Technology Bibliographies

Technology (General)

Beltran, A., J. -P. Daviet & M. Ruffat. 1995. L'histoire d'entreprise en France: essai bibliographique. (Les Cahiers de l'Institut d'histoire du temps present, cahier no 30) Paris: Institut d'histoire du temps present, 117 pp.

Bertuca, D. J., D. K. Hartman, & S. M. Neumeister. 1996. The World's Columbian Exposition: A Centennial Bibliographic Guide. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 440 pp.

Bibliography of primary sources on the Chicago 1893 Exposition. Includes: collections of archives/manuscripts (pp. 303-335), collections of ephemera and exhibit material (pp. 337-344), and collections of photographs and illustrations (pp. 345-359).

Besterman, T. 1971. Technology, Including Patents: A Bibliography of Bibliographies. 2 v. Totowa, NJ: Rowman & Littlefield. Not at Harvard

Included in Besterman, T. 1965-66. A World Bibliography of Bibliographies and of Bibliographical Catalogues, Calendars, Abstracts, Digests, Indexes, and the Like. 5 v. 4th ed. Lausanne, Societas Bibliographica.

Bindocci, C. G. 1993. Women and Technology: An Annotated Bibliography. NY: Garland, 229 pp.

Books of the Fairs: Materials About World's Fairs, 1834-1916, in the Smithsonian Institution Libraries. (Smithsonian Institution Libraries Research Guide no. 6). Chicago: American Library Association, 1992, 268 pp.

Books on Engineering: A Subject Catalogue of Books in the Science Library. London: H.M. Stationary Office, 1957, 183 pp. [Books published since 1930]

Bruno, L. C. 1995. The Tradition of Technology: Landmarks of Western Technology in the Collections of the Library of Congress. Washington, DC: Library of Congress, 356 pp.

Carpenter, K. E. 1972. European industrial exhibitions before 1851 and their publications. Technology and Culture, v. 13, no.,3, pp. 465-486.

Channell, D. F. 1989. The History of Engineering Science: An Annotated Bibliography. NY: Garland, 311 pp.

Chassay, J. -F. et al. 1999. Bibliographie machines, textes et savoirs: technologie et littérature. Montréal: Département d'êtudes littéraires, Université du Québec Montréal, 68 pp.

Cutcliffe, S. H., J. A. Mistichelli & C. M. Roysdon. 1980. Technology and Values in American Civilization: A Guide to Information Sources. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Co., 704 pp.

Durbin, P. T., ed. 1980. A Guide to the Culture of Science, Technology, and Medicine. NY: Free Press; London: Collier Macmillan, 723 pp.

Review essays and bibliographies on:

  • History of technology
  • Philosophy of technology
  • Sociology of science and technology

Engineering Societies Library. 1963. Classed Subject Catalog. 13 v. suppl. Boston: G. K. Hall.

Ferguson, E. S. 1968. Bibliography of the History of Technology. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 347 pp.

Ferguson, J. 1959. Bibliographical Notes on Histories of Inventions and Books of Secrets. 2 v. London: Holland. Reprint, NY: Moxon, 1981. [Originally published in the Transactions of the Glasgow Archaeological Society, 1885-1915]

Guide to the Literature on the History of Engineering, Available in the Cooper Union Library. 2nd ed. NY: Cooper Union (Bulletin, Engineering and Science Series, no. 28), 1947, 50 pp. Not at Harvard

Hepburn, W. M. 1947. A Manual of the William Freeman Myrick Goss Library of the History of Engineering and Associated Collections. Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Engineering Experiment Station, 218 pp.

Herring, S. D. 1989. From the Titanic to the Challenger: An Annotated Bibliography on Technological Failures of the Twentieth Century. NY: Garland, 459 pp.

Hindle, B. 1966. A bibliography of early American technology. Pp. 29-94 in Technology in Early America: Needs and Opportunities for Study. With a Directory of Artifact Collections [by L. F. Ellsworth]. Chapel Hill, Published for the Institute of Early American History and Culture at Williamsburg, VA, by the University of North Carolina Press.

