Lisbon Academy of Sciences

organic-functional study and proposal for classification (1779-1978)

Abstract

The Fonds of Academia das Ciências de Lisboa (ACL) reflects the organic structure and context of the institution’s information production since its foundation in 1779, constituting itself as a source of excellence for knowledge and study of its cultural importance. The documentation preserved therefore reflects the scientific and cultural dissemination and education activities carried out over the last few centuries in Portugal and Europe by ACL, as a scientific center for the advancement of knowledge.

This article presents the various stages of the project of organization and archival treatment of the ACL Fonds (1779-1978), based on two principles, between which an intrinsic correlation is established: the study of its institutional history, fundamental for understanding the synergies generated between information producers and the documentation itself, regarding its context of creation and founding purpose; and the practice of classification from an organic-functional perspective, to hierarchically systematize the record groups, respecting ACL’s internal structure.

Starting with the literature review on organic-functional classification, we will briefly revisit the contemporary archiving practices of science promotion centers, and then contextualize the foundation of the ACL and its statutory evolution. After an overview of the institution's past archiving practices, we will move on to the organic-functional analysis and respective normative grounds that support the classification proposal.