We are a scientific and teaching unit conducting research in the field of information, media and reading culture. The subjects of our research are: information, media (including books and libraries) and communication. The scientific activity of the Department's researchers (participation in conferences, organization of conferences, awards) is presented in a separate tab. Information about employees' publications can be found on employee profiles in SON UŁ. The dominant scientific disciplines represented by the Department's lecturers are: 1/ Social communication and media sciences in the field of social sciences and 2/ Culture and religion sciences in the field of humanities.
We publish the Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Librorum scientific journal, as well as we are developing the Dictionary of Polish Book Employees.
As part of our teaching activities, we run two fields of study, one at the bachelor's level Information in the Digital Environment and the other in the form of master's studies Information Technology with business English.
Department of Information, Library and Book Science, until July 11, 2016 - Department of Library and Information Science at the University of Łódź - is the first institution in Poland to make the study of books and libraries an academic discipline. Its organization was undertaken by Prof. Jan Muszkowski (1882-1953), well-respected bibliologist, teacher, youth educator. Already in 1945, the Department of Library Science began scientific, research and teaching work. Three years later, the first graduates of vocational studies left the university. The great merit of prof. Jan Muszkowski was to carry out the first habilitation in Poland in the field of book science (Adam Łysakowski, 1948) and to promote the first doctorate in this discipline (Karol Głombiowski, 1952).
After the premature death of Jan Muszkowski, the management of the Department of Library Science was entrusted to Prof. Helena Więckowska (1897-1984), a historian and bibliologist recognized in Poland and abroad, in the years 1948-1969 director of the University Library in Łódź. At that time (academic year 1954/1955) the studies were extended to 5 years.
In 1969, the head of the Department was taken over by Prof. Bolesław Świderski. At that time, interdepartmental library science studies were introduced and operated for several years. Study programs have been repeatedly adapted to the needs and expectations of the labor market. In 1977, part-time studies were introduced, and three years later - postgraduate studies. On October 1, 1987, after Prof. Bolesław Świderski retired, the position of manager was taken over by Prof. Hanna Tadeusiewicz and held the position until 2010. In the years 2010-2015, the head was held by Prof. Jadwiga Konieczna, University of Lodz, and from October 1, 2015 - Prof. Mariola Antczak.
Since 2014, a new building at Pomorska Street has been made available to students and employees of our Department, where there are: lecture halls, faculty library, audiovisual rooms, computer laboratories. Both in terms of architecture and teaching equipment, it is one of the most modern buildings in Łódź.
In 2013, the daughter of Professor Jan Muszkowski, Prof. Joanna Muszkowska-Penson, unveiled a commemorative plaque at the University Library in Łódź dedicated to her father, the founder of the Department of Library and Information Science at the University of Lodz.
In the years 2013-2019, the Department worked under the leadership of Prof. Mariola Antczak Main Committee of the Bibliology and Information Science Olympiad. The purpose of establishing the first Olympiad in Poland on this topic on our initiative was to arouse interest in books, information, reading culture and the library among secondary school students. About 600 students from all over Poland took part in six editions, we also selected 18 winners and over 40 finalists. The initiative was carried out in cooperation with the Tadeusz Kotarbiński Voivodship Library. in Łódź, the Łódź Branch of the Polish Association of Librarians, the Society of Teacher Librarians of Polish Schools and the King Jan III Sobieski Secondary School in Krakow.
Currently, the Department is carrying out research in line with new trends in science related to the development of information and communication technologies and information management (including information architecture).