Atherton Seidell Papers
name: label: Collector
content: Seidell, Atherton, 1878-1961
label: Donor
content: Tate, Vernon, Dr.
topic: label: Topic
content: Microphotography -- History
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated to the Division of Photographic History by Vernon Tate in 1978.
creator: label: Collector
content: Seidell, Atherton, 1878-1961
setName: label: See more items in
content: Atherton Seidell Papers
abstract: label: Summary
content: The collection documents Dr. Seidell's thoughts and processes about the subject of microfilming.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Atherton Seidell (1878-1961) was a research chemist. He earned a Bachelors degree from the University of Georgia (1898), a Masters from George Washington University (1901) and a Ph.D from Johns Hopkins University (1903).  Seidell worked as a chemist for the United States Department of Agriculture, the National Institute of Health and the United States Public Health Service.  He authored the Solubilities of Inorganic and Organic Compounds, a compilation of classification of thousands of chemical compounds. He was an early advocate of microfilm copying services and put forth efforts to encourage more reference libraries to adopt microfilm copying as an extension of their services.  He also believed that all recorded scientific knowledge should be made available to researchers and that publicly supported reference libraries should provide microfilming free of charge.  Seidell established the Medicofilm Service at the Army Medical Library and founded the Current List of Medical Literature.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1.5 Cubic feet (7 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1932-1964
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: Collection transferred to the Archives Center from the Division of Photographic History (now Division of Work and Industry) on May 12, 1992.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0449
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged into seven series.

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1946-1961

Series 2: Microfilming What, 1934-1959

Series 3: Microfilming How, 1934-1961

Series 4: The Handmaiden, 1941-1961

Series 5: Microfilming History, 1932-1960

Series 6: Microfilming Whither Now? 1951-1957

Series 7: Epilogue and Index, 1964
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by NMAH Staff, 1992.
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The arrangement is original and reflects Dr. Seidell's thoughts and processes as he documented and studied microfilming. Series 1: Biographical contains a book of clippings collected by Dr. Seidell.  These clippings represent his published articles and the rebuttals of others on the subject of the dissemination of information.   Series 4: The Handmaiden, 1941-1961, deals with current lists of medical literature, both papers and bound proceedings and the index cards provide a detailed list of items found in each series as well as bibliographic information.