A hundred years ago the famous historian George Sarton (1884-1956), a founder of the discipline of history of science, started the Isis Bibliography of History of Science. After Sarton, two bibliographers, John Neu at the University of Wisconsin, and Magda Whitrow at Imperial College, London, carried on Sarton’s legacy.

The Commission on Bibliography and Documentation (CBD) of the IUHPS/DHST has established a Withrow-Neu Bibliography Prize, to be awarded for the first time in 2013 for the best bibliography or manuscript finding aid in the history of science for the period 2009-2013. This prize recognizes the efforts of those two bibliographers for the work they did to support history of science scholarship around the world.

This special session will begin with a talk by Stephen Weldon on the history of history of science bibliography, which will include an introduction to the life and work of John Neu. Frank James will then talk about Magda Whitrow. Gavan McCarthy and Silvia Waisse will introduce the Whithrow-Neu Bibliography Prize competition and the award will be made to the winner, Dr Jennifer Rampling, who will be asked to say a word.

Following the award, the CBD will hold a short business meeting.