Unique Polish encyclopedia donated to library

As part of the Polish Cultural Club of Greater Hartford’s mission to preserve and promote Polish heritage, copies of the new Polish American Encyclopedia were donated to Connecticut libraries where its members reside.

Cliff Archie, president of the Polish Cultural Club of Greater Hartford, Inc. recently presented a copy of The Polish American Encyclopedia to Pat Holloway, director of the West Hartford Library.

The idea for this unique reference book was conceived in June 2005, when the Polish American Historical Association Board, at a meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan, authorized the creation of an encyclopedia on the theme of Polish history and culture to be dedicated to Dr. Stanislaus A. Blejwas of Central Connecticut State University.

Dr. James S. Pula of Purdue University was appointed editor-in-chief. The encyclopedia was designed to contain three types of entries: Thematic, Topical and Biographical. McFarland Publishers expressed an immediate interest in the project, and were chosen to produce the book.

The completed work is the only reference encyclopedia in existence on American Polonia. It received acclaim as one of the outstanding reference books of 2011 by the American Library Association. Choice, the journal of the Association of College and Research Libraries, considered it essential.