Biblioteka szkoły powszechnej miejscem edukacji czytelniczej i bibliotecznej (1918-1939)

Abstract

Changes in pedagogy happening at the beginning of the 20th century influenced among others the development of school libraries. Their condition, especially in the first years after regaining independence by Poland, was catastrophic. Among others it was actions taken by the Ministry of Religious and Public Enlightenment that was to bring about a proper functioning of libraries. A commission responsible for evaluation of books for school youth was appointed in 1923 and an Instruction concerning libraries for the youth in state schools was released in 1925, in which it was underlined that a well‑furnished library is necessary for a proper functioning of school and realization of a didactic‑educational programme, including the development of reading. Reading and library education was treated as one of the most important duties of a civic youth education. It was to involve such elements as using information publishing houses, catalogues and library files, mastering the ability to choose a proper book, getting ready for a self‑developing work, including the ability of proper note taking, and was to be connected with teaching curricula. The best place for a reading and library education was a library, a reading room with a free access to shelves. As the school libraries usually did not have proper book collections in particular, cooperation with public libraries is what was suggested. It developed best in Warsaw where a chain of best functioning public libraries for children functioned at the end of the 1930s. Hanna Langer