Re: [rete] PhD thesis/Request for information

[Joshua Nall (via rete Mailing List)]

The Whipple Library in Cambridge, England, holds a physical copy:

https://idiscover.lib.cam.ac.uk/permalink/44CAM_INST/1pu7bb6/alma993286113903606

A search across UK collections shows copies in the Science Museum Library, London, and at the History of Science Museum in Oxford. I doubt that it’s ever been digitised.

If you’re look for specific pages, I’m sure our librarians would be happy to scan a few pages and email them over. Best — Josh

On 8 Nov 2025, at 07:53, Günther Oestmann <oest...@nord-com.net> wrote:

I am looking for this thesis:

Walters, Alice Nell. Tools of Enlightenment: The Material Culture of Science in Eighteenth-Century England (University of California at Berkeley, 1992)

Any idea where to find it (apart from Berkeley)?

Günther Oestmann


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[Schechner, Sara]

Hi Gunther,

 

In 1992, all dissertations were microfilmed by University Microfilms International (UMI) in Michigan, and made publicly available.  UMI has become ProQuest.  I believe that the microfilms have been digitized and can be gotten through ProQuest. 

 

Good luck,

Sara

 

Sara J. Schechner, PhD, FAAS

Curator Emerita, Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, Harvard University

President, International Astronomical Union Commission C3 (History of Astronomy)

https://saraschechner.scholars.harvard.edu/

sara_sc...@comcast.net

sch...@fas.harvard.edu

 

Art Quilts and Sundials

https://www.altazimutharts.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 8 Nov 2025, at 07:53, Günther Oestmann <oest...@nord-com.net> wrote:

 

I am looking for this thesis:

Walters, Alice Nell. Tools of Enlightenment: The Material Culture of Science in Eighteenth-Century England (University of California at Berkeley, 1992)

Any idea where to find it (apart from Berkeley)?

Günther Oestmann


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[Chris Manning]

I paid University Microfilms something like $100, back when that was 100 gallons of gasoline, to make my dissertation available for purchase.

Their heirs and assigns indeed are ProQuest now, but they didn't make the search tools available to the public.  Not sure if that is actionable breach of contract, but it did offend me.

The very helpful university librarians were able to provide the ProQuest purchase link and a pdf copy.  If I sign an appropriate release, they will put it on the university website.

There is a chance that Berkeley already have the one you want up on a library website.  I remember seeing the hardcopy of mine in the library, with all of the signatures.

----- Original Message -----

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From: Schechner, Sara (sch...@fas.harvard.edu)
Date: 11/11/25 12:39
To: Günther Oestmann (oest...@nord-com.net)
Cc: re...@maillist.ox.ac.uk
Subject: RE: [rete] PhD thesis/Request for information