Library
Profile
Initiated by the efforts of professor Władysław Szafer, the Library of the Institute of Botany of the Polish Academy of Sciences was founded alongside the Institute and until 2017 it functioned as a joint-use library, formed as a partnership between the IB PAS and the Institute of Botany UJ. From the very beginning, the Library has collected scientific and popular-scientific publications in the field of botany and related sciences, in line with research undertaken by the Institute. In addition to specialist journals and manuals, the Library gathered maps, slides, microfiches, botanical atlases, specialized dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopaedias of life sciences, and geography, bilingual dictionaries, and popular-scientific literature.
Old books by eminent Polish and foreign botanists are among the most valuable works in the Library collection. The oldest ones, as published in the 16th century, are: Botanicon continens herbarum aliorumque simplicium by Theodoricus Dorstenius (Frankfurt, 1540) and Herbarz, to jest ziół tutecznych, postronnych i zamorskich opisanie (Herbarium, i.e. description of native, foreign and oversea herbs) by Marcin Siennik (Kraków, 1568). The unique collection of old floras comprise many rare works, such as the first flora of the Tatra Mountains by G. Wahlenberg: Flora Carpatorum Principalium exhibens plantas in Montibus Carpaticus inter flumina Waagum et Dunajetz (Göttingen, 1814). Botanical polonica contain works by classical Polish scholars of the 18th century: Krzysztof Kluk, Stanisław Bonifacy Jundziłł, Józef Jundziłł and many others. The rare collection of old botanical manuals, from works by Linnaeus, through the 19th century authors (Edward Strassburger, Józef Rostafiński), to manuals by Richard Wettstein, Dezydery Szymkiewicz, Emil Godlewski senior and others, published in the earlier part of the 20th century, is also worth mentioning. The Library collection is continuously being expanded by purchase, donations and through exchange of publications. It holds currently 113,894 inventoried items, including 75,695 volumes of monographs, 35,251 volumes of continuing resources, and 2,948 items of special collections (as of 31.12.2023).
Tasks of the Library
- To provide access to specialist literature for researchers, students and persons passionately fond of botany through building up and elaborating collections and making them available.
- To provide information services.
- To prepare bibliographical and subject specifications.
- To record scientific achievements.
- To cooperate with national and foreign libraries.
- To store, maintain and protect collections.
- To cooperate actively with the NUKAT central catalogue.
- To cooperate in implementing the OZwRCIN (Open Resources in Digital Repository of Scientific Institutes) project.
Catalogues
In the Library one can search for literature using traditional and computer catalogues.
Traditional (card) catalogues – listing all of the contents of the collection of the IB PAS Library:
- alphabetical catalogues – for different types of documents (alphabetical catalogue of books, alphabetical catalogue of brochures, alphabetical catalogue of journals);
- subject catalogues – in which the names of sections correspond with the names of the most important branches of botany and related disciplines (subject catalogue of books, subject catalogue of brochures);
- specialist catalogues – on selected problems in the field of botany, e.g. geographical catalogue of floras, systematic catalogue of plants.
Computer catalogues – listing the contents of the IB PAS Library collection (only acquisitions since 2000) and other Kraków and Polish libraries:
- NUKAT (National Universal Central Catalogue of Polish Scientific and Academic Libraries);
- Library's own catalogue in KOHA.
Opening hours
- Monday: 9:00–11:00, 11:30–14:00, 15:00–18:00
- Tuesday–Friday: 9:00–11:00, 11:30–14:00
Contact
Library:
Address: Lubicz 46, 31-512 Kraków, Poland
Phone: +4812‑4241‑746
E-mail:
Lending:
Phone: +4812‑4241‑746
E-mail:
Head:
Lidia Nowak-Chlebicka
E-mail:
Phone: +4812‑4241‑882; +4812‑4241‑746
Deputy Head:
Marzena Micek
E-mail:
Phone: +4812‑4241‑746