The Library Development Program Advisory Commitee

Bożena Bednarek-Michalska
certified curator, information specialist working in the Main Library of the Nicolas Copernicus University (NCU) in Toruń. Completed Polish studies at Wrocław University and postgraduate studies in new technologies and management at the NCU. Currently she is coordinator of the Kujawsko-Pomorska Digital Library. She works in several Polish and international organizations on a voluntary basis. Chairperson of the Electronic Publications Committee of the Polish Librarians’ Association and editor-in-chief of the PLA–EBIB digital platform. Co-author and editor-in-chief of the Biuletyn EBIB (EBIB Bulletin), an open access magazine for librarians. Since the mid 1990s she has implemented many projects relating to new technologies. For many years she has been involved in the open access movement as part of the E-LIS editorial team and she has coordinated eIFL activities in Poland. She is also co-author of the Open Education Coalition, a coalition of NGOs and institutions active in the field of education, science and culture in Poland.

Edwin Bendyk
journalist, publicist and writer. Graduate in chemistry at Warsaw University. Currently publicist in the Scientific Section of the Polityka weekly. As a student, he was actively involved in independent students’ movements. Worked as a journalist for various media including the Polish Information Agency (PAI) and the Życie Warszawy daily. Author of publications appearing in several Polish periodicals. Columnist of the Mobile Internet magazine (www.mobile-internet.pl). Lecturer in Collegium Civitas and the Center for Social Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Author books nominated for a prestigious Polish literary award (Nike) and the winner of several Polish awards in the field of IT and new technologies. Member of the National Fund for Children and of the Program Committees of the Polish Citizens’ Forum and the Center for Political Analyses. Author of the blogs entitled Antymatrix and Makroskop.

Teresa Bogucka
journalist, writer and sociologist. In the communist period, she was actively involved in the democratic opposition: participated in the March 1968 events at Warsaw University, cooperated with the Workers’ Defense Committee (KOR); member of the Solidarity movement since 1980. Her publications appeared among others in the underground Tygodnik Mazowsze weekly. She organized the Committee for Independent Culture. Between 1969 and 1989 she worked in the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences. Since 1990 publicist of the Gazeta Wyborcza daily. For a dozen or so years (until 2003) she was member of the Stefan Batory Foundation’s Board. Winner of the Polish PEN Club’s award. Decorated with the Polonia Restituta Order in 2006. Author of many publications.

Professor Wojciech Cellary
full professor at the Poznań University of Economics, head of the Department of Information Technologies at the Faculty of Computer Science and Electronic Management. His scientific interests include the issues of e-business and e-administration, information society, databases and multimedia. Worked as a visiting professor at six universities: Nancy I and II, Paris-Sud and Paris-Dauphine in France as well as Genoa and Ancona in Italy, where he gave lectures and conducted scientific research. Author of more than 120 scientific publications including ten books. He managed numerous scientific and industrial projects implemented internationally. The key organizer of 27 domestic and international scientific conferences and member of the program committees of 165 conferences.

Anna Giza-Poleszczuk, PhD
sociologist, lecturer at the Warsaw University Institute of Sociology dealing with history and contemporary family issues as well as the issues of sociology, economics, demography and social psychology. In 1994-2005 she conducted market, marketing and communication research. Worked as head of the market research team at Unilever and the Brand Communication Advisor to Unilever's Management Board. She studies marketing and social life with an aim to use the latest theories of social psychology and sociology in marketing (and market research). Author of numerous publications.

Krzysztof Głomb
graduate in journalism at Warsaw University. Expert in the area of information society development (specialization: e-Administration, Health, e-Integration and strategic programming), regional and local e-Development programming and the creation of electronic administration projects. Author of the information society development strategy for five Polish regions as well as of the regional studies and the regional e-Health strategy for the Łódzkie Region which is one of few strategies of this kind in Europe. Actively works for European research and pro-innovation initiatives. In 2002-2003 worked as a Polish expert in the Information Society Technologies Committee (ISTC) in Brussels. Polish expert in the e-Government and e-Inclusion Sub-Groups operating as part of the i2010 High Level Group. Member of the Computerization Committee established by the Minister of the Interior and Administration (2005-2009). Founder (1998) and president of the Management Board of the “Miasto w Internecie” (City on the Internet) Association. Winner of the award granted by the Minister of Science and Computerization for special achievements in the implementation of innovative European projects (2002), and the award for remarkable achievements in the development of information technology in the Polish public administration (2003).

