Suzanne Briet
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Renée-Marie-Hélène-Suzanne Briet (; ; 1 February 1894 - 1989), known as "Madame Documentation," was a librarian, author, historian, poet, and visionary best known for her treatise ''Qu'est-ce que la documentation?'' (''What is Documentation?''), a foundational text in the modern study of
information science Information science (also known as information studies) is an academic field which is primarily concerned with analysis, collection, classification, manipulation, storage, retrieval, movement, dissemination, and protection of informatio ...
. She is also known for her writings on the history of Ardennes and the poet
Arthur Rimbaud Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud (, ; 20 October 1854 – 10 November 1891) was a French poet known for his transgressive and surreal themes and for his influence on modern literature and arts, prefiguring surrealism. Born in Charleville, he start ...
. Her treatise ''Qu'est-ce que la documentation?'' offers a vision of documentation that moves beyond
Paul Otlet Paul Marie Ghislain Otlet (; ; 23 August 1868 – 10 December 1944) was a Belgian author, entrepreneur, lawyer and peace activist; predicting the arrival of the internet before World War II, he is among those considered to be the father of infor ...
's emphasis on fixed forms of documents, such as the book, toward "an unlimited horizon of physical forms and aesthetic formats for documents and an unlimited horizon of techniques and technologies (and of 'documentary agencies' employing these) in the service of multitudes of particular cultures." Like many early European Documentalists, Briet embraced
modernity Modernity, a topic in the humanities and social sciences, is both a historical period (the modern era) and the ensemble of particular socio-cultural norm (social), norms, attitudes and practices that arose in the wake of the Renaissancein the " ...
and
science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...
. However, her work made a difference to modernism and science through the influence of French
post-structuralist Post-structuralism is a term for philosophical and literary forms of theory that both build upon and reject ideas established by structuralism, the intellectual project that preceded it. Though post-structuralists all present different critiques ...
theorists and her strong orientation toward humanistic scholarship. She subsequently ushered in a second generation of European Documentation and introduced humanistic methods and concerns, especially
semiotics Semiotics (also called semiotic studies) is the systematic study of sign processes ( semiosis) and meaning making. Semiosis is any activity, conduct, or process that involves signs, where a sign is defined as anything that communicates something ...
and cultural studies, to
information science Information science (also known as information studies) is an academic field which is primarily concerned with analysis, collection, classification, manipulation, storage, retrieval, movement, dissemination, and protection of informatio ...
. Although Briet had been highly regarded throughout much of her career—the Grand Cross of the
Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
was conferred on her in 1950 — she was largely forgotten in her later life, until her death in 1989, when scholars found a renewed interest in her ideas. Today scholars often credit Briet as a visionary, having laid the foundation for contemporary frameworks and methodologies in information science roughly 50 years earlier. "Her modernist perspective," writes
Michael Buckland Michael Keeble Buckland (born 1941) is an emeritus professor at the UC Berkeley School of Information and co-director of the Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative. Buckland was born and grew up in England. He entered library work as a trainee at th ...
, "combined with semiotics, deserves attention now because it is different from, and offers an alternative to, the scientific, positivist view that has so dominated information science and which is increasingly questioned."


Early life

Suzanne Briet was born in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, France, on 1 February 1894, coming of age at a time of great social change and economic loss in France after
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. Although Briet grew up in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, she remained attached to her birthplace and ancestral home. Briet was only 20 at the outbreak of the war. Ardennes was the pathway of German armies invading France, and during the hostilities her uncle was deported, his village was invaded, and her grandfather's house was destroyed. Historians have suggested that perhaps because of her experiences during the war, as well as her travels to England as a child, Briet took an early interest in the
League of Nations The League of Nations (french: link=no, Société des Nations ) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference that ...
, sitting in on some of the sessions held in Paris, and the founding of other international organizations. Briet's mother expected her to become a teacher. Briet's family sent her to Ecole de Sèvres, an elite women's school for training secondary school teachers, where she earned a degree in history and qualified to teach English and history. After teaching in Algeria from 1917 to 1920, Briet pursued a career in librarianship.Buckland, Michael. (2006). "A Brief Biography of Suzanne Renée Briet." In ''What is Documentation?: English Translation of the Classic French Text.'' R. E. Day, L. Martinet & H. G. B. Anghelescu, Trans.; ed., R.E. Day and L. Martinet. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, p. 1. She studied with Louis Barrau-Dihigo at the
Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...
, who was apparently so taken with Briet's talents that "when Briet explained that she could only participate on Saturday, he changed the time of the course to accommodate her." At age 30 in 1924, Briet was one of the first of three women appointed as professional librarians at the
Bibliothèque Nationale A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vi ...
.


