The Catalogues of Archives of Scientists, Compiled by the Contemporary Scientific ArchivesCentre. 1973-1978, and Continuation by Jeannine AlstonReview by: Michael HoskinIsis, Vol. 73, No. 1 (Mar., 1982), p. 111Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of The History of Science SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/232092 .

Accessed: 08/05/2014 22:38

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at .http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range ofcontent in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

.

The University of Chicago Press and The History of Science Society are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize,preserve and extend access to Isis.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 169.229.32.137 on Thu, 8 May 2014 22:38:47 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

BOOK REVIEWS-ISIS, 73: 1: 266 (1982) BOOK REVIEWS-ISIS, 73: 1: 266 (1982)

* Bibliographical Tools

Jeannine Alston (Editor). The Catalogues of Archives of Scientists, Compiled by the Contemporary Scientific Archives Centre. 1973-1978, and continuation. Oxford: Oxford Microform Publications, 1979. ?25, $60 (microfiche); ?4.50, $10 (booklet).

In 1972 a meeting was held at the Royal Society in London to consider what might be done to preserve from destruction the papers of distinguished contemporary (Brit- ish) scientists, engineers, and medical per- sons. At first the Royal Society was of a mind to house and care for these collections of papers itself; but the reviewer pointed out the enormous cost of the building and staff required, and suggested instead that archivists with a background in science might be employed and regularly seconded to existing libraries to catalogue recently acquired scientific papers. As a result uni- versity and other libraries might be prepared to accept collections that they would other- wise refuse because they saw no hope of being able to process such technical material.

In the event, an improvement on this pro- posal was adopted. Instead of seconding archivists to libraries that had accepted sci- entific papers, the Contemporary Scientific Archives Centre was set up in Oxford under the honorary directorship of Margaret Gowing, Professor of History of Science and herself an experienced archivist of modern scientific materials. A tiny but dedicated staff of archivists sought out col- lections of scientific papers that were "con- temporary" (i.e., by authors alive after 1945) and at risk (usually because the authors had recently died). They invited the temporary deposit of such a collection in Oxford, where the papers would be sorted and a typed catalogue prepared for distribu- tion. They would then approach a suitable library and invite them to accept the collec- tion, now fully organized and in good order.

By the end of 1978 some seventy collec- tions had been processed in this way. All had been found a good home, and all were catalogued and-subject to the occasional restriction for personal or other reasons- available for study. And this had been achieved for the cost of the modest premises and the salaries of the tiny staff. It is an example of cost effectiveness that other countries may care to copy.

The typed catalogues, hitherto circulated to a restricted list of institutions, are now

* Bibliographical Tools

Jeannine Alston (Editor). The Catalogues of Archives of Scientists, Compiled by the Contemporary Scientific Archives Centre. 1973-1978, and continuation. Oxford: Oxford Microform Publications, 1979. ?25, $60 (microfiche); ?4.50, $10 (booklet).

In 1972 a meeting was held at the Royal Society in London to consider what might be done to preserve from destruction the papers of distinguished contemporary (Brit- ish) scientists, engineers, and medical per- sons. At first the Royal Society was of a mind to house and care for these collections of papers itself; but the reviewer pointed out the enormous cost of the building and staff required, and suggested instead that archivists with a background in science might be employed and regularly seconded to existing libraries to catalogue recently acquired scientific papers. As a result uni- versity and other libraries might be prepared to accept collections that they would other- wise refuse because they saw no hope of being able to process such technical material.

In the event, an improvement on this pro- posal was adopted. Instead of seconding archivists to libraries that had accepted sci- entific papers, the Contemporary Scientific Archives Centre was set up in Oxford under the honorary directorship of Margaret Gowing, Professor of History of Science and herself an experienced archivist of modern scientific materials. A tiny but dedicated staff of archivists sought out col- lections of scientific papers that were "con- temporary" (i.e., by authors alive after 1945) and at risk (usually because the authors had recently died). They invited the temporary deposit of such a collection in Oxford, where the papers would be sorted and a typed catalogue prepared for distribu- tion. They would then approach a suitable library and invite them to accept the collec- tion, now fully organized and in good order.

