UB’s latest investment is ready. The library is waiting for the first readers

Early next Monday (June 21), a new premises for the Bialystok University Library will open. The cost of the investment amounted to more than 30 million PLN, and the construction of the building took two years.

Another element on campus

The new headquarters of the University of Warsaw Library Jerzy Giedrojć on the Bialystok University campus is ready. The university’s latest investment has 3,250 square meters of usable space, two floors, reading rooms with a mezzanine and inner courtyard, and space for nearly a million volumes. The relocation of the book collection and library studios has also ended.

– It has been several years since we sold the former library seat in the Mujahideen. Skłodowskiej Curie. As promised by the former university president, Prof. Leonard Eitel, proceeds from this sale were earmarked to build a new, more modern headquarters, in a much better location. Several faculties of the university are located next to the new library building, and we also intend to invite residents of Białystok and the region here. Most importantly, the library is connected to a number of other facilities that residents may or may soon be able to use. It is the center of university life, the center of university astronomy, the university cultural center – says the rector, professor. Robert Ciborovsky.

At present, BU staff is preparing to make the collections available at the new location. The borrowing room will open next Monday (June 21), and the reading room – at the beginning of the new school year.

– The library has become another component of one large campus, which in the future will include all units of our university – adds the rector.

what’s in?

On the ground floor of the library building there is a lounge, book rental shop, warehouse, library laboratories, offices and art rooms. At the main entrance to the building, a bookcase was installed, thanks to which readers could return borrowed copies without having to enter the library, and also outside of working hours.

The building is modern, spacious and accessible. We already have about 600,000 volumes in the repository, but it can hold up to a million volumes. In turn, the reading room will initially house 80 thousand. Books and magazines. We will try to increase this resource – says Dr. Peter Schomek, A.; UWB, Director of the University Library.

On the first floor, the reading room with 40 seats and free access to books occupies the largest space. In addition, readers will have a room for group work at their disposal. In the reading room are devices that allow users to record the volumes they use for free access. In addition, this level includes, among others, a meeting room with a gallery of Ryszard Kacchurovsky’s office and a computer laboratory. On the other hand, the middle part of the upper floor of the building is occupied by an inner courtyard, where you can relax in the fresh air.

The construction of the library building began in the spring of 2019. It has cost more than 30 million PLN, of which approximately 26.5 million PLN came from the targeted subsidy from the Ministry of Education and Science and the sale of treasury bonds granted to the University by the Ministry.