Created in the 1950s and originally named the Society of Technical Writers and Publishers, the Society for Technical Communication (STC) is an organization "dedicated to advancing the arts and sciences of technical communication" and "improving the quality and effectiveness of technical communication for audiences worldwide." The STC Records document the activities and personnel of this organization at both the national and chapter levels during the years 1956-1996.
The Society for Technical Communication (STC) is an organization "dedicated to advancing the arts and sciences of technical communication" and "improving the quality and effectiveness of technical communication for audiences worldwide." STC promotes technical communication to both its members and the public at large, mainly students. It provides its more than 20,000 members with opportunities for career development and networking, including an annual conference (the International Technical Communication Conference, ITCC), a newsletter (Intercom), a job database, and various inter-society competitions. In addition to these membership benefits, STC reaches the general public through a journal (Technical Communication), other publications by the STC Press, grants and scholarships to students and for research, and various public competitions.
STC was created in the 1950s out of the merger of three separate groups. The Society of Technical Writers and the Society of Technical Writers and Editors were both formed on the East Coast in 1953 and merged in 1957 to become the Society of Technical Writers and Editors (STWE). In 1957, this group merged again with the Technical Publishing Society, founded on the West Coast in 1954, to become the Society of Technical Writers and Publishers (STWP). In 1971, the organization changed its name to the Society for Technical Communication, and the title of its journal was changed from STWP Review to Technical Communication.
STC activities take place on a national, regional, and chapter level. There are 8 regions, with 20 local chapters in each one. Each chapter elects their own officials and committee chairs. Much of the focus of the national organization is on encouraging its chapters to increase membership, to publish a newsletter, and to conduct workshops, seminars, scholarships, and contests on the local level following guidelines set out by the various national committees. Each chapter is assigned a Director-Sponsor who is their official liaison to the Executive Council. Many STC members are involved with the organization on both a local and national level.
Currently 400-members strong, the Carolina Chapter, among other activities, produces its own newsletter, Carolina Communique. The chapter was founded as a branch in 1966 by Austin Farrell (with two others) and became a full-fledged chapter in 1967. A long-time member of STC, Farrell began his activities with STWE in 1957, carried on with STWP after the merger and continued his involvement as the organization grew through the 1980s. Before moving to Raleigh, he was a member of and held several key positions in the Mid-Hudson Chapter and co- founded and chaired the national organization's Standards Council. He was the Chapter's first President and held several offices throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
The STC Records document the activities and personnel of this organization at both the national and chapter levels during the years 1956-1996. These records relate not only to the organization itself, but also document the development of the technical communications field during these years, including the introduction and growth of "automatic text writing instruments" and computers.
However, the collection primarily reflects those committees and issues with which its major collectors were concerned during the years in which they were active in STC. One of these is Austin Farrell, and because of his involvement with the national Membership Committee and Standards Council in the 1960s and 1970s, the bulk of the national material lies in these committees and time periods. On the chapter level, because of Farrell's development of and membership in the Carolina Chapter, this chapter is more fully represented than others. In addition, two presidents of the chapter during the late 1970s and early 1980s, Joseph Saunders and Judith Hallman, kept most of their files. As a result the Executive Council and the Program Committee are well-documented for these years, including the chapter's relationship with its director-sponsor.
The collection is divided into four series: National Organization, Chapter Files, Publications, and Miscellaneous. While the files themselves are organized in chronological order by year, several series of publications were received by Special Collections in reverse chronological order and were kept in their original order. In addition, several individual documents are duplicated in electronic format, including issues for the 1987-1988 Carolina Communique. These are listed separately in the container listing. Similarly, the few photographs which are included in the collection are noted in the listing.
Donated by Larry Kuns, 1997 (Accession no. 1997-0022).
The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.
[Identification of item], Society for Technical Communication Records, MC 00250, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Processed by Ruth E. Bryan
Completed December 1998
The collection is organized into four principal series:
This series documents STC's administration, chapter affairs, recognition awards (and competitions), conferences, professional activities (including the Standards Council), and publications on the national level.
(includes photographs)
This series contains records from various chapters, the bulk of which is newsletters. However, in addition to the Carolina Communique, the Carolina Chapter is well documented, including quarterly reports to its director-sponsor; its executive council; its nominating, program, membership, recognition awards, and public relations committees; and its professional activities.
electronic file
electronic file
electronic file
(includes photographs)
elecronic file
elecronic file
This series is comprised of a variety of national publications, many from the early years of STC (1950s and 1960s), including newsletters and journals.
Vol. I
Vol. II
This series contains journal and newspaper articles, conference brochures, various advertisements, NC State University information, and publications including technical writing manuals, newsletters, and pamphlets that are unrelated to STC but document the field of technical communication during the 1960s-1970s.
This collection is open for research; access requires at least 48 hours advance notice. Because of the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to digital files may require additional advanced notice.
For more information contact us via mail, phone, or our web form.
Mailing address:
Special Collections Research Center
Box 7111
Raleigh, NC, 27695-7111
Phone: (919) 515-2273
[Identification of item], Society for Technical Communication Records, MC 00250, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
The nature of the NC State University Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NC State University Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
This collection may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which North Carolina State University assumes no responsibility.
