The Hernández-Pacheco photographic collection of the Biblioteca Histórica Marqués de Valdecilla. Methodology for its documentary analysis.

Abstract

The photographic collection of the prestigious Spanish geologist Eduardo Hernández-Pacheco is found in the Biblioteca Histórica Marqués de Valdecilla of the Universidad Complutense of Madrid. It is made up of approximately 3,000 photographs on glass supports dating back to the first half of the 20th century, most of which were taken by the geologist. They feature an average format (8.5 x 10 cm) and contents linked to his specialty, with an abundance of landscapes from Spain and Portugal. The specific characteristics of the collection called for the design of an ad hoc methodology for the documentary processing of the artifacts, bearing in mind their origin, their value (geographic, geological and photographic) and their recovery for use by other historians, scholars and researchers. This article covers the photographic collection of the eminent professor and the methodology for its documentary processing as a model for application to similar collections.