The archivists, librarians, and scholars in the family library of Princes Sanguszko

Abstract

The author starts with a statement that the first creator of the family library was Szymon Samuel Sanguszko (died in 1637), the Vitebsk voivode, a soldier, politician, humanist, and book lover. A rich, cross-thematic book collection was probably stored in Szymon Samuel properties in Belarus - in Biały Kowel and Smolany. The equally rich Sanguszko family archives were located on different premises in Poland. The author further describes their protectors from the 18^th century until 1939, underlying their professionalism and the role of archival materials not only for the family history but also the history of Poland.