Career

Briet's career at the Bibliothèque Nationale witnessed major changes in the library profession. Briet played a central role in the "modern library" movement, which eschewed elitist traditions that had dominated many libraries in favor of "modern" ideas of librarianship. In addition to technological innovations, Briet saw the emergence of documentation as a distinct profession with its own techniques, standards and training. Women also entered the professional classes in France in increasing numbers during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, growing from only 10% of the library profession in 1927 to 50% by the end of the war. Her main achievements during these years were symbolic of her interest in service and modernization. Between 1934 and 1954, Briet created and supervised the Salle des Catalogues et Bibliographies, making available materials throughout France that had been previously restricted to most patrons. By 1931 she co-founded (with chemist Jean Gérard) the Union Française des Organismes de Documentation, the French analogue of the American Documentation Institution, today known as the
American Society for Information Science and Technology The Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) is a nonprofit membership organization for information professionals that sponsors an annual conference as well as several serial publications, including the ''Journal of the Asso ...
. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Briet witnessed many of her colleagues deported during the
German occupation of Paris Paris started mobilizing for war in September 1939, when Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union attacked Poland, but the war seemed far away until May 10, 1940, when the Germans attacked France and quickly defeated the French army. The French governme ...
and others arrested as communists. Despite a climate of fear, censorship, oppression and physical hardship, Briet made sure to carry out the catalog and bibliographic services of the Bibliothèque Nationale. During the war, Briet continued her interest in Documentation, even attending a conference in
Salzburg Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian) is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872. The town is on the site of the ...
, Germany, which was organized by German Documentalists. At the end of the war, Briet took on a larger role in a growing international documentation movement. In 1950, she prepared an international survey of education for librarians and documentalists commissioned by
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
and was awarded the
Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
. In 1951 Briet helped establish the Institut National de Techniques de la Documentation at the
Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger ins ...
. She was the founding Director of Studies and eventually the Vice-President of the International Federation for Documentation. That same year, Briet published her treatise ''Qu'est-ce que la documentation?'', in which she outlines, in 48 pages, her philosophy of documentation, "pushing boundaries of the field beyond texts to include any material form of evidence. ('Is a living animal a document?' she asked.)"Buckland, Michael. (2006). "A Brief Biography of Suzanne Renée Briet." In ''What is Documentation?: English Translation of the Classic French Text.'' R. E. Day, L. Martinet & H. G. B. Anghelescu, Trans.; ed., R.E. Day and L. Martinet. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, p. 2 Her thirty-year career at the Bibliothèque Nationale often put Briet in close contact with major French thinkers of the day, including scientists, historians, linguists, and philosophers, which had a significant impact on her philosophy. Briet retired from the Bibliothèque Nationale in 1954 at age 60. She wrote her last essays on documentation in 1955.Buckland, Michael. "Suzanne Renée Briet 1894-1989: Checklist of Writings" https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8zk5s3z4 Retrieved 25 June 2020 She spent her retirement concentrating on other interests, including the history of Ardennes and the poet
Arthur Rimbaud Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud (, ; 20 October 1854 – 10 November 1891) was a French poet known for his transgressive and surreal themes and for his influence on modern literature and arts, prefiguring surrealism. Born in Charleville, he start ...
. Her memoirs were published in 1979. She died in Boulogne in 1989.


