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Burton Adkinson (1909-2004) worked as a geographer at the Department of State, the Department of the Interior, and the OSS during World War II. While he was Director of the Reference Department, he established the Division of Science and Technology within the Department, reorganized the Division for the Blind, initiated a research program dealing with "talking books," established punched-card control of loans to federal employees, and developed bibliographies and information projects for other government agencies. While he worked at NSF, he became concerned with the publication, retrieval, storage, and exchange of information within the nation as well as internationally. | Burton Adkinson (1909-2004) worked as a geographer at the Department of State, the Department of the Interior, and the OSS during World War II. While he was Director of the Reference Department, he established the Division of Science and Technology within the Department, reorganized the Division for the Blind, initiated a research program dealing with "talking books," established punched-card control of loans to federal employees, and developed bibliographies and information projects for other government agencies. While he worked at NSF, he became concerned with the publication, retrieval, storage, and exchange of information within the nation as well as internationally. | ||
Revision as of 16:20, 21 April 2023
Burton Adkinson (1909-2004) worked as a geographer at the Department of State, the Department of the Interior, and the OSS during World War II. While he was Director of the Reference Department, he established the Division of Science and Technology within the Department, reorganized the Division for the Blind, initiated a research program dealing with "talking books," established punched-card control of loans to federal employees, and developed bibliographies and information projects for other government agencies. While he worked at NSF, he became concerned with the publication, retrieval, storage, and exchange of information within the nation as well as internationally.
Life
Burton Wilbur Adkinson was born March 5, 1909 in Everson, Washington. In 1935, he married Myra Lewis, who died of a brain tumor two years after they married. With the encouragement of her family, he continued his education at the University of Washington, and in 1942, he received his Ph.D. in physical geography from Clark University. His obituary is located in the Seattle Times.
Contributions
Adkinson worked at: the Office of Geography, Dept. of State 1942-43; Assistant Director, U.S. Bd. of Geographical Names 1943-44; Assistant Chief Map Intelligence Section, Map Division, OSS 1944-45; Library of Congress: Assistant Chief, Acting Chief, Map Division 1945-47; Chief 1947-49; Director, Reference Dept., Library of Congress 1949-57; Head of Office of Science Information, NSF, 1957-1970; Director, American Geographical Society 1971-?; consultant to various organizations.
AWARDS:
International Federation for Documentation (FID) Centennial Medallion (awarded 1995); Fellow, American Society of Geographers, 1944-;
OFFICES:
FID Pres., 1963-65; SLA Treasurer 1954-56, President, 1959-60; Association Society of Geographers, Secretary 1954-57, Director, 1970-73.
Selected Publications
Papers
LOCATION #1: University of Wyoming, Library, Special Collections Division.
- INCLUDES: Most of these papers are related to his doctoral research on Wyoming/Western geology and not to his work in information science.
LOCATION #2: See information on National Science Foundation records.