Continued by: Lerman, N. E. 1994. Books on early American technology, 1966-1991. Pp. 358-460 in Early American Technology: Making and Doing Things from the Colonial Era to 1850, ed. by J. A. McGaw. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 482 pp. Appendix: Brook Hindle's pre-1966 bibliography (pp. 431-460). Corrected bibliography of references from Hindle's 1966 bibliographic essay.

Hoy, S. M. & M. C. Robinson. 1982. Public Works History in the United States: A Guide to the Literature. Nashville, TN: American Association for State and Local History, 477 pp.

Josephson, A. G. S. 1915. A List of Books on the History of Industry and Industrial Arts. Chicago: John Crerar Library, 486 pp.

McKinstry, E. R. 1984. Trade Catalogues at Winterthur: A Guide to the Literature of Merchandizing, 1750-1890. NY: Garland, 438 pp. Guide to a microfiche collection.

Oleson, J. P. 1986. Bronze Age, Greek and Roman Technology: A Select, Annotated Bibliography. NY: Garland, 515 pp.

Ranta, J. A. 1999. Women and Children of the Mills: An Annotated Guide to Nineteenth-century American Textile Factory Literature. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 330 pp.

Literary works. Appendixes: chronology of factory literature, names/pseudonyms of Lowell Offering writers, Nonfiction Texts by and about Nineteenth-Cenury Textile Factory Workers.

Romaine, L. B. 1960. A Guide to American Trade Catalogs, 1744-1900. NY: R. R. Bowker, 422 pp. Reprint, NY: Arno, 1976.

Rosenthal, G. E. 1795. Litteratur der Technologie. Berlin: F. Nicolai. Reprint, Hildesheim/NY: Georg Olms, 1972, 420 pp.

Stine, J. K. and J. A. Tarr. 1998. At the intersection of histories: Technology and the environment. Technology and Culture, v. 39, pp. 601-640. [Review article]

Technischer Literaturkalender. 3 v. München, Berlin: R. Oldenbourg, 1918, 1920, 1929. [Bio-bibliography of German technology] Not at Harvard

Civil Engineering

Carter, M. 1991. Catalogue of the Civil Engineering History Collection. London: Civil Engineering Library, Civil Engineering Department, Imperial College, 364 pp

Massey, J. C., N. B. Schwartz & S. Maxwell. 1992. Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record: An Annotated Bibliography. Washington, DC: Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Board, National Park Service, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 170 pp. [GOVDOC NO: I 29.74:B 47]

Skempton, A. W. 1977. Early Printed Reports and Maps (1665-1850) in the Library of the Institution of Civil Engineers. London: Institution of Civil Engineers, 84 pp. [Largely reports; includes some reports appearing 1850-60 if their authors began publishing 1850 or before]

Skempton, A. W. 1987. British Civil Engineering 1640-1840: A Bibliography of Contemporary Printed Reports, Plans and Books. London: Mansell, 302 pp.

Stapleton, D. H. 1986. The History of Civil Engineering since 1600: An Annotated Bibliography. NY: Garland, 232 pp.

Stine, J. K. and J. A. Tarr. 1998. At the intersection of histories: Technology and the environment. Technology and Culture, v. 39, pp. 601-640. [Review article]

Transportation

 

Adams, T. R. and D. W. Waters. 1995. English Maritime Books Printed before 1801: Relating to Ships, their Construction and their Operation at Sea: Including Articles in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society and the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society. Providence, RI: John Carter Brown Library; Greenwich: National Maritime Museum, 602 pp.

Short list of other bibliographies, pp. xvii-xxii. Two lists: one by author and one by subject. Library locations given.

Bibliography of Aeronautics. Pts. 1-50. 39 v. in 17. NY: U. S. Work Progress Administration, 1936-40. (Compiled from the Index of Aeronautics of the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences. A supplement to each part was issued 1940-41.

Brockett, P. 1910. Bibliography of Aeronautics. Washington: Smithsonian Institution (Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, v. 55; Publication 1920), 940 pp.

Continued by Bibliography of Aeronautics,1909-1932. 14 v. Washington: National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics.

