[An archivist in a laboratory].

Abstract

The article presents the results of French archival research concerning scholarly and scientific archives. The article points out that the subject-matter is of interest to historians of science and learning as well as archivists employed in research institutions. It is stressed that the concept of "scholarly/scientific archives" refers to three kinds of archives: the archives of institutions responsible for research administration, of those conducting research, as well as the archives of scholars and scientists themselves. The article presents material on the archives of the Academie des Sciences as well as other research institutions, such as the Museum d'histoire naturelle, the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers, the Ecole Polytechnique, the Institut Pasteur and the Observatoire astronomique. Special attention is devoted to the establishment, gathering and arrangement of the archival materials of those institutions. The next part of the article deals with the issue of the archives of Polish scholars to be found in French archival literature. It identifies the places where such materials are stored and discusses the archival materials relating to Polish researchers and scholars that are stored at the library of the Institut de France, the Bibliotheque nationale, the central library of the Museum d'histoire naturelle as well as other research institutions. The next part of the article is devoted to problems of evaluating materials created in the course of currently conducted research. It is pointed out that archival material produced by the activities of research institutions consist of (i) administrative documents and (ii) documents concerned with course of research work itself. It is stressed in the article that unpublished research materials and working materials are ducuments of a very controversial kind, and do not lend themselves easily to precise and rational criteria of assessment. The article also points out that it is difficult to work out a general framework of criteria for the assessment of scholarly and scientific documents. In conclusion, it is stressed that the work on scholarly and scientific archives that has been produced in a joint effort by French history of science and learning and by French archival science, testifies to the wealth and diversity of French research activity, both as regards the work of individual scholars and scientists, as well as French research institutions. This work serves to underlie the role and achievements of science and learning in the creation of cultural heritage.