MGmo to File @

October 7, 1960

Hoover Institution Role in Space Program Archives

Discussion with Or. Campbell, Director and Mr. Philip T. Mc Lean, Librarian.
We quickly agreed that the Hoover Institution should play a role of leadership
in the acquisition of materials on the space program. The main concern was
where to draw the line between the technical products and the political considerations.
The Hoover would not be especially interested in the technical side of it, partly
because of their limitation of resources, although | tried several times to point
out that it would be increasingly difficult to maintain a distinction. They did
not disagree with this but it was obvious that they could not be too enthusiastic
about developing the necessary staff for the total picture. However, it may be
possible to work out some system of coordination so that there would still be a
point of direction in the Hoover Institution while insuring that all the technical
material was distributed throughout the University system. This is somewhat less
Satisfactory than | had hoped but | think it will work out. | did try to point out
that if they used too rigorous a criterion, they might very likely have discarded
notes on Columbus's voyages as being concerned with technical problems in navigation,
geography and natural history. Perhaps something might do with a formula based on
antiquity, most of the technical reports are scientifically useful only within a
few years of their publication whereas their historical importance becomes more
acute and more evident the older they are.

At any rate, Dr. Campbell indicated that he would be very happy if ! would
indicate to Berkner that they would be very happy to have his IGY correspondence
and any similar materials and | will accordingly go ahead on that basis.

1 left with them some materials, including the OTS Reports on Russian

cooperation in the IGY and they will use these as test samples for their own
present coverage.

W/. U-lenn Cophelf