Nicholas J. Suszynski, Jr., Reginald A. Creighton, and Dr. Donald F. Squires

ID: OPA-1206-03A and 64646

Creator: Unknown

Form/Genre: Photographic print

Date: 1968

Citation: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Acc. No. 11-008

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Summary

  • Nicholas Suszynski, Director of Smithsonian Institution's Information Systems Division; Reginald Creighton, senior systems analyst for the HEW (Office of Education, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare) computer project; and Dr. Donald Squires, Deputy Director of the Museum of Natural History, with a computer tape containing scientific data, are in the Computer Center located in the Arts & Industries building.
  • In 1967 the Smithsonian Institution launched a project to develop an information storage and retrieval system for the Museum of Natural History's (MNH), biological and geological data. Data processing machines were set up at the museum for the capture of information from record cards. These machines would produce a tape that could be read by a computer. The Honeywell 1200 computer, which can be seen in the background, occupied space in room 33nn the third floor of the SW quadrant of the Arts and Industries Building, and was used to store the data. The computer gave the Smithsonian a record-keeping system capable of storing and retrieving all of the specimen data compiled by MNH.
  • Nicholas Joseph Suszynski, Jr., joined the Smithsonian in 1964 or early 1965 and was appointed head of Automatic Data Processing Program November 17, 1965 to April 24, 1966. He was the first Director of Information Systems Division (ISD) April 25, 1966 to January 15, 1970. ISD was the first central computer support and service organization for the whole Smithsonian.
  • Reginald A. Creighton, Manager, ISD was senior systems analyst for the HEW computer project and later "inventor" of SELGEM.
  • Dr. Donald F. Squires, Deputy Director of the Museum of Natural History authored several important early papers on data processing, computers and museums. Principal Investigator for the HEW Contract, July 1, 1967 to August 1970. He also held other positions and titles at NMNH.

Subject

  • Suszynski, Nicholas J., Jr 1929-2009
  • Squires, Donald Fleming
  • Creighton, Reginald A
  • Arts and Industries Building
  • Honeywell Inc
  • Information Systems Division
  • Office of Computer Services 1975-1982
  • National Museum of Natural History (U.S.)

Category

Historic Images of the Smithsonian

Notes

  • The Smithsonian's central data processing organization was the "Office of Computer Services" (OCS), created on May 29, 1975 to April 3, 1982. Before 1975, it was named the Information Systems Division (ISD). On April 4, 1982, it was renamed the Office of Information Resource Management (OIRM). Stanley A. Kovy (January 4, 1931 - April 15, 1998) was the only Director of OCS. The central data processing organization had several others names at different time in its history. The Smithsonian operated several different mainframe computers, manufactured by both Honeywell and IBM. The mainframe computers were all located on the third floor of the SW quadrant of the A&I Building, room 33nn. This space was used from 1967 to c. 2006, when operations were moved to the Herndon Data Center.
  • For additional information on the facility, see Negative # SIA2010-0870.

Contained within

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Acc. No. 11-008

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

1968

Restrictions & Rights

No restrictions

Topic

  • Computers
  • Automation
  • Computer input-output equipment
  • Data disk drives
  • Office practice
  • Data processing
  • Employees
  • Cataloging
  • Museums
  • Electronic information resources
  • Museum storage facilities
  • Computer systems
  • Electronic apparatus and appliances
  • Information storage and retrieval systems
  • Smithsonian Institution
  • Personnel management
  • Electronic data processing
  • Museums--Collection management
  • Office practice--Automation
  • Smithsonian Institution--Employees

Form/Genre

  • Photographic print
  • Group, candid

ID Number

OPA-1206-03A and 64646

Physical description

Number of Images: 1; Color: Black and white; Size: 4x5"; Type of Image: Group, candid; Medium: 35 mm negative

Full Record

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