io6 The Zeeuwsch Genootschap and the Formation of its Correspondence Network
knowledge; however, this knowledge is not yet 'useful. To achieve the status of
useful knowledge the third and fourth stages are critical. The third stage is the dis
semination of knowledge created by the academy for which the correspondence
network could be employed. The journal published by the academy was distribut
ed amongst the network members. The academy had the power to give validation
to someone's work which, in turn, gave the writers recognition and publicity.63
The dissemination of knowledge through publication in the journal gave people
a motive to send their works to the academies and put the academies into an
arbitration role.64 The official publications of the academies were distributed by
sending them to people in the correspondence network. Fourth, the employment
of new knowledge was more widespread once a network was informed. Thus, the
reason to create a network was to increase the influx of knowledge and make its
application more widespread.65
The correspondence network served two purposes: the organisation of the
academy's network itself regarding matters of membership and the creation of
knowledge. The ZGW organised its network meticulously, so that many primary
sources are still available today. The main primary source for establishing who
was part of the network is the ZGW's Membership Register that records mem
bers and directors of the ZGW from 1766 onwards and of which a copy is available
at the Zeeland Archives.66 The correspondence of the ZGW has been archived
from 1768 onwards, which can be attributed to the immediate appointment of a
secretary - Justus Tjeenk. He and the secretaries after him have not only made
registries of incoming correspondence but have also preserved many of the in
coming letters.67 Due to the large quantity of preserved correspondence, only the
first five years - 1766 until 1771 - of the ZGW's network will be analysed. These
years are particularly interesting as they show the ZGW in the formation phase
of its network. Analysing these sources will provide insight into the interaction
between the ZGW and its members, in Zeeland and beyond.
63 Ann C. Schaffner, The Future of Scientific Journals: Lessons From the Past. In: Information
Technology and Libraries 13, No. 4 (1994), 239-248, 240; John Carey, Scientific Communication
Before and After Networked Science. In: Information Culture 47, no. 3 (2013), 344-367, 346.
64 McClellan, Science Reorganized, xxi; Rusnock, Correspondence Networks, 155-156.
65 McClellan, Science Reorganized, 169.
66 ZA, Arch. KZGW, inv. nr. 119, scan 1-6; ZA, Arch. KZGW, inv. nr. 121, scan 1-10; this member
ship register is in a copy from the original created at the beginning of the 19th century.
67 ZA, Arch. KZGW, inv. nr. 56, 58, 60; Not all letters to the ZGW were archived for various
reasons. Secretaries have likely made decisions on which letters to archive and letters will have
been lost over time.
