The International Council on Archives (ICA)
releases the following appeal :
"(Warsaw - 31 July 1997) - Severe flooding in recent weeks in southern and western Poland has devastated archives in the cities of Wroclaw, Kamieniec Zabkowski, Nysa, and Raciborz. The archives building in the city of Opole has suffered extensive damage.
At least 4 km. of records, some of which constitute the common heritage of Poland and Germany, are seriously threatened. The oldest documents date from the 16th century.
The rescue action which is already underway consists primarily of the freezing and drying of archival materials, but it is hampered by lack of equipment and supplies. There is an urgent need for vacuum chambers, freeze dryers, blotting paper, file covers, folders, and boxes.
The Polish State Archives are organizing disaster recovery operations throughout the affected areas. Director General of the State Archives Daria Nalecz (tel.: 48 22 831 95 84, fax: 48 22 831 75 63), is coordinating all recovery activities. Henryk Kurowski, Deputy Director (tel.: 48 22 831 08 42), has assumed responsibility for restoration of damaged facilities and buildings.
Preliminary estimates have set the cost of the recovery operations at approximately US 1.7 million.
On July 23, Heritage minister Zdzislaw Podkanski appealed for
public help in rebuilding and restoring historic sites and cultural
institutions damaged during the flood. The Polish State Archives
have issued an appeal to the international community for assistance.
A special account has been set up for all those who can support
Polish archives with financial donations:
Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A. - Grupa Pekao S.A.
III Oddzial w Warszawie
Nr. 12401040-27030822-3000-457872
Naczelna Dyrekcja Archiwow Panstwowych "
Archiwa Polskie - powodz "
The National Library of Poland releases the following message :
"The flood in Southern and Western Poland has caused severe damages in libraries. Those libraries urgently need consultation on how to deal with damaged collections, equipment, hardware and buildings, which means also the need of material and financial help.
The National Library in Poland - Warsaw has declared to participate in the organization of the aid for those institutions. The central databank has been created here, in order to collect, process, manage, and transfer all data on damages of any kind and of particular libraries needs to/from libraries, and to/from donors.
Please contact :
Mrs Wanda Tyminska
email: biblnar@biblnar.bn.org.pl
telephone +48-22 608-2298
fax +48-22 608-2644).
In addition to the above mentioned data bank, the National Library
has created a special team that prepares instructions on how to
organize individual and group help:
- it coordinates the organization of the aid;
- it gives instructions, consultations, advise on how to deal
with damaged materials (of any kind);
- it prepares reports, recommendations and proposals for all relevant
authorities and institutions.
Please contact :
Dr. Barbara Drewniewska-Idziak
email: bnochron@biblnar.bn.org.pl
telephone +48-22 608-2951
fax +48-22 608-2644)
The coordinator of all activities, responsible for the organization of the aid - located at the National Library - is
Mr Jan Wolosz
Deputy Director
National Library in Poland
Warsaw
email:bnwolosz@biblnar.bn.org.pl
telephone +48-22 251-596
fax +48-22 259-157).
The above mentioned teams of the National Library cooperate closely with the team organized by the Ministry of Culture and Art, and of the Polish Librarians Association, both dealing with the same purpose.
For all those who wish to support Polish libraries with financial donations a special sub-account of the Foundation of the National Library:
Bank PeKaO S.A., VIII O/W Warszawa
No 12401112-30001590-2700-401112-002
"Pomoc dla bibliotek - powodz".
Any other help would be more than welcome, in this respect please contact directly the above mentioned persons."
