about Library

The library of the Warsaw School of Economics has existed since 1930, and is currently the largest economic library in Poland. It has in its collection about 1 million volumes of books and magazines. The library provides over 700 Polish and foreign current periodicals and about 10,000 journal titles, with full texts, in computer databases.

THE LIBRARY HISTORY

Existance of the Library at the beginning (1906-1918)

The Library was founded along with the School and is more than a century old. In 1906 August Zieliński – a graduate of the Leopold Kronenberg School of Economics in Warsaw and the Economics Academy in Leipzig founded an Economic Academy, and provided it with instructors and teaching syllabus. The new institution also began providing educational services under the name Private Economics courses for Men under the Guidance of August Zieliński.
Also in 1906, following the acquisition of Economics handbooks and encyclopedias, as well as basic literature in the fields of trade and industry, a small specialist Library (totaled 820 volumes) was created. The School –known since as the Higher School of Economics- understood the importance of developing the Library. Many Economics books were purchased, but the lack of a proper library building proved to be a major concern. As a result, the growing collections were moved every several years to larger, rented facilities.
 
The period of Polish Republic II (1918-1939)
 
In the year 1918 - after the end of World War I - Poland became an independent country, and in the years following independence, the Higher School of Economics (known from 1933 as the Warsaw School of Economics) became an academy with much broader reach in operation, covering the whole country. In response to this situation, the School’s rector, professor Bolesław Miklaszewski, ordered the construction of a new library building. The project’s architect was Jan Witkiewicz- Koszczyc - cousin of surrealist dramatist Stanisław Witkiewicz (Witkacy). Witkiewicz’s plans located the SGH Library on Rakowiecka Street. The Library’s director, professor Konstanty Krzeczkowski, was Witkiewicz’s consultant. The Library building was completed within eighteen months and opened in January 1931. It was one of the first buildings in the independent Poland that was designed to house a library. Professor Konstanty Krzeczkowski served as the Library’s director from 1918. Over two decades he increased the Library’s importance by turning it into the richest social-economic book collection in Central Europe. Under his guidance, the Library book collection increased from 12,000 in 1918 to 150,000 in 1939. What is more, during his term of office the Library found permanent storage for its collections.
 
The World War II

In September 1939 - after the outbreak of the World War II - professor Krzeczkowski was arrested by the Germans and put in prison, where he soon lost his health. He was released in November 1939 but died on December 10, 1939. After Krzeczkowski ‘s death, Andrzej Grodek, also one of the School’s professors, and the Library deputy director since 1936, assumed directorship of the Library. In July 1940, the German occupation authorities decided to move the Library’s collections to the warehouses of the Krasiński Library on Okólnik street. However, Józef Grycz, the director of the National Library, thwarted this move, and the Library remained where it was, as a collection under the management of Department II of the Staatsbibliothek Warschau. The Department was made up of the collections of the National Library and the SGH Library. Professor Grodek was made Second Librarian of the Warsaw Staatsbibliothek, in charge of the SGH Library. Grodek was present in the Library throughout the entire occupation – including the Warsaw Upraising in 1944 -until the entire population was moved out of the city after the uprising failed. He protected the collections and hid the most precious materials outside of the Library. He was also the first librarian to return to the Library after the Germans left Warsaw – arriving on 18 January 1945. Several weeks later, on 25 February 1945 the Library became the first Library to reopen its doors to the public of the ruined city of Warsaw. Professor Grodek was the Library director up to 1947 then he was elected the Warsaw School of Economics Rector. Since that time, the Library’s collections have expanded considerably.

