John Ptak Computer Science Book Collection 1891-1987 (bulk 1940-1965)

Summary
Contents
Names/subjects
Using these materials
Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.
Creator
Ptak, John F.
Size
9 linear feet (18 archival boxes)
Call number
RBC 00006

The John Ptak Computer Science Book Collection contains pamphlets, reports, journal articles, correspondence, software and hardware documentation, and other written material as well as more than 500 monographs and serials which are individually cataloged. The individually cataloged items are identified in the NC State University Libraries catalog as part of the John Ptak Computer Science Book Collection; they are not included in this description. The collection dates range from 1891 to 1987, but the bullk of the material is from 1940-1965. Notable authors and organizations represented include Carlo Arcelli, the Association for Computing Machines (ACM), Yehoshua Bar-Hillel, Robert J. Baron, Gordon Becker, Harry Blum, Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Walter M. Elsasser, George E. Forsythe, General Electric, J. K. Hawkins, Hewlett-Packard, Alston S. Householder, International Business Machines (IBM), William Karush, Felix Klein, Clifford J. Maloney, Jacob Marschak, Franco Modigliani, Frederick Mosteller, Ulric Neisser, W. V. Parker, Hans Reissner, Remington Rand, Inc., and Heinz Von Foerster. Topics covered include aeronautics, artificial intelligence, biology, biometrics, communications, computer science, electrical engineering, immunology, information retrieval, linguistics, logic, machine translation, mathematics, statistics, and technocracy. The majority of the material is written in English, though German, French, and Russian are also represented.

John Ptak was the proprietor of J. F. Ptak Books, Maps, and Prints in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. The store specialized in used, rare, and antiquarian manuscripts, reprints, journals, maps, and prints in mathematics and the sciences.

Language

Most materials are in English; some are in German, French or Russian.

Biographical/historical note

John Ptak was the proprietor of J. F. Ptak Books, Maps, and Prints in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. The store specialized in used, rare, and antiquarian manuscripts, reprints, journals, maps, and prints in mathematics and the sciences.

Scope/content

The John Ptak Computer Science Book Collection contains pamphlets, reports, journal articles, correspondence, software and hardware documentation, and other written material as well as more than 500 monographs and serials which are individually cataloged. The individually cataloged items are identified in the NC State University Libraries catalog as part of the John Ptak Computer Science Book Collection; they are not included in this description. The collection dates range from 1891 to 1987, but the bullk of the material is from 1940-1965. Notable authors and organizations represented include the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), Carlo Arcelli, Yehoshua Bar-Hillel, Robert J. Baron, Gordon Becker, Harry Blum, the Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Walter M. Elsasser, George E. Forsythe, General Electric, J. K. Hawkins, Hewlett-Packard, Alston S. Householder, International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), William Karush, Felix Klein, Clifford J. Maloney, Jacob Marschak, Franco Modigliani, Frederick Mosteller, Ulric Neisser, W. V. Parker, Hans Reissner, Remington Rand, Inc., and Heinz Von Foerster. Topics covered include aeronautics, artificial intelligence, biology, biometrics, communications, computer science, electrical engineering, the history of computing, history of science, immunology, information retrieval, linguistics, logic, machine translation, mathematics, physics, statistics, and technocracy. The majority of the material is written in English, though German, French, and Russian are also represented.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in five series: Articles, Reports, Journals, and Pamphlets; Correspondence; Commercial Pamphlets and Instruction Manuals; Other Papers; and Oversize Diagrams. All five seriesa are organized alphabetically.

Use of these materials

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.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], John Ptak Computer Science Book Collection, RBC 00006, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Source of acquisition

Gift of John F. Ptak, 2002 (Accession no. 2002-0025); Gift of John F. Ptak, 2017 (Accession no. 2017.0003)

Separated material

The John Ptak Computer Science Book Collection also includes more than 500 monographs and serials which are cataloged individually. They are identified in the NC State University Libraries catalog as part of the John Ptak Computer Science Book Collection. To find these materials, please search the catalog for individual titles or for the keywords "John Ptak Computer Science Book Collection".

