National Library News March/April 1999 Vol. 31, no. 3-4

Visiting the Biblioteka Narodowa (National Library) in Warsaw and the Biblioteka Jagiellonska (Jagiellonian Library) in Cracow

In our continuous search for improvements, we gather information about best practices in other libraries, both in Canada and abroad. One of the ways to do this is to visit other libraries whenever possible.

During my September vacation in Poland, I spent some time at the country’s two major libraries: the Biblioteka Narodowa (National Library) in Warsaw and the so-called "Bibliotheca Patria", formally the Biblioteka Jagiellonska (Jagiellonian Library), in Cracow. Brief visits to each library allowed me to review our current exchanges with these libraries, and to have informal discussions on general issues pertaining to management, organizational change, technology, legal deposit implementation, responsibilities for national collections and other issues of importance to national libraries. I met mostly senior librarians who could speak English, but my fluency in Polish helped me greatly in my discussions and in locating additional information on the Polish-language Web sites.

Biblioteka Narodowa Special Collections.

The Biblioteka Narodowa tradition is linked with the Zaluski Library, which opened to the public in 1747. In 1778, the Polish Parliament, or Seym, granted the Library legal deposit status. However, in 1794, with the third partition of Poland, the book collections were taken to St. Petersburg to form the foundation of the Tsar’s public library. After Poland regained its independence in 1918, a substantial amount of the national budget was assigned to purchase books. In addition, three large library collections were returned to Poland: the Rapperswil, the Battignolles and the Zaluski collections.

Biblioteka Narodowa.

The Biblioteka Narodowa was formally established in 1928, 10 years after Poland had regained its independence. The Bibliographic Institute (national bibliographic agency) was established as part of the Library at the same time. The Institute, with the financial support of publishers, issues bibliographies of all current copyrighted publications under the title Urzedowy wykaz druków (Official List of Publications).

Currently, as a depository library, the Biblioteka Narodowa is responsible for acquiring, processing, making available and preserving the entire Polish and Poland-related production of printed materials, cartographic materials and recorded sound materials. In addition, it acquires foreign publications oriented towards the universal collection of reference sources, humanities and social sciences, with special emphasis on history, library and information sciences, and reference sources.

Biblioteka Narodowa Entrance Plaque.

According to the information I received, its collections include 4 163 658 volumes of printed monographs, 629 680 volumes of periodicals, 170 000 volumes of early printed books, 1060 incunabula, 14 486 manuscripts, 70 930 maps, 101 290 music scores, 35 266 sound recordings, 160 420 microforms, an outstanding collection of grey literature (over 1 630 000 units) and many other collections, including electronic publications. <www.uidaho.edu/~majanko/ankieta/index.html>.

The Biblioteka Narodowa is open to the general public, for on-site research and reference, six days a week including Saturdays, except for national holidays. In 1996, it purchased its new "turn-key" integrated INNOPAC system and is gradually making all its databases available on the Web and via Telnet. It also maintains its own MAK system, mainly to produce various bibliographic products and to support some 600 small and medium-sized libraries throughout Poland.

As the national bibliographic agency, the Biblioteka Narodowa compiles the current and retrospective national bibliography of monographs and serials, Poland-related materials and other special bibliographies. It also prepares all Polish publishing statistics.

The Library moved into its new building (al. Niepodleglosci 213) over several years, starting in 1983 and ending in 1996. The new building should be sufficient for another five years, but discussions are already taking place to plan for additional storage space. The main concern is lack of funds.

The rare books and manuscripts are housed in a separate building, the Palac Rzeczypospolitej (Palace of the Republic) some distance from the main building, where special exhibits and displays showcase the special collections.

I visited the Biblioteka Narodowa shortly after the appointment of the new Director, the equivalent of our National Librarian. The present Director, Michal Jagiello, is the former Deputy Minister of Culture and Art, as well as a publicist and writer. He is assisted by three Deputy Directors: one for research, one for administrative and technical matters and one for library operations. The Biblioteka Narodowa has a complex structure of several institutes and departments, mainly reflecting various functions. They include the Bibliographic Institute, Collections and Access to Current Materials, Special Collections, Information and Circulation, Central Catalogues and Electronic Information, Preservation and Conservation, and the Institute of the Book and of Reading.

The Biblioteka Narodowa employs close to 1000 staff members. It has its own printing office and publishing house, and houses the National Centre for Book Conservation.

This library combines its three roles of national library, university library and public library effectively. It serves both the national and international communities and continues to expand its resources through gifts, exchanges, legal deposit and purchases.

The library dates back to the founding of the Cracow Academy (now the Jagiellonian University) in 1364. The collection increased through the centuries, enlarged by numerous gifts, mainly from professors and alumni. In the 16th century, this library had the largest collection of books in Poland and was one of the most notable libraries in the world. In 1932, the Library was granted legal deposit status for all Polish publications, and now ranks as one of Poland’s two most important libraries.

Biblioteka Jagilelonska.

According to the information on the <uidaho.edu> Web site, the collection contains 1 503 178 volumes of monographs, 557 199 volumes of periodicals, 104 012 early printed books, 3586 incunabula, 24 258 manuscripts, 12 819 maps, 35 105 music scores, and 77 336 microforms <www.uidaho.edu/~majanko/ankieta/libraries.html>.