Modern times…

Currently, the entire collections consists 1,003,112 volumes. The Library works for the benefit of the entire School, i.e., the Warsaw School of Economics, with its scope of services, ranging from research to the provision of didactic materials. The SGH Library is the largest Economic Library in Poland: its collections are the largest in Poland and cover a wide range of issues including economics, econometrics and economic policy, the economic history and geography of certain countries, economic law, statistics and demographics, as well as marketing and management, environmental issues and computer science. The Library also holds a large number of first editions of famous books relating to Economics, not to mention a valuable collection of manuscripts. The institution’s research, didactic and service-oriented tasks look to serve the students and research personnel of the Warsaw School of Economics as well as the adult population of Warsaw ( the SGH Library in this case acts as a public library). Indeed, the Library’s mission is to meet the reading demands of both the School’s patrons and those its other users. Currently the librarians and the readers use a computerized catalog interface in the ALEPH (Automated Library Expandable Program) system . From the reader’s view-point easiest way to find publications is through the catalog. Besides the computer catalogue -available via the terminals located in the catalog hall, the library lending section and the reading rooms- access to databases is available via School’s network, whereas the NetWare and the Internet are also accessible through the library’s local network. The databases are also available anywhere on campus via the Library web site. Once they have received their own personal logins and passwords, students and employees of the Warsaw School of Economics have also access to most foreign databases when off campus (e.g. from their home computers).

organizational structure of Library

Library SGH W WARSZAWIE

ul. Rakowiecka 22b
02-521 Warszawa
building B

+48 22 564 9515
+48 22 564 9500

biblioteka@sgh.waw.pl

 

Director of Library

Hanna Długołęcka – senior certified curator
hdlugo@sgh.waw.pl

 

Secretary office

Room. 3, building B, ground floor
+48 22 564 9515
+48 22 564 9500

Employees:
Jolanta Mazurek-Mądry
Ewa Stołowska 

Employees:
​​Marcin Ochalski – v-director & IT support
mochals@sgh.waw.pl
Room 205, building II floor
+48 22 564 9517​​
Aleksander Orzeszko - IT support
aorzes@sgh.waw.pl
Room 205, building B, II floor
+48 22 564 9517


​Acquisitions and Collection Development Department

Room 102, building B, I floor
+48 22 564 8693
+48 22 564 9501

Head:
mgr Agata Augustyniak
azucho@sgh.waw.pl

Employees:
Marta Przybysz
mgr Wida Rutkowska-Twarogowska
mgr Tomasz Wiśniewski – st. kustosz dypl.


Reference Department and ​European Documentation Centre

Room 9, 10 and 11 on the ground floor

+48 22 564 9505  (informacja naukowa)
+48 22 564 9509  (pracownia reprograficzna)​
+48 22 564 9518  (dokumentacja)

Email
biblioteka@sgh.waw.pl
infnauk@sgh.waw.pl
cde@sgh.waw.pl
jbienko@sgh.waw.pl

Head
mgr Maciej Bednarczyk
mbedna4@sgh.waw.pl

Head of European Documentation Centre
dr hab. Grażyna Wojtkowska-Łodej prof. ndzw. SGH
gwojtko@sgh.waw.pl

Employees:
Jarosław Bieńko
mgr Agnieszka Korytkowska
mgr Joanna Obiegałka
mgr Joanna Rudaś
mgr Iza Siemiątkowska 
mgr Renata Sobiecka

​Books Processing Department

Roon 101, building B, I floor.

+48 22 564 9503
+48 22 564 9504 (zbiory specjalne)

Head:
mgr Grażyna Jabłońska
gjablo@sgh.waw.pl

Employees:
mgr Dorota Giedyk
mgr Zoran Karisić- tel. 9504
mgr Monika Kowalewska
mgr Krzysztof Sroka
mgr Marzena Wróblewska - tel. 9504

​Subject Processing Department

Room 203, building. B, II floor

+48 22 564 9510


Employess:
mgr Anna Bogucka
mgr Monika Maciąg
dr Paweł Tanewski - st. kustosz dypl.

