RCA Americom Library records, 1974-1988
Part of collection: Records of other RCA divisions (2464-80)
Dates
- Creation: 1974-1988
Historical Note
In 1975, RCA founded RCA American Communications (RCA Americom). Later that year, Americom launched SATCOM F1, a communications satellite with twice the capacity of competing technology. Americom’s key customers were television networks. SATCOM was especially instrumental in launching successful cable networks HBO, Showtime, and TBS.
RCA Americom had “earth stations,” ground centers that controlled the satellites, in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, New York, and Camden, New Jersey. The in-house publication of RCA Americom was Satellite Circuit, issued quarterly.
The RCA Americom library was founded in 1982 to provide technical resources to employees. Its holdings included 300 books and 170 periodicals, it provided technical services, and the librarian was Anita Labib.
RCA Americom became GE Americom when General Electric acquired RCA in 1986. It has been a subsidiary of SES Global since 2001.
Scope and Content
The RCA Americom Library records consist of directories, catalogs, promotional materials, internal publications, and memos of RCA Americom.
Arrangement
Folders arranged alphabetically by subject.
Extent
From the Collection: 7 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Additional Description
Access Restrictions
This collection contains material from the Manuscripts and Archives Department (M&A) and the Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department (AVD). Box prefixes indicate which department holds an individual file or item.
Records subject to 25-year time seal.
Arrangement
Folders arranged alphabetically by subject.
Provenance
The successor to RCA Americon, SES Americom, donated the RCA Americom Library records to the David Sarnoff Library in 2001.
Separated Material
Extensive runs of serials were separated to the Published Collections Department for cataloging.
Processing Notes
Processed by Rachael A. Beyer, July 2014.
Related Names
Subject
- RCA Americom (Organization)
Creator
- From the Collection: RCA Corporation (Organization)
Repository Details
Repository Details
Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository
