Library Collection, 1967-1989

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Summary

Creators:
Ames Research Center
Abstract:
The Library Collection provides insight on library staff, culture, planning, operations, and facility changes for nearly two decades, from 1967 to 1989. This collection of materials contains an array of photographs, outreach materials, and administrative documents from the Ames Main Library, later named Technical Library, and the Life Sciences Library. Photographs depict personnel, library interiors, and facility changes. Outreach materials include the Library's Upstairs, Downstairs, and Across the Street newsletter and brochures. Administrative documentation includes planning and operations files.
Extent:
Number of containers: 5 Volume: 5 cubic feet
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The Library collection consists of photographs, outreach materials, and administrative documents from both the Main Library (later named Technical Library), and the Life Sciences Library. The materials depict library personnel, planning operations, and physical changes to the facilities from 1967 to 1989. The photographs and documents are evidence of different phases of improvements and footprint reductions, while the outreach materials are examples of communication efforts during those two decades. The collection is arranged into three series: Photographs, Outreach, and Administrative Documentation. Though multiple libraries were in operation during this time, with each library serving a specific research interest, this collection focuses on the Main and Life Sciences Libraries.

The Photograph Series provides views of librarians and library interiors, such as the reading room, offices, and shelving units from both the Main and Life Sciences Libraries from 1967-1971. Other images depict staff preparing for a collection move prior to the Main Library's seismic retrofit from 1988-1989. Documentation related to the collection move and other physical changes to the library facility shown in these photographs can be found in Series III. The photographs in this series include snapshots taken by library personnel and official images taken by an Ames photographer.

The Outreach Series is predominately made up of bound volumes of the Library staff newsletter Upstairs, Downstairs, and Across the Street, which ran from 1977-1980. Other materials in the series include Ames Astrogram articles and brochures about the library services dated from 1969-1980.

The Administrative Documents Series includes topics related to library planning and operations. The majority of the documentation captures how the library physically changed between 1968-1983. Throughout the years the Main Library and Life Sciences Library experienced improvements, expansions, and reductions. Library services and the physical footprint of facilities changed over time. The planning and operation documentation provide insights into some of those changes. Photographs from Series I provide visual documentation of facility changes.

Acquisition information:
Transferred by the Technical Library on March 22, 2017 (Acc. 2017-006).
Arrangement:

The Library collection was received with no apparent order beyond materials being organized by format. The materials are arranged in three series by format and function, and then in chronological order.

  • Series include:
  • I. Library Photographs, 1967-1989
  • II. Library Outreach, 1969-1980
  • III. Administrative Documents, 1968-1983
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Access and use

Location of this collection:
NASA Ames Research Center Archives
Mail Stop 207-1 (Bldg. N207, Rm. 112C)
Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001, US
Contact:
(650) 604-1032
ARC-DL-archives@mail.nasa.gov
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