Introduction
Post-it notes are now used as one of the most common office supplies. In the beginning, there was only one size and one color. The now come in larger and smaller sizes and a variety of different colors, and are commonly used among people of all ages.
Discovery
Post-it notes are not something someone came up with an idea of, and over time invented it. In 1970, a man named Spencer Silver had been working in the 3M research laboratories in hopes of finding a strong adhesive. He did develop a new adhesive, but it was not very strong. It could stick to objects, but easily be lifted off. No one knew what to do with the adhesive he had developed, but Silver did not discard it.
Then four years later, another 3M researcher named Arthur Fry was singing in the church choir and had been using markers to hold his place in the hymnal. He was getting very annoyed because the markers kept falling out. Luckily, he remembered the adhesive Silver had come up with and used it to coat the caps of the makers to hold his place. It worked, and he could easily take the markers out when he needed to use them. In 1980, 3M began distributing Post-it notes nation-wide.
Biogragrphy
Arthur Fry was born August 19, 1931. He is a retired United States scientist and inventor and is most credited for being the co-creator of Post-it notes, along with the inventor of the adhesive, Spencer Silver.
Fry was still enrolled in under-graduate school school when he took a job at 3M as a new product development researcher in 1953. He worked in new product development throughout his career at 3M until his retirement in the early 1990s.
Along with Arthur Fry was the inventor of the adhesive, Spencer Silver. He is an american chemist, born in San Antonio in 1941. Silver's name is now on over 20 US patents, but his most significant invention was not an immediate success. He had invented the adhesive, that 4 years later he became famous for when Arthur Fry made use of it in inventing the Post-it note.
Impact on the World
It is evident that Post-it notes have made a large impact on the world because if you look in just about any office or work place, you will most likely see them on a desk or in a drawer. the have become very helpful and efficient little tools for people, and they weren't even an intentional invention! Post-it notes promote a longer remembrance of things because people can write little notes or ideas down and stick them anywhere. They also are great for people to use to organize things that they can stick anywhere or to use to mark a place of somewhere someone has left off.
Journal Article Review
This journal article states that in the 1970's Arthur Fry invented the most significant office supply product since the paperclip, the Post-it note. However, he could not have created this without the previous invention of his colleague, Spencer Silver. The adhesive invented by Spencer Silver had been strong enough to hold papers together but weak enough to allow the papers to be pulled apart again without being torn. The adhesive could also be used over and over again. Silver wanted to do something with his new invention, but he didn't know what. He wanted to market it as a spray or a surface for bulletin boards, where temporary notices or reminders could be posted and then taken down later. These attempts were not a success, but luckily Silver did not discard his new adhesive because later it was put to work by the inventor of Post-it notes, Arthur Fry.
Works Cited
"Arthur Fry." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Fry>.
Pdfstoc.com | Hopefully You Can Find It Here.. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.pdfstoc.com/posts/download/288>.
"Post-it Note History - Invention of Post-it Notes." The Great Idea Finder - Celebrating the Spirit of Innovation. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/postit.htm>.
"Spencer Silver." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencer_Silver>.
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