History of Computing Display
Stop by Special Collections’ display cases during the month of October to view the History of Computing exhibit featuring items from the department’s J. Wesley Graham History of Computer Science Research Collection.
The display focuses on two unique groups of materials represented in the Graham Research Collection, these being printed books from the 17th to 20th centuries and the personal and professional papers of UW’s first director of the computing centre, Wes Graham.
As noted by Head of Special Collections, Susan Mavor, the two aspects of the collection “depict, in different ways, society's developing need and use of mechanical, and finally electronic, devices to aid statistical analysis and calculation."
Highlights include:
- Various works by Babbage, including his A Comparative View of the Various Institutions for the Assurance of Lives (1826), On Some New Methods of Investigating the Sums of Several Classes on Infinite Series (1819), On the Economy of Machinery and Manufactures (1846)
- An addiator machine which is a type of hand-held calculator first introduced in 1889:
One side of the addiator is used for addition and the reverse for subtraction. The stylus advances each column by the number to be added or subtracted, with carry possible to the next column.
- A fifth edition of John Graunt's Natural and Political Observations Made upon the Bills of Mortality. This item illustrates the increasing interest in computation at the time and is the earliest item from this collection, published in 1676
- A description of a 19th century calculator, written by a woman, Mrs. I. Lovi, entitled Directions for Using the Patent Aerometrical Beads, and Sliding Rule; for Ascertaining the Specific Gravities, or Strength of Spirituous Liquors (1807)
- Papers from Graham’s files, including the outline for an early adult education class he taught, and various reports he prepared while working as a consultant
The display will run until the end of October.
For more information, contact:
Department Head, Special Collections
Ext. 33122
, Communications and Liaison Librarian
, Co-ordinator, Library Communications and Web Management
, Assistant, Library Communications and Web Development
October 8, 2008