The library has invaluable historical source materials, books on history, culture, Polish literature and art. As a national library it collects and preserves, and as a university and public library it provides easy access to its collections, both on-site and through inter-library loans. Only the reference collection is directly accessible to the public.

The library collects and preserves all published Polish materials as well as Polonica, publications about Poland or by Poles but published abroad. It collects at least one copy of each title published between 1945 and 1968 and two copies of titles published after 1968. Together with 42 other smaller university libraries, it also supports the teaching and research activities of the Jagiellonian University.

Research activities at the library focus on the elaboration of its collections of medieval and modern manuscripts, old prints and "underground" literature. The Library is on the point of doubling its space through the addition of a new building adjoining the existing building. It has also been modernizing the original Gothic-Renaissance structure into which the Jagiellonian Library moved just before the Second World War, to accommodate the new technologies and telecommunications.

The library is open six days a week. An average of 600 000 people use the Library each year.

Since 1992, the Library has implemented an integrated "turn-key" VTLS library system. Currently, acquisitions, cataloguing and the online catalogue are on VTLS. Work is underway on retro-conversion and automation of circulation. The Biblioteka Jagiellonska creates bibliographic records for new acquisitions which are shared with other Polish libraries.

Biblioteka Jagiellonska Reading Room and Reference Collection.

During my visit, I spent some time with the current Director, Dr. Krzysztof Zamorski. The director of the Jagiellonian Library is selected by the university Senate for a period of five years, with no restrictions on renewal. Since 1528, the director has been a faculty member, and may also be a professional librarian. Dr. Zamorski, an associate professor at the Institute of History, combines his demanding work of managing one of the largest and most complex libraries in Poland with his own research and teaching responsibilities at the university.

There are three Deputy Directors (one for administration and construction, one for 19th and 20th century materials, and one for special collections, conservation and publishing) to help manage the 14 departments of the Library and the 283 staff members.

In many ways, the two Polish libraries are very similar to the National Library of Canada and some of our larger university libraries. The two Polish libraries are struggling with similar issues, such as reduced resources, new technologies, access to information and user fees. Some of their approaches and solutions may be of particular interest to Canadians.

Several libraries in Poland receive one or two copies of Polish publications through legal deposit, and take on the responsibilities for access and conservation.

Poland’s history has made everybody there well aware that it is prudent to assign legal deposit responsibilities to more than one library.

The staff of the two Polish libraries devote considerable time to discussions with publishers and writers on the importance of legal deposit legislation in building the national collection. They participate in many book fairs and meetings with writers, and stress the importance of participation. On the other hand, less time is devoted to claiming missing items. Polish publishers do not have to pay postal charges when sending legal deposit titles to the various libraries. This approach shows that the government supports and recognizes the contribution of the Polish publishing industry to preserving the national published heritage.

These are showcased at the Biblioteka Narodowa and also displayed in a special area at the Biblioteka Jagiellonska. They are also showcased through special exhibits, catalogues and digitization. Bibliographic access online is also provided through the Internet.

The two leaders are selected through a slightly different process, but both are appointed for a specific period of time, four or five years, with the possibility of reappointment. The selection of a director from among the faculty allows for a greater understanding of the needs of the university.

As in Canada, the professional staff is well educated and trained, generating many new ideas on acquisitions, access, cooperation and electronic information, and other aspects of library science. There is considerable involvement in providing information, research and cooperation with other national libraries in Europe, through the Conference of European National Librarians (CENL) and its Gabriel, the information server for Europe’s national libraries, <portico.bl.uk/gabriel/en/welcome.html>, as well as involvement with other international organizations such as IFLA.

There appears to be a good understanding that collections must be properly housed to extend their life and to make them accessible. When collections and library staff are housed in the same building, more efficient and better services are provided to the clients.

Both libraries collect and preserve the country’s published heritage. They also collect and preserve Polonica, titles about Poland or written by Poles but published abroad. Special publications and databases provide access to the latter. The National Library of Canada’s Gifts and Exchanges section helps to locate Canadian titles with Polish content, as well as providing Canadian titles of more general interest in exchange for Polish Canadiana.

The two libraries purchased two different American library systems and will link the two using Z39.50. Both libraries received financial support from abroad. They are still implementing some aspects of the new library systems and are trying to convert non-MARC records. The Biblioteka Narodowa is now converting its MARC to the US MARC. It also maintains its local MAK system to support about 600 small Polish libraries and is able to use the export/import features to link the two. Although CD-ROM databases are created and collected, online publications (networked publications) are not yet collected or covered by legal deposit.

Only the Biblioteka Narodowa is responsible for the creation and maintenance of the national bibliography. Several special CD-ROM products and databases are available.

My brief visits to the two Polish libraries allowed me to review and renew our exchange agreements for the national bibliographies, CD-ROM products and publications of national interest, and also helped me to learn more about international librarianship.

For further information on the two Polish libraries, see <www.bn.org.pl> for the Biblioteka Narodowa and <www.bj.uj.edu.pl> for the Biblioteka Jagiellonska. Both sites have information in Polish and in English.