Half a Century of Intense Maturation.- Evolution of Time Measurement in Astronomy.- Evolution of Data Processing in Optical Astronomy - A Personal Account.- IHAP: Image Handling and Processing System.- FITS: A Remarkable Achievement in Information Exchange.- The Munich Image Data Analysis System.- AIPS, the VLA, and the VLBA.- Changes in Astronomical Publications During the 20th Century.- The Evolution and Role of the Astronomical Library and Librarian.- The Development of the Astronomy Digital Library.- From Early Directories to Current Yellow-Page Services.- Pre-College Astronomy Education in the United States in the Twentieth Century.- The Birth and Evolution of the Planetarium.- The Changing Role of the IAU in Providing and Organizing Information.- Was the Carte du Ciel an Obstruction to the Development of Astrophysics in Europe?.- Amateur Data and Astronomical Discoveries in the 20th Century.

This book offers a unique review of how astronomical information handling (in the broad sense) evolved in the course of the 20th century, and especially during its second half. It will be very useful for researchers, teachers, editors, publishers, librarians, computer scientists, sociologists of science, research planners and strategists, project managers, public-relations officers, plus those in charge of astronomy-related organizations, as well as by students aiming at a career in astronomy or related space science.