BETWEEN PRESERVATION AND ACCESS

the mediation of knowledge through personal collections

Abstract

The research discusses personal collections integrated into universities as documentary heritage, highlighting their value for research, institutional memory, and scientific production. These collections reflect the intellectual choices of researchers and professors, as well as the social, cultural, and political contexts of their trajectories, functioning as material testimonies of knowledge. When made available in academic institutions, they offer unique perspectives on reading practices, social networks, and the circulation of ideas and knowledge. The empirical study focuses on the Bibliothèque des livres rares et collections spéciales at the Université de Montréal, recognized for its strategies in preserving and providing access to bibliographic heritage. The research involved direct observation, document analysis, and interviews with librarians, revealing how the institution addresses contemporary challenges of preservation and access for both the academic public and society. The findings provide guidance for improving the management of personal and special collections in the university context.