Call Number:

00.007

Repository:

Drexel University: Archives and Special Collections

Extent:

1.0 cubic feet

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

American Society for Information Science, Delaware Valley Chapter records, Drexel University Archives.

Date:

1961-1974 (inclusive)

Form:

Bylaws, Constitutions, Correspondence, Financial records, Minutes, and Reports

Abstract:

The American Society for Information Science (ASIS), was a “non-profit professional association organized for scientific, literary and educational purposes and dedicated to the creations, organization, dissemination and application of knowledge concerning information and its transfer,” (ASIS Constitution). ASIS also served as a community of users to provide help, advice and the development of new techniques to those involved in the information sciences field. This collection documents the Delaware Valley Chapter of the American Documentation Institute (ADI) and later, after a name change, of the American Society for Information Science (ASIS). The records are largely administrative, but do provide insight into some of the concerns and challenges those in the information science profession faced from 1964 to 1971.

The Delaware Valley Chapter of the American Society for Information Science was a chapter of the national organization, American Society for Information Science, and appears to have been active from 1964 to 1971. More recently, the local chapter is centered at Drexel University’s iSchool.

The American Society for Information Science (ASIS) was founded as the American Documentation Institute in 1937 with the mission to develop microfilm “as an aid to information dissemination,” (ASIS&T). Over the years, the focus of the organization expanded to include new technologies and issues in the information services field, and became “the national professional society for those concerned with all elements and problems of information science,” (ASSIS&T). By the 1960s, the membership had increased dramatically as a result of increased issues and further awareness of information services needs.

In 1968, in order to better represent the organization’s expanded goals, the American Documentation Institute changed its name to American Society for Information Science (ASIS), and stated its purpose to serve as a “non-profit professional association organized for scientific, literary and educational purposes and dedicated to the creations, organization, dissemination and application of knowledge concerning information and its transfer,” (ASIS Constitution). In addition to these goals, ASIS served as a community of users to provide help, advice and the development of new techniques to those involved in the information sciences field.

Special Interest Groups were formed in nine subject areas: education for information science, classification research, library automation and networks, information analysis centers, automatic language processing, reprographic technologies, biomedical and chemical information systems, behavior and social sciences, and arts and humanities.

During the 1980 and 1990s, ASIS continued to adapt to new technologies such as computers, databases and the internet.

Bibliography:

American Society for Information Science and Technology (www.asis.org/history.html), accessed June 3, 2011.

American Society for Information Science, Constitution. (Box 1, Folder 21).