Local Library Visits

Local Library Visits can only be booked onsite during the congress.

Full Day Local Library Visits

Two tours will be offered from 09:00 – 17:00. There might be a small charge for transportation for some of the Library Visits, full information will be available on the Congress website in due course. All buses will depart from Centennial Hall at 09:00 and return around 17:00. Refreshments will be provided free of charge during the tour.

Tour 1: Wrocław´s Academic and Scientific Libraries Tour

Description:
There are about 1,087 scientific libraries in Poland. The largest group among scientific libraries are libraries of higher education institutions (871), mainly universities (375) and technical schools (203) as well as medical schools (41), schools of physical education (8), theological schools (6), schools of the arts (24), pedagogical schools (21), economic schools (18), agricultural schools (12), schools of the Ministry of National Defence (4), schools of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration (2), naval schools (2) and other higher education institutions (155).  Wrocław boasts several Academic and Scientific libraries, among them the libraries of the University of Wrocław, Wroclaw University of Technology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław University School of Physical Education, Pontifical Faculty of Theology, and the Lower Silesian Pedagogical Library in Wrocław and Lower-Silesian Library Resource.

Library Name: Center for Scientific and Technical Information
This modern library supports teaching and research at the Wrocław University of Technology. It functions both as a scientific and technical information centre and as a public scientific library. There are also branch libraries at the faculties, institutes, and other organisational units, which together with the Traditional Library and the Electronic Library form an integrated information and library system of the University.

Library Name: The Ossolineum Library
The Ossolineum (founded in 1817) is one of the largest scientific libraries in Poland and one of the most important cultural institutions, second to none as far as the collections in the field of the humanities are concerned. The acquisitions profile has been defined as humanities with special emphasis on Polish and Slavonic history, culture and literature. In this respect, the Ossolineum collections are unique not only in Poland but also worldwide. The Ossolineum, home to a magnificent collection of historical archival materials and a large and valuable library, was moved from Lviv to Wrocław in 1947, where it was soon ensconced in the former St. Matthew’s Gymnasium (secondary school), a splendid Baroque edifice on the riverbank, in the old university quarter. The tour of the Ossolineum will include the Aula, the three Halls Under the Dome, the Refectory, and two beautiful period courtyards.

Library Name: Wrocław University Library
Wrocław University Library is a University-wide institution whose mission is to serve the teaching and research needs of the University community as well as to promote science and culture amongst the general public. Major efforts are made to keep the Library at the highest professional level to support University of Wrocław research and educational processes and meet the needs of all other users. The tour includes visits in two of the three Library buildings:

  • The Special Collections Department located on Św. Jadwigi 3/4 St. and
  • The new library building located on Fryderyka Joliot-Curie 12 St.

Library Name: Library of Wrocław University of Economics
The Main Library of Wrocław University of Economics offers employees, students, and all interested persons full access to the library collections, electronic resources, and wireless Internet as well as complex scientific and business information. In the Open Access Area and in the Lending Room registered readers can browse collections on the spot or borrow them either through self-service lending machines. Books may be returned 24/7 by means of a book drop located outside the main entrance to the Library. The Open Access Area and reading rooms are fully accessible for people with disabilities. The Economic Information Centre EIC provides online assistance in: searching for economic information, preparing statistical summaries, searching for subject-related literature, and drawing up bibliographic lists. The European Reading Room offers over 1000 books and journals selected from the Library`s collection, European Union publications, and other EU documents.

Tour 2: Wrocław’s Public Libraries

Description:
There are 611 libraries and branch libraries operating in the territory of the Lower Silesian Voivodship. They form the largest organized network of cultural institutions in the voivodship, which is adapted to the structure of its settlement and to its administrative divisions. Its potential is reflected in both its resources (9.5 million books, 0.5 million special collections) and the number of its users (over 812 thousand), who represent different age groups, professions and social backgrounds.

Library Name: Tadeusz Mikulski Lower Silesia Public Library
This is Wrocław’s main public library, supervising the libraries in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Apart from a rich collection of books and magazines, the library has a varied cultural offering aimed at adults and children as well as several divisions for foreign languages: Goethe Institute, American Corner, Alliance Française, Children’s Library – Library of Seven Continents. The library strongly emphasizes the presence of modern technology: readers have access to over 140 computers, a number of reprographic equipment of the latest generation, an automated library system (ALEPH), and a rich collection of e-books, as well as a particularly interesting database of materials concerning Lower Silesia (Digital Lower Silesia).

Library Name: Branches of City Public Library Wrocław

  • The Mediateka, is the most famous public library in Wrocław, located in the city centre, with an interesting and rich programme.
  • Newly opened library at the Wrocław Main Railway Station is close to the gallery of modern art (also at the Main Station).
  • The library “Graphite” is an example of a library opened in cooperation with public benefit organizations. The library is situated in the Wrocław Business Centre with areas designed for children, youths and seniors, and two rooms for quiet work or meetings in small groups. In the building there is the Wrocław Genealogical Society office.
  • The FAMA Library is located in the newly built Centre of Culture. Both cultural institutions cooperate in activities in which books will be an inspiration.

