Trailblazing Women in Computer History

Gertrude Blanch Papers (CBI 162) 

The collection includes Gertrude Blanch’s lectures given during the 1940s and 1960; published articles and notes for her two unpublished manuscripts, 1935-1994; colleagues’ and others’ writings collected by Blanch, 1895-1969; and photographs of Blanch, alone, with colleagues and friends, and at awards ceremonies, 1930s-1966. The collection also contains a small amount of biographical material, 1932-1967, including awards and citations, records relating to her employment, 1954-1967, and documentation regarding immigration and naturalization, affidavit of birth, and record of name change. Also included is a small amount of personal and professional correspondence, 1957-1994. See Collection Finding Aid

Claire K. Schultz papers (CBI 86) 

The collection documents Claire Schultz's pioneering work in automated information retrieval, the transition of information retrieval systems from punched cards to computers, and indexing practices for medical and scientific literature. The bulk of Schultz's papers served as a reference collection for her professional use and as a resource for her students. These materials include research and progress reports, journal articles, professional presentations, and product literature, including information on Schultz's role in the automation of the Armed Services Technical Information Agency (ASTIA) and the development of the National Library of Medicine's MEDLARS/MEDLINE system in the early 1960s. See Collection Finding Aid

Margaret R. Fox Papers (CBI 45) 

Margaret Fox collected materials in order to document the work of the National Bureau of Standards, or NBS, where she was hired as part of the Electronic Computing Laboratory in 1951.  She was appointed Chief of the Office of Computer Information in 1966, part of the Institute for Computer Science and Technology of NBS.  She held the post until 1975.  She was also actively involved in the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and served as the first Secretary for the American Federation for Information Processing Societies (AFIPS).  The Margaret Fox Papers contain collected writings by Fox herself as well as other notable contemporary women in computing. See Collection Finding Aid

Grace Hopper Materials

From the Collection: The Reference Files contain oral history transcripts, reference photographs and audiovisual material, and reference files on a number of different topics relating to the history of computing. Files are updated as new materials are acquired. From the Collection