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4

"dialogue" looms brighter than ever before.  By the Bicentennial, the Smithsonian hopes to offer authentic exhibits of some of these new and exciting developments.  The "hardware" is virtually ready; we need the "software" -- budget, staffing, programs to respond properly to the new technology.

The Institution has already established a Telecommunications Study Committee to explore the opportunities and challenges before us with the hope that the Institution will be able to move into this new electronic generation efficiently, economically and effectively.

In a memorandum dated october 4, 1972, Secretary Ripley asked that the Telecommunications Study Group take a broad view in defining their area and further asked that their studies include (1) cable television and related "wired city" concepts: (2) video cassettes and similar video packaging; (3) information, storage, retrieval and display systems useful for visitors and research application; and, (4) any other potentially useful display devices such as facsimile transmission and remote blackboards of videophones.