Accessibility Statement

Digital accessibility

The State Archives Head Office will ensure the accessibility of its website in accordance with the Act of 4 April 2019 on the digital accessibility of websites and mobile applications operated by public entities. This accessibility statement applies to www.archiwa.gov.pl.

Website launched on: 2022-06-09.

Last major update: 2022-06-09.

The website is partially compliant with the Act on the digital accessibility of websites and mobile applications operated by public entities of April 4, 2019 due to the deviations and exceptions listed below.

Inaccessible elements or contents

  • the website contains a map of State Archive buildings, which may not be accessible. Users can access information regarding State Archive buildings in the form of a list,
  • no amenities for the hard of hearing / visually impaired with regard to attached multimedia files – first created and published in the News section before 23 September 2020.
  • the website contains foreign language content for which the original language has not been defined,
  • HTML and CSS code errors may occur temporarily due to content management system updates.

The website supports standard keyboard shortcuts.

Statement creation date: 2024-03-22.

The statement was created based on a self-assessment performed by the public entity.

Feedback and contact information

On 1 September 2020, The State Archives Head Office appointed an Accessibility Coordinator, who is responsible for supporting special-needs individuals in accessing the services offered by the State Archives. The person appointed was Mrs Arleta Kwiatkowska, akwiatkowska@archiwa.gov.pl, tel. 22 56 54 605. Should you have any issues with the accessibility of the website, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator. Requests for the provision of inaccessible information and accessibility requests can be submitted the same way.

Anyone is entitled to request the digital accessibility of a website, mobile application or any of their elements. You may also request that information be made accessible in an alternative manner, such as by reading a digitally-inaccessible document, being provided a description of a video material which lacks audio description etc. Such a request should contain the personal data of the requesting party, should specify the website or mobile application in question, as well as contact preferences. If the requesting party would like to receive the requested information via a different access channel, they should specify which manner of presenting the requested information is convenient to them. The State Archives Head Office can fulfill such requests without delay, not later than within 7 business days of submitting the request. If this is impossible, The State Archives Head Office shall inform the requesting party without delay about a predicted fulfillment date, which may not exceed 2 months of submitting the request. If providing digital accessibility proves to be impossible, The State Archives Head Office may offer an alternative method of accessing the information.

If a request for digital accessibility or an alternative method of accessing information is denied, the requesting party may submit a complaint regarding ensuring the digital accessibility of a website, mobile application or an element of a website or mobile application.

The claims and requests submission procedure can be found on the The State Archives Head Office Public Information Bulletin website.

The organ of appeal in the above procedure is the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.

If the above procedure proves ineffective, the requesting party may also submit a request to the Commissioner for Human Rights.

Additional information

Architectural accessibility

The State Archives Head Office, ul. Rakowiecka 2D, 02-517 Warsaw

The building can be accessed via one entrance on Rakowiecka Street. The entrance to the building is not elevated. The main entrance leads directly to a vestibule with another door leading to a lobby. The staff entrance (which also serves as an escape door) is located on the opposite end of the building, facing a Police station.

The lobby is to the right of the entrance, past the vestibule. Further access to the building is secured with the use of access-controlled doors and door closers, which are accessible to wheelchair users.

Wheelchair users can only access the corridor and rooms on the ground floor. The building does not feature a lift.

An accessible toilet can be found on the ground floor, near staircase A, to the right before the stairs.

The building and all its rooms may be accessed by disabled visitors accompanied by a service or guide dog.

The building features no Braille markings or contrastive, large-scale printed markings for the visually impaired.

The State Archives Head Office building features a car park with 2 parking spots for the disabled and 1 maternity parking spot. These are marked accordingly using traffic signs and marks.

The lobby is equipped with an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator). This device measures the heart rate of the person it is used on and determines if it is necessary to defibrillate.

The building (the lobby) is equipped with an audio induction loop which facilitates hearing, relaying information without any distortions straight ‘into the ear’ of its disabled user.

In the building (second floor), on the staircase A, there is a chair for the evacuation of people with limited mobility.

Sign language interpreter

In accordance with Art. 9(3) and (4) of the Act on sign language and other means of communication of August 19, 2011 (Journal of Laws No. 209 item 1243), The State Archives Head Office would like to announce that it offers a sign language interpretation service to eligible individuals, in addition to the following means of facilitating communication:

The use of the online sign language interpreter service is free of charge and requires no prior booking.

The online sign language interpreter service can be accessed in one of two ways:

  1. By visiting a The State Archives Head Office building whose lobby features an area marked as offering access to the service. A staff member (using a camera-equipped computer) will establish a connection with a sign language interpreter. The interpreter then serves as the intermediary in the conversation between the visitor and the staff member. The conversation takes place in real time.
  2. The service can also be used from the comfort of your home. You need an electronic device (a PC, laptop or tablet) with a camera and Internet access. The service can be accessed from The State Archives Head Office website by clicking the appropriate icon: