Overview of the collection
The Thomas S. Mullaney East Asian Information Technology History Collection is thought to be the only one of its kind in the world. Assembled during fifteen years of research and teaching, the collection is multi-faceted and multi-dimensional, containing rare machines alongside archival and printed documents. Consisting of more than 2,000 items, the collection dates from the turn of the 20th century to the present age of computing. It has strong Chinese holdings and additional materials from other East Asian countries. The Thomas S. Mullaney East Asian Information Technology History Collection documents the modern history of Chinese and East Asian telegraph codes, typewriters, printing, mimeographs, word processors, computers and other information technologies.
Much of the collection will not be open to the public for research for several years. However, research travel award recipients will have special access to examine the entire collection.