#160) Happy 10th Anniversary “Librascope Memories”.

10 years ago, on April 28th 2009, the Librascope Memories web-site was published on the Internet at https://librascopememories.com using the iWeb program on my, new at the time, 2008 MacBook. The initial goal was to make the 300+ Librazettes, issued by the Company since 1942, available for anyone to view and/or search. Over the past ten years, numerous other Librascope memorabilia have also been added to the “new” web-site, including:

1) Photo Albums (14) with many (445) photos taken at the Librascope Reunions since 1999. Note, the 2016 and 2018 reunion photos are yet to be added. The 2016 Reunion photos, however, are now viewable from Blog Post #144 (which links to a video slideshow on YouTube).
2) Various Librascope “Videos” (9), including two Librascope Promo’s, the 1992 and 1996 Christmas Parties, and two Retirements.
3) 47 photos of several “Librascope Products” from the past.
4) Copies of 69 “Librascope Literature” sheets since 1938!
5) A photo album that includes an odd assortment of “Libravet Personnel” photos (56).
6) Ten “Sea Stories” written by Libravets about their various Librascope experiences.
7) Misc. “Librascope Brochures” (22), including several from the 1950’s and 1960’s.
8) 38 “News Items” covering Librascope’s history from 1937 to 1995.
9) An album including 22 photos of various Librascope “Places”.
10) Last, a slideshow video with 366 photos of the Libravets receiving Service Awards from 1980 to 1989.

There are many other interesting items too, including the web-site’s Welcome and About pages.

Finally, I want to thank the many Libravets that helped me make this web-site possible, especially my good friend Ray Hand (1938-2018) who helped by scanning most of the 300+ Librazettes. I also wish to acknowledge the several Companies that also made this web-site possible, including: Apple, Evernote, Dropbox, Fujitsu's ScanSnap, and RageSW who has hosted the Librascope Memories web-site since the beginning.

Cheers,

Carl Sorensen -

A Libravet since 1958

#156) Free Librascope Movies Are Still Available

At the 2018 Librascope Reunion recently, attendees enjoyed watching two, professionally produced, Librascope movies from 1983 and 1989. For those who would like to see them again, or possibly missed attending the Reunion, I’m pleased to remind everyone that they are also available for viewing on the “Videos” page (see figure below) of the Librascope Memories website. Currently, there are a total of nine (9) Librascope movies (aka “videos”), including the two shown at the Reunion (Videos #3 and #4 below).

To view any one of these videos, simply click here to open the “Videos” page. Then follow the brief instructions printed at the top of the page that opens in your browser. You may view these videos on either a desktop, tablet, or smart phone. 

Note, the links below each image will re-direct you to YouTube, where you can view the selected videos in full screen if desired. Please click the "Like" (thumbs up) button if you enjoyed the video. Thanks!

Enjoy!

PS - I expect to add video slideshows of the 2016 and 2018 Reunions to the Librascope Memories "Photos" page in the near future. There you will find photos from all the other Reunions since 1999! In the meantime, the 2016 Reunion photos can be viewed from Blog post #144.

PPS - Today, October 20th, marks the 8 year anniversary of this Librascope Memories - News Blog! Hope you are enjoying it.

#150) Our U.S. Navy’s “Boomer” Submarines

The U.S. Navy’s fleet of 18 “Boomer” submarines, a.k.a. Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) submarines, are the most feared weapon on earth. Recently, several impressive photos of these Ohio Class submarines were compiled and distributed. This collection is presented here in the form of a video slideshow for easy viewing.

My thanks to Don Barton for forwarding these photos. BTW, Don was the Program Manager for the mass memories that were installed in each of these FBM subs Integrated Radio Room.

To view this short 4 minute video on YouTube, simply click here. 

PS: Don't forget the Has Beens luncheon is next week (October 11th).

Enjoy! Carl

#144) Photos of 2016 Librascope Reunion Published on YouTube

Last November 5th, nearly 100  Libravets and guests gathered for Librascope's tenth bi-annual employee reunion since the company announced its closing in the late 1990's. This was almost twice the number of attendees originally forecast!

The reunion was held at the Acapulco restaurant in Glendale, and included a south-western buffet. As always, it was an opportune time to renew old friendships, and reminisce for several hours.

Throughout the day, several photos were taken which are now available on YouTube for everyone to see. The six minute "video slideshow" of the get together may be viewed by CLICKING HERE. Note, please use YouTube's full screen option in the lower right corner for the best viewing.

#142) Librascope Service Awards Ceremony - 1996

Slide 1 - Opening Remarks

I recently came across several photographs that were taken at the 1996 Librascope Service Awards Ceremony. They are now published on YouTube as a short 76 second "slideshow video".

Awards given at the ceremony included Chelsea clocks and an unusual, but attractive, Benchmark indoor analog brass weather station made in Germany.

Note, for best viewing on YouTube, please elect to play the video "full screen" on your computer by clicking on the "Full screen" symbol located in the lower right hand corner of the YouTube screen.

Click here to go to YouTube and play the video. Enjoy.

#136) All Librascope Memories' Videos are now on YouTube.

Recent technological updates to all the major Internet browsers (Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, et al), have necessitated moving the remaining Apple iWeb videos on our Librascope Memories' website (click here) to YouTube. Note, Videos #5 through #9 were already on YouTube, but effective May 30, 2016 Videos #1 through #4 are there too.

