John A. Drobnicki, M.A., M.L.S.

Professor of Library Services
Head of Acquisitions & Collection Development
Slow down your steps and listen to the sound of history.
"...one of the world's foremost experts on the literature of Holocaust denial."
- John C. Zimmerman, Holocaust Denial: Demographics, Testimonies and Ideologies (p. vii).

Department: Library
Office Room: 3G02a
Office Tel: 718-262-2025
Office Fax: 718-262-2997

Email: jdrobnickiATyorkDOTcunyDOTedu
Alternate address for this page: http://www.drobnicki.com/

Google Scholar citations

Other Home Pages:
http://www.york.cuny.edu/portal_college/john-drobnicki
http://www.nizkor.org/contributors/drobnicki-john.html

Background
Education
Organizations
Publications
Online Articles

BACKGROUND: Prior to coming to York College of The City University of New York, I was a librarian with the Queens Borough Public Library, where I worked in the Social Sciences Division, the History, Travel & Biography Division (which is now part of Social Sciences), and the Fine Arts & Recreation Division of the Central Library. In the branches, I worked in Queens Village, Flushing, Jackson Heights, and Vleigh (since renamed Kew Gardens Hills). I was also the Assistant Manager of the Ridgewood and Howard Beach branches.
EDUCATION: I received my M.L.S. from the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies at Queens College. My other Master's degree is in History from St. John's University, where I also taught History as an adjunct instructor. 
ORGANIZATIONS: I am a member of the Polish American Historical Association, the Polish Genealogical Society of America, the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America, the Library Association of the City University of New York, the Chinese American Librarians Association, the Connecticut Ancestry Society, Phi Alpha Theta, Beta Phi Mu, and the Professional Staff Congress of CUNY.  In the past, I contributed research to both the Nizkor Project and The Holocaust History Project.
PUBLICATIONS: I have contributed articles to Public & Access Services Quarterly (since renamed Public Services Quarterly); the Bulletin of Bibliography; the Polish Review; the Journal of Hate Studies; the Polish-American Journal; College & Research Libraries News; the Bulletin of the Polish Genealogical Society; PNCC Studies; The 'Net Homesteader; ERIC; Biographical Dictionary of American and Canadian Naturalists and Environmentalists; The Polish-American Encyclopedia; The Infography; Evolution in Reference and Information Services: The Impact of the Internet; The Reference Librarian; the Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives (SEAL); the SEAL thematic series, which contains volumes on Sports Figures and The 1960s; Deceit and Misrepresentation: The Techniques of Holocaust Denial; the Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter; St. John's Today; Connecticut Ancestry; Mills Ancestry; Martyrdom and Resistance; Polish American Studies; News from CUNY Libraries; ACRL/NY Metro News; and the OAH Magazine of History.
I have published over one-hundred thirty book reviews, in: Choice; American Reference Books Annual; Library Journal; the Polish Review; the Journal of Library and Information Science; Public Libraries; Rodziny; PAHA Newsletter; the Polish-American Journal; Recommended Reference Books for Small and Medium-sized Libraries and Media Centers; ARBA Guide to Subject Encyclopedias and Dictionaries; ARBA Guide to Biographical Resources, 1986-1997; ARBA In-depth: Children's and Young Adult Titles; the Library and Information Science Annual; and the Bulletin of the Polish Genealogical Society of America, as well as reviews of electronic resources in College & Research Libraries News, and reviews of educational videos in the EMIE Bulletin.
Click here for a complete list of my reviews.
ONLINE ARTICLES:
  • "Pray for Them All," a letter to the editor of the New York Times, 28 July 1989, A26.
  • "No Frontier, No Invasion," a letter to the editor of the New York Times, 15 Apr. 1990, Sec. IV, 12.
  • "A Touch of Controversy," from the Polish-American Journal, Feb. 1991.
  • "Names From Gravestones at Holy Cross Polish National Catholic Cemetery, Commack, New York," from the Polish Genealogical Society Newsletter, Vol. 15, No. 1 (Spring 1992).
  • "Execution and Extermination," a letter to the editor of the New York Times Book Review, 27 Dec. 1992, 4.
