Henriette Davidson Avram (October 7, 1919 – April 22, 2006) was a computer programmer and systems analyst who developed the MARC format (Machine Readable Cataloging), the international data standard for bibliographic and holdings information in libraries.

[1] Henriette Regina Davidson was born in Manhattan on October 7, 1919,[2] to a father who was a watch material distributor and a mother who was a Philadelphia Ledger reporter.

Although she never intended to become a librarian, Henriette did spend many Saturdays of her childhood reading in neighborhood stores, which, at that time, housed mini-public libraries.

[5]: 860  She began studying mathematics at George Washington University[2] and joined the National Security Agency (NSA) in 1952 as one of the first computer programmers working with IBM 701.

[6] In the early 1960s, Avram moved to the private sector working first with the American Research Bureau and later for Datatrol Corporation, a software company.

She also did consulting work with Frederick Kilgour, father of the Online Computer Library Center, on OCLC's first attempt at computerizing bibliographic information.

In keeping with her training at NSA, where she learned "the prime necessity of thoroughly understanding the subject before tackling the computer solution," Avram, along with two librarians, began this process by examining the information contained in a catalog record.

When Avram had thoroughly examined every aspect of the bibliographic record, "she translated what she learned into a set of fields ... bearing a name (the tags), handling instructions (the indicators), and parts (the subfields).

[9]: 857  At this time she was also chair of the IFLA Working Group on Content Designators, which used the ISBD to develop the international version of MARC format known as UNIMARC.

Her staff of seventeen hundred was responsible for acquisitions, cataloging, preservation, collection development, overseas operations, network and automation planning, and processing and servicing special format materials.

This automated library systems, in turn greatly enhancing the feasibility of interlibrary lending and paving the way for networking capabilities.

[10] MARC, in her words, is "an assemblage of formats, publications, procedures, people, standards, systems, equipment, etc., that has evolved over the years stimulating the development of library automation and information networks ... nationally and internationally.

In this role, she was "tireless in spreading the gospel of using international standards to link databases housed on disparate computer systems.

[5]: 861  The couple remained active through St. Mary's College, where Henriette often arranged for Library of Congress officials to be guest speakers.