Serials Processing Department

Room 303, 304 and 305, building B, III floor

Head:
mgr Katarzyna Karczemny +48 22 564 9412
kkarcz@sgh.waw.pl

Employees:
mgr Michał Druś +48 22 564 9508
mdrus@sgh.waw.pl
mgr Ilona Książek +48 22 564 9524
ichlopik@sgh.waw.pl
Irena Laszewska +48 22 564 9508
ilasze@sgh.waw.pl
mgr Swietłana Nikołajczuk +48 22 564 9523
snikol@sgh.waw.pl
 

Circulation Department

General Reading Room ​room 202, building B, II floor
+48 22 564 9526

​Periodicals Reading Room ​room 204, building B, II floor
+48 22 564 9514

Head
mgr Ewa Skibińska
Room 15, building B, ground floor
epieni1@sgh.waw.pl
+48 22 564 9507 



​General Reading Room    

Employees:
mgr Kamila Bieganowska
Kacper Burdosz
Edyta Chojnacka
mgr Beata Ćwiek
Milena Dąbrowska
mgr Marek Sieradz
mgr Dorota Staszko
mgr Anita Wróblewska 



Book Storage Section

Room109, building B, I floor
+48 22 564 9506
+48 22 564 9522

Head:
Renata Dobrowolska
bchojna@sgh.waw.pl

Employees:
mgr Irena Gomułka - Paszyńska
Bożena Maciejewska
Iwona Pląder
Katarzyna Toczyńska
Aldona Vardanyan
Katarzyna Wyszyńska 



Lending Library Section

Room 15, building B, ground floor
Room 17, building B, ground floor
+48 22 564 9525
+48 22 564 9507

wypozyczalnia@sgh.waw.pl

Head:
Tatsiana Haiduk
thaidu@sgh.waw.pl


Employees:
Anna Bugalska
Olga Filipiak
mgr Beata Grześkiewicz
Natalia Maksimchyk
Maciej Pasternak
Renata Pietrzak
Aneta Szewczak


​Reprographic workshop

Pok. 13, bud. B, parter
+48 22 564 9509

Jarosław Bieńko
jbienko@sgh.waw.pl

Main Regulations of the SGH Library

Main Regulations
of the SGH Library

Abridgement of the SGH Library Rules introduced the 18th of July  2014 by the SGH Rector’s resolution, number 34.

I.
Collections available on site

§ 1

To use the SGH Library collections on site in the Reading Rooms, in the Reference Centre, and in the European Documentation Centre are entitled:
Polish and international SGH students:
full-time and part-time students,
students of SGH doctoral studies,
students of SGH post-graduated studies,
as well as the SGH staff, if they deposit their ID card (a student ID, a National ID Card, an electronic staff ID)  with the librarian on duty and sign up in the visit register;
other users, not mentioned in the point 1., if they fulfil the following conditions:
fill in declaration with the user’s personal data  in the General Reading Room and present their ID to the librarian on duty;
pay a registration fee, according  to the scale of charges enclosed in the annex to the SGH Library Rules [10 PLN];
obtain the Reader Card of the SGH Library and deposit it with the librarian on duty; 
sign up in the visit register.

§ 2

Exclusively the following groups of users are allowed to study the B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. thesis:
research workers of SGH, research workers of other universities and research institutions;
users preparing their postdoctoral academic thesis – upon a letter of reference from their Collegium or Faculty Dean;
users preparing their doctoral thesis – upon a letter of reference from their professor conferring a degree.
A deviation from the regulations mentioned above may be applied only in exceptional cases, if the Director of the SGH Library gives his special assent in response to a letter of  application submitted by the interested user.
The B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. thesis stored in the paper form may be studied only on site in the General Reading Room and they must not be photocopied.
The B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. thesis stored in the electronic form may be studied in the Reference Center, on the computer terminal adapted for this purpose.
The users are not allowed to make any copies of the B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. thesis.


II.
Conditions of loans

§ 3

To use the Lending Library are allowed:
Polish and international SGH students:
full-time and part-time students,
students of SGH doctoral studies,
students of SGH post-graduated studies,
the SGH staff;
the retired SGH employees.
Every user has the right to have only one library account.

