National Library Warsaw 2011
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oklada_tu8b 9/5/11 11:08 PM Page 1 National ISSN 0867-6976 To mark the Chopin Year 2010, the National Library organised a multimedia exhibition of Library its collection of music manuscripts of the great composer – the largest such collection worldwide. Warsaw The exhibition catalogue, published in Polish and in English, presents the rich history of Chopin’s 2011 POLISH autographs, as well as sources of his musical inspi- ration and the specific features of music genres he exercised. It contains reproductions of autographs of Fantasie in F minor op. 49, Sonate in H minor op. 58, Polonaise-Fantasie in A flat major op. 61, second Nocturne in D flat major op. 27, two Noc- op. 55, two op. 62, four LIBRARIES turnes Nocturnes Mazur- kas op. 24, four Mazurkas op. 33, three Mazurkas op. 56, Allegro de concert op. 46 and the manu- Vol. 8 script of the music score of the Piano Concerto in F minor op. 21. The catalogue publishes also 9 letters by the composer preserved at the Natio- nal Library and an authentic Chopin’s visiting TODAY card once found in an album of a Polish painter Zofia Ossoliƒska. Wizytówka Chopina / Chopin’s Visiting Card. Autografy w zbiorach Biblioteki Narodowej. Katalog wystawy [Autographs in the National Library Collections. Exhibition Catalogue]. Warszawa, Biblioteka Narodowa 2010 Halina Tchórzewska-Kabata Pod znakiem Êwiat∏a. Biblioteka Ordynacji Krasiƒskich 1844–1944 [Under the Sign of Light. The Library of the Krasiƒski Estate 1844–1944]. Warszawa, Biblioteka Narodowa 2010 A monograph on the Library of the Krasiƒski Estate, one of the largest and most valuable private libra- ries in Poland, provides an account of the Library’s scholarly, publishing and cultural activities shown against the background of the rich cultural life of the Warsaw-based intelligentsia grouped around the Library founders in the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. The publication provides a portrayal of all stages of the institution’s history: its heyday and its tragic end in 1944 when after the fall of the Warsaw Uprising the Library burnt down together with most of its precious collections. The publication is largely based on previously unknown sources and it comes complete with a meticulously selected do- cumentative material which has been highlighted in the text. A special mention is due to the book’s original and carefully prepared artwork. Biblioteka Narodowa 2 Public Libraries and Reading in Poland POLISH LIBRARIES TODAY Vol. 8 Biblioteka Narodowa Warszawa 2011 2 Public Libraries and Reading in Poland Table of Contents From the Editor 3 Public Libraries and Reading in Poland Barbara Budyńska Local Government Public Libraries in Poland 5 Małgorzata Jezierska Organizational Problems of Public Libraries 15 Grażyna Lewandowicz-Nosal Children’s Public Libraries in Poland 21 Marcin Drzewiecki, Dorota Grabowska School Libraries and the Social Changes in Poland after 1989 30 Katarzyna Wolff The Poles and Books. Book Circulation in Poland in 2000–2006 37 Sebastian Wierny Traditional and Internet Readership in Poland 46 Renata Aleksandrowicz Polish Senior Citizens in the Face of Books and Libraries 51 Library and Readership History Janusz Kostecki History of Readership – Object of Study, Primary Sources and the Ways in Which They Are Used 61 Anna Zdanowicz The First Polish Studies of Reading 1881–1939 67 Anna Karczewska Breaking Through the Isolation. Projects and Activities Popularizing Reading Among Peasants in the Kingdom of Poland 74 Andrzej Mężyński Gentry Libraries in Poland in the 18th and 19th Century. Their Origin and Role in the Development of Culture 80 Anna Żbikowska-Migoń Polish Libraries in European Bibliological Writings of the 18th Century 89 Danuta Hombek Patronage in Publishing in 18th Century Poland. An Outline of the Issues 99 Major Polish Libraries Elżbieta Górska, Joanna Popłońska The Warsaw Public Library in Koszykowa Street 105 Grażyna Piotrowicz The Wrocław University Library. The Past, the Present and the Future 113 Reviews Janusz Kostecki, Małgorzata Rowicka Granice wolności słowa w zaborze rosyjskim w latach 1865–1904. T. 1–3. Warszawa, Biblioteka Narodowa 2006 (Anna Żbibkowska-Migoń) 129 Józef Trypućko The Catalogue of the Book Collection of the Jesuit College in Braniewo held in the University Library in Uppsala extended and completed by Michał Spandowski. Vol. 1–3. Warszawa – Uppsala 2007 (Acta R. Universitatis Upsaliensis, Vol. XLI) (Janusz Tondel) 133 Ryszard Nowicki Działalność Aleksandra Birkenmajera na rzecz ochrony zbiorów bibliotecznych. Ziemie zachodniej i północnej Polski w latach 1945–1947. Poznań 2006 (Barbara Bieńkowska) 139 Contributors 143 Local Government Public Libraries in Poland 3 Dealing with the book in its traditional, print- We also present the results of research projects on-paper form, or with book reading, may seem that have been systematically undertaken every anachronic in the era of the Internet with new two years since 1989 by the National Library’s communication technologies. Institute of Book and Reading. These projects The