The cards are arranged alphabetically in a 4-drawer wooden card cabinet. Each card gives the name and brief description of the activities and often Needham's impression of the person. In the case of Chinese contacts, Needham has recorded the name in Chinese and in his own form of romanisation. [Note: At that time Needham had not finalised the method of romanisation used in the 'Science and Civilisation in China' volumes. Occasionally the names have been amended at a later date to reflect this].
A database of information contained on the cards has been prepared and is available for consultation at the Needham Research Institute, Cambridge.
See also NRI2/4/2, 4.