Poland approves additional funding for library applicants despite budget cuts

Poland’s National Library has approved 37,019 euros in supplementary funding for 56 successful applicants to purchase new publications and expand digital lending services, despite a two-thirds reduction in the country’s annual public library acquisitions budget.

According to the official list of successful applications, the funding was approved on Oct. 12, 2026, and the results were announced the following day. The decision concerns the second, supplementary funding round under the programme “Zakup i zdalny dostęp do nowości wydawniczych” (“Purchase and Remote Access to New Publications”).

The approved grants range from approximately 321 euros for the municipal public library in Zwierzyn to 1,298 euros for the Sądecka Public Library in Nowy Sącz. Other recipients include the municipal library in Oświęcim, approved for 1,098 euros, and the municipal library in Lębork, approved for 1,258 euros.

Successful applicants can now begin implementing projects covered by the funding. The programme supports the purchase of newly published books and access to digital publications, including e-books, audiobooks, and synchronized books, which combine written text and audio.

According to the National Library, the initiative aims to improve public library collections and make publications more accessible to existing and potential readers. Digital lending services allow users to access books around the clock, including outside regular library opening hours.

Under the programme rules, participating institutions must contribute their own funds. Depending on the financial classification of the relevant local government, the minimum contribution is 50%, 65%, or 80% of the total project funding.

The additional funding comes amid a substantial reduction in Poland’s public library acquisitions budget. As reported earlier, the country allocated 2.29 million euros to the programme in 2026, compared with around 6.86 million euros annually in previous years. In 2025, 2,052 public libraries received nearly 7.55 million euros to purchase printed books and provide access to digital and audio publications.

The funding reduction comes as public libraries are becoming a more important source of books for Polish readers. As reported earlier, the National Library’s 2025 readership survey found that 19% of people who had read at least one book obtained books from a public library, up from 15% in 2024. Meanwhile, the share of readers who purchased the books they read declined from 50% to 43%.

Overall, 41% of Polish residents aged 15 and older reported reading at least one book in 2025, unchanged from the previous year. Reading rates reached 71% in cities with more than 500,000 residents, compared with 34% in rural areas.

Main photo: Biblioteka Narodowa