Towards the end of the career of many a distinguished scientist, or shortly after his or her death, an edition of the scientist's articles is published under the title: ‘The Collected Papers of…’. While not wishing to slight either the ceremonial importance or real utility of such collections, they must be clearly distinguished from the sort of editions on which the Collected Papers of Albert Einstein is modelled. The former are primarily intended to make the published papers of a great scientist easily accessible to other scholars and students working in the same field as an aid to their research. The reader is provided with little or no help in understanding or evaluating the historical role these writings played in the development of this field, the circumstances leading to their creation, or how they fit into the life of their creator.

A great deal has been written concerning the impact of new technology on traditional publishing processes, leading to new forms of electronic publishing. Much less thought has been given to the effects of computerization on archival material. Yet, increasingly, records previously held in hard-copy form are being stored and handled electronically; this is particularly true of information in the scientific/technological/industrial area. In coming years, this will affect the work both of the archivist and of the historian seeking to use these records. It makes sense to try and anticipate the problems that computerization may create.

In 1979, the National Historical Publications and Records Commission began a programme of encouraging the use of automated techniques by its documentary editing projects with a series of small grants for lease/purchase of equipment. In addition to such projects as the Documentary History of the First Federal Congress, the Samuel Gompers Papers, the Papers of Henry Laurens and the Papers of Marcus Garvey, which received funding from these early grants, other Commission-sponsored projects, such as the Papers of General George C. Marshall, initiated automation activities with institutional support or grant funds from other agencies, such as the National Endowment for the Humanities.