Processing information

Processed by Anna R. Craft, 2006 November 1; updated by Rachel Jacobson, 2015 March

Encoded by Anna R. Craft, 2006 November 1; updated by Rachel Jacobson, 2015 March; updated by Gwynn Thayer, 2017 January

Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.
Articles, Reports, Journals, and Pamphlets 1891-1987 (RBC 00006 Series 1)
Size: 6.5 linear feet

The John Ptak Computer Science articles, reports, journals,and pamphlets series contains printed material focusing on computers, mathematics, and the sciences, dating from 1891 to 1987. It is primarily made up of articles and reports written and published between 1940 and 1965.

15 archival boxes

A-Ande 1944-1971
Box 1, Folder 1
ACM, Association for Computing Machinary, Communications
Box 15, Folder 1
ACM, Association for Computing Machinary, Communications
Box 15, Folder 2
ACM, Communications
Box 15, Folder 3
ACM, Communications
Box 15, Folder 4
Andf-Az 1941-1987
Box 1, Folder 2
Arcelli, Carlo and Gabriella Sanniti di Baja, "A Technique for Shape Analysis" 1987
Legal box 14, Folder 1
Association for Computing Machines (ACM) 1963-1967
Box 1, Folder 3
Baer-Becker 1950-1975
Box 1, Folder 4
Bell Telephone System Monographs

