Central Military Library Explained

Marshall Józef Piłsudski's Central Military Library
Country:	Poland
Coordinates:	52.2347°N 21.08°W
Website:	http://cbw.wp.mil.pl/
Location:	109 Ostrobramska St. 04-041, Warsaw

Central Military Library (CBW) is the main library of Poland Ministry of National Defense located in Warsaw.^[1] In 2009, she was awarded the Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture.^[2]

Description

It serves as the leading library in the specialization of collections on war science, armed forces and military technology, forming the national library resource. It was established by an order of the Minister of Military Affairs on June 13, 1919.^[3] During the Second Republic, Lt. Col. Marian Lodynski from 1919 to 1933 and Jan Niezgoda from 1933 to 1939 served as director of the CBW.^[4]

During World War II, the Library lost 99% of its collection (406,000 out of 409,000 units).^[5]

From 1983 to 1991, the Central Military Library was named after Colonel Zbigniew Zaluski.^[6]

The CBW's book collection numbers about 600,000 library units and is unique in the military field. It includes:

• 276,000 compact prints;
• 143,000 Polish and foreign periodicals (483 titles, including 143 foreign titles from 17 countries);
• 154,000 special collections (old prints, manuscripts, photographs, ephemeral prints, maps, documents of military life).

The Central Military Library administers and manages the "Zbrojownia" Military Digital Library.^[7]

The CBW is involved in providing materials to the NATO Science and Technology Organization (NATO STO), the NATO Center for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) and the European Defense Agency (EDA).^[8]

References

1. Web site: Biblioteki wojskowe - Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej - Portal Gov.pl . 2023-10-05 . Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej . pl-PL.
2. Web site: MKiDN - Medal Zasłużony Kulturze - Gloria Artis . https://web.archive.org/web/20170501071113/http://www.mkidn.gov.pl/pages/strona-glowna/ministerstwo/odznaczenia/medal-zasluzony-kulturze---gloria-artis.php . 2017-05-01 . 2023-10-05 . mkidn.gov.pl.
3. Web site: June 16, 2021 . Celebration of the Day of the Central Military Library . prezydent.pl.
4. Web site: ABOUT CBW . 2023-10-05 . cbw.wp.mil.pl.
5. Book: Majewski, Piotr. 2005. 83-7436-003-8. Warszawa. 271. Wydawnictwo TRI. Wojna i kultura. Instytucje kultury polskiej w okupacyjnych realiach Generalnego Gubernatorstwa 1939–1945.
6. Rozkaz Nr 20/MON Ministra Obrony Narodowej z dnia 15 września 1983 r. w sprawie nadania Centralnej Bibliotece Wojskowej imienia płk. Zbigniewa Załuskiego (Dziennik Rozkazów MON z 1983 r. poz. 56).
7. Web site: Wojskowa biblioteka cyfrowa . zbrojownia.cbw.wp.mil.pl.
8. Web site: BULLETIN NO. 1 ON THE OPERATION OF THE NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER FOR NATO STO PUBLICATIONS AT THE CENTRAL MILITARY LIBRARY. . 2023-10-05 . cbw.wp.mil.pl.