By the end of 1978 some seventy collec- tions had been processed in this way. All had been found a good home, and all were catalogued and-subject to the occasional restriction for personal or other reasons- available for study. And this had been achieved for the cost of the modest premises and the salaries of the tiny staff. It is an example of cost effectiveness that other countries may care to copy.

The typed catalogues, hitherto circulated to a restricted list of institutions, are now

reproduced on microfiche with an accom- panying guide and are generally available for the first time. Scientists represented include Soddy, Hinshelwood, Peierls, Turing, and Coulson. The catalogues will be a "must" for any department of history of science where research into twentieth- century science is pursued.

MICHAEL HOSKIN

Stephen H. Cutcliffe; Judith A. Mistichelli; Christine M. Roysdon. Technology and Values in American Civilization: A Guide to Information Sources. (American Studies Information Guide Series, 9.) xviii + 704 pp., bibls., indexes. Detroit: Gale, 1980. $30.

This bibliography will not be helpful to the historian of science in a narrow (inter- nalist) sense. For him there are better in- dexes to the scholarly literature. But it will be most helpful to the historian of science in a larger (externalist) sense. Indeed, the volume itself illustrates a new and important facet of the history of science.

During the last two decades literature on the sociocultural significance of science has proliferated. No longer is science conceived as internally organized, socially removed, or politically irrelevant. Instead, it is now seen as subject to external pressures, with multiple social consequences, and as prone to being defined as "theoretical technology" as technology was once prone to being labeled "applied science."

Studies grounded in such an approach now exceed the bounds of any one person to keep up with them. This has led to the creation of a number of special-purpose bibliographies, which occasionally have provided the foundation for more synthetic compilations, of which the present volume is undoubtedly the best.

Technology and Values, although limited to American-related, English-language dis- cussions, annotates 2,300 books and articles from the late 1800s through early 1979, organized into twenty-one categories (from the inevitable "General" and "Industriali- zation" to "Energy," "Appropriate Tech- nology," "Philosophy and Ethics," "Art," etc.). Each category is further subdivided. Intentionally excluded are the topics of war and international relations. A kind of ap- pendix lists "Journals and Indexing Ser- vices." The annotations are good, although many could have been made crisper simply

reproduced on microfiche with an accom- panying guide and are generally available for the first time. Scientists represented include Soddy, Hinshelwood, Peierls, Turing, and Coulson. The catalogues will be a "must" for any department of history of science where research into twentieth- century science is pursued.

MICHAEL HOSKIN

Stephen H. Cutcliffe; Judith A. Mistichelli; Christine M. Roysdon. Technology and Values in American Civilization: A Guide to Information Sources. (American Studies Information Guide Series, 9.) xviii + 704 pp., bibls., indexes. Detroit: Gale, 1980. $30.

This bibliography will not be helpful to the historian of science in a narrow (inter- nalist) sense. For him there are better in- dexes to the scholarly literature. But it will be most helpful to the historian of science in a larger (externalist) sense. Indeed, the volume itself illustrates a new and important facet of the history of science.

During the last two decades literature on the sociocultural significance of science has proliferated. No longer is science conceived as internally organized, socially removed, or politically irrelevant. Instead, it is now seen as subject to external pressures, with multiple social consequences, and as prone to being defined as "theoretical technology" as technology was once prone to being labeled "applied science."

Studies grounded in such an approach now exceed the bounds of any one person to keep up with them. This has led to the creation of a number of special-purpose bibliographies, which occasionally have provided the foundation for more synthetic compilations, of which the present volume is undoubtedly the best.

Technology and Values, although limited to American-related, English-language dis- cussions, annotates 2,300 books and articles from the late 1800s through early 1979, organized into twenty-one categories (from the inevitable "General" and "Industriali- zation" to "Energy," "Appropriate Tech- nology," "Philosophy and Ethics," "Art," etc.). Each category is further subdivided. Intentionally excluded are the topics of war and international relations. A kind of ap- pendix lists "Journals and Indexing Ser- vices." The annotations are good, although many could have been made crisper simply

111 111

This content downloaded from 169.229.32.137 on Thu, 8 May 2014 22:38:47 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions