The Research Library of the Polish Composers’ Union

The Library of the Polish Composers’ Union was organised shortly after the proclamation of the Union (August–September 1945, the 1st General Assembly of the Polish Composers’ Union in Cracow).

The oldest preserved documents, dating from the late 40. of the 20th century, show from the very beginning an interesting process of organisation here not only a music library, but also a documentation and information centre, focused on Polish (especially contemporary) music.

Such a course was maintained during further decades of the library activities, and was intensified at the end of the 20th century.

As a consequence, in 1998, the Library became Poland’s representative in the International Association of Music Information Centres IAMIC.

In 2001, on the basis of the Library the Polish Music Information Centre was organised and the Polmic.pl website was launched.

In 2020, the Library got the official status of the research library (decision of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage of the 29th June, 2020).

The Research Library of the Polish Composers’ Union

• collects and makes available books, periodicals, and other publications on Polish music,
• boasts Poland’s largest collection of scores by contemporary Polish composers,
• possesses a vast collection of Polish contemporary music recordings, in the form of CDs released by professional music labels, radio recordings, and its own documentation of concerts held by the PCU,
• collects and makes available the writings of Polish musicologists and music theorists,
• makes available in the reading room PCU’s archival documents concerning music life and composition in Poland after World War II,
• develops and maintains its own (Poland’s largest) database of contemporary Polish composers and their works that can be accessed online,
• is open to visitors from Poland and abroad.

Izabela Zymer (2023)