2.2    Biographical history    Robert W. Oliver (1922-1998) was an economist who specialized in World Bank issues.  A native of Los Angeles, California, he earned undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Southern California and a Ph.D. from Princeton University.  He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. 

Oliver taught at Pomona College in California, then in 1959 he joined the California Institute of Technology, where he remained for the rest of his career.   In 1961 Oliver conducted a series of oral histories under contract to the World Bank, the first time that oral history had been used by the Bank; in the late 1980s he also conducted oral history interviews under contract to the Bank.  During 1970-1971, while on leave from Caltech, he worked for the World Bank in the urban development sector and participated in Bank missions to Indonesia and Taiwan.  He wrote four books on the World Bank and one on Indonesia that was informed by his work at the Bank. 

After George D. Woods died, Louise Woods wanted a biography of him written. According to the Preface in Oliver’s biography of Woods, George Woods and the World Bank, a mutual friend introduced her to Oliver, and they subsequently agreed that Oliver would undertake the biography.

2.3   Archival history     As the authorized biographer, Oliver was given some of Woods’ photographs and memorabilia and was permitted  to select and take to California a part of the George D. Woods papers that were destined for Columbia University.  He also conducted interviews with family, friends and business associates of Woods.

In 1995 Oliver sent his Woods materials (interviews, clippings, memorabilia, photographs) to the Bank.  The original George D. Woods papers that Oliver had had in California were also sent to the Bank, where copies were made.  For further information on the copying of the papers, see the description in the series WB IBRD/IDA 55-03, Copies of George D. Woods papers used for the biography.

2.4   Source    Donated by Robert W. Oliver

3.1   Scope and content     The collection includes copies of the oral interviews Oliver conducted in preparing his biography and copies of a portion of the Woods papers that he had at his disposal when writing the biography.  It also contains the clippings files that George Woods maintained during his failed attempt to become the head of the Agency for International Development in 1961 and his successful appointment as head of the World Bank in 1962.  Original photographs of George and Louise Woods and copies of photographs from various sources, including the World Bank, are included.  The copy photographs were made for reproduction in Oliver’s biography of George Woods, and many are annotated by Oliver.  A small quantity of memorabilia and published materials relating to both George D. and Louise Woods is included. 

3.3   Accruals      Accruals are not expected.

3.4   Arrangement     Arranged in three series.  The series are:

                                             Background material for George D. Woods biography
                                             Interviews for George D. Woods biography
                                             Copies of George D. Woods papers used for the biography

4.1     Conditions of access     Open. Interviews are subject to the conditions in the donor’s instrument of gift for each interview and to the World Bank Policy on the Disclosure of Information.

4.2   Conditions of reproduction    Fair use reproduction permitted.

4.2     Language/scripts     English

5.3     Related units of description   WB IBRD/IDA 03-03, Records of the Office of the President, Records of George D. Woods; WB IBRD/IDA 44, Oral histories, for interviews conducted by Oliver under contract to the World Bank; WB IBRD/IDA 56, Personal papers of Louise Taraldson Woods; interviews deposited with the Archives, California Institute of Technology; George D. Woods papers at the Butler Library, Columbia University.

5.4   Publication note              Robert W. Oliver, George Woods and the World Bank.  Boulder, Colorado:  Lynne Rienner, 1995.

7.2     Rules or conventions       Internal World Bank Group Archives rules

7.3     Date(s) of descriptions     2003-08-11; 2007-08-24