Jump to content

National Institute of Standards and Technology: Difference between revisions

Updated NARA papers info and link; Updated Babbage papers info and link; Added info and source regarding name changes over time
Re-formatted and initial revision.
Line 1: Line 1:
The '''National Bureau of Standards''' was a US Federal agency established 1901.


<table>
The '''National Bureau of Standards''' was a US Federal agency established as the National Bureau of Standards in 1901, but was named Bureau of Standards from 1903 to 1934. It became the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, in 1988.
<tr>
<tr valign="TOP">
<td COL SPAN="3" ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
</tr>
<tr>
<td ROWSPAN="10" ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
</tr>
<tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
ORGANIZATION:
</b>
</td>
<td>
<font SIZE="+1">
National Bureau of Standards
</font SIZE>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
ACTIVE DATES:
</b>
</td>
<td>
 
1901-present</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
ADDRESS:
</b>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
E-MAIL:
</b>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
PERSONS INVOLVED:
</b>
</td>
<td>
<b>[[Thomas Campbell Bagg|Thomas C. Bagg]]</b>; <b>[[Madeline M. (Berry) Henderson]]</b>; <b>[[Joseph Hilsenrath]]</b>; <b>[[David Reynolds Lide, Jr.|David R. Lide]]</b>; <b>[[Alfred James Lotka|Alfred J. Lotka]]</b>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
MAJOR PROJECTS:
</b>
</td>
<td>
 
</td>
</tr>


<tr>
== Contributions ==
<td VALIGN="TOP">
The National Bureau of Standards (NBS) used the SEAC in conjunction with the Patent Office for a joint systems development program called HAYSTAQ.<sup>1</sup> The two agencies wanted HAYSTAQ to be able to search the contents of a technical document in any field. Progress on the machine was slow  and in 1961 a panel  appointed by the commissioner of patents suggested that NBS should obtain funds to begin a R&amp;D program in information storage and retrieval as well as establish a clearinghouse and coordinating center for information retrieval with the Patent Office. The R&amp;D program, although limited by funds, undertook projects which improved searching techniques. The HAYSYAQ project increased and improved search strategies as well as performed various psychological and statistical studies.
<b>
OTHER INFORMATION:
</b>
</td>
<td>
<p>The National Bureau of Standards (NBS) used the SEAC in conjunction with the Patent Office for a joint systems development program called HAYSTAQ.<sup>1</sup> The two agencies wanted HAYSTAQ to be able to search the contents of a technical document in any field. Progress on the machine was slow  and in 1961 a panel  appointed by the commissioner of patents suggested that NBS should obtain funds to begin a R&amp;D program in information storage and retrieval as well as establish a clearinghouse and coordinating center for information retrieval with the Patent Office. The R&amp;D program, although limited by funds, undertook projects which improved searching techniques. The HAYSYAQ project increased and improved search strategies as well as performed various psychological and statistical studies.
<p>Named National Bureau of Standards in 1901; renamed Bureau of Standards in 1903; renamed National Bureau of Standards in 1934; renamed National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 1988<sup>2</sup>
<p>Named National Bureau of Standards in 1901; renamed Bureau of Standards in 1903; renamed National Bureau of Standards in 1934; renamed National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 1988<sup>2</sup>
<p>Redmond C. Cochrane has written an in-house history of NBS titled <i>Measure for Progress:  A History of the NBS</i> (Washington, DC: NBS, 1966).
<p>Redmond C. Cochrane has written an in-house history of NBS titled <i>Measure for Progress:  A History of the NBS</i> (Washington, DC: NBS, 1966).
<p>For detailed information about NBS and related archival materials, see NBS' entry in the Physics History Network: https://history.aip.org/phn/21612008.html
<p>For detailed information about NBS and related archival materials, see NBS' entry in the Physics History Network: https://history.aip.org/phn/21612008.html
</td>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
SOURCE:
</b>
</td>
<td>
1. Adkinson, B. W. (1978).  <i>Two Centuries of Federal Information</i>.  Dowsen, Hutchinson, &amp; Ross, Inc.: Stroudsburg, PA.


