Paul Otlet’s personal papers

In 1895, Paul Otlet (1868-1944) founds the International Institute of Bibliography, which will later become the Mundaneum, with Henri La Fontaine. He quickly extends his range of action beyond bibliography and accomplishes unprecedented work in such diversified areas as bibliography, photography, schematics, encyclopaedia or documentation. His work and famous Traité de documentation (1934) results in his reputation of father of modern documentation. Passionate about innovation, he anticipates the coming of the Internet before the Second World War. Animated by pacifist ideals, this utopian will also work to build an ideal society and will design, with the help of Le Corbusier, a project for a World City.

This fund consists of more than 1000 archive boxes, and mixes the private life of Paul Otlet and the archives of the institutions that he created, such as the International office for bibliography and the Union of International Associations.