RECORD GROUP 13:

INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY

1960-2000

ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY

The Office of Information and Research was formed in 1955 to advise the County Manager and other County Officials on matters of public concern, and to encourage public support and understanding of the County Government by operating the County's public information program. which was intended. In 1962 the Office of Information and Research merged with the Office of Economic Development, and a new Office of Information was formed as a branch of the County Manager's Office. This office supplied news releases and photographs to local news media, and administered a public relations program.

In May 1983, County Executive Charles Gilchrist signed a contract marking the beginning of cable television service in the county. After a three-year search the fifteen-year franchise was awarded to Tribune-United Cable of Montgomery County. In 1986 the Information Office launched an electronic bulletin board service on cable channel 30 which carried notices of public hearings, recreational activities, proposed legislation, library events, health advice, and other information of general interest to the public. Later that year the service was expanded to include coverage of County Council meetings, public hearings, and programs designed to explain County services to residents. In the late 1980s the Information Office was renamed the Office of Public Information, which now disseminates information about the activities of the County Government through the internet as well as via more traditional media.

PROCESSING PROCEDURES

General processing procedures consisted of discarding duplicates, unnecessary binders, and routine transmittals. Oversized documents and photographs were removed from the original location in their assigned series and placed in separate containers. Separation sheets were inserted in the original location within the folder to indicate the new location of any records placed elsewhere.

Preservation copying of newspaper clippings was performed whenever feasible. Records in folders were arranged, unless otherwise indicated, in forward chronological order, with undated records appearing at the end of the folder.

PROVENANCE

The collection was culled from various accessions of printed material.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection comprises 1.8 cubic feet of printed material issued by or commissioned for County offices which are charged with promoting new technologies and encouraging wider dissemination of information and education within the County. The collection contains reports, studies, guides, directories, and serials generated by the Office of Public Information and its predecessor agencies. Records documenting the history of cable television in the County can also be found in this collection.

General printed material is arranged chronologically and alphabetically within each year. Serials are arranged at the end of the collection alphabetically by title, then chronologically.

BOX INVENTORY

Box 1

Your Talk with the County Manager, [c. 1960]

Modern Montgomery County Communications, 1961

Report on Communications Study for Montgomery County, Maryland, 1961

Guide to Montgomery County, 1966

Montgomery County, Its History and Government, 1966

Guide to Montgomery County, 1967

Citizens Guide to Public Services, 1969

Directory: Boards, Committees, and Commissions, 1970

Citizens Guide to Public Services, 1971

Cable Television Interim Reports, I, II, 1974

Cable Television Ownership Considerations, 1974

Comprehensive Summary Report, Cable Communications System, 1974

Final Report: An Upgraded/Integrated Telecommunications System for Montgomery County,

Maryland, 1974

Final Report on Cable Television for Montgomery County, Maryland, 1974

Interim Report to the Montgomery County Cable Television Office, 1974

Montgomery County Municipal Task Force on Cable Television, 1974

Report on Cable Television for Montgomery County, Maryland, 1974

To Cable or Not To Cable: A Fact Book on CATV, 1974

Report on Cable Television for Montgomery County, Maryland, [1975]

Report of the County Executive on Cable Television for Montgomery County, Maryland, 1976

Task Force and Special Subcommittee Reports on Cable Television in Montgomery County,

Maryland, 1976

Overtimes, 1977

Your County Government, 1977

Overtimes, 1978

Management Information Services FY 1980 Work Plan and Long Range Plan FY 1981-1985,

1979

Overtimes, 1979

Analysis of Cable Television Policy Issues and Requirements, 1981

Overtimes, 1981

Annual Report FYs 1981 and 1982, Office of Consumer Affairs, 1982

Cable Communications Proposal for Montgomery County: Executive Summary, [1982]

Cablevision of Montgomery County Proposal, [1982]

Directory of Community Resources, 1982

Evaluation of Cable Television Franchise Applications, Volume I, 1982

First County Cable Proposal: Executive Summary [1982]

Montgomery Community Cablevision Inc.: Summary of Proposal to Montgomery County, 1982

Overtimes, 1982

Quick Guide to Community Resources, 1982

Tele-Mont Communications Proposal: Executive Summary, [1982]

Tribune-United Cable Television Franchise Agreement, 1982

Tribune-United Proposal: A New Vision for Montgomery County, [1982]

Viacom Cablevision of Maryland Proposal: Executive Summary, [1982]

Warner Amex Cable Communications Company Proposal: Executive Summary, [1982]

Cable Television Briefing Papers, 1984

Guide to Home Improvements, 1984

Annual Report Fiscal Years 1984 and 1985, Office of Consumer Affairs, 1985

Directory of Community Resources, 1985

Directory of Licenses, Permits, and Inspections, 1985

Overtimes, 1985

Overtimes, 1986

Quick Guide to Community Resources, 1986

Directory of Community Resources, 1987

Montgomery County Government Publications List, 1987

Overtimes, 1987

Annual Report, Cable TV Montgomery 1987, 1988

Annual Report, Cable TV Montgomery 1988, 1989

Directory of Community Resources '90, 1989

Annual Report, Cable TV Montgomery 1989, 1990

Montgomery County Government Publications List, 1990

Box 2

Annual Report, Cable TV Montgomery, 1990, 1991

County Connection, 1991

Annual Report, 1992

Cable TV Montgomery 1991 Annual Report, 1992

County Connection, 1992

Telephone System Administrator Newsletters and Agenda, 1992-1993

Your County Government, 1992

Asset Purchase Agreement Among Montgomery Cablevision, SBC Media Ventures, and Southwestern Bell Corporation, Redacted Version, 1993 (3 folders)

Cable Television Franchise Transfer Public Information Booklet, 1993

Cable TV Montgomery Response to County Questions, 1993

Cable TV Montgomery/Southwestern Bell Corporation, 1993

Preliminary Application for Approval of Transfer of Cable Television Franchise, 1993

Southwestern Bell Corporation Response to County Questions Regarding Cable Television Transfer, 1993 (2 folders)

Phone Directory, County Departments and Employees, 1994

Cable TV Montgomery/Southwestern Bell Corporation Franchise Public Review, 1995

Overtimes, 1995

Overtimes, 1996

Phone Directory, County Departments and Employees, 1996

Overtimes, 1998

Phone Directory, County Departments and Employees, 1998

Overtimes, 1999

Overtimes, 2000

Help for the Unemployed, n.d.

Box 3 (Flat File 18)

Serials

County Connector, Vol. 1 no. 1-Vol. 3 no. 6, July 1990-June 1993

County Connector, Vol. 4 no. 2-Vol. 5 no. 6, September 1993-Fall 1995

Montgomery Monthly, Vol. 1 no. 1-4, 6, 9, September 1984-May, 1985

Montgomery Monthly, Vol. 2 no. 2, 4-6, 8-12, October 1985-August 1986

Montgomery Monthly, Vol. 3 no. 1, 3-5, 7-12, September 1986-July 1987

Montgomery Monthly, Vol. 4 no. 1-7, 8-11, September 1987-August 1988

Montgomery Monthly, Vol. 5 no. 1-9, 11-12, September 1988-July 1989

Montgomery Monthly, Vol. 6 no. 1-10, September 1989-June 1990