Central Library of Geography and Environmental Protection

Regulations for access to the collections of the Central Library of Geography and Environmental Protection

General rules

1. The Central Library of Geography and Environment Protection, henceforth called the Library, is a scientific library.
2.  The Library makes its collection available: on the spot in a reading room, to all the interested public, and through borrowing the library materials outside against Reader’s card (after completing the authorised Library registration procedure).
3. A Reader/User shall bear full material liability for all the library materials borrowed and used. In the case of loss or damage to Library stock, a Reader/User will be required to make good the loss or damage. Other ways of fulfilling Reader’s/User’s obligations to the Library will be considered by its head upon a consultation with the Library Commission.
4. Each User - employee, doctoral student, scholarship - who leaves or stops working for the IGSO PAS must get a document attesting that all Library items on loan have been returned.
5. Infringement of the Library regulations can be followed by a loss of the right to access the Library resources, in more drastic cases – the claims will be settled through national laws and the courts.

Access to Library resources on the site

1. All the Users of the Library’s reading room are required:
   1) to leave overcoats or outer garments, briefcases, bags, etc., either in the free personal lockers located outside the reading room or in the cloakroom,
   2) to present to the librarian on duty his/her ID card or other ID documents – it does not concern the IGiPZ PAN staff,
   3) to report to the librarian on duty all his/her personal publications brought to the reading room.
2. A User has a free access to the material and items found on the shelves in the reading room. The items selected from the shelves – after use – must be returned to their appropriate places.
3. Users are not permitted to take the library materials outside the Library’s reading room without consent of the librarian on duty.
4. Library materials are brought to the reading room only upon filling in an order slip. The materials must be taken by a Reader who ordered them within 7 days since submission of order slip, otherwise these items are sent back to the Library’s storehouse and the order slip is cancelled.
5. The materials and items brought to the reading room can be used for a period of two weeks. If there is a necessity to use the Library materials, ordered by a Reader, for a period longer than two weeks, please, mark this appropriately on the order slip - this should prevent sending the library materials back to the storehouse.
6. A Reader/User when finishing his/her visit in the reading room must return the Library materials, brought from the storehouse through previous submission of order slip, to the librarian on duty – only then a Reader/User will receive an appropriate part of order slip as a proof of return.
7. Old prints are made available in accordance with the rules described in the Regulations for access to old prints of the Central Library of Geography and Environmental Protection (Annex No. 1).
8. Within the Library premises, readers are required to comply with the following rules:
   1) smoking or using e-cigarettes is prohibited,
   2) eating is not allowed,
   3) mobile phones must be silenced,
   4) silence and order must be maintained,
   5) instructions from Library staff must be followed.

 

Rules concerning borrowing the Library items

1. The right to obtain Reader’s card and to borrow the Library items is open to the employees, doctoral students, scholarship holders, long-term collaborators and retirees of IGSO PAS as well as other Users through interlibrary loan or upon payment of a deposit, the amount of which is specified in the Price List of Fees and Reprographic Services of the Central Library of Geography and Environmental Protection (Annex No. 2).
2. Registration for the lending service is carried out at the request of the interested person, after completing an on-site registration form that includes personal and address information. Employees, doctoral students, scholarship holders, and collaborators of IGSO PAS are registered upon confirmation by the librarian of their employment or collaboration with IGSO PAS. Other individuals are registered upon presentation of a valid ID card or passport.
3. The Library materials can be ordered either in a traditional way, or via the online catalogue, or via e-mail.
4. Following materials and items cannot be taken outside the Library:
   1) materials published before 1950,
   2) items from the separate collection of Professor Staszewski,
   3) manuscripts, typescripts of master and doctoral dissertations,
   4) materials from the Scientific Archive,
   5) encyclopedic and reference publications,
   6) materials which owing to their publication form, condition or uniqueness cannot be used outside the IGiPZ PAN Library compounds.
   In justified cases, the Head of the Library may grant permission to borrow the above-mentioned materials.
5. In order to borrow the Library items and materials, a Reader must submit a traditional order slips or the ones printed via the Library system. On returning the Library items, a Reader should be given an appropriate part of order slip.
6. Users with library accounts are entitled to borrow the following number of items at one time:
   1) IGSO PAS employees – 15 items for a period of 6 months,
   2) doctoral students, scholarship holders, long-term collaborators and retirees of IGSO PAS – 5 items for a period of 1 month,
   3) other Users – 3 items for a period of 2 weeks (with a deposit).
   In justified cases, the Head of the Library may grant permission to borrow a larger number of books.
7. When necessary, a User can apply (in person, by phone, or via email) for an extension of a deadline for book return, unless the Library item has been ordered by other User.
8. In justified cases, the Library reserves the right to demand return of the borrowed items before the deadline has passed.
9. If it turns out that a Library item, ordered by a User, is on loan at the moment, it can be reserved for the nearest possible future.
10. An IGSO PAS employee leaving for abroad for a period longer than 3 months is required to return all borrowed library materials.
11. Following classes of the Library collection are not permitted to be photocopying:
    1) materials published before 1950,
    2) manuscripts, typescripts of master and doctoral dissertations,
    3) materials from the Scientific Archive,
    4) materials which owing to their publication form or condition does not allow for photocopying.
    In justified cases, the Head of the Library may grant permission to photocopy the above-mentioned materials.
12. Keeping borrowed materials beyond the established return date results in a fee charged for each day of delay. The late return fee rate is specified in the Price List of Fees and Reprographic Services of the Central Library of Geography and Environmental Protection (Annex No. 2).This fee does not apply to IGSO PAS employees.

 

Inter-library loans

1. The IGSO PAS employees has the right to take the books on loan via the Library from other library institutions on the basis of inter-library loans rules: materials taken on loan by the Library are made available to Readers in the reading room, but in justified cases, these materials can be lent to Readers to be read at homes.
2. The inter-library loans fall within the compass and responsibility of the head of the Library or the person authorized by the head of the Library.
3. The Library acts as an intermediary in borrowing materials from abroad. If it is not possible to obtain a free copy of the publication from a foreign library, it is necessary to use the paid interlibrary loan service provided by the National Library.
4. Institutions can get a Library card based on the official letter on the part of the head of a given institution or the head of the institution’s library, on the stipulation that the letter should mention the person authorized to signing the inter-library order slips, and thereby also bearing responsibility for the materials taken on loan.
5. An institution with a library account is entitled to borrow up to 5 items at a time for a period of 2 weeks. If necessary, the return date may be extended, provided that the book has not been requested by another User.
6. Each form of inter-library loan order should include: bibliographic description of a given item, as well as full address of a library and data concerning the authorized person.

In force - since 1th July 2025.

Annexes:

1. Regulations for access to old prints of the Central Library of Geography and Environmental Protection (in Polish)
2. Price List of Fees and Reprographic Services of the Central Library of Geography and Environmental Protection (in Polish)