Allen Kent: Difference between revisions
mNo edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
[[File: | [[File:Allen Kent2.jpg|alt=Photo of Allen Kent|thumb|Allen Kent <br> Credit: University of Pittsburgh Library System Digital Collections]] | ||
Allen Kent (1921- 2014) was a pioneer of information science. | |||
== Life == | == Life == | ||
Kent was born in New York and attended City College of New York. | |||
A brief obituary and biographical statement is available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20140730101601/http://www.asis.org/news/Allen_Kent.html | |||
== Relevant Employment == | == Relevant Employment == | ||
* MIT | * [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|'''MIT''']] | ||
* | * Western Reserve University | ||
* University of Pittsburgh (School of LIS) | * University of Pittsburgh (School of LIS) | ||
| Line 13: | Line 16: | ||
Concerned with free-field searching; Realized need for vocabulary control especially when dealing with automated functions; Began developing a semantic code dictionary in 1951; 1953-55 worked on the telegraph abstract; Helped establish the Mark I Information Retrieval Service (based on the WRU System) 1960; Involved in pilot program to study the feasibility of a mechanized information service for educational research materials - led to development of ERIC; Established the Knowledge Availability Systems Center; 1971-1974 Chairman of Board of Trustees of EDUCOM; Co-editor of Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. | Concerned with free-field searching; Realized need for vocabulary control especially when dealing with automated functions; Began developing a semantic code dictionary in 1951; 1953-55 worked on the telegraph abstract; Helped establish the Mark I Information Retrieval Service (based on the WRU System) 1960; Involved in pilot program to study the feasibility of a mechanized information service for educational research materials - led to development of ERIC; Established the Knowledge Availability Systems Center; 1971-1974 Chairman of Board of Trustees of EDUCOM; Co-editor of Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. | ||
(With Perry) associated with the discovery and pioneering of information science; 1955 went to WRU Center for Documentation and Communication Research with Perry; Worked on an elaborate coding system which involved "telegraphic abstracts;" This system included rules to aid in retrieval. | (With Perry) associated with the discovery and pioneering of information science; 1955 went to WRU Center for Documentation and Communication Research with Perry; Worked on an elaborate coding system which involved "telegraphic abstracts;" This system included rules to aid in retrieval. | ||
An extensive oral history interview with Kent was conducted in 1993 by the National Council of Jewish Women, Pittsburgh Section and the tapes have been digitized and are available for listening at: | An extensive oral history interview with Kent was conducted in 1993 by the National Council of Jewish Women, Pittsburgh Section and the tapes have been digitized and are available for listening at: https://digital.library.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3Aais196440.233 Content of the interview concentrates on his experiences as a Jew but also includes considerable discussion of his career in information science and work at Case Western Reserve University and the Univ. of Pittsburgh. | ||
Kent's family has given permission for the selective publication of a majority of "The Memoirs of Allen Kent," written about 1995 (about 90 pages); see link below. Permission to quote from not required as long as source is cited. | Kent's family has given permission for the selective publication of a majority of "The Memoirs of Allen Kent," written about 1995 (about 90 pages); see link below. Permission to quote from not required as long as source is cited. | ||
| Line 21: | Line 24: | ||
== Awards == | == Awards == | ||
* 1977 Award of Merit(ASIS) | * 1977 Award of Merit ([[American Society for Information Science|'''ASIS''']]) | ||
* 1980 Best Information Science Book (ASIS) | * 1980 Best Information Science Book (ASIS) | ||
Revision as of 00:15, 28 September 2023
Credit: University of Pittsburgh Library System Digital Collections
Allen Kent (1921- 2014) was a pioneer of information science.
Life
Kent was born in New York and attended City College of New York.
A brief obituary and biographical statement is available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20140730101601/http://www.asis.org/news/Allen_Kent.html
Relevant Employment
- MIT
- Western Reserve University
- University of Pittsburgh (School of LIS)
Contributions
Concerned with free-field searching; Realized need for vocabulary control especially when dealing with automated functions; Began developing a semantic code dictionary in 1951; 1953-55 worked on the telegraph abstract; Helped establish the Mark I Information Retrieval Service (based on the WRU System) 1960; Involved in pilot program to study the feasibility of a mechanized information service for educational research materials - led to development of ERIC; Established the Knowledge Availability Systems Center; 1971-1974 Chairman of Board of Trustees of EDUCOM; Co-editor of Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science.
(With Perry) associated with the discovery and pioneering of information science; 1955 went to WRU Center for Documentation and Communication Research with Perry; Worked on an elaborate coding system which involved "telegraphic abstracts;" This system included rules to aid in retrieval.
An extensive oral history interview with Kent was conducted in 1993 by the National Council of Jewish Women, Pittsburgh Section and the tapes have been digitized and are available for listening at: https://digital.library.pitt.edu/islandora/object/pitt%3Aais196440.233 Content of the interview concentrates on his experiences as a Jew but also includes considerable discussion of his career in information science and work at Case Western Reserve University and the Univ. of Pittsburgh.
Kent's family has given permission for the selective publication of a majority of "The Memoirs of Allen Kent," written about 1995 (about 90 pages); see link below. Permission to quote from not required as long as source is cited.
Awards
- 1977 Award of Merit (ASIS)
- 1980 Best Information Science Book (ASIS)
Offices
Papers
Location #1 University of Michigan, Rare books; search under: Warden, Margaret (Smith), 1917-.
- Papers dates: 1944-1987; bulk 1966-1985
- Size: Total collection: 1.9 feet (ca.685 items)
- Includes: Kent is mentioned in the papers of Margaret (Smith) Warden; She served as commissioner of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (1979-1984); Member of the Advisory committee, White House Conference on Library and Information Services (1975-1979); Member of ALS and National Secretary and Legislative Chairman of the Montana Library Association.
- Finding aid:
- Source: RLIN