Impact on information science

Briet published roughly 100 essays, books, and reports on documentation,
library science Library science (often termed library studies, bibliothecography, and library economy) is an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary field that applies the practices, perspectives, and tools of management, information technology, education, an ...
, and
history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
She took up many of the pressing issues of documentation in her day:
internationalization In economics, internationalization or internationalisation is the process of increasing involvement of enterprises in international markets, although there is no agreed definition of internationalization. Internationalization is a crucial strateg ...
,
institutionalization In sociology, institutionalisation (or institutionalization) is the process of embedding some conception (for example a belief, norm, social role, particular value or mode of behavior) within an organization, social system, or society as a who ...
, information or documentary overload,
scholarly communication Scholarly communication involves the creation, publication, dissemination and discovery of academic research, primarily in peer-reviewed journals and books. It is “the system through which research and other scholarly writings are created, evalu ...
,
science and technology studies Science and technology studies (STS) is an interdisciplinary field that examines the creation, development, and consequences of science and technology in their historical, cultural, and social contexts. History Like most interdisciplinary fie ...
,
world peace World peace, or peace on Earth, is the concept of an ideal state of peace within and among all people and nations on Planet Earth. Different cultures, religions, philosophies, and organizations have varying concepts on how such a state would ...
, and international development. Briet had been deeply engaged in the documentation movement from the 1920s onward, bringing to it a deep understanding of culture and the humanities. Expanding on the techniques and technological ideas of earlier European Documentalists, such as
Paul Otlet Paul Marie Ghislain Otlet (; ; 23 August 1868 – 10 December 1944) was a Belgian author, entrepreneur, lawyer and peace activist; predicting the arrival of the internet before World War II, he is among those considered to be the father of infor ...
and
Henri La Fontaine Henri La Fontaine (; 22 April 1854 – 14 May 1943), was a Belgian international lawyer and president of the International Peace Bureau. He received the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1913 because "he was the effective leader of the peace movement in ...
, "Briet understood that technology and culture were deeply connected. She saw society and, therefore, culture, as being re-shaped by technology. The techniques of documentation in aiding and shaping intellectual work were, in her view, both a symptom of, and contributing force within the 'industrialization' of knowledge workers. We can now see, in the impact of computers and telecommunications, how right she was." As one scholar notes, "Not again -- until Actor-network theory at the end of the twentieth century -- would a social network account of technical production, and specifically, documentary production, be articulated." Briet's body of work points to the necessity to understand cultural categories, historical lineages, and the social forces that create and sustain information, urging scholars and information professionals to explore beyond the boundaries of their cultural specialization. Paul Otlet problematized the definition of document when he opened the possibility of any object, independent of the human intention behind its creation, to be a considered a document. Briet solves this problem with her argument that a document must be defined by its intentional use as such. She gives the example of an antelope—running wild in the plains, it is not a document, but captured and placed in a zoo, it becomes an object of study and thus a document. It operates, as Briet says it must, as “evidence in support of a fact”. An object's treatment as evidence is contingent not only on its own properties but on its very framing as a source of information. It must be organized into a meaningful relationship with other evidence in order to have the indexical power of evidence. According to one scholar, "One of Briet's most important insights was that individual documents may be interpreted in different ways by different people wishing to put them to different uses for different purposes. This variability of interpretation is characteristic of documents even at the level of individual words, and the different decisions made by different translators at the word level can have significant consequences." Briet developed the notion of ''indice'' (literally "index") as not only pointing to an object but also reflective of the networks in which that object appears as a named thing, leading to a semiotics-inspired definition of "document." Furthermore, Briet argued that techniques and technologies are expressions of a networked culture. One scholar explains the idea this way: "Information and communication technologies may introduce a 'new rhythm' to society and culture, but they themselves are a "symptom" of Western social development."Day, Ronald. (2006). "'A Necessity of Our Time': Documentation as 'Cultural Technique in What Is Documentation?." In ''What is Documentation?: English Translation of the Classic French Text.'' R. E. Day, L. Martinet & H. G. B. Anghelescu, Trans.; ed., R.E. Day and L. Martinet. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, p. 55. Thus, technique and technology are historically specific and symptomatic of culture. Briet argues that documentation must respond by incorporating these symptoms and specificities of Western culture but also must incorporate "Western modernity's opposite trend toward global expansion." Briet also saw knowledge as embedded and emergent in cultural and social production and saw modernity as the growth of networks of knowledge. Indeed, in an increasingly globalized world, Briet argued for documentation to take up the call of material necessity rather than be put into the service of culture or any one culture; that is, "documentation marks the importance of particular, more 'localized' or specialized cultures in terms of their material needs, their specialized vocabularies, and the techniques and technologies needed to provide documentary services to these groups."Day, Ronald. (2006). "'A Necessity of Our Time': Documentation as 'Cultural Technique in What Is Documentation?." In ''What is Documentation?: English Translation of the Classic French Text.'' R. E. Day, L. Martinet & H. G. B. Anghelescu, Trans.; ed., R.E. Day and L. Martinet. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, p. 62.


Select bibliography

*Briet, Suzanne.(1960). ''Le maréchal de Schulemberg, Jean III, comte de Montdejeux, 1598-1671.'' Mezières: Éditions de la Société d'études ardennaises. *Briet, Suzanne.(1967). ''Madame Rimbaud, essai de biographie, suivi de la correspondance de Vitalie Rimbaud-Cuif dont treize lettres inédites.'' Paris: Lettres modernes, Minard. *Briet, Suzanne.(1956). ''Rimbaud notre prochain.'' Paris: Nouvelles Éditions latines. *Briet, Suzanne.(1951). ''Qu'est-ce que la documentation?'' Paris: Éditions documentaires, industrielles et techniques.


External links


Suzanne Briet, 1894-1989: "Madame Documentation"
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20080704115756/http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/maack/BrietPrePress.htm The Lady and the Antelope: Suzanne Briet's Contribution to the French Documentation Movement* M. Buckland
Suzanne Renée Briet 1894-1989: Checklist of Writings


See also

*
Document A document is a written, drawn, presented, or memorialized representation of thought, often the manifestation of non-fictional, as well as fictional, content. The word originates from the Latin ''Documentum'', which denotes a "teaching" or ...
*
Documentation science Documentation science is the study of the recording and retrieval of information. Documentation science gradually developed into the broader field of information science. Paul Otlet (1868–1944) and Henri La Fontaine (1854–1943), both Belgia ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Briet, Suzanne French librarians French women librarians 1894 births 1989 deaths Information scientists