Series 3: Laboratory Administration, [1959]-1993

The Laboratory Administration Series provides insight into the daily workings of the Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics throughout Nirenberg's tenure. These materials were generated by the LBG staff in the course of their everyday operations. They consist mainly of annual reports and daily log books, which contain correspondence, data, instructions from Nirenberg to the staff, invoices, journal lists, and other related materials. The series is organized into three sub-series: Annual Reports, Daily Books, and General Files.

The first sub-series, Annual Reports, contains overviews of lab activities for the year, including ongoing projects, with detailed descriptions of lab experiments. The evolution of each report is documented through various drafts as well as photocopied final products. Arranged chronologically, the annual reports are nearly complete for the years 1960-1993.

The Daily Books sub-series is the largest of the series. To keep track of activities and events pertaining to the lab, Nirenberg and his staff compiled "belts" (dictated messages from Nirenberg to lab secretaries), correspondence, events material, journal subscriptions, shared experimental data, lists of tasks to be performed, and similar materials into three-ring binders. Ranging in date from 1968 to 1997, these binders may span one month or several years. The daily books are numbered chronologically for the most part, but on two occasions the numbering restarted. Daily books which were not numbered have been marked with the notation [unnumbered].

Although the daily books contain mixed materials, the original order as compiled by lab personnel was retained to maintain their original context. For preservation purposes all materials were removed from the binders. Extraneous materials such as non-Nirenberg reprints, catalogs, blank ballots, and bibliographic search print-outs were deaccessioned. The following five volumes remain unaltered as examples of intact daily books: Mail 1 (1978 Jun-Jul), 151 (1981 Sep-Dec), 201 (1982 Nov-Dec), 342 (1986 Nov), and 442 (1990 Aug). The daily books are arranged chronologically by date, which correlates with the numerical sequencing.

The last sub-series, General Files, consists of materials which were never filed into the daily books or became separated through early attempts at processing. These files include the same types of materials as the daily books, as well as budget information, equipment inventories, lab redesign documentation, position descriptions, and work orders. The LBG facility underwent a move and major renovations between 1969 and 1971, documented here by blueprints and floor plans. Also of note are the position descriptions for the various personnel in the lab; however, the inclusion of sensitive information has resulted in restrictions to certain items. The General Files are arranged alphabetically by document type, and then chronologically.