Libraries in Poland

WELL-BEING IN THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

SROP 4.2.2.C-11/1/KONV-2012-0005

UNIVERSITY OF WARSAW

Institute of Information and Book Studies

Its population is about 38.500 000 the area about 313.000 sq.km. Warsaw has a population of 1 724 404 citizens at the end of

2013 Polish administrative structure consists of voivodships

(provinces) the voivodeships are subdivided into powiats (often referred

to in English as counties) these are further divided into gminas (also known as

communes or municipalities) major cities normally have the status of both gmina and

powiat Poland has: 16 voivodeships, 379 powiats (including 65

cities with powiat status), and 2,478 gminas

1.research libraries

2.public libraries

3.school libraries

4.special libraries (eg. pedagogical libraries)

5. Libraries for the special groups of users (hospital, prison, old peoples' homes libraries etc.)

the network of research libraries in Poland consists of: 1.1.the National Library 1.2.academic libraries 1.3.libraries of the Polish Academy of Sciences with the

libraries of research institutions subsidized by the Academy 1.4.Specialized research institute libraries. 1.5.libraries of the central institutions of the state 1.6.public libraries that have been given the status of

research libraries by a special charter, as well as some museum and archive libraries

The total number of research libraries - 1087 (in 2012)

the main library of the nation, and the central library of the state

formally established in February 1928 ( the process of building the library collections started much earlier)

the National Library is a continuation of the "Library of the Republic Called the Zaluski Library" (founded in Warsaw by brothers Józef and Andrzej Zaluski, opened to the public in 1747, carried away to St.Petersburg in 1794; Size of the collection in those days was 394 150 vols, including about 11 000 manuscripts and 24 574 etchings)

The newly created National Library incorporated:

the holdings of the Załuski Library regained from the Soviets Union in the years 1923-35. The Library also took over the collections of other Warsaw-based libraries

the collections built by the Polish emigration and brought to Poland from Rapperswil and Paris

The total collection of the National Library at the end of 2012 was 5 095 000 vols./units

BN also provide Internet access to its digital collections to Digital BN- Polona; to Polish Internet Library (part of the Europeana), electronic access to digital sources of BN

in 2012 the library network of the academic libraries consisted of 871 libraries

this network is made up of libraries attached to the universities and other schools of higher education and has developed since 1945

each complex consists of the main library and a cluster of specialized libraries supporting the individual units (departments) of the school or university

they possessed 6 4036 000 inventary units the bulk of the collection can be found at the universities

(45,3%); at polytechnics (23,5%); medical schools (7%), agricultural schools (6,9%); pedagogical school (6%), schools of economics (5%); theological schools (3%); academies of art (1,8%); sports academies (15) and maritime schools(0,5%).

in 2012 the library network of the Polish Academy of

Sciences (PAN) consisted of about 100 libraries

Out of that number 4 (with collections of a universal

character), were autonomous (in Gdańsk, Kórnik,

Kraków, and Wrocław

about 90 were connected administratively with

specialized research units of the PAN

2 had extra -departmental status (Archives and the Centre

of Scientific Information)

2 were part of the Polish research centres in Paris and

Rome

belong to a number of institutions

their collections reflect the documentation and research

needs of the owner

there are about 119 of them

the most important libraries in this category are: The

Library of the Institute of Urban Studies and

Architecture, The Library of the Forestry Research

Institute; The Library of the Institute of Mining

similar to the specialized research institute libraries

eg.: The Library of the Sejm (founded in 1919 with

over 200 000 vols.); The Central Statistical Library

(founded in 1918, with over 300 000 vols.); The

Central Agricultural Library (founded in 1955 with

collection over 500 000 vols.); The Central Medical

Library (founded in 1945 with over 1.000 000 vols.)