Ciancone, M. L. 1998. The Literary Legacy of the Space Age: An Annotated Bibliography of Pre-1958 Books on Rocketry & Space Travel. Houston, TX: Amorea Press, 70 pp.
--Technical, popular, and juvenile books in Western European languages.

Dickson, K. M. 1968. History of Aeronautics and Astronautics: A Preliminary Bibliography. Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 420 pp.

Kaven, A. 1988. Literatur des gesammten Eisenbahnwesens, zusammengestellt von August von Kaven 1868, nach dem Originalmanuskript. Ed. by G. Breuer. Munchen/NY: K.G. Saur, 543 pp.

McConville, J. & J. Sheldrake. 1997. Urban Transport: An Annotated International Bibliography. London: Mansell, 508 pp.

McEwan Collection: Transport History: Catalogue of the Collection of the Late James F. McEwan, William Patrick Library, Kirkintilloch. Kirkintilloch: East Dunbartonshire Council, Dept. of Education & Leisure Services, 1998, 136 pp.
--Scottish Railroads.

Manwaring, G. E. 1930. A Bibliography of British Naval History: A Biographical and Historical Guide to Printed and Manuscript Sources. London: Routledge, 163 pp.

Mariner's Mirror Bibliography. London: Society for Nautical Research, 1983- .

Pisano, D. A. & C. S. Lewis, eds. 1988. Air and Space History: An Annotated Bibliography. NY: Garland, 571 pp.

Ottley, G. 1983. A Bibliography of British Railway History. 2nd ed. London: HM Stationary Office, 684 pp. Supplement, 1988, 546 pp.

Boyes, G., M. Searle and D. Steggles. 1998. Ottley's Bibliography of British Railway History. Second Supplement 12957-19605: Books, Parts of Books, Pamphlets and Academic Theses on the History and Description of Public Transport in the British Isles Published up to the End of 1995, with Corrigenda and Addenda to the Entries in the Previous Volumes. York: National Railway Museum in association with Railway & Canal Historical Society, 647 pp.

Reid, J. P. 1978. Bibliography of Bibliographies on Transportation and Related Fields. Monticello, IL: Council of Planning Librarians, 70 pp.

Thomson, T. R. 1942. Check List of Publications on American Railroads before 1841: A Union List of Printed Books and Pamphlets, Including State and Fedral Documents, Dealing with Charters, By-laws, Legislative Acts, Speeches, Debates, Land Grants, Officers' and Engineers' Reports, Travel Guides, Maps, etc. NY: New York Public Library, 250 pp.

Tissandier, G. 1887. Bibliographie aéronautique: catalogue de livres d'histoire, de science, de voyages et de fantaisie, traitant de la navigation aérienne ou des aérostats. Paris: H. Launette, 62 pp. Reprint, Amsterdam: B. M. Israel, 1971.

Zimmerman, A. G. 1991. A Canal Bibliography with a Primary Emphasis on the United States and Canada. Easton, PA: Canal History and Technology Press; Hugh Moore Historical Park and Museums; Pennsylvania Canal Society, 187 pp.
--Primary & secondary. Includes fiction and juvenile.

Energy Conversion/Production

Benson, J., R. G. Neville, & C. H. Thompson. 1981. Bibliography of the British Coal Industry: Secondary Literature, Parliamentary and Departmental Papers, Mineral Maps and Plans, and a Guide to Sources. Oxford; NY: Published for the National Coal Board by Oxford University Press, 760 pp.

Ott, H., R. Allgeier & M. Drummer, eds. 1987. Bibliographie zur Geschichte der Energiewirtschaft in Deutschland: eine Ubersicht der seit dem 18. Jahrhundert zur Energieerzeugung und -verwendung erschienenen Literatur. (Historische Energiestatistik von Deutschland, Bd. 3; Quellen und Forschungen zur historischen Statistik von Deutschland, Bd. 3). St. Katharinen: Scripta Mercaturae Verlag, 692 pp.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS) (1956- ).

