Finding Aid to the Optical Society of America records, 1940-1959

Selected Search Terms

These papers have been indexed in the International Catalog of Sources for History of Physics and Allied Sciences (ICOS) using the following terms. Those seeking related materials should search under these terms.

Historical Note

The Optical Society was established in 1916 to increase and diffuse the knowledge of optics in all its branches, pure and applied, to promote the mutual interests of investigators of optical problems, of designers, manufacturers, and users of optical instruments and apparatus of all kinds, and to encourage cooperation among them. It is a founding Member Society of the American Institute of Physics.

Scope and Contents of Collection

Records of the Optical Society of America (OSA) collected by Jarus Quinn, the first Executive Director of the OSA. The contents of the collection mostly concern relations with the American Institute of Physics (AIP) and include publications, reports, correspondence, minutes.

Organization and Arrangement of Collection

The arrangement of the items and folders reflects the original order of the collection.

Access to Collection

Permission of an officer of depositing organization required for access to records less than 25 years old. http://www.aip.org/history/nbl/access.html.

Provenance and Acquisition Information

These records were donated by Jarus Quinn in 1996.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Coralina Daly in 1999.

Any records duplicated in AIP records were disposed of. Although staples were removed and the records were rehoused, their order is undisturbed.

Preferred Citation of Collection

Box [number], Folder [number], Optical Society of America records. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library & Archives, College Park, MD 20740, USA.

Container List

Series I: Optical Society of America records
Box 1	Folder 1	OSA representative on Physics Today, 1959
	Folder 2	AIP-OSA contract, 1941-1951
	Folder 3	OSA Ad Hoc Committee on Increasing Size of Board of Directors, 1954-1956
	Folder 4	Committee to consider a new contract with the AIP 10/40, 1940-1941
	Folder 5	Committee on Allocation of AIP Support, 1943-1952
	Folder 6	Ad Hoc Committee to Consider Modification of Publication Agreements with AIP, 1951-1952
	Folder 7	Ad Hoc Committee to Consider Modification of Publication Agreements with AIP, 1953-1954
	Folder 8	Annual business meetings, 1957-1959
	Folder 9	Special folder: Postwar Physics and Reorganization of AIP, 1944-1945
	Folder 10	AIP correspondence with Editor of Publications, 1946-1956
	Folder 11	Ad Hoc Committee to Study Enlargement of OSA Board of Directors, 1954-1956
	Folder 12	Corporate Associates meeting at Arden House, 1959
	Folder 13	OSA’s proxies to AIP’s annual business meeting, 1958