“A Book Never Dies”: The American Library Association and the Cultural Reconstruction of Czechoslovak and Polish Libraries, 1945–1948

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The American Library Association (ALA)'s role in the postwar cultural reconstruction of East Central European countries such as Czechoslovakia and Poland has not been widely studied. The paper contributes to a better understanding of American cultural influence in that part of Europe by examining the ALA's efforts of sharing the works of American culture and science with war-devastated libraries in the context of war losses suffered by Czechoslovak and Polish libraries and a rising tide of totalitarianism in Eastern Europe. Particular attention is given to individual requests for books and periodicals as they offer a firsthand account of the war devastation and an insight into various needs of Czechoslovak and Polish libraries in early postwar years.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)19-34
Number of pages16
JournalLibrary and Information History
Volume33
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2 2017

Keywords

  • American Book Center
  • American Library Association
  • Czechoslovakia
  • Poland
  • libraries
  • reconstruction
  • war losses

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • History and Philosophy of Science

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