathews, Max V.
Mezei, Leslie, 1931-
Oster, Gerald
Pierce, John R. (John Robinson), 1910-2002
Whitney, John, Sr., 1917-1995
Annenberg School of Communications (University of Southern California)
AT & T Bell Laboratories
Box 1, Box 2
Published articles
1961-1997
Box 3
Correspondence, artwork, media
1956-2006
Box 4
Typewritten articles
1949-2002
Box 5
Magazines, art catalogs, addenda
1964-2016
