CENTRAL TECHNICAL LIBRARY PROPOSED FOR POLAND

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700120509-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: R
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 14, 2011
• Sequence Number: 509
• Publication Date: August 11, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/14 :CIA-RDP80-00809A000700120509-2
CLASSIFICATION RESTRICTED
CENTRAL INTEL~1~ ~I~TION
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DGCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS
REPOR
CD F:O.
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
Poland
Scientific - Technical library
DATE OF
INFORMATION
1952
HOW
PUBLISHED
Sociological - Education, library
Monthly periodical
DATE DlST. ~
~ Q~q.~
953
WHERE
PUBLISHED
Warsav
NO. OF PAGES
3
There arP now four basic types of technical and technical-scientific libraries
in Poland:
nn ooc[urt ca[ruer urcu~no? ur[rn?? r.~ .mo?u ovu[[
or rx[ Y.ItlO mtt[ nnu ra uuica or uao??u ?cr [?
[. [. c.. n ~?o u. u ?[uom. m r[?wd[ws a r?[ ?[nuno?
or m canon a ??r u??u m ~? u?.nr?onx[? rmo? a no~
nur[o n u.. w[o[orno. or r?u ro?. a noxumo.
1. Libraries at technical schools, particularly at schools of higher learn-
ing. Of these, there are the main polytechnic libraries and the special research
libraries which are an integral part of various chairs, groups of chairs, and re-
search centers and laboratories.
2. Libraries at scientific research institutes. These libraries are organi-
zationally connected to the respective branches of scientific and technical docu-
mentation. Besides having technical literature pertaining speclfically to the
subJect in which the institute specializes, they also contain general technical
vorks, encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc.
3? Factory libraries. These exist in almost every production plant and may
cover a broad or narrow area. They contain publications that have s direct bear-
ing ott the production of the respective plant. Such libraries assist the techni-
cal personnel at tho plants in solving technical probler.s and help the personnel
to educate themselves.
CENTRAL TECHNICAL LIBRARY PROPOSED FOR POLAND
4. The NOT (Naczelna OrganizacJa Techniczna - Chief Technical Ox?ganization)
library system in Poland. These collections are on a polytechnic level with brancl~
libraries specializing in sub,}ects of regional industrial interest. This system
consists of the NOT Biblioteka Glowna (NOT Central Library; and 18 NOT branch li-
braries.
Przeglad Techniczny, Vol iJIXZII, No 2.
The collections of all these libraries are estimated at mllliona of volumes
and form a good scientific basi^, of technic^1 works, provided these collection.;
?are continuously and systematically augmented with the world's latest technical
and scientific publications and are properly exploited.
As yet there is no central book col:ection point for all scientific and tech-
nical publications in Poland. Such a library would be known as the Centralna Bib-
lioteka Techniczna (Central Technical Library), and would be patterned on similar
libraries existing in Moscow, Prague, and Budapest.
NSHB
FBI
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There are various alternative concepts for such a library. It could col-
lect one copy of every scientific and technical publication available in Poland.
All the scientific and technical librariea would have to Porward their rare sin-
gle copies to the central library. This would not be feasible in Poland, since
the scientific and technical libraries located at the various scientific research
institutions are easentiai to the research pro~ecta conducted at these institu-
tions. It would be wrong tc transfer books to a central library, with hesdquar-
ters located in Warsaw, while such books are absolutely necessary for current
pro,~ects in Gliwice, Lidz, or Gdansk. However, it would be proper to have at the
central library microfilms of rare works located at the various librariea spe-
cializing in some field.
Technical publications, particularly highly specialized ones, are worthless
after a certain period of time, generally in 15-20 years. Such publications
should be disposed of. They would naturally be sent to the Central Technical
Library. The central library should not be a collector of worthless publications,
an archives building, or a museum. For this reason, the Central Technical Li-
brary shuuld also get rid of outdated works after a period of tire, and should
place them in separate warehouses, mainly for purposes of historical research.
