Library

The library collection includes books and press publications dedicated to theatre, drama, performing arts, and performance documentation, including audiovisual records.

The IT library specializes in collecting Polish and foreign literature related to theatre, and to a lesser extent, related arts such as dance, film, music, and circus.

The collections of the Theatre Institute’s Library can be used free of charge on-site only.

SEE OUR CATALOGUE

Readers have access to twelve computerized workstations and a Wi-Fi network.

In the Reading Room, there is free access to the reference collection. Other collections are stored in the warehouse and can be ordered using the online catalog or with the assistance of the librarian on duty. The waiting time is approximately 5 minutes. Additionally, the collections of the Studio of Documentation of the Barbara Krasnodębska Theatre are available.

Thematic sections in the Reading Room include:

Theatre in Poland: almanacs, emigration theatre, ZASP organization, alternative theatres, theatre economy, documentation, and history of Polish theatres (past and present)
Professor Zbigniew Raszewski
Dance/Ballet
Pantomime/Television/Television Theatre/Circus
History of theatre/History of drama (general works and organized by country in alphabetical order)
Anthropology of theatre/Gender/Theory of theatre/Drama theory/Performance
Essays on theatre/Directing/Theatre criticism/Theatre reviews/Actor/Acting methods
Theatre territories: Beckett, Bogusławski, Brecht, Brook, Chekhov, Dejmek, Grotowski, Grzegorzewski, Kantor, Lupa, Leon Schiller, Shakespeare, Stanisławski, Swinarski, Warlikowski, Wilson, Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, and Wyspiański
Theatre building/Theatre technique/Stage design/Fashion
Music/Opera/Musical theatre
Cabaret/Theatre spectator/Polish Radio theatre/Child and theatre; theatre pedagogy/Puppet theatre
Drama: the collection starts with anthologies and then the books are arranged alphabetically by authors
Encyclopedias/Guides/Lexicons/Dictionaries
Varia
Theatre magazines

In the Reading Room, approximately 6,000 volumes are available for free access. The sections are clearly marked, and each volume is labeled with the reference number of the reading room. Users can easily find the desired item using the computer catalog. Instructions on how to locate a selected item on the shelf are provided.

[Sample shelfmark]

C3.2.5POL

C – This indicates a row of bookshelves in the reading room. Our navigation signs will direct you to it.

3 – This indicates the rack number in the row of racks.

2 – This indicates the shelf number in the rack.

5 – This indicates the order of the book on the shelf.

POL – This indicates the possible section designation. Our navigation inserts will direct you to it.

The Library’s collections, information apparatus, and equipment are a public good and should be treated with respect. It is strictly prohibited to remove any object that belongs to the Library from its premises. The safety and security of the books are ensured by the diligent efforts of the Library employees and an electronic gate.

Copying materials from the Library’s collection is only permitted within the boundaries set by the Act on Copyright and Related Rights (Journal of Laws 1994 No. 24 item 83). The decision regarding the permissibility of making a copy rests with the department head responsible for the document. The Library employee reserves the right to deny permission to copy an item from the collection based on its state of preservation, the potential risk of damage during the copying process, and the conservation requirements.