In 1935 the Society of American Bacteriologists (now ASM) established a Committee on Archives, whose charge was to acquire and maintain the records of the Society, and to collect materials relating to the history of microbiology. These materials remained in the possession of the committee chair (Barnett Cohen, 1935-1952; Leland S. McClung, 1952-1982) until an agreement was struck with the University of Maryland Baltimore County to house the ASM Archives. The Book Collection was transferred to UMBC in 1978, and the
remainder of the materials arrived in 1982. (UMBC's Albin O. Kuhn Library and Gallery Picture Courtesy of Tim Ford) 
The establishment of a Center for the History of Microbiology was proposed and supported by Leland McClung and Donald Shay. The idea behind the Center was based on existing centers for the history of chemistry and physics. After two years of planning, the Center for the History of Microbiology was established at a ceremony at UMBC on 4 June 1985 (ASM NEWS Vol. 51 No. 8 1985.) ASM's Center for the History of Microbiology and Archives Collection includes records of the Society from its founding in 1899 to the present, including journals and proceedings of meetings; 9,000 volumes on microbiology and related topics; photographs of scientists and microbes; topical files on various aspects of microbiology, including biographical materials; instructional materials, including slides and motion pictures; and several collections of personal papers. For further information, or to make an appointment to visit the Archives, please contact the Archivist, Jeff Karr, at 410-455-3601 or jkarr@asmusa.org.
Lectures, Sessions, Posters, Exhibit Sponsored by the Center for the History of Microbiology/ASM Archives at ASM Microbe 2018
LECTURE/SYMPOSIA – HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY:
The Pandemic, The Virus and 1918 Revisited: A Century of Influenza Virus
Session Type: Plenary Session co-sponsored by the Center for the History of Microbiology/ASM Archives (CHOMA)
Date: Friday, June 8, 2018
Time: 8:45 am – 10:45 am
Location: Georgia World Congress Center; Atlanta, GA; Sydney Marcus Auditorium, Building A, Level 4 and ASM Microbe at Play, Building B, Level 4
Wars and Plagues: How Events in 1918 Influenced the Profession of Microbiology
Session Type: Profession of Microbiology (POM) Track Hub Session
Date: Friday, June 8, 2018
Time: 1:30 pm – 2:15 pm
Location: Georgia World Congress Center; Atlanta, GA; Exhibit and Poster Hall, Building B, Halls B2-B5, POM Track Hub)
Science and the Great War: How World War I Shaped Microbiology
Session Type: History of Microbiology Lecture/Symposium
Date: Saturday, June 9, 2018
Time: 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm:
Location: Georgia World Congress Center; Atlanta, GA; Building A, A411
EXHIBIT – HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY:
Significant Events in Microbiology
Specific Topics: TBA
Times & Location: TBD
POSTERS – HISTORY OF MICROBIOLOGY:
Session 425 - POM04 - History of Microbiology
Date: Sunday, June 10, 2018
Time: 12:45 pm – 2:45 pm
Location: Georgia World Congress Center; Atlanta, GA; Exhibit and Poster Hall, Building B, Halls B2-B5
Questions? Contact ASM Archivist: jkarr@asmusa.org or archives@asmusa.org
