Maciej Szablewski Microfilming in Poland Microfilming MICROFILMING IN POLAND Contents: Introduction Photographic techniques in Poland up to 1950 Microfilming in the Polish archives Microfilm studios in other institutions Library microforms Microfilm Station of the National Library of Poland (1950–1961) Microfilming at the National Library of Poland from 1962–1992 Reprography at the National Library of Poland until 2012 The Bosch project Introduction In 1950, a caravan of American scholars and photo technicians made their way across the Sinai Peninsula in order to copy the collections of the St. Catherine’s monastery on Mount Sinai. In the same year, at the Nation- al Library in Warsaw, an institution was created to launch an initiative for preserving collections on a scale unprecedented in Europe. At first, the Microfilm Station was in charge of producing surrogates of the most valuable monuments of writing that had survived the disasters of World War II. In the 1970s, its work was extended by a project of completing the collections of Polish newspapers and journals. In this way, over half a cen- tury of microfilming resulted in preserving integral series of periodicals as well as manuscripts, early printed books and music documents housed Polish Libraries 2015 Vol. 3 2015 Vol. Libraries Polish 20 Microfilming in Poland Microfilming in over 200 institutions in Poland and abroad. Furthermore, the collection of surrogates gathered by the National Library became the most complete scientific workshop for the Polish humanities. Photographic techniques in Poland up to 1950 Photographing teXts was first discussed in Poland in the interwar period. Scholars and custodians were aware of the potential that the new technology had, however, once Poland regained independence, the country’s institutions had to face more fundamental challenges, and the young state dealing with economic problems was unable to provide suitable funds even for the most ba- sic activity. In 1934, four state archives out of siXteen still had no typewriters, not to mention costly photographic equipment. 1 Therefore, before 1939, using photographic techniques to copy teXts was mainly discussed in articles and at conferences, 2 while their practical application was restricted to the Archive of Public Education in Warsaw, the Cracow Library of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Ossoliński Institute (Ossol.) in Lviv and the Jagiel- lonian Library. 3 A fact that illustrates the limited scale of the phenomenon is that between 1936 and 1937, the latter produced no more than 1,937 copies (for eXample of the Bogurodzica manuscript), using a Foto-Clark camera, for 58 cli- ents in total, one of the orders comprising 500 copies. The only person to work with microfilms was Professor Jan Rutkowski of the University of Poznań, who copied documents concerning the reviews of royal properties borrowed from the Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw. 4 Under such cir- 1 “Sprawozdanie z działalności” [Report on Activities], Archeion , vol. 13, 1935, p. 153. 2 J. Grycz, “Zagadnienie fotografii w bibliotekarstwie” [Photography in Library Practice], Przegląd biblioteczny [Librarian Review], year 12, 1938, pp. 145–170; M. Handelsman, “Metoda poszukiwań archiwalnych” [A Method for Archival Research], Archeion , vol. 2, 1927, p. 39; A. Rybarski, Potrzeby i zadania fotografii w pracy archiwalnej [Needs and Purposes of Photo- graphy in Archival Work], Lviv 1926; “Sprawozdanie z VI sesji Rady Archiwalnej w dniach 19–20.12.1928 r.” [Report of the 6th Session of the Archival Council held on 19–20/12/1928], Archeion , vol. 5, 1929, Część Urzędowa [Official Part], p. 4. 3 The isolated attempts to photograph teXts undertaken by Prof. Jan Kruszyński of the University of Vilnius were of minor significance. J. Kruszyński, “Nowy aparat do reprodukcji fotograficznej i jego zastosowanie szczególnie do zabytków archiwalnych” [A New Apparatus for Photographic Repro- duction and its Application to Archival Objects in Particular], Archeion , vol. 14, 1936, pp. 24–25. 3 2015 Vol. Libraries Polish 4 J. Deresiewicz , “Powielanie archiwów” [Copying Archives], Dziennik Poznański [Poznań Daily] of 30/04/1937 , issue 100, p. 7; B. Drewniewska-Idziak, “Projekt Polskiej akcji mikrofilmowa- nia zbiorów bibliotecznych z XIX i XX wieku z podziałem na regiony” [Project of the Polish Action of Microfilming Library Holdings of the 19th and 20th Centuries According to Regions], in Chrońmy oryginały [To Protect the Originals], ed. B. Drewniewska-Idziak, Warszawa 2000, p. 30; “Fotobiblioteki” [Photo Libraries], Kurier poznański [Poznań Courier] of 4/04/1937, vol. 32, issue 152, p. 4; J. Rutkowski, “Mikrofotografia na usługach historii” [Microphotography in the Service of History], Roczniki Dziejów Społeczno–Gospodarczych [Socio-Economic History Yearbook], vol. 6, 1937, p. 601. 