  • "The Auschwitz Convent Controversy," from the PAHA Newsletter, XLIX, no. 1 (Jan. 1993): 2.
  • "The Holocaust Did Happen," from the Polish-American Journal, June 1993.
  • "Untruth in the Classroom," from the OAH Magazine of History, Vol. 8, no. 2 (Winter 1994): 57, 64. Also available here.
  • "The Confidentiality of Library Users' Records," ERIC Document ED358846.
  • "The Difference Between Holocaust and Genocide," from the Polish-American Journal, Jan. 1994.
  • "Holocaust-Denial Literature: A Bibliography," from the Bulletin of Bibliography, Vol. 51, no. 1 (Mar. 1994): 17-24.
  • "Richard Mills of Stratford, Connecticut; or is it New Haven, Long Island, or Westchester?" from Mills Ancestry, no. 34 (10 July 1994).
  • "You Don't Have to Be Jewish," a letter to the editor from American Libraries, Vol. 25, no. 10 (Nov. 1994): 912.
  • "Nazism on the Internet," from the Polish-American Journal, Jan. 1995.
  • "Holocaust-Denial Literature in Public Libraries: An Investigation of Public Librarians' Attitudes Regarding Acquisition and Access," from Public & Access Services Quarterly, Vol. 1, no. 1 (1995): 5-40.
  • "Libraries and the Work Ethic," a letter to the editor from American Libraries, Vol. 27, no. 1 (Jan. 1996): 44.
  • "The Soap Allegations," from Deceit and Misrepresentation: The Techniques of Holocaust Denial. This article is also available from  the Jewish Virtual Library, has been translated into Spanish (with the title "Discusiones sobre el Jabón Humano"), and inspired an abridged French version (with the title "Le savon humain: rumeur, réalité et histoire").
  • "Some Genealogical Sources on the Internet," from the Polish-American Journal, June 1996.
  • "The Nizkor Project and the Fight Against Holocaust Denial," from The 'Net Homesteader, Vol. 1, no. 4, (Oct./Nov. 1996).
  • "Bliss: The Man and the Classification," ERIC document ED396758.
  • "Holocaust-Denial Literature: An Additional Bibliography," from the Bulletin of Bibliography, Vol. 53, no. 4 (Dec. 1996): 359-368.
  • "Eugene Kusielewicz: Scholar and Teacher," from the the Polish-American Journal, Feb. 1997.
  • "The Russo-Polish War, 1919-1920: A Bibliography of Materials in English," from the Polish Review, Vol. 42, no. 1 (Mar. 1997): 95-104.
  • Letter from Holocaust revisionist Mark Weber to the Editor of Public & Access Services Quarterly, criticizing my article in Vol. 1, no. 1 (1995).
  • "A Response to Mark Weber," from Public & Access Services Quarterly , Vol. 2, no. 3 (1997): 49-58.
  • "Librarians Seek Answers For Literature of Denial," from Martyrdom and Resistance, Vol. 23, no. 4 (May-June 1997): 12, 15.
  • Contributor to Biographical Dictionary of American and Canadian Naturalists and Environmentalists, ed. Keir B. Sterling et al. (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1997): Edward Augustus Bowers, Thomas Mayo Brewer, Charles Hugh Callison, Merritt Lyndon Fernald, and Karl Patterson Schmidt.
  • "Eugene Kusielewicz, 1930-1996," from Polish-American Studies, Vol. 54, no. 2 (Autumn 1997), inside front cover.
  • Internet Newsgroups, York College Library Internet Users' Guide, 1998.
  • "Holocaust-Denial Literature: A Third Bibliography," from the Bulletin of Bibliography, Vol. 55, no. 3 (Sept. 1998): 157-168.
  • Review of The Felix Posen Bibliographic Project on Antisemitism, from College & Research Libraries News, Vol. 59, no. 11 (Dec. 1998): 891.
  • "Holocaust Denial and Libraries: Should Libraries Acquire Revisionist Materials?" from College & Research Libraries News, Vol. 60, no. 6 (June 1999): 463-464. Also available here.
  • "A Bibliography of the Published Writings of Eugene Kusielewicz, 1956-1996," from Polish American Studies, Vol. 56, no. 1 (Spring 1999): 99-110. Also available here.
  • "The War of Griffin's Pig: A Bibliography of the Anglo-American Northwest Boundary Dispute," from the Bulletin of Bibliography, Vol. 56, no. 2 (June 1999): 65-68.
  • "Truth in Labeling," a letter to the editor from The New Republic, Vol. 220, no. 24 (14 June 1999): 53. Also available here.
  • "Holocaust Denial," from The Infography.
  • "Please Forgo Your Ferret," a letter to the editor from American Libraries, Vol. 31, no. 8 (Sept. 2000): 41.
  • Review of The International Institute of Social History website, from College & Research Libraries News, Vol. 61, no. 8 (Sept. 2000): 714.
