The library has an invaluable special collection of photocopies and microfilms on the history of the Jesuits in Poland with archival and library documentation.
The collection includes:
- documents from the Archives of the Roman Society of Jesus (Archivum Romanum Societatis Iesu – ARSI),
- manuscripts from Archiwum Prowincji Polski Południowej Towarzystwa Jezusowego w Krakowie (ATJKr),
- manuscripts from Polish archives and non-Jesuits libraries,
- microfilms of documents about Polish Jesuits (stored in libraries of Austria, Sweden and Lithuania)
The collection includes approximately 250.000 microfilm shots about the history of the Republic of Poland in XVI-XVIII century. Part of the archive documentation is the only remnant of the lost or destroyed originals. The materials are a source for research on Old Polish secondary and higher education in Central and Eastern Europe, the history of books and printing and the role of the Church in promoting culture.
About the project Digitalization of scientific documents – Jesuit Archives:
- archival material recorded on microfilm has been decided to transfer to digital media,
- from 2004 to 2006 thanks to the sponsors and finances of Prowincja Polski Południowej Towarzystwa Jezusowego w Krakowie, it was possible to scan about one third of the collections that were recorded on DVD-ROMs,
- since September 2007 the works have been continued as a project Digitalization of scientific documents – Jesuit Archives, co-financed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage under the Operational Programme “Cultural Heritage”, priority 5 “Creation of digital cultural heritage resources”,
- the task also includes the maintenance of microfilms.