A Guide to the International Linear Algebra Society Records, 1988-2011

Historical Note

The International Linear Algebra Society (ILAS) was founded in 1989, to support research and cooperation in the field of linear algebra and matrix theory. It was established as the immediate successor to the International Matrix Group, founded in 1987. ILAS is an international organization, with members throughout the world, but it is registered as a non-profit corporation in the state of Florida. A Board of Directors and an Executive Committee, made up of elected officers, govern the organization. In its early years, ILAS also had an International Advisory Committee, although this committee was discontinued in 1995.

ILAS holds an annual conference, the first of which was held in Provo, Utah. Conferences have since been held at a variety of locations in North America, Europe, and Asia. The conference functions both as an academic conference, featuring lectures and workshops by linear algebra and matrix theory specialists, and as the organization’s yearly business meeting, with meetings of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and general membership.

The organization is very active in disseminating information about linear algebra. It puts out two publications: IMAGE, ILAS’s bulletin; and the Electronic Journal of Linear Algebra (ELA), a refereed all-electronic journal. IMAGE has been published twice a year since 1988 (when it was the newsletter for the International Matrix Group), and contains organizational news and announcements of upcoming conferences and new research. ELA is published continuously, with new articles being posted online as they are accepted. The first volume was published in 1996.

Additionally, ILAS moderates the ILAS-NET email newsletter, supports linear algebra education, and awards an annual prize for mathematical achievement.

Scope and Contents

The International Linear Algebra Society Records (1988-2011) document the organization’s major activities and administrative operations. Materials include newsletters, promotional material, correspondence, legal documents, and photos. The records were donated by James Weaver, the organization’s long-time treasurer and outreach director, so financial and organizational issues are well represented in the collection. Other areas of ILAS’s work, such as the Education Committee, are less well documented here.

The Conferences series (1989-2011) contains records of ILAS’s annual conferences, beginning with the 1989 inaugural conference in Provo, Utah, and other conferences that ILAS co-sponsored. Included are programs, abstracts, posters, mailings, and group photos from many of the meetings. This material is arranged chronologically, with photos at the end of the series.

The Publications files (1988-2011) document ILAS’s two major publications, IMAGE and ELA (Electronic Journal of Linear Algebra). The organization’s bulletin, IMAGE, is represented by a full run of issues from 1988 through 2011, and a small amount of correspondence about its publication. Included from ELA are correspondence about the journal’s founding and editing, copyright transfer forms from authors whose work appeared in the journal, and correspondence, forms, and drafts from two hard-copy printed editions of the journal (Vol. 1-4 and Vol. 5-7, respectively).

The Organizational records (1989-2010) relate to the administration and operation of ILAS. This series contains the organization’s by-laws, meeting minutes, non-profit and tax-exempt status documentation, financial records, and administrative correspondence. Folders are arranged chronologically.

Lastly, the James R. Weaver files (1991-1992, 2010) contains a small amount of material of Weaver’s that was interfiled with the ILAS material. Included are correspondence with other mathematicians (including one letter from Paul Halmos) and material from Weaver’s career as a professor of mathematics and statistics at the University of West Florida.

Forms part of the Archives of American Mathematics.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Unrestricted access.

Use Restrictions

This collection is stored remotely. Advance notice required for retrieval. Contact repository for retrieval.

The donor retains copyright on all materials by the creator. Written permission must be obtained from copyright holder in order to photocopy or publish from the collection.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

International Linear Algebra Society Records, 1988-2011, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Elliot Williams, September 2012.

Detailed Description of the Papers