Honors and awards

The Polish Librarians’ Association grants the Honorary Member distinction to persons of particular merit to Polish librarianship and the Association. The award was established in 1917 in the first legal document released by the Polish Librarians Union. In the years 1917-2009, this honor was granted for 80 persons.

A special Medal of Merit (W dowód uznania) and a Honorary Badge of the Polish Librarians’ Association (Odznaka Honorowa SBP) are awarded to the members who have somehow distinguished themselves in their service to the association and to librarianship.

Institutions that contribute to the development of librarianship and readership are granted the medal Bibliotheca Magna-Perennisque.

PLA Research Prizes
The Polish Librarians’ Association awards annually The Adam Łysakowski Research Prize the best Polish books in librarianship, documentation and information disciplines published last year.

Every two years The PLA awards the best MA thesis in Library and Information Science, promoting young future librarians with The Maria Dembowska Prize for Young. The prizewinner is rewarded with the publication of the thesis by the PLA Publishing House

May 8th – Librarian Day /The Libraries Week
The PLA undertakes numerous initiatives promoting libraries and readership. The Association actively works to increase public awareness of the crucial value of libraries and librarians in cultural and social life, as well as in education of the society, supporting lifelong learning initiatives and others helping children and adults to develop the skills to read and use computers and effectively utilize Internet information resources.

The Librarian Day, celebrated on May 8th as organizational holiday in many libraries in Poland, aims to promote books and libraries in the Polish society. It also provides an opportunity to reflect on professional achievements, as well as needs. It is on this day that the best libraries and librarians are honored and that the achievements of librarians and the role of the profession in cultural development is remembered and further promoted.

May 8th also inaugurates the annual Libraries Week, which turns public attention to readership problems and the role of libraries in social and cultural life. The Libraries Week stimulates public interest in cultural policy and helps to promote different ways to work with readers. Each year, the libraries presenting the best and most original program of activities and performances during The Libraries Week are awarded  special prizes by the Polish Librarians’ Association.

During the UNESCO World Book and Copyright Day (23th April) the PLA together with publisher and bookseller organizations awards the prize named Master of the Reading Promotion for libraries actively promoting learning, readership, books and protection of intellectual property through copyright during all precedent year.