Descriptive Entry

These records contain minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors and correspondence of Stella L. Deignan, Monroe E. Freeman, and David F. Hersey, along with budget and statistical information, reports analyzing the efficiency and usefulness of SSIE, litigation records, contracts, grant proposals, audit information, and records detailing internal operations. Some materials are in electronic format.

Historical Note

The Smithsonian Science Information Exchange (SSIE) was a clearinghouse for information concerning ongoing research supported by federal and private sources. Its purpose was to prevent redundant research by enabling research administrators to know of similar ongoing research projects. The exchange collected Notices of Research Projects and stored, indexed, and retrieved them for interested persons. The Exchange was created in 1949 as the Medical Sciences Information Exchange. In 1953 the Exchange was renamed the Bio-Sciences Information Exchange and came to the Smithsonian. In 1960 it became the Science Information Exchange, as physical and social sciences were included; and in 1972 it was incorporated as the Smithsonian Science Information Exchange. The Exchange was unable to support itself from its revenues, and in 1981 it was disbanded and its responsibilities transferred to the National Technical Information Service. The Exchange was directed by Stella L. Deignan from its inception until 1961. Monroe E. Freeman directed the organization until 1973, when David F. Hersey became its last director.