Activities of the Circle

• Publication of our magazine, the “MIR” (in Dutch: “Mededelingen en Informatie betreffende Historische Rekeninstrumenten”, translated: “Announcements and Information for Historical Calculating Instruments”).
  This magazine is published 2 or 3 times a year.
• Organizing the Circle's yearly meeting for members to make and follow agreements, new initiatives, swap slide rules, and just have some pleasant talks in ‘Living Room Gatherings’ at the home of individual members (several times a year)
• Visits to museums and company collections, sometimes combined with an International Meeting. This may lead to unexpected finds that are described in the MIR.
  • MuzeeAquarium, Delfzijl (MIR 38 p. 36–37)
  • Energetica, Amsterdam
  • Museum 't Kromhout, Amsterdam
  • Kadastermuseum, Arnhem (MIR 61 p. 20–22)
  • Depot TU Delft (MIR 67 p. 14)
  • Study collection Electric Engineering TU Delft (MIR 78 p. 23–24)
  • Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum
  • TNO-museum, Waalsdorpervlakte (MIR 79 p. 21–26)
• Administration of members and their coordinates (address list for the mutual contacts, of which the data is explicitly provided by each Kring member only for access by other members, and not by third parties).
• Sharing of results and achievements by members, like publications in books, "MIR" or other papers, presentations about own research or experiences, sharing of lists of manufacturers catalogues, manuals, books etc.
• One of the best-known products of the Circle is the "Blue Book” of Herman van Herwijnen, a very extensive catalogue of about 5500 slide rules, with some 6000 colour pictures. The Blue Book has evolved into the online SR Catalogue
• Maintaining contacts with collectors organizations abroad, especially in Germany (rechenschieber.org), England (uksrc.org.uk) and the USA (oughtred.org)
• Organization of International Meetings for collectors of slide rules and other calculating instruments (for example the first one in Utrecht in 1995, and IM2000 in Ede, IM2003 in Amsterdam, IM2007 in Lelystad, IM2010 in Leiden, IM2014 in Delft and IM2019 in Den Haag/Scheveningen)
• Publicity directed to the public at large, e.g. by press interviews, or presence at collectors fairs with a booth representing the Circle and the collecting hobby.
• Publicity directed to a specific audience, like a workshop or exhibition at a congress, e.g.
  • Nederlandse Vereniging van Wiskundeleraren 2024
  • Nederlandse Vereniging van Wiskundeleraren 2023
  • Nederlandse Vereniging van Wiskundeleraren 2018
  • Nederlandse Vereniging van Wiskundeleraren 2017
  • Nederlandse Wiskundedagen 2014
• Issuing a brochure at public events.
• Construction and maintenance of the Circle Website.
• Group Email to Circle members, to broadcast announcements or questions within the Circle.

Anybody who is interested and who wants to share these activities, is very welcome as member of the Dutch Circle. Ask more information!

Since 2012 the yearly contribution is 15.- euro.