For the initial collection, as in similar libraries in Moscow, Prague, and
Budapest, present book collections will be put together to form the Central Tech-
nical Library. Part oz these collections will come from the Glowny Instytut Dok-
umentac~i Naukowo-Techniczne~ (Main Institute of Scientific and Technical Docu-
mentation), NOT, Inatytut Urbaniatyki 1 Architektury (Institute of City Planning
and Architecture), and Publiczna Biblioteka Techniczna (Public Technical Library).
Another part of the collection will include some factory libraries of scientific
and technical institutes and of the central industrial administrations, etc. This
initial collection will amount to at least 100,000 volumes, since it is afitici-
pated that books and periodicals rot now being used at various specialized li-
braries x111 also be forwarded to the Central Technical Library.
An annual increase of 20,000 - 25,000 volumes is anticipated, especially
during the first few years while collections are being assembled. Later the
annual inflow will be smaller. The annual increase was estimated in the follow-
ing manner: Annual publications in Poland are estimated at about 5,000 volumes
of books and about 100 titles of periodicals. Abroad, about 15,000 titles of
scientific and technical periodicals, and about 20,000 scientific and technical
books of some value are published annually. if the Central Technical Library
should collect only one-half of these publications (ihe rest being inaccessible
to Polish readers because of the rare language, or not needed because of dupli-
cation), the annual increment will total 20,000 - 25,000 volumes.
In 16-20 years, the library would collect about a half million volumes.
Since the Centrsl Technical Library is not to be an archives building, clans
have to be made for the removal of the older bound ncriodicals and books. Ex-
perience abroad shows that the number of old publications which are removed rvm
libraries amounts to about four tenths of the new acquisitions. Thus, about `3,OiJ-~
or more volumes should be rerraved unnual'_y niter the end of the first period of
operation of the library, and should be placed in a special ::urel;ruse built outs; 9.:
the city, after being microfilmed where necessary.
The maximum estimated number at the Central Technical. hibrary :could amount
to 500,000 volrunes and th?~ libra:y stacYs should be planned for suc:: a number.
Under such a plan, the number of books and bound periodicals would revain constant.
The book collection would undergo constant rotation. A book could go from the
Central Technical Library to the specialized field, and thcn would be sent to the
special warehouse when orrtdnted.
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The Central Technical Library x111 not limit its collections to the special
fields discussed. It must also have the following: (1) books and bound period-
icals dealing xith technical sub,jecta and economic sub,7ects related to technology
and documentation; (2) reference libraries consisting of encyclopedias, diction-
aries, and general technical xorks; (3) a collection of microfilms consisting of
the more important library documents not found in the original at the Central
Technical Library; (4) a collection of unpiblished acien~ific and research works,
masters thesee and doctoral dissertations, etc.; (5) a collection of photographs
and slides; (6f a collection of phonograph and tape recordings, etc; (7) a gra-
phic collection of drawings, maps, atlases, etc.
The obJective of the Central Technical Library is to satisfy the reading re-
quirements of the general public and of specialized researchers. Therefore, it
mist contain a large general reading room for 300 readers, open at least 14 hours
daily, a fax smaller reading rooms for specialized reference libraries, and a fax
private research rooms for advanced research work.
' The Central Technical Library building should be equipped with all the latest
technical installations to ensure the following: (1) a minimum waiting period
for books; (2) proper environment, such as adequate lighting, table apace, and
ventilation; (3) accessibility to extensive reference libraries.
The library staff should be assured sufficient working apace and proper ed-
ucational aids in the form of encyclopedias, general technical works, bibliogra-
phic works, etc.
The Central Technical Library should operate in coordination xith the Glowny
Inatytut DokumentacJi Naukowo-TechniczneJ (Main Institute of Scientific and Tech-
nical Ibcumentation) from an organizational standpoint and should be located in
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