Swanson, E. B. 1960. A Century of Oil and Gas in Books: A Descriptive Bibliography. NY: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 214 pp.
--Covers books and some pamphlets, etc., in English; worldwide scope.

Materials and Processing

Burt, R. & P. Waite. 1988. Bibliography of the History of British Metal Mining: Books, Theses, and Articles Published on the History of Metal Mining in England, Wales, Scotland, and the Isle of Man since the Second World War. Exeter: University of Exeter in association with the National Association of Mining History Organisations, 177 pp.

Herbert Clark Hoover Collection of Mining and Metallurgy. Clarement, CA: Libraries of the Claremont Colleges, 1980, 219 pp.

Leif, I. P. 1978. An International Sourcebook of Paper History. London: Dawson; Hamden, CT: Archon, 160 pp.

Molloy, P. M. 1986. The History of Metal Mining and Metallurgy: An Annotated Bibliography. NY: Garland, 319 pp.

Multhauf, R. P. 1984. The History of Chemical Technology: An Annotated Bibliography. NY: Garland, 299 pp.

Ron, M. 1991. Bibliotheca tinctoria: Annotated Catalog of the Sidney M. Edelstein Collection in the History of Bleaching, Dyeing, Finishing, and Spot Removing. Jerusalem: Jewish National and University Library, 507 pp.

Sturchio, J. L., ed. 1985. Corporate History and the Chemical Industries: A Resource Guide. Philadelphia, PA: Center for the History of Chemistry Publication, no. 4, 53 pp.

Williams, J. M. 1986. A Guide to Iron and Steel Pictures in the Hagley Museum and Library. Wilmington, DE: Hagley Museum and Library, 76 pp.

Mechanical Technology

Baillie, G. H. 1951. Clocks and Watches: An Historical Bibliography. London: N. A. G., 414 pp.

Bromley, J. 1977. The Clockmakers' Library: The Catalogue of the Books and Manuscripts in the Library of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers. London: Sotheby Parke Bernet Publications, 136 pp.

Hilker, E. W. 1974. Horological Books and Pamphlets in the Franklin Institute Library. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Franklin Institute, 185 pp.

Electricity/Electronics

Ekelöf, S. 1982. Catalogue of Books and Papers Relating to the History of Electrical Engineering in the Library of the Institute for the History of Electricity. Göteborg, Sweden: Chalmers University of Technology, 304 pp. Not at Harvard

Electricité de France. 1987. Fonds ancien: catalogue. 2nd ed., rev. by F. Cardot. Paris: Electricité de France, Direction des etudes et recherches, 367 pp. Not at Harvard

Finn, B. S. 1991. The History of Electrical Technology: An Annotated Bibliography. NY: Garland, 342 pp.

Higgins, T. J. 1950-52. A classified bibliography of publications on the history and development of electrical engineering and electrophysics. Bulletin of Bibliography 20(3): 67-71, 20(4): 85-92, 20(5): 115-122, 20(6): 136-142, 20(7): 160-162.

Kline, R. R. & J. E. Bedi. 1988. Recent Titles in Electrical History: A Selective Bibliography, 1982-1985. NY: Center for the History of Electrical Engineering, 54 pp. Not at Harvard; at Burndy.

May, G. 1884. A Bibliography of Electricity and Magnetism, 1860 to 1883, with Special Reference to Electro-Technics. London: Trübner, 203 pp.

Maynard, K., ed. 1931. A Bibliography of Bibliographies in Electrical Engineering, 1918-1929. (Special Libraries Association. Information bulletin no. 11) Providence, RI: Special Libraries Association, 156 pp.

Ronalds, F. 1880. Catalogue of Books and Papers Relating to Electricity, Magnetism, the Electric Telegraph, &c. Including the Ronalds Library. Ed. by A. J. Frost. London: F. N. Spon, 564 pp.

Shiers, G. 1972. Bibliography of the History of Electronics. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow, 323 pp. Not at Harvard.

Weaver, W. D. 1909. Catalogue of the Wheeler Gift of Books, Pamphlets and Periodicals in the Library of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. 2 v. NY: American Institute of Electrical Engineers Library.

