Origins & Early Life

Paul Marie Ghislain Otlet (; French: [pɔl maʁi ɡilɛ̃ ɔtlɛ]; 23 August 1868 – 10 December 1944) was a Belgian bibliographer, lawyer, and peace activist, and a key figure in documentation science, a precursor to information science. Otlet created the Universal Decimal Classification, which would later become a faceted classification. Otlet was responsible for the development of an early information retrieval tool, the "Repertoire Bibliographique Universel" (RBU). RBU was used by the International Institute of Bibliography which later became the Mundaneum.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Otlet wrote numerous essays on how to collect and organize and connect knowledge, culminating in two books, the Traité de Documentation (1934) and Monde: Essai d'universalisme (1935). His ideas for information collection, storage and retrieval have been compared to early incarnations of the internet and search engines. In 1907, following a huge international conference, Otlet and Henri La Fontaine created the Central Office of International Associations, which was renamed to the Union of International Associations in 1910, and which is still located in Brussels. They also created a great international center called at first Palais Mondial...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adah Isaacs Menken — Contemporary (Died in 1868) (1868): American actress, painter, and poet known for sensational stage performances.
• Annie S. D. Maunder — Contemporary (Born in 1868) (1868): Pioneering Irish astronomer known for discovering the Maunder Minimum and sunspot cycles.
• Arnold Sommerfeld — Contemporary (Born in 1868) (1868): Pioneering theoretical physicist known for quantum and atomic physics.
• Aimee Semple McPherson — Contemporary (Died in 1944) (1944): Pioneering Pentecostal evangelist, famous for founding the Foursquare Church.
• Alan Parker — Contemporary (Born in 1944) (1944): Acclaimed English filmmaker known for genre versatility and numerous BAFTA and Golden Globe wins.
• Alexis Carrel — Contemporary (Died in 1944) (1944): Pioneering French surgeon and biologist known for vascular suturing and early transplantology.
• Abu Bakr — Shared historical date (08-23 · Died) (634): First Rashidun Caliph and esteemed companion of the Prophet Muhammad.
• Adolf Loos — Shared historical date (08-23 · Died) (1933): Pioneering architect and theorist of modernism, known for his critique of ornamentation.
• Ada Lovelace — Shared historical date (12-10 · Born) (1815): Pioneering mathematician recognized as the first computer programmer.
• Albert O. Hirschman — Shared historical date (12-10 · Died) (2012): Pioneering American economist known for development and political economy theories.
• 1868 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1868
• August 23 (08-23) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on August 23
• 1944 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1944
• December 10 (12-10) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on December 10