This collection contains the administrative files kept primarily by the executive directors. The records concern the daily operations of a nonprofit professional organization
including preparation of the journal Spectra, planning for annual conferences and workshops, correspondence, grant proposals, annual reports, member surveys, and publications
concerning computerization.
Historical Note:
The Museum Computer Network promotes the use of computer technology by museums. It was established in 1967 by a consortium of New York City museums. In its early years
it focused on the development of an object-cataloging database system called Griphos. This system was designed to enable creation of a union catalog of museum objects. In
1972 the consortium was incorporated into the nonprofit Museum Computer Network (MCN) headed by David Vance. Until 1978 MCN functioned as a Griphos users group, but by that
year Griphos had become obsolete and MCN opened itself up to users of other computer systems. In 1985 Ron Kley became president and acting executive director until 1988 when
Deirdre Stam became executive director.