Centre for Research on French-Canadian Culture/Le Centre de recherche en civilization canadienne-française | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Centre for Research on French-Canadian Culture/Le Centre de recherche en civilization canadienne-française

Centre for Research on French-Canadian Culture/Le Centre de recherche en civilisation canadienne-française

The Centre for Research on French Canadian Culture/Le Centre de recherche en civilization canadienne-française (CRCCF), was founded on 2 October 1958 at the University of Ottawa by 4 professors of literature: Father Bernard Julien, OMI; Jean Ménard; Réjean Robidoux; and Paul Wyczynski, who was its director for 15 years. They began by organizing the methodical teaching and study of French-Canadian literature at the university level (see LITERATURE IN FRENCH). The centre's scope broadened in 1963 to include history and the fine arts, and in 1977 the CRCCF became a multidisciplinary research body.

The 7 members of its council represent various disciplines of the social sciences and humanities as well as the francophone community. From its start, the centre has encouraged research on French Canada, primarily in Québec and Ontario, but also including the other francophone minorities in North America. Its contribution is made through the acquisition of archival documents, the development of a specialized library, the publication of scholarly works and the organization of seminars, conferences and exhibitions. The centre encourages research projects through modest grants and supplies administrative support for long-term projects which have received funding elsewhere, such as Le Dictionnaire de l'Amérique française, FrancoSources (an online bibliography and index of web sites on francopohone minorities), Les Manuels scolaires franco-ontariens, Les Textes poétiques du Canada français, etc. Moreover, it oversees 3 publication series and participates in the publication of an annual multidisciplinary journal, Francophonies d'Amérique.

The archives sector makes available to researchers and the public more than 1.6 linear kilometres of documents (manuscripts, photographs, audiotapes, cassettes and videocassettes, etc) as well as more than 3300 brochures, 5500 reference works and 250 periodical titles. A favoured meeting ground, the centre has numerous connections with Canadian and foreign institutions. In 1997-98 it welcomed 1500 researchers; another 1700 visited its web site.