Computers

Cortada, J. W. 1990. A Bibliographic Guide to the History of Computing, Computers, and the Information Processing Industry. NY: Greenwood, 644 pp.

Replaces his An Annotated Bibliography on the History of Data Processing (1983).

Cortada, J. W. 1996. A Bibliographic Guide to the History of Computer Applications, 1950-1990. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 278 pp.
Internet Archive Full Text

Cortada, J. W. 1996. Second Bibliographic Guide to the History of Computing, Computers, and the Information Processing Industry. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 416 pp.

Hook, D. H. and J. M. Norman. 2002. Origins of cyberspace: a library on the history of computing, networking, and telecommunications. Novato, CA: historyofscience.com, 670 p.
--Annotated bibliography of primary sources, with biographical information, arranged in six topical chapters. Timeline, pp. 63-103, 1599-1990. Includes telegraphy and calculating machines.

Nash, M. 1989. Computers, Cybernetics and Automation at the Hagley Museum and Library. Wilmington, DE: Hagley Museum and Library, 100 pp. Not at Harvard

Yost, J. R. 2002. A bibliographic guide to resources in scientific computing, 1945-1975. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 263 p.
--Chapters on major subject areas: Physical, Cognitive, Biological, Medical.

Communication and Records

Bibliographic essay on the role of information in the transformation of the United States. Pp. 345-361 in A Nation Transformed by Information: How Information has Shaped the United States from Colonial Times to the Present, ed. by A. D. Chandler and J. W. Cortada. Oxford; NY: Oxford University Press, 2000, 380 pp.

Boni, A. 1962. Photographic Literature: An International Bibliographic Guide to General & Specialized Literature on Photographic Processes, Techniques, Theory, Chemistry, Physics, Apparatus, Materials & Applications, Industry, History, Biography, Aesthetics, etc. NY: Morgan & Morgan, 335 pp.
--Continued by: Boni, A. 1972. Photographic Literature, 1960-1970: An International Bibliographic Guide to General & Specialized Literature on Photographic Processes, Techniques, Theory, Chemistry, Physics, Apparatus, Materials & Applications, Industry, History, Biography, Aesthetics, etc. Hastings-on -Hudson, NY: Morgan & Morgan, 535 pp.

Bracken, J. K. & C. H. Sterling. 1995. Telecommunications Research Resources: An Annotated Guide. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 173 pp.
--History (pp. 15-46); lists of museums (pp. 20-22); lists of archives & libraries (pp. 23-36).

Gluckman, A. G. 1993. The Invention and Evolution of the Electrotechnology to Transmit Electrical Signals without Wires: An Annotated Bibliography of 17th, 18th, and19th Century Experimental Studies of Electrostatic Induction, Spark-gap and Lightning Discharges, Magnetic Induction, Oscillating Circuits, Resonance, and Electromagnetic Wave Propagation. Washington, DC: Washington Academy of Sciences, 239 pp.

Hecht, H. 1993. Pre-cinema History: An Encyclopedia and Annotated Bibliography of the Moving Image before 1896. London: Bowker Saur, in association with the British Film Institute, 476 pp.

Hook, D. H. and J. M. Norman. 2002. Origins of cyberspace: a library on the history of computing, networking, and telecommunications. Novato, CA: historyofscience.com, 670 p.
--Annotated bibliography of primary sources, with biographical information, arranged in six topical chapters. Timeline, pp. 63-103, 1599-1990. Includes telegraphy and calculating machines.

Hecht, H. 1993. Pre-cinema History: An Encyclopedia and Annotated Bibliography of the Moving Image before 1896. London: Bowker Saur, in association with the British Film Institute, 476 pp.

Johnson, W. S. 1990. Nineteenth-century Photography: An Annotated Bibliography 1839-1879. London: Mansell, 980 pp.

Mostert, M. 1999. A bibliography of works on medieval communication. Pp. 193-318 in New Approaches to Medieval Communication, ed. by M. Mostert (Turnhout, Brepols: Utrecht Studies in Medieval Literacy, 1) 1580 items

Roosens, L. & L. Salu. 1989, 1994. History of Photography: A Bibliography of Books. 2 v. London: Mansell.
--Includes books by or about photographers born before 1914 (v. 1); photographers born 1915-36 (v. 2), and books on the history of photography.