§ 4
 
All the students mentioned in the par. 3 point 1. are entitled to borrow books only from  the Collection of the Students’ Lending Library, within their studies’ duration.
The books from  the Collection of the Students’ Lending Library may be lent in the following number and they ought to be returned before the following loan periods :
in case of full-time and part-time students – up to 5 items in total, for up to 60 days  period;
in case of students of doctoral studies – up to 8 items in total, for up to 60 days  period;
in case of students of  post-graduated studies – up to 5 items in total, for up to 30 days period.
In case of a special need the loan may be renewed. The renewal may be done twice, on the basis specified below:
Polish and international SGH students:
full-time and part-time students,
students of SGH doctoral studies,
students of SGH post-graduated studies,
may renew their loan:
themselves via Internet, thanks to the online renew function on their Library account in the ALEPH system, 
or in person, in the Students’ Lending Library.
The SGH staff and the retired SGH employees may renew  their loan from the Collection of Lending Library:
themselves via Internet, thanks to the online renew function on their Library account in the ALEPH system, 
or in person in the Staff  Lending Library.
In case of books from the Main Collection the prolongation may be done in person in the Staff  Lending Library or by phone.
The prolongation is possible to achieve under the conditions listed below:
there is no reservation for the item made by another user until the moment of processing the renewal;
there is no liabilities nor unpaid fines towards the SGH Library registered on the user account. 

§ 5
 
The  SGH Library’s system ALEPH, thanks to the online reservation function, allows to make reservation of the books from the Collection of the Students’ Lending Library, that are currently on loan and are not available at the moment of requesting.
When the Students’ Lending Library fetches the requested book back, the item is available for the waiting user in the Student’s Lending Library within 3 days period. If the user does not check out the book within the period previously indicated,  his/her reservation is cancelled.  
 
§ 6
 
The SGH Staff and the retired SGH employees are entitled to borrow books from the Collection of the Students’ Lending Library and from the Main Collection through the Staff Lending Library.
The SGH Staff  may borrow up to 10 items in total, retired SGH employees may borrow up to 5 items in total  for the loan periods indicated below:
from the Collection of Students’ Lending Library – up to 90 days;
from the Main Collection, in case of titles available in more than 1 copy – up to 90 days;
from the Main Collection, in case of titles available exclusively in one copy – up to 30 days;
from the Main Collection, in case of titles of which all the copies from the Students’ Lending Library are lent – up to 14 days with no right of renewal.
In case of special demand for the specified borrowed book the SGH Library is authorized to request the item back before its loan’s due date.
In case of failure to meet the due date for the books on loan are applicable:
warning in writing (dunning letter) - postal fee costs bears the user of borrowed  books;
deprivation of the right to use the SGH Library until the return of books and payment of the fine calculated in accordance with the scale of charges.
In case of failure to return books or to pay the fine for the overdue term of their return, the SGH may take legal action.

§ 7

The SGH Library provides the SGH users with the service of night borrowings of books from the Open Access Collection in the General Reading Room.This service is available in the General Reading Room, not in the Students’ Lending Library.
To borrow books in the General Reading Room are entitled Polish and international SGH students:
full-time and part-time students,
students of SGH doctoral studies,
students of SGH post-graduated studies, 
who have their account in the SGH Library’s system ALEPH opened, if they present their student ID, or the SGH Library Card, to the librarian on duty.
The SGH users may borrow up to 3 items in total for one night period, independently from the loans in the Students’ Lending Library indicated in the par. 4 point 2., if  their account is active and is not blocked  because of the liabilities towards the Students’ Lending Library.
Borrowings in the General Reading Room are possible one hour before closing of the SGH Library, with obligation to return the books the next day before 10.00 am.
If the loan from the General Reading Room is overdue the SGH Library’s system  ALEPH  starts to debit the user’s library account with a charge for every book on loan, according to the scale of charges enclosed in the annex to the SGH Library Rules [5 PLN  per book on loan per 1 hour], beginning at 10.00 am of the due day, and it blocks the account.


