The David Sarnoff Library collections (Accession 2464) include the research records, the papers of individual scientists, photographs, films and sound recordings that document the research and development conducted at the David Sarnoff Research Center and other RCA facilities from the early days of the Radio Corporation of America to the David Sarnoff Research Center’s operations in the 1980s and 1990s.It also includes the original David Sarnoff papers (Accession 2464.55) collection, assembled by Sarnoff and his staff to document his career. These formed the core of the David Sarnoff Library when it opened at the David Sarnoff Research Center in Princeton in 1967. When the library closed in 2009, the archival collections were donated to Hagley and the museum objects went to The College of New Jersey.This digital collection offers a small sample material selected from the David Sarnoff Library collections at Hagley, which encompasses twenty collections and nearly 3,000 linear feet of material. To learn more about these collections, click here.
Charles Jennings (1916-2006) served for more than forty years as RCA Global Communications’ primary liaison in Japan, figuring prominently in the development of post-World War II Japanese communications systems.The Charles B. Jennings photographs, scrapbook boards, and other materials (Accession 2464.21) collection consists primarily of black and white and color photographs, albums, advertising posters, papers, and unbound scrapbook boards of photographs and ephemera. It has not been digitized in its entirety.This collection is part of the David Sarnoff Library collections (Accession 2464). These collections were the holdings of the David Sarnoff Library, founded in 1967 as part of the David Sarnoff Research Center. When the library closed in 2009, its archival collections were donated to Hagley Library.Image: 'Never really far from home' advertisement, 1946. Click here to view in the collection.
The materials in this digital collection are part of the David Sarnoff Library digital archive (Accession AVD.2464.001), which is itself part of the David Sarnoff Library collections (Accession 2464).These collections were the holdings of the David Sarnoff Library, founded in 1967 as part of the David Sarnoff Research Center. When the library closed in 2009, its archival collections were donated to Hagley Library. That donation included born-digital and digitized material. The materials in this collection were part of that transfer.Image: Cameras, Monochrome TV (ca. 1944-60). Click here to view in the collection.
The David Sarnoff Library collections (Accession 2464) include the research records, the papers of individual scientists, photographs, films and sound recordings that document the research and development conducted at the David Sarnoff Research Center and other RCA facilities from the early days of the Radio Corporation of America to the David Sarnoff Research Center’s operations in the 1980s and 1990s.It also includes the original David Sarnoff papers (Accession 2464.55) collection collection, assembled by Sarnoff and his staff to document his career. These formed the core of the David Sarnoff Library when it opened at the David Sarnoff Research Center in Princeton in 1967. When the library closed in 2009, the archival collections were donated to Hagley and the museum objects went to The College of New Jersey.The David Sarnoff Library technical reports (Accession 2009.1214.DS) collection consists of technical reports that were once part of the David Sarnoff Library's collection. These reports have been maintained in their original order and cataloged using the Sarnoff Library's catalog cards. This collection has not been digitized in its entirety.
David Sarnoff (1891-1971) was the head of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) for most of the company's history. For many years the only Jewish executive in the communications field, Sarnoff was highly influential in the development of radio and television.The David Sarnoff papers (Accession 2464.55) collection was assembled by Sarnoff to celebrate his career. However, the papers also include the extensive photographic, publicity, and administrative files created by his staff at RCA and a substantial audiovisual component. It has not been digitized in its entirety.This collection form the initial core collection of the David Sarnoff Library collections (Accession 2464). These collections were the holdings of the David Sarnoff Library, founded in 1967 as part of the David Sarnoff Research Center. When the library closed in 2009, its archival collections were donated to Hagley Library.Image: David Sarnoff speaking at luncheon meeting of National Broadcasting Company convention, Atlantic City, New Jersey. 1947. Click here to view in the collection.
The David Sarnoff Research Center (DSRC) in Princeton, New Jersey was the central research organization for the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) from 1942 to 1987. Following GE’s acquisition of RCA in 1986, the DSRC was donated to SRI International as a contract research laboratory.The David Sarnoff Research Center records (Accession 2464.09) collection documents the pioneering research of its scientists and traces the history of the organization from its establishment into the twenty-first century. It has not been digitized in its entirety.This collection is part of the David Sarnoff Library collections (Accession 2464). These collections were the holdings of the David Sarnoff Library, founded in 1967 as part of the David Sarnoff Research Center. When the library closed in 2009, its archival collections were donated to Hagley Library.Image: Interactive video test for RCA adventure game, 1984. Click here to view in the collection.