  • "Dealing With Internet Hate," from Martyrdom and Resistance, Vol. 27, no. 1 (Sept.-Oct. 2000): 3, 6.
  • "Holocaust-Denial Literature: A Fourth Bibliography," from the Bulletin of Bibliography, Vol. 57, no. 4 (Dec. 2000): 257-286.
  • "Pornography is Legal," a letter to the editor of Library Journal, Vol. 126, no. 1 (Jan. 2001): 8. Also available here.
  • Letter to the Editor regarding library fax policies, from the Journal of Religious & Theological Information, Vol. 4, no. 1 (2001): 3. Also available here.
  • "Historical Fabrications on the Internet: Recognition, Evaluation, and Use in Bibliographic Instruction," by John A. Drobnicki and Richard Asaro, from Evolution in Reference and Information Services: The Impact of the Internet, ed. Di Su (Haworth Press, 2001), 121-164. (Simultaneously published as Vol. 35, no. 74 of the Reference Librarian.)
  • Review of the Armenian National Institute website, from College & Research Libraries News, Vol. 63, no. 4 (Apr. 2002): 297-298.
  • "Holocaust-Denial Literature: A Fifth Bibliography," from the Bulletin of Bibliography, Vol. 59, no. 3 (Sept. 2002): 93-110.
  • "Prove Them Right," a letter to the editor from the New York Sun, 9 Apr. 2003, 7.
  • Review of EUROPARL: The European Parliament On-Line website, from College & Research Libraries News, Vol. 64, no. 8 (Sept. 2003): 552-553.
  • "Shedding Light on Schools," a letter to the editor from the New York Sun, 5-7 Dec. 2003, 9.
  • "Making Believe," a letter to the editor from the Daily News, 21 Mar. 2004, 44.
  • "Cuomo-ism," a letter to the editor from the New York Sun, 11 May 2004, 10.
  • "Wall Issue Complex," a letter to the editor from Episcopal Life, Dec. 2004, 26.
  • Letter to NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday, 17 Sept. 2005.
  • "A Brief History of the York College Library," an ongoing project celebrating the 45th anniversary of the College and our Library.
  • "What's New in Your Library," Academic Affairs Update, Vol. 2, no. 1 (Feb. 2008): 12.
  • "The Library's Bassin Collection," by Scott Sheidlower and John Drobnicki, Academic Affairs Update, Vol. 2, no. 2 (Mar. 2008): 5.
  • "CUNY Connection to 'The Great Debaters,'" a letter to the editor from the Clarion, Mar. 2008, 2.
  • "Major Donation to Library," by Daniel E. Cleary and John A. Drobnicki, Academic Affairs Update, Vol. 3, no. 1 (Feb. 2009): 5.
  • "Denying Genocide?" a letter to the editor from Library Journal, Vol. 134, no. 8 (May 1, 2009): 10.
  • "Election & Selection," a letter to the editor from the Clarion, Summer 2009, 2.
  • "York Alumna as Special Librarian," Academic Affairs Update, Vol. 3, no. 6 (Nov. 2009): 6.
  • "Library’s Archival Collection Tapped by Exxon-Mobil," Academic Affairs Update, Vol. 4, no. 6 (Oct. 2010): 9.
  • "Holocaust-Denial Literature: A Sixth Bibliography," from the Journal of Hate Studies, Vol. 8, no. 1 (2010): 103-129.
  • "1967 Convocation Charter," Academic Affairs Update, Vol. 4, no. 10 (Mar. 2011): 15.
  • "Al Sears’ Saxophone at York Library," Academic Affairs Update, Vol. 5, no. 6 (Oct. 2011): 12.
  • "Hezekiah and Charity Mills of Westport, Connecticut," Connecticut Ancestry, Vol. 54, no. 2 (Nov. 2011): 94.
  • Contributor to The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives, ed. Kenneth T. Jackson et al. (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1998- ):
    - Vol. I: 1981-1985: Howard Harold Hanson
    - Vol. II: 1986-1990: George Herbert Allen, William B. Williams
    - Vol. III: 1991-1993: Davis Eli ("David") Ruffin
    - Vol. IV: 1994-1996: Wolfman Jack (Robert Weston Smith)
    - Vol. V: 1997-1999: Wilbur Charles ("Weeb") Ewbank
    - Thematic Series, Vol. I: Sports Figures: Terrance Gordon ("Terry") Sawchuk
    - Thematic Series, Vol. II: The 1960s: (Abbott) Vaughn Meader
    - Vol. VI: 2000-2002: Albert George ("Al") Hibbler
    - Vol. VII: 2003-2005: Joan B. Kroc
    - Vol. VIII: 2006-2008: Lamar Hunt
  • Contributor to the The Polish-American Encyclopedia, ed. James S. Pula (Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 2011): Henryk Archacki, Mieczysław Horszowski, Byron Janis, Jerzy Jan "George" Lerski, Frank Mocha, Edward Alan Peckwas, Richard Edgar Pipes, Polish Anti-Defamation Committee, Robert Prosky, Frank Anthony Renkiewicz, Stanisław Skrowaczewski, and Hank Stram.
  • "Full Circle," News from CUNY Libraries, Vol. 31, no. 2 (Winter 2012).

    HTML: John A. Drobnicki
    Last modified: Feb. 27, 2013