§ 8

The persons with disabilities are served out of turn.
Every disabled user may borrow up to 7 items in total, for the loan period up to 90 days.
The disabled student has the right to appoint a proxy authorized to sign the library order slips and to borrow books in his/her name. To appoint his/her proxy, the disabled user should introduce the proxy into the Students’ Lending Library, and both, the interested user and the proxy, should present the personal ID then  to complete all the formalities of registration.
The rights mentioned in points 1–3 of this paragraph are reserved exclusively for disabled persons who can present the appropriate certificate of disabilities (disablement card, disabled certificate, etc.).

§ 9

The only valid document that entitles the user to borrow books is the current SGH Library Card, issued by the Students’ Lending Library,  or the current electronic student ID, or electronic staff ID.
The SGH Library Card must not be available to third parties. Violation of this prohibition deprives the right to use the SGH Library of both the card holder and the third party. Authorization to use the SGH Library Card for another person may be issued only in justified cases, with the consent of the librarian and for a specified period.
Any loss of  the SGH Library Card  should be immediately reported to the SGH Library. Otherwise, in the event of failure to notify the card is lost, the owner shall bear all the consequences arising from the use of his/her  card by third parties.

§ 10

The condition to use the Students’ Lending Library and to have right  to night borrowings service  is to possess the library account opened.
To open the user’s library account in the SGH Library’s system ALEPH is required:
to present
a valid student ID with a photo, certifying carrying on the studies, doctoral studies or post-graduated studies at the Warsaw School of Economics; 
or a valid staff ID certifying employment in the SGH, 
and in case of retired SGH employees – to present  ID or any other document confirming the status of pensioner
to fill in declaration with the user’s (reader’s) personal data and a form ensuring the observance of the SGH Library Rules;
to bring a  photo (it does not concern holders of the electronic student ID or electronic staff ID);
to pay a registration fee, according to the scale of charges enclosed in the annex to the SGH Library Rules  (10 PLN) (it does not concern holders of the electronic student ID, or electronic staff ID).
The user’s library account must be opened personally. 

§ 11

The SGH Library Card, the electronic student ID  and the electronic staff ID entitles SGH full-time and part-time students, students of SGH doctoral studies, students of SGH post-graduated studies to use the Collection of the Students’ Lending Library; and the SGH staff also to use the Main Collection.
The SGH Library Card, the electronic student ID or the electronic staff  ID must not be transferred to anyone.
In case of losing or damaging the SGH Library Card,  the electronic student ID or the electronic staff ID, borrowings will not be possible.
The duplicate of the SGH Library Card may be issued only if a photo is enclosed and a fee is paid once again (it does not concern holders of the electronic student ID and the electronic staff ID).

§ 12

If the loan is overdue the SGH Library’s system  ALEPH  starts to debit the user’s library account with a charge for every book on loan, according to the scale of charges enclosed in the annex to the SGH Library Rules  [1 PLN  per book on loan per day].
The user is obliged to return the borrowed books and to pay the fine without a call from the SGH Library.
Until all the liabilities towards the SGH Library are met the user’s library account remains blocked.
The SGH Library has no obligation to send any notification of the impending date of return of books, or of the amount of fines charged in respect of overdue books.
The users are required to check and control the status of their library account in the SGH Library’s system ALEPH by themselves. In the ALEPH System the users have the possibility to monitor their library activities thanks to the My Library Account function that indicates the updated information on loans, due dates, fines for the overdue books, transactions, and others.

§ 13 
 
Before leaving the SGH Library the users should verify their library account in the SGH Library’s system ALEPH, and to report  every variance with the reality. The SGH Library will not take into consideration any complaints reported by users who have left its premises.
Only the registration of  the check-out in the SGH Library’s system ALEPH provides the proof of borrowing the book by the user.
 