Monographs 3167, 4336, 4681, 4712, 4976, 5029, 5125, 5132, and 5183

Box 15, Folder 5
Benson-Bookstein 1950-1975
Box 1, Folder 5
Borko-Butler 1946-1967
Box 2, Folder 1
Bibliographies 1947-1964
Box 2, Folder 2
Ca-Che 1924-1966
Box 2, Folder 3
Chr-Cz 1948-1978
Box 2, Folder 4
Computer Approach to Content Analysis from Proceedings: Spring Joint Computer Conference
Box 15, Folder 6
Conference, Meeting, and Symposium programs 1938-1963
Box 3, Folder 1
D 1914-1973
Box 3, Folder 2
E 1958-1981
Box 3, Folder 3
Elsasser, Walter 1964-1977 and undated
Box 3, Folder 4
F 1914-1977
Box 4, Folder 1
Foerster, Heinz von 1960-1969 and undated
Box 4, Folder 2
Foerster, Heinz Von, "ARTORGA (Artificial Organisms)" letter 1963
Legal box 14, Folder 2
Ga-Gi 1920-1967 and undated
Box 4, Folder 3
George, F.H., "ARTORGA - Semantic Machines" 1962
Legal box 14, Folder 3
Go-Greer 1950-1964
Box 4, Folder 4
Greg-Gu 1950-1961
Box 4, Folder 5
Ha-Hawes 1949-1966
Box 5, Folder 1
Hawkins-Hays 1939-1965
Box 5, Folder 2
He-Ho 1930-1968
Box 5, Folder 3
Hilditch, Judith and Denis Rutovitz, "Algorithms for Chromosome Recognition" undated
Legal box 14, Folder 4
Householder, Alston S. 1955-1958
Box 5, Folder 5
I 1893-1954 and undated
Box 5, Folder 6
Hu-Hy 1949-1963 and undated
Box 5, Folder 4
Iowa State University Statistical Lab Annual Report 1944-1950
Box 6, Folder 1
IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Proceedings
Box 15, Folder 9
IEEE, Institute of Electronical and Electronics Engineers, Transactions on Aerospace and Navigational Electronics
Box 15, Folder 10
IEEE Transactions on Military Electronics
Box 16, Folder 2
Implicit Alternating Direction Methods, Birkhoff and Varga
Box 15, Folder 8
International Statistical Institute Session, Papers Presented at the 34th Session, Ottawa
Box 16, Folder 3
IRE, Institute of Radio Engineers, Proceedings
Box 16, Folder 4
IRE, Institute of Radio Engineers, Proceedings
Box 16, Folder 5
IRE Transactions on Aeronautical and Navigational Electronics
Box 16, Folder 6
IEEE, Institute of Electronical and Electronics Engineers, Transactions on Aerospace and Navigational Electronics
Box 16, Folder 1
IRE Transactions on Aeronautical and Navigational Electronics
Box 16, Folder 7
IBM Technical Newsletter, No. 3
Box 15, Folder 7
Iowa State University Statistical Lab Annual Report 1950-1962
Box 6, Folder 2
Iowa State University Statistical Lab Statlab Review 1951-1957
Box 6, Folder 3
J 1958-1960 and undated
Box 6, Folder 4
Ka-Ke 1949-1967
Box 6, Folder 5
Kl-Koc 1897-1962
Box 6, Folder 6
Kon-Ku 1936-1961
Box 7, Folder 1
L 1929-1961
Box 7, Folder 2
Ma-Mar 1891-1972
Box 7, Folder 3
May-Mil 1929-1969 and undated
Box 7, Folder 4
Mit-Mor 1900-1964
Box 7, Folder 5
Mos-Mu 1950-1966
Box 8, Folder 1
Maloney, Dr. Clifford J. - published material 1957-1958
Box 8, Folder 2
Maloney, Dr. Clifford J. - "A Remington Rand Punched Card Data Retrieval System" - presented at the annual meeting of the American Documentation Institute, held at the Governor Clinton Hotel in New York on December 28 and 29, 1956 1956
Box 8, Folder 3
Marschak, Jacob 1962-1976
Box 8, Folder 4
Na 1955-1981
Box 8, Folder 5
Ne-Ni 1942-1966
Box 8, Folder 6
No-Nu 1942-1955
Box 8, Folder 7
Neisser, Ulric 1958-1963
Box 9, Folder 1
New York State College of Agriculture - Biometrics Unit Annual Reports 1950-1957
Box 9, Folder 2
O 1950-1959
Box 9, Folder 3
Pa-Pe 1896-1972
Box 9, Folder 4
Ph-Pu 1899-1979
Box 9, Folder 5
Popular Science volume 148, number 1 January, 1946
Box 9, Folder 6
Ra-Rob 1921-1971
Box 9, Folder 7
Rog-Ru 1953-1962 and undated
Box 10, Folder 1
Sa-Sc 1923-1966 and undated
Box 10, Folder 2
Se-Si 1949-1964 and undated
Box 10, Folder 3
So-St 1929-1969
Box 10, Folder 4
Ta-To 1932-1963 and undated
Box 11, Folder 1
Tu 1955-1961 and undated
Box 11, Folder 2
"Technocracy" pamphlets 1919-1933 and undated
Box 11, Folder 3
U 1955-1963
Box 11, Folder 4
University of Pennsylvania, "Transformations and Discourse Analysis Projects" 1960 and undated
Box 11, Folder 5
University of Wisconsin-Madison meeting, "The Computing Lab in the University" 1955
Box 11, Folder 6
V 1952-1958 and undated
Box 11, Folder 7
Wa-Wo 1911-1962 and undated
Box 11, Folder 8
Wr-Wu 1955-1964 and undated
Box 12, Folder 1
Y-Z 1953-1964
Box 12, Folder 2
IRE, Institute of Radio Engineers, Transactions on Aerospace and Navigational Electrons
Box 17, Folder 1
IRE Transactions on Aerospace and Navigational Electronics
Box 17, Folder 2
IRE Transactions on Military Electronics
Box 17, Folder 3
IRE Transactions on Military Electronics
Box 17, Folder 4
IRE Transactions on Military Electronics
Box 17, Folder 5
IRE Transactions on Military Electronics
Box 17, Folder 6
IRE Transactions on Military Electronics
Box 17, Folder 7
IRE Transactions on Military Electronics
Box 17, Folder 8
IRE Transactions on Military Electronics
Box 17, Folder 9
Multi-List System Technical Report, No. 1
Box 17, Folder 10
ONR, Office of Naval Research, Report, ACR-97
Box 17, Folder 11
Reliability Aspects of System Design
Box 18, Folder 1
Reliability Growth Models, Technical Reports, No. 74
Box 18, Folder 2
Scene Analysis Using the the Concept of Model, Guzman, Scientific Report No. 1
Box 18, Folder 3
Spacecraft and Rockets, Journal of
Box 18, Folder 4
Symposium of AAPT, Proceedings of the fiftieth anniversary
Box 18, Folder 5
Correspondence 1900-1966 (RBC 00006 Series 2)
Size: 0.5 linear feet

