Published on October 14, 2021 Updated on October 14, 2021

In Spring 2017, the “Grand Equipement Documentaire” library was selected to become one of the nine partner libraries of the CollEx-Persée Scientific Interest Group (GIS) initiated by the Ministry, which focuses on Societies and Populations: demography, sociology and social history.

The CollEx-Persée GIS aims to bring researchers using scientific document repostiories closer together, by connecting the scientific and technical information community. Drawing on national research library infrastructure, and in coordination with research programs, the GIS will focus on improving the compilation, information, access and conservation of resources, as well as facilitating the use of collections by researchers.  It will support the compilation and production of research materials and will develop effective services to back this process.

Societies and populations: a field of excellence for the GED

As partner library for demography, sociology and social history, the GED has received an annual grant since 2018 to bolster its collections in these fields and lead the Societies and Populations research network. The GIS also provides financial support to develop research support services, by issuing calls for projects. Campus Condorcet is thus project leader or partner in five CollEx projects:

This disciplinary focus, which was chosen in conjunction with the other member institutions, is fully aligned with the scientific orientation at Campus Condorcet. Gravitating around this topic are both the unique, shared document repositories within the GED, which offer an exceptional wealth of information, and a growing number of research projects. The project is in line with the Campus’ key focus on multidisciplinary initiatives between social sciences and humanities.

Recognition for the GED’s valuable collections

Although this chosen discipline only reflects part of the wealth of information at the GED, by participating in the GIS the library can play its full role in the national research community, in synergy with other reference libraries. Since 2010, the GED project has brought together around fifty libraries, documentation centres and archives departments. CollEx is therefore recognition of the library’s outstanding collections, which have always been compiled for and especially with researchers.

In addition to an abundant collection of printed documents in many languages, the institutions that have joined the GED have compiled an exceptional assortment of research materials on all types of media, plus 4 linear kilometres of scientific archives: researchers’ archives, especially on history, as well as laboratory archives. These resources can themselves become research materials and data sources for new research projects or for the history of research into social sciences and humanities.