§ 14

 SGH full-time and part-time students, students of SGH doctoral studies, students of SGH post-graduated studies, who are finishing their course
 - before the graduation from the Warsaw School of Economics,
and the SGH staff
 - before resigning from the post,
they have to return the SGH Library Card and to get a circulation card signed away confirming that they fulfilled the obligations required by the Lending Library.

 § 15
The users ought to look after the borrowed books.
Every noticed marks, tracings or damage to the SGH Library item should be reported to the librarian on duty before borrowing the book. Otherwise, the user becomes fully responsible for any damage noticed by the SGH Library staff while returning the book and not specified at the moment of check-out.
In case of loss or damage to the SGH Library item the user is obliged:
to purchase a copy of identical or newer issue,
to replace the item, in agreement with the Students’ Lending  Library, by a book on the similar subject 
or to cover the costs of the lost book, estimated in the manner specified by the Library Director, at least in the amount of double market value of the item.
User of the Library does not acquire ownership rights to the item damaged or lost. In case of failure to repair the damage the SGH may assert claims in this
     respect through the legal action.
 
§ 16
 

The SGH Library does not lend:
antique works;
manuscripts and books published before 1945;
books indicated in the ALEPH Catalogue with “egz. arch.”  or “cim.” ;
periodicals;
items in poor condition;
the B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. thesis.
 

III.
Creation of secondary documents
 
 § 17
 
The users have the right to a paid service of creation of secondary documents. They may order copies of articles from periodicals, extracts of books, or printouts from the SGH Library’s databases. In the creation of copies the provisions of copyright law shall apply.
It is no allowed to create copies of books published before 1945, of the  B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. thesis, or of items included in cimelia collection, indicated in the ALEPH Catalogue with “cim”.
 

IV.
  
Final provisions
 

§ 18
Not respecting of the SGH Library Rules may result in partial or complete suspension from the rights to use the SGH Library

library council

term of office 2020-2024

dr hab. Agnieszka Chłoń-Domińczak prof. SGH - Vice-rector for science and management -regular participant in the meetings of the Library Council

​1. ​dr hab. Aldona Podolska-Meducka, prof. SGH– Przewodnicząca Rady Bibliotecznej
​2. ​kust. mgr Ewa Skibińska – Sekretarz Rady Bibliotecznej, przedstawiciel pracowników Biblioteki
​3. st. ​kust. dypl. mgr Hanna  Długołęcka  –  Dyrektor  Biblioteki
​4. ​dr hab. Bartosz Witkowski, prof. SGH  – Dziekan Studium Licencjackiego
​5. ​dr hab. Dorota Niedziółka, prof. SGH – Dziekan Studium Magisterskiego
​6. prof. dr hab. Wojciech Pacho - Dziekan Szkoły Doktorskiej SGH​
​7. dr hab. Alina Szypulewska-Porczyńska, prof. SGH ​– przedstawiciel Kolegium Gospodarki Światowej
​8. dr Michał Matusewicz – przedstawiciel Kolegium Zarządzania i Finansów
​9. dr hab. Emilia Tomczyk, prof. SGH ​– przedstawiciel Kolegium Analiz Ekonomicznych
​10. dr Joanna Stryjek ​–  przedstawiciel Kolegium Ekonomiczno-Społecznego
​11. dr Maciej Gurbała ​–  przedstawiciel Kolegium Nauk o Przedsiębiorstwie
​12. ​kustosz mgr Małgorzata Buzak – Kierownik Archiwum
​13. kustosz mgr Maciej Bednarczyk ​– przedstawiciel pracowników Biblioteki
​14. kustosz mgr Dorota Staszko ​– przedstawiciel pracowników Biblioteki
​15. mgr Janina Piotrowska – przedstawiciel Stowarzyszenia  Absolwentów SGH
​16. dr Włodzimierz Petryk ​​– przedstawiciel Samorządu Doktorantów
​17. Agata Wyszkowska – przedstawiciel Samorządu Studentów