Author Jon Gertner will read from and discuss his latest book, The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of Innovation, at the Eastern Branch Library on Wednesday, May 7 at 7 p.m.
Bell Laboratories, the Research and Development arm of AT&T, was one of the world's premier research labs. Thirteen Bell Labs employees went on to win Nobel Prizes. Communications breakthroughs developed at the Labs include the transistor, the laser, the Unix Operating System, the cellular network and the first fiber-optic cable system.
The Idea Factory focuses on the period from 1920s to the 1980s, before AT&T was broken up by the courts. Gertner describes how the culture of Bell Labs led to its many innovations. Through his story, Gertner examines such topics as what leads to innovation, how new ideas begin, and how they can be brought to fruition.
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The Idea Factory has been named one of the 101 Great Books on New Jersey and this is a 350th Anniversary of New Jersey event. Call 1-866-941-8188 for more information, or click on the Monmouth County Library's webpage at www.monmouthcountylib.org
