The Centre for Scientific Archives (CSA) has during the course of its life catalogued the archives of over 100 individual scientists. Both speakers from the CSA will illustrate their talks with examples drawn from current and recent CSA cataloguing projects, including the archives of Sir Joseph Rotblat, nuclear physicist and peace campaigner (1908 – 2005), Sir Gareth Roberts (1940-2007), research physicist, university administrator and educationalist and Sir Denis Rooke (1924-2008), engineer and industrialist.

Emily Naish will discuss how each archive has its own unique characteristics reflecting the personality, research interest and work methodology of its creator during the course of his or her life and career. However, archives created by different scientists also have much in common in their form and format. Using case studies from the CSA this paper will look at the ways scientists have recorded their activities, whether research, publication, teaching, interaction with government and industry or engagement with the public. Patterns and similarities across different archives emerge. In addition, there will be differences in a scientist’s archive between ‘official’ records created intentionally such as lab books and reports, and ‘unofficial’ records such as personal correspondence and photographs.

Gillian Sheldrick will explore the challenges and opportunities involved in cataloguing archives remotely on behalf of a range of different archive repositories. Issues covered will include the importance of effective communication; dealing with differing conventions and standards in respect of appraisal, packaging, numbering systems and cataloguing; working with large collections; and hardware and software compatibility.