In April, UB’s Office of International Education held the first day of the Jagiellonian University visiting scholar reunion conference in Lockwood Library. This event marked a collaboration between the Office of International Education and Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, which includes various scholarly exchanges. These exchanges involve hosting PhD students and early career faculty who utilize the University Libraries for their research. The visiting Polish scholars, who had attended UB between 2004 and 2007, presented on a range of topics, including contemporary legal issues in Poland, U.S.-Poland relations, culture and heritage, and human well-being.
During their visit, the scholars had the opportunity to explore the Polish Room in Lockwood Library, where they enjoyed a tour led by Rose Orcutt, curator of the Polish Collection. The collection includes over 12,000 volumes and more than 100 videorecordings, including Polish commercial and art films, opera and theater productions, and a number of audiotapes of Polish literary works. The Polish Room also possesses a number of unique materials, which include; 21 manuscripts of the Polish kings from the 16th to 18th centuries, and letters and other signed documents of important people of the 20th century, including writers such as Stefan Zeromski, Maria Konopnicka, and Maria Dabrowska.
Of particular interest to the scholars was a stained-glass and wrought iron lamp, designed and crafted by local artist Josef Mazur, which was donated to the Polish Room in 1955. Additionally, a selection of books was on display, showcasing the uniqueness of the collection. Several books were also donated to the Polish Room during the visit, further enriching the collection’s specialty in Polish culture.