21 cumstances, it is no wonder that Józef Grycz once admitted that “in Poland, any application of photography in library practice lies fallow.” 5 This situation remained unchanged until the 1950s. During the peri- od of the war and occupation, microreprography was limited to isolated initiatives undertaken in a life-threatening way, such as the ones of Pro- 6 Microfilming in Poland Microfilming fessors Mieczysław Wolfke or Janusz Podoski. Following the year 1945, several institutions, such as the Institute of General Chemistry and the Institute of History of the University of Warsaw, decided to purchase 135 film cameras. At the University of Poznań, Professor Rutkowski reopened his pre-war studio. Also, the first microfilm cameras appeared. They were used by the Jewish Historical Commission, the Institute of Electronics of the Warsaw University of Technology and the Chair of Photographic Techniques of the Wrocław University of Technology. 7 In 1948, Profes- sor Karol Górski pursued plans for issuing micropublications through the photographic studio of the Toruń Scientific Society. 8 In spite of “ru- dimentary equipment and modest funds”, 9 by 1950, two such editions were published, containing the proceedings of the Prussian parliament of 1506–1653 and the parliamentary acts of Ducal Prussia since 1541. 10 Mi- crofilms were no longer solely discussed in writing, 11 but had begun to be used in research.12 5 J. Grycz, op. cit., p. 170. 6 W. Żdżarski, Historia fotografii warszawskiej [History of Warsaw Photography], Warszawa 1974, pp. 226–227. 7 At the latter university, the chair held by Professor Romer was the first one in Poland to begin training future photography engineers in 1948. H. Zubala, Mikrofilmowanie zbiorów archiwalnych i bibliotecznych w Polsce 1950–1970 [Microfilming Archival and Library Collec- tions in Poland 1950–1970], Wrocław 1978, p. 57. 8 K. Górski, “Zagadnienie produkcji mikrofilmowych odbitek pozytywów w zastosowaniu do źródeł historycznych” [Production of Microfilm Positive Copies Applied to Historical Sources], Zapiski Towarzystwa Naukowego w Toruniu [Notes of the Toruń Scientific Society], vol. 14, Toruń 1948, p. 109–119; A.W., Recenzja : K. Górski, “Zagadnienie produkcji mikrofilmowych odbitek pozytywów w zastosowaniu do źródeł historycznych” [Review: Karol Górski, Production of Mi- crofilm Positive Copies Applied to Historical Sources], Przegląd Historyczny [Historical Review], vol. 39, issue 2, 1949, pp. 112–113. 9 A. Wyczański, “Mikrofilm w archiwach i bibliotekach polskich” [Microfilm in the Polish Archives and Libraries], Archeion , vol. 26, 1956, p. 138. 10 These publications, released as the Fontes, Seria II, Rotuli photographici series, were entitled Reces- sus comitiorum Terrae Prussie (Toruń 1948) and Acta conventus Prussiae Ducalis (Toruń 1950). 11 Compare: T. Komornicki, “Mikrokarty i przyszłość bibliotek naukowych świata” [Microcards and the Future of Research Libraries Worldwide], Życie Nauki [Research Life], vol. 3, issues 13–14, 1947, pp. 58–68; M. Łodyński, “Biblioteki i polityka biblioteczna w związku z potrze- bami nauki” [Libraries and Library Policy in Connection with Research Needs], Życie Nauki [Research Life], vol. 4, 1947, p. 293. 12 For eXample, when Władysław Tomkiewicz was investigating inventories of the works of art that Polish Libraries 2015 Vol. 3 2015 Vol. Libraries Polish remained in Paris following the death of King Jan Casimir, he used a microfilm of a codeX with 22 Microfilming in Poland Microfilming Microfilming in the Polish archives In 1950, the first microfilm camera was bought for the Central Archives of Historical Records (CAHR). 13 At first, the studio limited its works to preserving the most valuable and deteriorated items. Therefore, micro- films were not recorded as separate holdings, but as surrogates of those already owned. 14 Furthermore, until 1954 no positives were produced, nor was opening a reading room to the public considered. The studio was in- corporated into the existing structure of the archive, so the work of prep- aration and description of the copied materials was conducted in shifts by, not always enthusiastic, archivists. 15 The situation was even worse at the two technical departments that produced and verified the microre- productions. Due to low wages, the laboratory staff tended to change con- stantly. This high employee turnover was eXacerbated by a shortage of duly qualified staff. As a case in point, the position of technical manager, responsible for production quality, was given to a photography amateur and professional driver. 16 This is why the fact that 279,975 film frames were taken in 1951 should be considered a huge