Online seat reservations for Reading Room no longer required!
As the number of readers wishing to use the Reading Room is less than the number of available seats, online seat reservations are no longer required. Until such time as the rules on hygiene are relaxed, readers may use the Reading Room during one of the following time slots:
- 8.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m.
- 1.30 p.m. to 6.00 p.m.
- 6.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.
During the breaks between time slots, desks and other surfaces will be disinfected and the Reading Room aired.
Users can order a maximum of two items (19th to 21st century books and magazines) per visit. Please order items in advance via electronic catalogue of the National Library. If the number of readers increases, we will reintroduce the system of online reservation.
If you have any questions about your visit, please email bnczyt@bn.org.pl or call us on (22) 608 23 30 or (22) 608 24 91.
New, temporary rules apply concerning use of the collections during the epidemic.
To ensure the safety of Library users and staff, please note the new rules about using the reading rooms:
- Disinfect your hands on entering the Reading Room at the National Library and cover your mouth and nose
- From June 8-20, 2020, you may order a maximum of two items (19th to 21st century books and magazines) per visit
- You must return borrowed items before placing a new order
- If you wish to order an item from a collection for which online ordering is not possible, please send your order to bnczyt@bn.org.pl
- We encourage you to order publications for the Reading Room which are not available in other libraries in Warsaw or via the Academica interlibrary loan system for books and scientific publications or POLONA
- We will send orders for early printed books for free scanning and make them available via POLONA within a week. During the epidemic, these items will only be available via POLONA
- You can also place orders for free scanning of early printed books and other publications not covered by copyright (copyright usually ends 70 years after the death of the author, so items published before 1950 are generally out of copyright) via the "On-demand digitisation" service
- Manuscripts are available in the Heritage Collections Reading Room (Czytelnia Zasobu Wieczystego) between 8.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. Please first book your visit in advance by email: manus@bn.org.pl
- To access prints and drawings, maps, musical scores or ephemera, please make an appointment with the head of the collection in question by email:
Prints and drawings: ikon@bn.org.pl
Maps: kart@bn.org.pl
Musical scores: zzmuz@bn.org.pl
Ephemera: ulotka@bn.org.pl.