2. NIST. (2023, February 14). ''From NBS to NIST''. https://www.nist.gov/pao/nist-100-foundations-progress/nbs-nist
</td>
</tr>


</table>


<center>
Persons involved included [[Thomas Campbell Bagg|Thomas C. Bagg]], [Madeline M. (Berry) Henderson]], [[Joseph Hilsenrath]], [[David Reynolds Lide, Jr.|David R. Lide]] and [[Alfred James Lotka|Alfred J. Lotka]].
<hr>
 
</center>
 
== Further reading ==
*Adkinson, B. W. ''Two Centuries of Federal Information''. Stroudsburg, PA: </i>.  Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross.
*''From NBS to NIST''. NIST. [https://www.nist.gov/pao/nist-100-foundations-progress/nbs-nist]


<table>
== Papers ==
<tr>
<td COL SPAN="3" ALIGN="LEFT">
</tr>
<tr>
<td ROWSPAN="6" ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
</tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
PAPERS AT:<br>
LOCATION</b>
</td>
<td>
National Archives
National Archives
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
PAPERS DATES:
</b>
</td>
<td>
1830-1987</td>
1830-1987</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
SIZE:
</b>
</td>
<td>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
INCLUDES:
</b>
</td>
<td>
Correspondence, records of directors and associate directors, publications, records of institutes, records of divisions and sections, motion pictures, still pictures, etc.  
Correspondence, records of directors and associate directors, publications, records of institutes, records of divisions and sections, motion pictures, still pictures, etc.  


See full description in the records guide available at https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/167.html
See full description in the records guide available at https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/167.html
</td>
*Charles Babbage Institute Archives. Andersen Library. Minneapolis. 1956 - 1978. 731 boxes (241.25 cubic feet). Collection contains reports, manuals and publications from corporations, government agencies, and academic computing centers covering a broad range of computer-related topics. The collection only contains a few documents that predate 1962. See full details at https://archives.lib.umn.edu/repositories/3/resources/38
</tr>
<tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
SOURCE:
</b>
</td>
<td>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
 
 
 
<center>
<hr>
</center>
 
<table>
<tr>
<td COL SPAN="3" ALIGN="LEFT">
</tr>
<tr>
<td ROWSPAN="6" ALIGN="LEFT" VALIGN="TOP">
</tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
PAPERS AT:<br>
LOCATION #2
</b>
</td>
<td>
Charles Babbage Institute Archives
 
211 Andersen Library
 
222 21<sup>st</sup> Ave South
 
Minneapolis, MN 55455
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
PAPERS DATES:
</b>
</td>
<td>
1956 - 1978
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
SIZE:
</b>
</td>
<td>
731 boxes (241.25 cubic feet)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td VALIGN="TOP">
<b>
INCLUDES:
</b>
</td>
<td>
Collection contains reports, manuals and publications from corporations, government agencies, and academic computing centers covering a broad range of computer-related topics. The collection only contains a few documents that predate 1962. See full details at https://archives.lib.umn.edu/repositories/3/resources/38
</td>
</td>
</tr>
</tr>

Revision as of 22:20, 14 January 2025

The National Bureau of Standards was a US Federal agency established 1901.

The National Bureau of Standards was a US Federal agency established as the National Bureau of Standards in 1901, but was named Bureau of Standards from 1903 to 1934. It became the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, in 1988.

Contributions

The National Bureau of Standards (NBS) used the SEAC in conjunction with the Patent Office for a joint systems development program called HAYSTAQ.1 The two agencies wanted HAYSTAQ to be able to search the contents of a technical document in any field. Progress on the machine was slow and in 1961 a panel appointed by the commissioner of patents suggested that NBS should obtain funds to begin a R&D program in information storage and retrieval as well as establish a clearinghouse and coordinating center for information retrieval with the Patent Office. The R&D program, although limited by funds, undertook projects which improved searching techniques. The HAYSYAQ project increased and improved search strategies as well as performed various psychological and statistical studies.

Named National Bureau of Standards in 1901; renamed Bureau of Standards in 1903; renamed National Bureau of Standards in 1934; renamed National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 19882

Redmond C. Cochrane has written an in-house history of NBS titled Measure for Progress: A History of the NBS (Washington, DC: NBS, 1966).

For detailed information about NBS and related archival materials, see NBS' entry in the Physics History Network: https://history.aip.org/phn/21612008.html Persons involved included Thomas C. Bagg, [Madeline M. (Berry) Henderson]], Joseph Hilsenrath, David R. Lide and Alfred J. Lotka.

Further reading

  • Adkinson, B. W. Two Centuries of Federal Information. Stroudsburg, PA: . Dowden, Hutchinson & Ross.
  • From NBS to NIST. NIST. [1]

Papers

National Archives

1830-1987 Correspondence, records of directors and associate directors, publications, records of institutes, records of divisions and sections, motion pictures, still pictures, etc. See full description in the records guide available at https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/167.html

  • Charles Babbage Institute Archives. Andersen Library. Minneapolis. 1956 - 1978. 731 boxes (241.25 cubic feet). Collection contains reports, manuals and publications from corporations, government agencies, and academic computing centers covering a broad range of computer-related topics. The collection only contains a few documents that predate 1962. See full details at https://archives.lib.umn.edu/repositories/3/resources/38

FINDING AID:

SOURCE: