Documentation Influence in Brazilian Library and Information Science: the Case of University of São Paulo

Abstract

Johanna W. Smit studied under Jean Meyriat and Jean-Claude Gardin in France, and upon becoming a professor at the Library Science and Documentation Department of the School of Communication and Arts of the University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil, introduced to it the then current developments in French Documentation, mainly those related to documentary analysis. In 1986, Professor Smit and a group of professors of USP founded TEMMA Group, a research group devoted to issues concerning document organisation and representation, which lasted for 30 years and incorporated professors of São Paulo State University. In this paper, I present to a wider public the research related to document organisation and representation that was brought about by the professors of USP from 1981, when Johanna W. Smit became a professor. I focus on the research conducted by the members of TEMMA Group, presenting key concepts developed by them, how the studies of the group still influence USP, and the reason why their developments are relevant to current document studies.