“Ada Lovelace, Ctrl+S: Saving (and Overwriting) an Icon”
Dr. Katherine Pandora
7pm Tuesday October 6, Bizzell Memorial Library, OU
Ada Lovelace Day, held annually on the second Tuesday in October, celebrates the 1843 publication of an essay now often regarded as the historical boundary between calculators and computers. What made Lovelace’s essay significant? Why is it popularly regarded as the first computer program, written generations before the rise of the modern computer? Dr. Katherine Pandora, Department of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine, will reflect on Lovelace’s status as an icon of popular science and explore how public perception of her achievement has evolved over the last half-century.
An original copy of Lovelace’s rare publication, “Notes” on Charles Babbage’s “Sketch of the Analytical Engine,” will be available for viewing in the presentation venue before and after the presentation.
Light refreshments will be provided in the Daniel J. & Ruth F. Boorstin Collection room.
Exhibit curators will be on hand after the presentation to walk attendees through the Main floor portion of the Computer Revolutions exhibit.
The event is open to all. For more information, email specialresearchcollections@ou.edu.
The Computer Revolutions exhibit explores the profound impact of the personal computer on everyday life and society. It includes personal computers from the 1970’s through the 2000’s, rare technological artifacts, and original primary sources including:
- Ada Lovelace (one of the extremely rare copies of her 1843 “notes” publication, regarded as the first computer program),
- Leonardo (the only material of his published during his lifetime), and
- Galileo (his first and rarest book, an ancestor to the slide rule, his very own annotated copy).
What was the first computer you remember using?
Drawing from the holdings of the Libraries’ History of Science Collections, the free exhibit will be on view through March 2027 in two locations: on the first floor of Bizzell Memorial Library whenever the Library is open, and on the 5th floor whenever the Special Collections are open. You do not need an appointment to view these displays.
- Event flyer
- Computer Revolutions
- Library page
- Planning notes for educators (label text and photos)
- Ada Lovelace leaflet (pdf)
