Authors

Marek Sroka¹;  ¹ University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, United States

Discussion

The subject of Western books functioning as a form of Cold War cultural diplomacy is rather well-documented.  However, the history of Western cultural and information organizations and agencies conducting library work in Polish universities remains relatively unknown.  The paper investigates an overlooked aspect of the Cold War US and UK cultural relations with Eastern Europe, namely the involvement of the United States Information Agency (USIA), including its overseas subsidiary-United States Information Service (USIS), and the British Council in developing extensive American and British book collections in university libraries in Communist Poland.  The examination focuses on the role played by the USIA in developing the American Studies Center Library at the University of Warsaw, and the British Council’s role in the establishment of British book collections at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków.  The paper discusses different approaches used by both organizations in creating those library collections in the context of Cold War cultural relations.  Some evidence suggests that the Polish government allowed the British Council to conduct its business in a relatively unrestricted manner as demonstrated by the 1959 agreement on cultural cooperation between the British Council and the Jagiellonian University.  Although the USIA’s role in the development of the University of Warsaw American book collections was significant, the USIA was not officially included in the agreement on scientific cooperation between Warsaw and Indiana Universities.  The agreement resulted in the establishment of the American Studies Center and its Library at Warsaw University.  The authorities were suspicious of both the USIA and British Council activities.  However, their approach towards the USIA seemed to be more hostile as evidenced by secret police surveillance of USIS libraries at American consular posts in Poland.  Conversely, the British Council and its Library in Warsaw was allowed to continue its operations in the first months of martial law (imposed in December 1981) and for a brief period of time was the only Western organization doing “cultural work” in Poland.  Finally, the question that needs to be asked is whether there was an intentional ideological bias (on part of the British Council and USIA) that promoted a “propagandistic” picture of British and American culture and advocated anti-Communist (or anti-Soviet) publications.  Additionally, the response of Polish university and government officials to some publications is examined, including examples of occasional censorship and suppression by the authorities.  In conclusion, the author argues that an assessment of the Cold War cultural diplomacy should include the history of Western-sponsored library collections, the Western organizations responsible for their development, and their cultural impact.