Robert M. Hayes
The information listed below is current as of the date the transcript was finalized.
Interview Details
Interview Sessions
Abstract of Interview
Robert M. Hayes begins the interview with a discussion of his father's and his stepfather's affect on his life. He describes how he traveled frequently because of his stepfather's acting career, attending over sixteen different high schools before receiving his diploma. Hayes graduated from UCLA in 1947 with a BA in mathematics, and afterwards was drafted into the Navy. He recounts his acceptance into the Navy's V-12 program, and the courses he took for that program at the University of Colorado at Boulder. After the War, Hayes returned to UCLA, where he earned his MA in mathematics in 1949, and his PhD in mathematics in 1952. While earning his PhD , Hayes worked on information science at the National Bureau of Standards. In 1952, he decided to move into industry, and was hired at Hughes Aircraft. He describes his work at Hughes, where he programmed a computer to fly an airplane. Further, he recounts his teaching responsibilities in UCLA's University-extension program, which he continued in parallel with his experiences at Hughes. In 1954, Hayes began working at the National Cash Register Company, and a year later he moved to Magnavox Research Labs. He discusses the important developments in information storage and retrieval at Magnavox, such as the Minicard and the Magnacard systems, and his realization that his efforts at Magnavox could be taught to students. Eventually, Hayes was teaching at locations all over the United States, including American University, the University of Washington, and Wright Patterson Air Force Base. In 1960, Hayes was invited to join the Electrada Corporation, which he did, as vice-president. Hayes relates how, soon after joining Electrada, he and John Postley created Advanced Information Systems as a subsidiary of Electrada. Hayes also explains why he became a fulltime professor at UCLA at that time, and discusses his roles in the formation of the School of Library Service and the Institute for Library Research. In 1969, Joseph Becker and Robert Hayes started Becker and Hayes Incorporated, with the purpose of creating an interlibrary network for the State of Washington. Hayes discusses the obstacles he and Becker overcame to accomplish that task, and goes on to recount his work with NCLIS and the SILC system. Hayes concludes the interview with his interpretation of the relationship between information science and library science, and the importance of libraries and librarians.
Education
| Year | Institution | Degree | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | University of California, Los Angeles | BA | Mathematics |
| 1949 | University of California, Los Angeles | MA | Mathematics |
| 1952 | University of California, Los Angeles | PhD | Mathematics |
Professional Experience
National Bureau of Standards
Hughes Aircraft Company
National Cash Register Company
Magnavox Corporation
American University
Advanced Information Systems, Incorporated
University of Washington
Electrada, Incorporated
University of California, Los Angeles
Becker and Hayes, Incorporated
University of Illinois at Chicago
White House Conference on Libraries and Information Sciences
University of New South Wales
Japanese Universities
Loughborough University
Online Computer Library Center, Incorporated
Khazar University
Honors
| Year(s) | Award |
|---|---|
| 1971 | Best Information Science Book Award, ASIS |
| 1985 | Beta Phi Mu Award, American Library Association |
| 1986 | Professional Achievement Award, UCLA Alumni Association |
| 1990 | First Tezak Award, University of Zagreb, Croatia |
| 1993 | Award of Merit, American Library Association |
Table of Contents
Recollections of his father and stepfather. Moving to California and attending UCLA. Being drafted into the Navy and joining the V-12 program. Earning his BA, MA, and PhD at UCLA. Working on the mathematical-tables project for division 11 of the Institute for Numerical Analysis.
Getting a fellowship at UCLA. Being taught by Grace Hopper. Programming computers. Being in a class with Richard P Feynman. Going to work at Hughes Aircraft Company. Teaching through the University-extension program. Working at the National Cash Register Company, and then for Hughes Dynamics.
Working on the Minicard system for information storage and retrieval. The success of the magnetic disk. Studying the various forms of information storage. Teaching information science at various institutions. Meeting Mortimer Taube at Documentation Incorporated. The Magnacard system.
Being invited to join Electrada. Creating AIS with John A. Postley. Becoming a fulltime professor at UCLA. The creation of Hughes Dynamics. The founding of the School of Library Service and the Institute for Library Research. Forming Becker and Hayes to develop a library network. Rationalizing the funds for a national library network.
Writing the SILC report. The public-sector/private-sector taskforce. Discussing the difference between information and library science. Affirming the importance of libraries and librarians.
About the Interviewer
Colin B. Burke had recently retired from the history department at the University of Maryland at Baltimore County and held a research fellowship at Yale University when he came to CHF. He spent his residency working on his book on the history of computer-based scientific information systems and related government policies, from the 1950s through the early 1990s. He received his PhD from Washington University in St. Louis and currently serves as associate professor emeritus at the University of Maryland. He also served as a Fulbright Scholar in Poland and as a scholar-in-residence at the National Security Agency.