Multilinguality of Polish Cultural Institutions’ Websites Piotr Ryszewski

The International Centre for Information Management Systems and ServicesICIMSS

Multilinguality of Polish Cultural Institutions’

Websites

Ethnick Minorities in Poland• German 147.000,• Belarusian 47.000,• Ukrainian 27.000,• Romany 12.000,• Lemkan 5,800,• Lithuanian 5,600,

• Russian 3,200,• Slovak 1,700,• Jewish 1.000,• Tatar 447,• Czech 386,• Armenian 262 people.

Multilinguality of Polish

Cultural Institutions’ Websites

Some statistics:– 33 632 libraries:

1180 research, 8700 public,20879 schools, 350 pedagogical,2523 special,

– 196 archives,– 665 museums,– 281 galleries.

Multilinguality of Polish Cultural Institutions’

Websites Identified 1460 cultural institutions’ websites:

- 50 research libraries,- about 800 public libraries,- 44 archives,- about 500 museums,- 66 galleries.

Multilinguality of Polish Cultural Institutions’

WebsitesMultilingual websites

Museums – 60,40 websites in English version only,20 websites created in more than one language

apart English:German – 20,French – 5,Italian – 1.

Multiliguality of Polish Cultural

Institutions’ Websites

Multilingual websitesArchives – 13,8 websites in English only,1 website in German only,4 websites in more than one language apart

English – French, German, Ukrainian and Russian.

Multiliguality of Polish Cultural Institutions’

WebsitesMultilingual websites

Galleries – 17,13 websites in English only,4 websites in more than one language apart

English:German – 4,Czech and Spanish – 1.

Multiliguality of Polish Cultural Institutions’

Websites Multilingual websites

Libraries – 28,24 websites in English only,4 websites in more than one language apart

English:German – 2,French and Russian – 1.

Multiliguality of Polish Cultural Institutions’

WebsitesPercentage of information from the

websites translated into foreign language– Museums –80%,– Archives – 60%,– Galleries – 60%,– Libraries – 70%.

Multiliguality of Polish Cultural Institutions’

Websites

Search mechanism- 10 libraries,- 1 museum,- archive.

Multiliguality of Polish Cultural Institutions’

WebsitesConclusions:

- 1460 Polish cultural institutions have websites, but only 118 have foreign versions of their websites – it is 7% only,

- Most of the institutions is not prepared for contacts with partners from other countries,

Multilinguality of Polish Cultural Institutions’ Websites

- Most of multilingual websites are in English, because this is the most popular foreign language in Poland,

- In a new situation when Poland is a part of the European Union we should underline the value of virtual communication and a promotional power that the well prepared website offers.