This change will be an improvement, because it should result in an improved viewing experience, and it will no longer be necessary to modify our website's video formats whenever the industry makes improvements to their browsers in the future.

I should also mention that Videos #1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 are UNLISTED on YouTube, so these videos will not show up on a YouTube web search. Videos #5 and 9, however, are “public”.

Finally, if you notice an advertisement pop up while viewing a video, you can usually delete it by clicking on an “X” in the corner of the ad. Please let me know if you encounter any problems.

Carl
PS The correct URL (Address) for Librascope Memories is now http://librascopememories.com. Do NOT use a "www", or you will go to an obsolete Librascope Memories website. I will try to fix this in the future. In the meantime, please correct your bookmarks.

#130) Some New Additions to the Librascope Memories Website

First of all, Happy New Year to everyone! Seems like 2015 flew by.

Today, some new photos and a YouTube video were added to the ever growing Librascope Memories website. Their captions are listed below under the section in which they appear.

Photo Album - Advertisements (56) (click here)

• LGP-30 - 1959c

Photo Album - Products (47) (click here)

• LGP-30 Triple Flip Flop Board
• L-2010 - c1961
• Trackball Product Line

Photo Album - Places (22) (click here)

• Librascope Singer Instrumentation - Marina Del Rey
• Librascope Singer Instrumentation - Marina Del Rey (Full)
• For a short story about Singer Instrumentation, click here.

Photo Album - People (56) (click here)

• Carl Sorensen and Don Barton (rear) with their wives at the 1960 Librascope Christmas Party.

Librascope Videos (9) (click here)

• #9) Librascope LGP-30 Computer History - Vintage Vacuum Tube Circuit Boards (click here).

Again, Happy New Year!

Carl

#129) Short Librascope LGP-30 Video Posted on YouTube

Mark Greenia, founder of the Computer History Archive Project (a not-for-profit research activity), recently posted a new video on the history of the LGP-30 and its recently discovered vintage vacuum tube circuit boards. Note, the video graciously gives partial credit to the Librascope Memories website.

Click here to see the 5 minute video.

Mr. Greenia, an active computer historian, has collected and generously donated many significant vintage computer items to various institutions. He has also published many other historical computer videos on YouTube, and in the early 2000's he authored a multimedia collection and a book on the history of computing.

The multimedia History of Computing collection, with full text and videos, is now online for viewing (click here). Regrettably, due to licensing problems at the time, Librascope’s contributions were not included, and it is not possible to add them now.

#118) Three "New" Librascope Videos Are Now On YouTube

Following are three new Librascope videos that I recently posted on YouTube. The first two were filmed in 1997, but have never been published before. The first video is of a very humorous roast of Sam Ward, who served as Librascope President shortly after Lockheed Martin acquired Librascope. The second video is a film of my "surprise" retirement luncheon. I wasn't roasted, but the speakers were very entertaining. The third film is a video slideshow of the Libravets who were honored for their 15+ years of service during the 1980's. The Libravet's photos were copied from the 1980's Librazettes. Finally, I have included a previously published German video of the LGP-30 in operation.

To view these four videos, simply click on the links provided below. Your Comments are welcome.

Sam Ward's Librascope Farewell Ceremony Roast - 1997

http://youtu.be/Z726Z9YXBXg?t=0s

Carl Sorensen hosts a "roast" of Sam Ward, Librascope President and Carl's boss, in recognition of Sam's departure for an opportunity with SAIC in San Diego. Speakers (in order) were Carl Sorensen, Tom Taggart (Manassas, VA), Randy Klebe, Steve Lebit, Tom Cuda, Steve Wallace, Sam Ward, and Bob Lang.

The ceremony ends with the presentation of some "special" gifts.

Retirement Ceremony for Carl Sorensen, a Libravet since 1958.

http://youtu.be/7OV3NJs1bQs?t=6s

On September 15, 1997, a luncheon ceremony was held honoring Carl Sorensen's retirement from Librascope Division, Lockheed Martin. Speakers, in order of appearance, were Craig Gifford (Librascope President), Tom Cuda (Engineering), Ed Arnold (Business Development), Jim Brantley (Union), Ray Hand (Information Systems), Steve Lebit (HR Benefits), and Carl Sorensen (Operations and Resource Management).

Libravets Honored During the 1980’s

http://youtu.be/IQtlOsCQ9AA?t=0s

A Video Slideshow of the Libravets Who Were Honored For Their Years of Librascope Service During the 1980’s.

Note, if you see an advertisement near the bottom of the screen, you can remove it by simply clicking on the X in the upper right hand corner of the ad. The copyrighted background music required this advertisement.

Warming Up The LGP-30

http://youtu.be/7WaYYNUCWMY?t=0s

The LGP 30 is a computer made of valves, diodes and a drum memory. This machine is from 1958. It is located at the museum of the computer science faculty of the University of Stuttgart, Germany. The computer is in a fully functional state.

In this clip, the machine is shown starting up and doing some work, just to get a feeling for what that kind of machine looked and felt like.

#38) The Social Media Revolution - 2011

This short two minute YouTube video is not about Librascope "memories", but rather about "The Social Media Revolution" that has happened since the Glendale facility was closed over a decade ago. Enjoy.