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Arbornet and M-Net were early computer conferencing services based in Ann Arbor. Founded as separate platforms, they merged in 1992 to provide bulletin board conferences, live online chat, free email, a homepage, and learning resources to members of the Ann Arbor community. The collection includes material related to the development and administration of the systems, including records of board meetings and organizational finances.

The records of Arbornet and M-Net (2 linear feet) are arranged in three series: Administrative Files (0.7 linear feet), Background and Development (.6 linear feet), and Treasurer's Files (0.5 linear feet). The material in the collections reflects the challenges of cooperative management of an internet-based nonprofit, and the changes in online communities during the 1990s.

Shirine M. Repucci served as Coordinator of MichNet recruitment for Merit Network, and wrote a Master's thesis at Eastern Michigan University, entitled "Women's Role in the Development of the Internet and the Social Movement They Propelled." Collection includes tape recordings and typed transcripts of interviews with staff from Merit Network, and National Science Foundation NSFNet, as well as Repucci's Master's thesis.

The Repucci Collection consists of three series relating to her research on women's roles in the development of the internet: interviews on cassette tape; transcripts of these interviews, along with consent forms; and Repucci's Master's thesis based on the interviews, entitled, "Women's Role in the Development of the Internet and the Social Movement They Propelled."

The following were interviewed by Repucci:

1. Eric Aupperle, Director of Merit from 1974-2001
2. Jane Caviness, Program Director, NSFNet
3. Elise Gerich, Associate Director for National Networking at Merit
4. Susan Hares, Internet Engineer at Merit, 1988-2001
5. Ellen Hoffman, Manager of User Services at Merit
6. Jo Ann Ward, Computer Systems Consultant at Merit, 1988-
7. Stephen Wolff, Division Chief, NSFNet
8. Jessica Yu, co-Principle Investigator at Merit; Engineer, NSFNet