The RCA Camden plant was originally established under the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1907. In 1929, the Radio Corporation of America acquired the Victor Talking Machine Company and soon made Camden the center of its own research, development, and manufacturing. Camden remained the company's primary advanced development site until GE acquired RCA in 1986.The RCA Camden records (Accession 2462.76) collection documents RCA’s work in the space program, electron microscopy, nuclear fusion, and other fields through research records, correspondence, reports, photographs and films. It has not been digitized in its entirety.This collection is part of the David Sarnoff Library collections (Accession 2464). These collections were the holdings of the David Sarnoff Library, founded in 1967 as part of the David Sarnoff Research Center. When the library closed in 2009, its archival collections were donated to Hagley Library.Image: China-Korea-Nagoya film, 1931. Click here to view in the collection.
For over fifty years the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) was one of the country's leading manufacturers and vendors of radios, phonographs, televisions, and a wide array of consumer and military electronics products.The RCA Corporation collection of television and company history photographs and audiovisual materials (Accession 2464.78) is primarily made up of moving images and sound recordings collected by the David Sarnoff Research Library relating to RCA dating from 1953 to 2009. The collection has not been digitized in its entirety.This collection is part of the David Sarnoff Library collections (Accession 2464). These collections were the holdings of the David Sarnoff Library, founded in 1967 as part of the David Sarnoff Research Center. When the library closed in 2009, its archival collections were donated to Hagley Library.Image: The Reasons Why, 1960. Click here to view in the collection.
The RCA News and Information Department served a public affairs role for RCA corporate headquarters at Rockefeller Center in New York City.The RCA News and Information Department photographs (Accession 2462.68) collection contains photographs and negatives created or commissioned by RCA that document much of RCA’s history and activities. Many of the photographs were organized by the News and Information Department into subjects that cover the history of radio, television, communications, and consumer electronics, with a particular emphasis on RCA's role in that history. It has not been digitized in its entirety.This collection is part of the David Sarnoff Library collections (Accession 2464). These collections were the holdings of the David Sarnoff Library, founded in 1967 as part of the David Sarnoff Research Center. When the library closed in 2009, its archival collections were donated to Hagley Library.Image: Computerized pool game, 1970. Click here to view in the collection.
The Radio Corporation of America (renamed RCA Corporation in 1969) was best known for its pioneering radio and television development and manufacturing. In addition to consumer electronics, RCA was a major player in the development of electronics for industrial and military applications.The RCA product information (Accession 2462.77) collection contains extensive documentation of RCA’s consumer and industrial products and components. Files include manuals, technical data, advertisements, technical bulletins, catalogs, and training materials. It has not been digitized in its entirety.This collection is part of the David Sarnoff Library collections (Accession 2464). These collections were the holdings of the David Sarnoff Library, founded in 1967 as part of the David Sarnoff Research Center. When the library closed in 2009, its archival collections were donated to Hagley Library.Image: Backgammon diagram, VIP-720: RCA COSMAC Game Manual II. Click here to view in the collection.
The RCA Solid State Division (SSD) was established under William C. Hittinger in March 1970 from a merger of the solid state units of RCA Electronic Components with the Integrated Circuit Technology Center of Research and Engineering. The division was responsible for leading RCA’s research, development, and manufacturing in semiconductors, integrated circuits, and optoelectronics.The RCA Solid State Division records (Accession 2464.75) collection consists of the papers of scientists and administrators from the division’s facilities in Somerville, New Jersey and Findlay, Ohio. It has not been digitized in its entirety.This collection is part of the David Sarnoff Library collections (Accession 2464). These collections were the holdings of the David Sarnoff Library, founded in 1967 as part of the David Sarnoff Research Center. When the library closed in 2009, its archival collections were donated to Hagley Library.Image: RCA's Spectra 70 team, ca. 1965. Click here to view in the collection.
The Radio Corporation of America (RCA)’s Picture Tube Division, later known as the Video Component and Display Division, was headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1987, the French firm Thomson Consumer Electronics acquired RCA’s consumer electronics business, including the Lancaster plant, and operated the facility until Thomson shut down its consumer electronics operations in 2005.The RCA/Thomson Lancaster records (Accession 2462.74) collection documents a diverse array of activities at the RCA/Thomson Lancaster plant between the facility’s early days of operation and its closure. It has not been digitized in its entirety.This collection is part of the David Sarnoff Library collections (Accession 2464). These collections were the holdings of the David Sarnoff Library, founded in 1967 as part of the David Sarnoff Research Center. When the library closed in 2009, its archival collections were donated to Hagley Library.Image: How a Color Picture Tube Works, 1996. Click here to view in the collection.
