"Success is the joy and satisfaction of finalizing projects, joy and satisfaction that come from a realization that you do what you know and love. Success is also learning from everything we encounter on our journey. Success will be both a perfect, home-made cake and participation in an international project; success will be a loving family, but also a happy single life. Success has many faces, editions, types, varieties, but the pursuit of success is always the same – development, plans, path, efforts, work, gains and losses."

What is your best memory of studying at the Jagiellonian University?

Definitely, the defence of my Master’s thesis and later my doctoral dissertation – both as the high point of several years of work, dreams, and activities. Other than that, everyday little things that made the time of my studies intense and interesting – fantastic classes and discussions, enrolment and waiting for classes, wonderful lecturers. And the Gołębnik restaurant, which I always pass by with a smile.

How did your career start? What were the turning points?

2007 – my first job, at the Scientific Library of the Polish Academy of Learning and the Polish Academy of Sciences in Cracow, where I found myself shortly after my internship there. At the same time it was the place I returned to exactly 12 years later as director. In the meantime, I did another degree, a doctorate and postgraduate studies – each stage connected with education and gaining new skills.

How has education contributed to your career development?

Each of the courses I have undertaken (Polish Philology at the Jagiellonian University – completed in 2005, PhD studies there – 2011; Scientific Information and Library Science at the Pedagogical University of Cracow – 2008; Postgraduate Editing /Pedagogical University/ - 2007; Postgraduate Heritage Academy /International Centre for Culture, Cracow University of Economics/ - 2018; Postgraduate Human Resource Management / Cracow University of Economics/ - started in 2020) - were conscious decisions in the search for and development of my own professional path. Each of the courses mentioned means new skills, new contacts and projects, challenges, as well as satisfaction. So do the various courses I take from time to time. I cannot imagine finishing my studies and standing still. The whole point of living is development, searching and change, regardless of the path we choose.

Tell us about your current job. What are you doing now?

Currently, as of 2019, I am Director of the Scientific Library of the Polish Academy of Learning and Polish Academy of Sciences in Cracow – an institution with over 150 years of tradition of collecting, storing, preserving, developing and making available priceless library and archival materials. This is a huge responsibility for me, but also everyday challenges connected with the work of the institution and the team. Besides, since 2011, I have been working as an assistant professor at the Institute of Information Science at the Pedagogical University of Cracow, sharing knowledge and skills related to information management with to students. Working at the University also means research, publications and conferences.

What are your biggest challenges now?

There are quite a few of them – when I finish one challenge, I already have another one in mind: from simple stuff like bake a cake (I love baking by the way), submit this article, don’t forget about this or that, to multi-stage, time- and labour-consuming ones (e.g. publishing a scientific book) and also those which I will work on for the rest of my life. However, all of them are connected by the idea of development, not resting on one’s laurels, taking up new challenges, learning. However, please don’t confuse this with chasing after everything, with doing everything – we need to be selective. Every challenge is choice, people, actions, gains, losses and learning.

What is life and work like in the city/country you live in?

I have lived in Cracow for over 20 years. It offers a lot of opportunities – it is a huge, flexible market for education, culture and work, a place of multicultural and international status. You can live a fast-paced, multi-directional, challenging life here as well as spend quiet hours in cafes, restaurants and the many wonderful libraries, museums and other cultural and heritage institutions. You can let yourself be swept away by the crowds in the Main Square or on the boulevards, but also wander around the neighbourhoods little known to tourists. You can study, develop, and at the same time observe how the city itself changes and develops, and become an integral part of it more and more every day. Here you can make your plans come true, discover your potential, combine many roles.

What is your definition of success?

Success is the joy and satisfaction of finalizing projects, joy and satisfaction that come from a realization that you do what you know and love. Success is also learning from everything we encounter on our journey. Success will be both a perfect, home-made cake and participation in an international project; success will be a loving family, but also a happy single life. Success has many faces, editions, types, varieties, but the pursuit of success is always the same – development, plans, path, efforts, work, gains and losses.

What tips do you have for current students who are just entering the job market?

Dream and make it real, plan and execute, grow. Be patient, consistent, flexible. Surround yourself with people who motivate and support you. Act in harmony with yourself and respect for others, and enjoy every step of the way, even the smallest one, you take taken towards your goal.

How do you envision the Jagiellonian University’s collaboration with alumni?

Maintaining contacts, various types of post-graduation training, profiled meetings with mentors, career coaches, post-graduate research.