The John Ptak Computer Science correspondence series contains letters written between 1900 and 1966. Writers include Curtis J. Maloney and Hans Reissner.

1 archival box

Maloney, Curtis J. - correspondence 1952-1962
Box 12, Folder 4
Reissner, Hans - correspondence 1943-1945
Box 12, Folder 5
Various correspondence 1900-1966
Box 12, Folder 3
Commercial Pamphlets and Instruction Manuals 1936-1972 (RBC 00006 Series 3)
Size: 0.5 linear feet

The John Ptak Computer Science commercial pamphlets and instruction manuals series contains software and hardware documentation and sales lists from various companies dating from 1936 to 1972. The bulk of the material is from IBM, though material from companies such as General Electric and Hewlett-Packard is also represented.

1 archival box

A-H 1936-1972 and undated
Box 12, Folder 6
Computer AD-SET
Box 18, Folder 6
IBM Electronic Information Searching System
Box 18, Folder 7
IBM: Introduction to IBM Data Processing System
Box 18, Folder 8
IBM manuals 1936-1963
Box 12, Folder 7
IBM manuals 1965-1968 and undated
Box 12, Folder 8
K-U 1965 and undated
Box 13, Folder 1
Operation Manual, Exclusive Stratification Program, University of Pennsylvania
Box 18, Folder 9
Ready I Data Preparation - User's Guide, NREC Technical Report No. 52
Box 18, Folder 10
Other Papers 1913-1962 (RBC 00006 Series 4)
Size: 0.5 linear feet

The John Ptak Computer Science other papers series contains printed and handwritten material. Dated material ranges from 1913 to 1962; many papers are undated.

1 archival box

Handwritten notes 1949-1954 and undated
Box 13, Folder 4
Historical Material 1947-1954 and undated
Box 13, Folder 2
Maps, diagrams, and other material 1913-1962 and undated
Box 13, Folder 5
Reports and papers with no titles or authors 1952-1962 and undated
Box 13, Folder 3
Oversize Diagrams undated (RBC 00006 Series 5)
Size: 0.5 linear feet

The John Ptak Computer Science oversize diagrams series contains approximately 60 diagrams depicting computer circuits and processes. These documents are undated and arranged in the order in which they were received.

1 archival box

Computer diagrams, folder 1 undated
Legal box 14, Folder 5
Computer diagrams, folder 2 undated
Legal box 14, Folder 6
Computer diagrams, folder 3 undated
Legal box 14, Folder 7
Computer diagrams, folder 4 undated
Legal box 14, Folder 8
Computer diagrams, folder 5 undated
Legal box 14, Folder 9
Computer diagrams, folder 5 undated
Legal box 14, Folder 9
Computer diagrams, folder 6 undated
Legal box 14, Folder 10
Computer diagrams, folder 7 undated
Legal box 14, Folder 11
Computer diagrams, folder 8 undated
Legal box 14, Folder 12
Computer diagrams, folder 9 undated
Legal box 14, Folder 13
Computer diagrams, folder 10 undated
Legal box 14, Folder 14
Computer diagrams, folder 11 undated
Legal box 14, Folder 15
Computer diagrams, folder 12 undated
Legal box 14, Folder 16
Computer diagrams, folder 13 undated
Legal box 14, Folder 17
Computer diagrams, folder 14 undated
Legal box 14, Folder 18
Please note that some historical materials may contain harmful content and/or descriptions. Learn how we’re addressing it.

Access to the collection

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

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], John Ptak Computer Science Book Collection, RBC 00006, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC

Use of these materials

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.