Renata Gość
director of the Communal Public Library in Trzcinica (Wielkopolskie Region), member of the Polish Librarians' Association, Polish Association for Bibliotherapy at the Regional Public Library and Center for Cultural Animation in Poznań, regional coordinator and member of the Board of Coordinators of the ABCXXI – Cała Polska Czyta Dzieciom Foundation, actively involved in the Wielkopolskie Region’s local activity groups and foundations. She has an MA in history and she is also a teacher, library science specialist and bibliotherapist. Awarded a badge of merit for Accomplishments in the Polish Culture by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage (2006) and a medal in recognition of her achievements in the field of librarianship by the Polish Librarians' Association (2008). Her work for children and the idea of reading out loud to children was rewarded several times with the ABCXXI Foundation’s Statuette. Author of several regional monographs and therapeutic tales for children. 

Tomasz Makowski, PhD
director of the National Library. Former deputy research director and head of the Special Collection Department. He has worked in the National Library for 15 years. Head of advisory bodies of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage: the Digitization Committee and the Council for the National Library Resource. Coordinator of Zbigniew Herbert's Year in 2008. Member of the National Librarian Council, Book Institute Program Committee, National Frederic Chopin Institute Program Committee, European Commission Expert Group on Digitization and Digital Preservation, The European Library’s Board, Archive Committee at the Chief Executive of the National Archives, Kraków National Museum’s Board, Royal Łazienki Museum’s Board, UNESCO Memory of the World National Committee and the Editorial Committee of the “Polish Libraries Today”. Author of three books (1996, 1998, 2005) and a dozen or so scientific articles. Expert on manuscripts and library historian. Curator of the first monographic exhibition dedicated to the Zamoyski Entail Library (2005).

Piotr Szczepański
Chairman of the Board of the Rural Development Foundation  (since 1999). Graduate  in sanitary and water engineering at the Warsaw University of Technology. In 1976-1985 he was an academic and research worker at the Warsaw University of Technology. Since 1980 member of the Solidarity movement associated with the Mazowsze Region and Gdańsk. After the martial law period he was actively involved in underground activities. Later he worked in the Warsaw Development Planning Bureau. In 1990-1993 advisor at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Washington D.C. Since 1988 associated with the Foundation for the Provision of Water to Rural Areas and since 1999 president of the Rural Development Foundation.

Andrzej Tyws
director of the Dolnośląska Public Library in Wrocław, graduate in culture at  Wrocław University. Completed postgraduate studies in librarian science and scientific information. For 30 years he has been professionally involved in culture-related activities. Author of many ideas and implementations relating to the library’s organizational and program changes focusing on its regional functions, developing specialist collections and organizing large regional events and cultural initiatives, such as the re-establishment of the Książka i Czytelnik magazine, promotion of the Dolnośląskie Meetings of Writers with Young Readers entitled Z książką na walizkach, Book Clubs and the national experimental library system automation project based on the modern Aleph computer program. Member of the National Library Council and the National Library Scientific Committee. Decorated with the Gold Cross of Merit and with the Gloria Artis Medal. Author of numerous publications on the library law and the library's social and cultural functions.

Professor Jerzy Wilkin
Member correspondent of the Polish Academy of Sciences, full professor and head of the Department of Political Economics at the Warsaw University Faculty of Economic Sciences; head of the European Integration Unit of the Polish Academy of Sciences Institute of Rural and Agriculture Development, member of the Polish Academy of Sciences Committee for Agriculture Economics and Committee for Economic Sciences. Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee of the Warsaw University Senate. Cooperated with the OECD, World Bank and the European Commission on the preparation of reports regarding Polish and European agriculture. Initiator and editor of cyclical reports on the situation of Polish rural areas published by the Foundation for the Development of Polish Agriculture. Author of more than 300 scientific publications relating to economics, European integration, theory of agricultural and rural development and agricultural policy.