Art. 1: Ryszard Turkiewicz
Public libraries in large cities - is it only a vision?

The author presents a vision of a public library in 2012, considered by one weekly magazine "worthy of discussion in various disciplines as a year of progress in the features of science fantasy." Libraries will become important centers maintaining and providing access to the national heritage, promoting high culture, as well as, the intellectual and creative development of users. Easy Internet access will make it a priority to provide users with the fastest possible access to print and electronic information. The author describes changes that will occur in organisational structures and even in the architecture of public libraries.

Art. 2: Janina Jagielska
Public libraries in Warsaw.

The author discusses the organisational structures of public libraries, as well as, their post-1945 transformation. She presents data on the activities and the financial situation of libraries and their branches. Despite decentralisation in 1963, public libraries cooperate with each other and collaborate on mutual projects, such as, the system of central information about acquisitions and central cataloguing of collections. The latest project was supposed to involve the implementation of the Aleph system, but not all libraries obtained funds for this undertaking.

Art. 3: Krzysztof Marcinowski
Organisation and management of the network of Municipal Public Library branches in Szczecin.

In 1995, the Pomeranian Library in Szczecin handed over 51 library branches to the city of Szczecin, which the city used to form the Municipal Public Library (MPL). This produced a lot of changes in the branches, such as, their adaptation to the needs of users and the financial resources of the city. Some branches were eliminated and others were joined to create multi-functional district libraries. After studying the needs of users, library branches were divided into three groups. The first is formed by a group of 10 libraries, with diverse collections, evenly spread out throughout the city. The second is a group of 12 branches and the last includes 8 one-person libraries. The author discusses their organisational structures, presenting his data in graphs.

Art. 4: Wojciech Spaleniak
Ideas for the reorganisation of the network of the Raczynski Library in Poznan.

The Raczynski Library is planning to create a uniform network of branches, in which all library agendas will perform similar services in terms of quality, locale and equipment, and will be adapted to user needs. All branches will be managed by the Library Network Division. The author discusses the specifics of a well-performing network, such as: the library function, collections, agendas, equipment and personnel. There should be 19 branches of this type in the city of Poznan. The goal of reorganisation efforts is the improvement of the quality of services in branches and their adaptation to functioning in the information society.

Art. 5: Teresa Arendt
Organisation and management of the municipal library network in the Tri-City.

The article discusses the state of municipal libraries of the Tri-City in terms of their collections, personnel, locale and access to computer equipment. It presents problems faced by these libraries and explains how they deal with their obstacles. Tri-City libraries are changing their services, becoming adapted to user needs, posting their events in the Tri-City calendar, and organising events, such as, the Gdynia Literary Feast.

Art. 6: Jolanta Słowik
Quantity standards at the Municipal Public Library in Wroclaw and the IFLA directives.

The article offers a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the Wroclaw public libraries and compares its results to IFLA standards. The study deals with locale conditions, equipment, employment and resources of libraries. Results are presented in tables and graphs.

Art. 7: Maria Wasik
Network of library branches in the city and its marketing activities.

The article presents legal, financial and locale conditions of the library. Cultural initiatives, such as, vernissages, exhibitions, and musical concerts are described. The character of the city contributes to the library's activities in documenting and disseminating knowledge about the region, as well as, propagating the creative output of the Lubuskie writers. The library also maintains the Museum of the Book of the Middle Odra, which exhibits old prints, and the Polish Contemporary Writers' Room, aiming to promote contemporary literature. Moreover, it publishes Pro Libris, a literary-cultural magazine.