Agency history, 1949-1981

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Subject

  • Freeman, Monroe E. 1906-1972
  • Deignan, Stella L
  • Hersey, David F
  • Medical Sciences Information Exchange a
  • Bio-Science Information Exchange
  • United States National Technical Information Service
  • Smithsonian Institution Assistant Secretary for Science
  • National Science Foundation (U.S.)

Category

Agency History

Notes

  • This is an agency history. It does not describe actual records. The Smithsonian Institution Archives uses these histories as brief accounts of the origin, development, and functions of an office or administrative unit to set that unit in its historical context. To find information on record holdings, please double-click the highlighted field "Creator/Author", which will open on a brief view of relevant records.
  • Guide to the Smithsonian Archives, 1996
  • The Smithsonian Science Information Exchange was a clearinghouse for information concerning ongoing research supported by federal and private sources. Its purpose was to prevent redundant research by enabling research administrators to know of similar ongoing research projects. The exchange collected Notices of Research Projects and stored, indexed, and retrieved them for interested persons. The Exchange was created in 1949 as the Medical Sciences Information Exchange. In 1953 the Exchange was renamed the Bio-Sciences Information Exchange and came to the Smithsonian. For some years it seems to have been funded by grants from government departments and from the National Science Foundation. In 1960 it became the Science Information Exchange, as physical and social sciences were included. In 1964 the National Science Foundation undertook the overall management and funding of the Science Information Exchange with continued operations responsibility under the aegis of the Smithsonian Institution. In 1972 it was incorporated as a nonprofit corporation, the Smithsonian Science Information Exchange and was expected to meet its expenses from the income of its operations. This proved impossible, and in 1981 it was disbanded and its responsibilities transferred to the National Technical Information Service.
  • The Exchange was directed by Stella L. Deignan from its inception until 1961. Monroe E. Freeman directed the organization until 1973, when David F. Hersey became its last director. The Exchange's relationship to the Smithsonian was somewhat obscure, but in the period following its incorporation in 1972 it reported to the Assistant Secretary for Science.
  • For a history of the larger creating unit, refer to "Forms part of" above.

Repository Loc.

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Capital Gallery, Suite 3000, MRC 507; 600 Maryland Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20024-2520

Date

  • 1949
  • 1949-1981

Topic

  • Education
  • Museums
  • Exchanges, Literary and scientific
  • Research
  • Museums--Educational aspects

Form/Genre

Mixed archival materials

Local number

SIA AH00380

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