Shiers, G. and M. Shiers. 1997. Early Television: A Bibliographic Guide to 1940. NY: Garland Pub., 616 pp.
​​​​​​​--Primary. References by author in chapters covering one or several years. Each chapter has a chronology giving events for that years or span of years. Name and subject indexes.

Sterling, C. H. and G. Shiers. 2000. History of telecommunications technology: an annotated bibliography. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 333 p.
--Largely replaces G. Shiers' Bibliography of the History of Electronics (Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow, 1972, 323 pp. Not at Harvard) but omitting Shiers’ coverage of general electricity/electronics, radio astronomy, industrial electronic tubes and electronics, radar, and most computer and solid state electronics references, for which more recent source are available.

Military

Beede, B. R. 2005. Index to contemporary military articles of the World War II era, 1939-1949. Westport, CT: Praeger, 455 p.

Higham, R., ed. 1975. A Guide to the Sources of United States Military History. Hamden, CT: Archon Books, 559 pp. Supplements: I (1981), II (1986), III (1993), IV (1998).
--Covers secondary and primary, printed and manuscript, sources. Topical essays include science and technology, and military medicine.

Liman, O. 1909-1910. Almanach der Militär-literatur, enthaltend die deutsche Militär-literatur, die bio- und bibliographien der deutschen militärschriftsteller und die militärischen Zeitschriften des in-und auslandes. Im anhang: ausfuhrliche sach- und autorenregister. 2 v. Leipzig: F. Engelmann.

Kenyon, J. R. 1978-90. Castles, Town Defences and Artillery Fortifications in Britain and Ireland: A Bibliography. 3 v. London: Council for British Archaeology (CBA research report 25, 53, 72).
--V. 1. 1945-74; v. 2. 1977-82 [Ireland, 1945-82]; v. 3. 1983-89. Only vols. 2 and 3 include Ireland.

Liman, O. 1909-1910. Almanach der Militär-literatur, enthaltend die deutsche Militär-literatur, die bio- und bibliographien der deutschen militärschriftsteller und die militärischen Zeitschriften des in-und auslandes. Im anhang: ausfuhrliche sach- und autorenregister. 2 v. Leipzig: F. Engelmann.

Industrial Archeology

Greenwood, J. 1985. The Industrial Archaeology and Industrial History of Northern England: A Bibliography. s.l.: J. Greenwood, 300 pp.

Greenwood, J. 1987. The Industrial Archaeology and Industrial History of the English Midlands: A Bibliography. Cranfield: Kewdale Press, 410 pp.

Greenwood, J. 1988. The Industrial Archaeology and Industrial History of London: A Bibliography. Cranfield: Kewdale Press, 259 pp.

Greenwood, J. 1990. The Industrial Archaeology and Industrial History of South-Eastern England: A Bibliography. Cranfield: Kewdale, 372 pp.

Business History

Goodall, F. 1987. A Bibliography of British Business Histories. Aldershot, Hants: Brookfield, VT: Gower, 638 pp.

Goodall, F., T. Gourvish & S. Tolliday, eds. 1997. International Bibliography of Business History. London: Routledge, 668 pp.

Romaine, L. B. 1960. A Guide to American Trade Catalogs, 1744-1900. NY: R.R. Bowker, 422 pp.

Zarach, S., ed. 1994. British Business History: A Bibliography. 2nd ed. Basingstoke: Macmillan, 333 pp. [Former title: Debrett's Bibliography of Business History]

Weights and Measures

Witthoft, H. 1991. Deutsche Bibliographie zur historischen Metrologie: Das deutsche und deutschsprachige Schrifttum, erweitert um ausgewählte Arbeiten zur historischen Metrologie europäischer und aussereuropäischer Staaten. (Handbuch der historischen Metrologie 1). St. Katharinen: Scripta Mercaturae Verlag, 431 pp.