Cartographic materials registered in Polish bibliographies

Bibliography of Cartographic Materials is part of today's the Polish National Bibliography. Preparing this bibliography has made it possible to compare its scope arrangement and structure of description with those of other Polish bibliographies. In the following book selected 19th and 20th century Polish bibliographies are arranged chronologically and discussed. The main presupposition of a bibliography which looks to describe maps & atlases is to serve a wide range of users such as librarians researchers and students not to mention traveling enthusiasts interested in finding maps. If a bibliography is to realize its objectives entries need to fulfill two functions: to clearly identify the listed material and to provide information about its contents. Socio-political conditions have had a major influence on the role and objectives of national bibliographies. In the past the value of a bibliography was not always acknowledged but even when otherwise its scope was limited. The book looks to reveal how important bibliographer's choice of approaches is so that his work may take into account current needs which also entails a consideration of the socio-political conditions.