future of the traditional book and li- have focused on the situation of the book and braries has become a matter of concern ever since reading in Poland in the context of books’ ac- the Internet caused that texts of books lost their cessibility to citizens, their reading choices, book material nature once their content became ac- buying and book reading habits, as well as li- cessible online, which, needless to add, also brary use. changed the functions of libraries. In the present The Institute’s research results show trends edition of “Polish Libraries Today” we wish to of change in book circulation in society and showcase this characteristic stage in the evo- confirm an essential relationship between the lution of libraries and book reading when the presence of books in a person’s life and the abil- traditional book continues to dominate while ity to move and adapt with the tides of the con- the Internet becomes ever more popular as temporary world. The level of book reading has a source of knowledge, information and enter- a decisive impact on comprehension of process- tainment. es taking place in society, culture and science. Over 8,500 public libraries in Poland con- Hence, governments and social organisations tinue to represent a vital network of institutions have engaged in launching a variety of reading that support society’s educational, cultural and promotion projects. One of the most prominent integration aspirations by offering free, univer- initiatives is the ongoing national campaign sal and well-organised access to information Whole of Poland reads to children joined by a huge sources. number of proactive individuals around the coun- In this volume, we show the condition of try, including best-known personalities. Polish libraries, their organisational, financial In this volume we also present the research and space problems, as well as new social and on reading in Poland in the 19th and the first cultural challenges they have addressed. Com- half of the 20th century. The history of reading plementary to public libraries are school li- as a subject of scientific research has been high- braries which have been presented here in the lighted in the context of studies on participa- context of changing educational processes, and tion of individuals and social groups in the the new primary and secondary school educa- world of meanings and values of culture (broadly tion system in Poland. conceived) as carried by texts published in printed 4 FromPublic theLibraries Editor and Reading in Poland books and serials. Historical sources available ers of land estates, mainly Polish aristocrats, to scholars are very scanty when compared with as seen in the light of the political and cultur- research sources on today’s reading. The undis- al phenomena. We also decided to outline the puted fact is that Polish reading research was idea of patronage in publishing in Poland in started by educational activists in the Russian the 18th century by the king, aristocrats, burgh- partition of Poland in the second half of the ers, and first of all by publishers and booksellers 19th century. themselves, financing monumental publications. The first studies connected with the devel- For history lovers, we offer a fascinating jour- opment of literacy programmes for peasants and ney in time: we have included historical de- workers, or with the founding of popular librar- scriptions of Polish libraries by foreigners in ies to support education towards the end of the European scientific books and journals of the 19th century, demonstrate the now long-forgot- 18th century. ten world of cultural isolation of the poorest We hope that for every reader interested in social strata and the attempts to change their books, libraries and European culture, all the social and material status through access to way from the 18th century until the present, this books and periodicals. volume will become a source of inspiration and The historical part of this volume presents new information. a panorama of gentry libraries on Polish lands in the 18th and 19th century, founded by own- Joanna Pasztaleniec-Jarzyńska Local Government Public Libraries in Poland 5 Barbara Budyńska Local Government Public Libraries in Poland Abstract The author gives a detailed overview of public libraries in Poland, based on official statistics taken from the yearbook Public Libraries in Figures, looking various aspects of libraries organisation and activities, dealing with the level of reading, book acquisition, services, computerisation, facilities, and administrative issues. The situation of public libraries in Poland is in- – public libraries were turned over to local gov- separably linked with the socio-economic trans- ernment administrative entities (municipal formation of the country. Poland’s transition to and voivodship libraries are now managed and democracy in 1989, followed by in-depth social financed by corresponding local government reforms of the 1990s, exerted a fundamental entities), impact on the functioning, organizational frame- – legal foundations were laid to re-establish work and tasks assigned to public libraries.