Half Day Local Library Visits – No charge to participants

All buses will depart from Centennial Hall at 09:00 and return by 13:00. Refreshments will be provided free of charge during the tour.

Tour 1: Wrocław’s Special Collections Tour

Description:
Wrocław is home to one of the most important scientific libraries in Poland, the Ossoliński National Institute, second to none as far as the collections in the fields of humanities are concerned, while Wrocław University Library is a University-wide institution whose mission is to serve the teaching and research needs of the University community and to promote science and culture amongst the general public. Major efforts are made to keep the Library at the highest professional level to support University of Wrocław research and educational processes and to meet the needs of all other users.

Library: The Ossolineum Library
The Ossolineum’s (founded in 1817) acquisitions profile has been defined as humanities with a special emphasis on Polish and Slavonic history, culture and literature. In this respect, the Ossolineum collections are unique not only in Poland but also worldwide. The Ossolineum, home to a magnificent collection of historical archival materials and a large and valuable library, was moved from Lviv to Wrocław in 1947, where it was soon ensconced in the former St. Matthew’s Gymnasium (secondary school), a splendid Baroque edifice on the riverbank, in the old university quarter. The tour of the Ossolineum will include the Aula, the three Halls Under the Dome, the Refectory, and two beautiful, period courtyards.

Library: Wrocław University Library
Participants will visit the Special Collections Department located at 3/4 Św. Jadwigi Street. Within the Department are stored manuscripts collections that had survived the war from former University and City Libraries, as well as items acquired after 1945 (so called accession). The collection is thematically very varied and consists of theological, juridical, philosophical, and medical writings, works of classical Greek and Latin authors, letters of scientists and writers, as well as albums and oriental manuscripts. What makes this collection so special and unique are chronicles of Silesian cities, calendars, historical dissertations, genealogical materials and other valuable sources for Silesian history, as well as the largest collection of medieval manuscripts in Poland.

Tour 2: Wrocław’s Public Libraries Tour

Description:
Wrocław is home to 38 public libraries that serve the needs of every age group. In most libraries there are special areas for the youngest readers as well as spaces for meetings with authors, promotion of readership and media events. In 2015, Wrocław’s public libraries served 119,727 registered users, had 2,077,136 books borrowed and over 3,000 of books delivered by librarians and volunteers to the homes of sick and handicapped users. In 2015, the city of Wrocław, with a population of over 635,000, boasted 1,345,972 visits to its public libraries.

Library: Tadeusz Mikulski Lower Silesia Public Library
Wrocław’s main public library oversees the libraries in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Apart from a rich collection of books and magazines, the library has a varied cultural offering aimed at adults and children, as well as several divisions for foreign languages: Goethe Institute, American Corner, Alliance Francaise, Children’s Library – Library of Seven Continents. The library strongly emphasizes  the presence of modern technology: readers have access to over 140 computers, a number of reprographic devices of the latest generation, an automated library system (ALEPH), and a rich collection of e-books, as well as a particularly interesting database of materials concerning Lower Silesia (Digital Lower Silesia).

Library: Mediateka
This is the most famous public library in Wrocław, located in the city center, with interesting and rich programme.

Library: FAMA
The FAMA Library is located in the newly built Centre of Culture. Both cultural institutions cooperate in activities in which books will be an inspiration.

Tour 3: Wrocław’s Pedagogical and School Libraries

Description:
School libraries data:

  • total number of school libraries in Poland: 20,363 in schools for children and youths, schools for adults, and schools for the arts
  • total number of schools: 34,270
  • number of books in school libraries: 153,138,659 volumes
  • number of students in schools with their own library and schools with library access: 4,689,182
  • number of acting teacher-librarians: 22,397
  • average number of books per school library: 7,520. 4 volumes

Library: Lower Silesia Pedagogical Library
Poland has around 318 pedagogical libraries. Pedagogical libraries conduct operations responding in particular to the needs of education and teaching, including training and advancing teachers, supporting students preparing for the teaching profession and students of teachers’ development centres. Pedagogical libraries carry out these responsibilities through services and library activities, providing assistance and subject matter training to school libraries, and collaborating in the area of teachers’ development with higher education institutions and other libraries, as well as with education and training institutions for teachers. The readers of pedagogical libraries include: teachers and tutors from schools and educational institutions; school administration staff; researchers and academic teachers; and students of higher education institutions, postgraduate schools, and secondary schools. Many pedagogical libraries state that the library materials are available in the reading rooms to “all who are interested”, regardless of their place of residence or education. The collections of pedagogical libraries include more than 14.3 million volumes of books and bound periodicals and more than 353 thousand stock units of special collections, making a total of almost 14.7 million.
Visits are planned in three school libraries in Wrocław:

  • Zespół Szkół nr 16  ul. Hutnicza 45
  • Zespół Szkół nr 14 ul. Brücknera 10
  • Zespół Szkół nr 1 – ul. Słubicka 29/33