libraries with historical tradition and valuable

collections

also voivodship public libraries

usually function as the main regional libraries

eg.: The Silesian Library in Katowice (founded in

1922; with collection of 850 000 vols.); Prince

Czartoryski Library in Kraków (founded in 18/19

century, since 1951 amalgamated with the National

Museum)

the organizational structure of the public library network includes 18 voivodship libraries in 16 voivoships

in one administrative region it consists typically of one central library (voivodship library);a few branches; and some library service points

in 2012 there were 8182 public libraries (5391 of them in rural areas) and 1280 library service points

by the end of 2012 all public libraries possessed 131 616 000 vols the collection of public libraries consisted of 23,7% per cent

of books for children, 40,5% of fiction for adults; 35,8% of nonfiction and serials

there were registered 6 470 000 users all users borrowed 122 012 000 volumes (18,9 per one

borrower)

the most numerous group of libraries in Poland,

with a long history

in 2012 there were about 20363 school libraries

now the number of these libraries is decreasing

(the process of merging school and public

libraries)

there are strictly defined rules concerning school

library staff in Poland (should be graduated in

pedagogy and have additional qualifications in

librarianships (or vice versa)

a network of special libraries which realize tasks in the

field of education and teacher training

their organizational structure reflects the

administrative division of the country

there is a main pedagogical library in every

voivodship, and branch pedagogical libraries in

powiats (not in all)

in 2011 there were 327 pedagogical libraries: 18 main

(voivodship) and 309 branch pedagogical libraries

in some institutions (hospitals, prisons, old

peoples' homes) there are libraries, which are not

part of the network of public libraries

they cooperate with the public libraries and rely

on the methodological and professional assistance

of the voivodship library

in 2012 there were 87 prisons and 70 detention centers

in every correctional institution there was a library

in 2012 there were 157 prison libraries

they held 1.579 000 volumes. Fiction constitute 81% of the collections

the prison population at these institutions ranges from 90 to 1,500

most of the facilities have a population of between 301 and 600

the total prison population (in 2008) was 82,785, of which about 3 % were women

till year 2012 the rules dealing with librarians

qualification required that on professional position in

libraries were employed peoples with academic

qualification in librarianship (on MA, BA levels in

library science, or graduates from other disciplines but

supplemented with qualifications in LIS obtained eg. at

postgraduates studies).

in school libraries, librarians still need to have double

qualification: as librarians and as teachers.

In 2012, actions were taken to facilitate access to certain

professions, by resignation of special qualification

requirements or exams

Deregulation took over 246 professionals, among others,

also librarians (also, eg. taxi drivers, real estate agents,

tour pilots, security staff, guidance counselors,

employment agents, surveyors must complete the

relevant studies but without the need for apprenticeship

and without examinations to enter the profession).

Ordinance of the Ministry of Culture of 12.05.2012 r. onthe requirements of qualifying for appointment topositions in libraries and librarianship positions forspecialists in other professions related to the activities ofthe library

position education seniority professional

achievements

1. Younger

librarian

-postsecondary education in librarianship

-secondary education in librarianship

-secondary education and practice or training in

the field related to the tasks of the library

-

-

-

2. librarian -BA in LIS

-BA in other fields of study

-secondary education

-

-1 year

-2 years

3. Senior

librarian

-MA in different fields of studies, BA in LIS

-BA in different fields of studies

-2 years

-3 years

4. Custodian -MA in the fields related to the activities of the

library (eg. agriculture) or MA in LIS

-

5. Senior

custodian

MA in the fields related to the activities of the

library (eg. agriculture) or MA in LIS

-

position education seniority professional

achievements

1. assistant MA - -

2. Assistant Professor MA - -

3. Certified custodian MA - -

4. Certified senior custodian MA - -

position education seniority professionalachievements

1. Assistant of documentation and information

MA - -

2. Assistant Professor of documentation and information science

MA - -

3. Certified documentary MA - -

4. Certified Senior documentary

MA - -

population decrease, fewer people are willing to study

financing depends on the number of students; it is easier to become student, even at the fields of studies which are very attractive

More likely to be selected are attractive fields of studies and not librarianship After completing studies at different fields of studies is possible to get a job in libraries and make a career in the library, even without a formal training in librarianship.

In 2011, education at academic level (BA, MA) held in 12 universities and in 2 private higher schools

Currently, due to lack of candidates, the number of the institution is decreasing or some of them decided to have only BA programs or postgraduates programs

BA programs usually in the field of librarianship, though sometimes they have names without word "Librarianship"

MA programs - in above mentioned schools have different specializations. For example: Scientific information, Editing studies, Press Studies, Organization and management of libraries, Librarianship and reading for children, Bibliotherapy, Book and book trade studies; History of book; Infobroker studies, Knowledge management; Digital libraries, Protection of cultural heritage

There are taken activities to make studies in

LIS more attractive:

for example by changing the name of the

studies for "knowledge management",

"information science", "organization and

management of cultural institutions" and

removing the part "librarianship"