The magazine „Obrona Kultury” (1938-1939) as a source of information about the book market in the interwar period

Abstract

„Obrona Kultury”, a socio-cultural magazine, was published in Warsaw between 1938 and 1939. Its first issues appeared weekly and the next ones biweekly. The journal’s editor was Adam Szczepanik. This paper’s objective is to show an ephemeral magazine in the interwar years as a source of information about that period’s book market. In total 270 texts on the theme were identified in the magazine. The following thematic groups were addressed to publishing, librarianship, bookselling, reading, publications, writers, press, exhibitions, miscellany. Most frequently the magazine presented discussions on various publications – books, journals. Another group involved the texts which dealt with the issues related to publishing companies, both professional and non–professional. Further, the magazine provided information on the writers and the conditions of libraries. The texts may represent a supplement to bibliographic sources and contribute to a more complete overview of the book market in the interwar period