Library of the Technical and Industrial Museum in Kraków (1868-1950) : its history and role in the artistic life of the city

The subject of the dissertation is the history of the Technical and Industrial Museum Library and the role it played in the artistic milieu of the city. The Museum and its Library existed from 1868 to 1950. Since 1952, its collections have been located in the Main Library of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków. Within the adopted scope of work, the following research questions have been distinguished: history of the Technical and Industrial Museum Library against the background of European trends and the situation in Kraków from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century; Library collections: their structure, value and functions; place and role of the Library in the Museum’s activity; the importance of the Library for the artistic milieu of Kraków. This dissertation, based on a new, extensive source material, should have a great cognitive value. It is due to the fact that the subject of the research is a special library of a nature rarely seen in the history of libraries. Moreover, this is the only library of the remaining Polish museum libraries of the artistic and industrial type, which collections and rooms are still used and still have similar function.