About Library’s books collection

The collection of books numbers about 12.000 inventory’s units, from which fall on local books more than 5 000 tomes, although their real sizes would be bigger if we add the collection of documents from community’s life in region, numbering at the moment more than 4.000 units. 

Taking in consideration formal and publishing features of the book’s collection it is possible to mention following maintained here types of collections: books, magazines, social life’s documents, press clips and unpublished materials. Among others: conservator’s documents of Klodzko’s relics, urban – historic studies and records recording.

Chronological scope marks out the oldest publication coming from the first half of 17^th Century, however the linguistic scope of regional literature conditioned by the past of this region, had made the collected here publications are in following languages: German, Polish and Czech. The scope of literature is very varied. That are the materials related with history and region’s art, its folklore, literature, geography, geology, tourism and matters of politics, society and economy.

An important place in library’s resources have old prints. The publications’ collections published between 1501 and 1800 year is not very big, nevertheless, the collection numbers dozen of books with big educational and editorial worth. The oldest item was written in 1625 year in German language, and it is the chronicle of Klodzko County “Glaciographia, oder Glätzische Chronika” written by Lutheran clergyman Georgius Aelurius, reputed as a first historiographer of the Klodzko Land. An another old print, which is worth to praise is a Latin text from 1655 “Diva Wartensis”. Published in Prague Bohuslava Balbina’s work is a description of Sanctuary in Bardo city and miracles which happen thanks to the intercession of a wonderfully figure of the blessed virgin. The pride of Library is a work from a Jesuit Johann Miller, an chancellor of a grammar school from Klodzko, titled “Historia Beatissimae Virginis Glacensis”, published in 1690 in Klodzko. An interesting item is also a book from 1757 titled “Denkwὔrdigkeiten der Kὄniglichen Preussischen souverainen Grafschaft Glatz” written by Johann Gottlieb Kahlo, concluding an extensive description of Klodzko County.

A large group of library’s resources constitute books published in 19^th and in the beginnings of 20^th c. It is worth to pay attention to the works coming from the first decades of 19^th Century, as for instance work “Geographische Beschreibung von Schlesien preussischen Antheils der Grafschaft Glatz…” from 1828 used in educational researches sacrificed to the geographical, historical-economic and demographic issues. It is worth to recall the work from Alois Bach titled “Urkundliche Kirchen Geschichte der Grafschaft Glatz von der Urzeit bis auf unsere Tage”, published in 1841 in which the author, using the documented materials, gives a development description of church in Klodzko Land.

The interesting groups of publication present the publishing houses working more than 80 years in Klodzko, honored to the Klodzko region – a Pompeius’ printing house. From among library’s possessed works published by these companies it is worth to mention the publication “Chronicken der Grafschaft Glatz” from Joseph Kὄgler, as well as “Album der Grafschaft Glatz” which is an editorial rarity published in 1862, consisting of drawings of cities, villages, churches and monasteries of a former Klodzko County.

In our collections we have also many prints of which the publisher was Johannes Francke, a merited to the Klodzko County bookseller and typographer. From the biggest printing-house established by him in Bystrzyca Klodzka came many worthy regional publications, for example an elaborated by Georg Amft collection titled: “Volkslieder der Grafschaft Glatz” or “Geschitsquellen der Grafschaft Glatz”, to the nowadays it is used by researchers focused on the Klodzko history.

The Polish regional publications constitute the biggest collection in Library. As well there is a lot of literature sacrificed to the history and culture subjects as the wide-comprehended tourism. A little bit weaker are presented the subjects of nature, social and economy. Interesting presented is the collection of publications published after 1945 which nowadays has the virtue of a document. Made in this period materials are important for instance to researches on educational and publishing output of this period.

The offer of books begins from the ‘70s of 20^th century to the present day and it is increasing constantly what is visible by bigger and bigger interest of the Klodzko region, as well from the university’s researchers as from local community. That is why the biggest part of publishing production in these years can be found on Library’s shelves in the Museum of the Klodzko Land.

In our collections we have also the collection of social life documents collected with a view to the future generations. We think that the perishable by nature prints can constitute in future a very important source of information about life in region, like: culture, educational, political, social and economic events, picturing the origins, development and institution activities or social and culture organizations of Klodzko. Collected by the Library collection of prints numbers more than 4 000 units made by chosen culture and educational facilities working in region. To the part of this group, from the point of view of publishing forms, are included close publications (for example catalogues, guide-books), brochures (for example programs of celebrations, theatrical and concert), one-card prints (leaflets, folders, advertising and occasional prints, placards and posters, leaflets and programs of varied culture events, invitations etc.).  

The biggest group in described team, with regard on easiness of collecting material, constitute prints made by Museum of the Klodzko Land. Nevertheless interesting materials picture the activity of Klodzko’s Community Centre, Klodzko’s Educational Association and Urban Culture Centre in Polanica Zdroj.

Big value have also documents made during The International Chopin Festival. In Library there are collected festival’s program, placards, posters, invitations and photography.

The documents group of social life occupy an important place, constituting an important carrier of information like placard and posters. The collection numbers yet more than 700 posters and placards (repeating often twice) advertising more important culture events and entertainment of the Klodzko Land. Here, among others, the big value has the collection of occasional posters, titled “Placht Poetyckich”, described as poetic-painting, being published in 1961 – 1974 years on the occasion of another Klodzko’s Poetic Springs.

In the Library there is also the collection of press cutting from 1947 – 2011 year numbering yet 98 file blinders, in which there are more than 18 000 press cutting related with political, social, economic, culture, educational and recreational problems of the Klodzko Land, as well as numbering yet more than 900 inventory’s units the collection of unpublished materials in the form of typescripts, sometimes Xerox copies or computer prints, not often manuscripts. It is mostly constituted by tender’s documentations related with realized renovations of historic objects, historic-architectural studies and materials of relics recording.