When Computers Were Human by David Alan Grier

Acknowledgments
    A NYONE WHO has cherished the notion of personal authorship is always surprised to discover how many people are needed to write a book. I have a long list of people who graciously contributed their time, their expertise, and their interest to this project. I owe them much.
    One cannot be too grateful for librarians, for it is upon their sturdy shoulders that any research is built. I particularly wish to express my thanks to Greg Shelton of the Naval Observatory Melvin Gillis Library, who has been ready at a moment’s notice to find information for this book, but he shares this honor with many a good librarian and archivist, especially Marjorie Charliante, Ed Creech, Ann Commings, Mitchel Yokelson, and Shawn Aubitz of the National Archives and Records Administration, all of whom were incredibly patient with me as I struggled through federal records. I also need to thank Becky Jordan, Iowa State University Libraries; Alison Osborn, Smithsonian Institution Archives Center; Kevin Corbitt, Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota; Kate Perry, Girton College Archives; Jane Knowles, Schlesinger Library, Harvard University; Janice Goldblum, National Academy of Sciences–National Research Council; Sheldon Hochheiser, ATT Corporate Archives; Andrea P. Mark Telli and Teresa Yoder, Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center; Elaine Engst, Cornell University; Jan Hermann, Naval Surgery Headquarters; Martha Mitchell, John Hay Library of Brown University; Brenda Corbin and Steven Dick, Naval Observatory Melvin Gillis Library; Elizabeth Harter and Ericka Gorder, New York University; George Washington University’s Gelman Library; Donald Glassman, Barnard College Archives; Annie Accary, Paris Observatory; Bonnie Ludt, California Institute of Technology; Amey Hutchins, University of Pennsylvania Archives; Hollee Haswell, Low Library, Columbia University; Tony Lawless and Julie Archer-Gosnay, University College London; Shulamith Berger, Yeshiva University; Peter Hingley, Royal Astronomical Society; Karma Beal, National Institute of Standards and Technology Library; Ellen Alers, Smithsonian Archives; Dennis Bitterlich, University of California at Los Angeles Archives; Jessy Randall, Colorado College Library; Mark Renovitch, Franklin Roosevelt Presidential Library; Kevin Leonard, Northwestern University; G. David Anderson, George Washington University Archives; Paul Lascewicz, IBM Archives; Anne Frantilla and Nancy Barlett, Bentley Library, University of Michigan; Thomas Malefatto, Indiana University; Keir Sterling, U.S. Army; Carole Prietto, Washington University Archives; as well as librariansfrom the Library of Congress Manuscript Division, National Agricultural Library, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Library, Naval Historical Center, U.S. Army Historical Center, Findley University Library, University of Chicago Archives, University of Iowa Archives, Dudley Observatory Archives, Federal Bureau of Investigation Freedom of Information Act Office, and the British Library.
    I have been aided by an extraordinary group of research assistants, friends, and colleagues who have helped me with library work or specific details in the book, including Mark Brown, Elizabeth Gonser, Sarah Hillinsky, Johanna Osborne, Karie Orin, Erin Voelger, and Jonathan Wye. Emily Danyluk helped prepare the final manuscript and index. I am especially grateful to Jim Burks and David and Donald Sterrett, who bolstered my humble French skills. Three university registrars have given me key information that has shaped this book: Ed Loyer and Toni Kessler of the University of Michigan and Brian Selinsky of George Washington University.
    Parts of the manuscript have been read by a number of friends who have added their comments and advice, including Jean Grier, Peter Grier ( il miglior fabbro ), Mary Croarken, Michael Olinick, Jim Burks, Peggy Kidwell, John Todd, Marcus Raskin, Tim Bergin, and Liz Harter. I am