Maria Flora Zielińska, z domu Nałęcz-Odrzywolska, wyjechała z Krakowa w 1957 roku. Wraz z mężem Jankiem osiedli najpierw w Montrealu, później w Ottawie. Maria, kobieta o wielkim temperamencie i sercu, przez ponad pół wieku niestrudzenie pracowała na rzecz ukochanej Polski, Polonii i Kanady. W kraju ukończyła studia rolnicze na UJ, a w Kanadzie bibliotekoznawstwo na McGill University. Czynnie działała w niemal wszystkich ottawskich organizacjach polonijnych, reprezentowała je także na forum ogólnokanadyjskim. Zawodowo związana była z kanadyjskimi bibliotekami: uniwersytecką w Montrealu i Narodową w Ottawie, współtworzyła biblioteki przy instytucjach polonijnych. Zorganizowała i przez ponad 20 lat prowadziła Multilingual Biblioservice, biblioteczney serwis służący kanadyjskim grupom etnicznym. Była to jedna z ważniejszych instytucji powołanych przez rząd P.E. Trudeau w ramach polityki pluralizmu kulturowego. Wielką miłością Marysi pozostał Kraków, gdzie często przyjeżdżała do ostatnich swoich lat, by przejść się po Starym Mieście, iść do Kościoła Mariackiego i do kawiarni Noworola, odwiedzić przyjaciół, po prostu pobyć. Ottawskie mieszkanie Zielińskich zawsze było otwarte dla przybyszów, nie tylko z Polski. Zmarła jesienią 2016 roku w wieku 95 lat.

From Kraków to Ottawa. Maria Flora Zielińska – a piece of Poland in Canada
Maria Flora Zielińska, née Nałęcz-Odrzywolska, left Krakow in 1957. With her husband Janek, she settled first in Montreal, later in Ottawa. Maria, a woman of great temperament and heart, worked tirelessly for her beloved Poland, Polish diaspora and Canada for over half a century. When still in Poland, she completed her studies at the Jagiellonian University, and then in Canada – library studies at McGill University. She was active in almost all Ottawa’s Polish diaspora organizations, representing them in the Canadian fora. Professionally, she worked for the university library in Montreal and the National Library Canada in Ottawa, but she also helped establish libraries at Polish diaspora institutions. She created and for over 20 years served as head of the Multilingual Biblioservice, a library service for Canadian ethnic groups within the National Library Canada. It was one of the most important institutions supported by the P.E. Trudeau government as part Canada’s cultural pluralism policy. Krakow remained her great love until the end of her life. She often returned to the city to stroll in the Old Town, to go to St. Mary’s Church and to the Noworol Café, to visit friends, just to stay in town for a while. In the Zielińskis’ Ottawa apartment newcomers were always welcome, not only those from Poland. She died in the fall of 2016 at the age of 95.

Keywords: Zielinska, Kraków, Canada, Polonia, library

From Kraków to Ottawa. Maria Flora Zielińska – a piece of Poland in Canada
Maria Flora Zielińska, née Nałęcz-Odrzywolska, left Krakow in 1957. With her husband Janek, she settled first in Montreal, later in Ottawa. Maria, a woman of great temperament and heart, worked tirelessly for her beloved Poland, Polish diaspora and Canada for over half a century. When still in Poland, she completed her studies at the Jagiellonian University, and then in Canada – library studies at McGill University. She was active in almost all Ottawa’s Polish diaspora organizations, representing them in the Canadian fora. Professionally, she worked for the university library in Montreal and the National Library Canada in Ottawa, but she also helped establish libraries at Polish diaspora institutions. She created and for over 20 years served as head of the Multilingual Biblioservice, a library service for Canadian ethnic groups within the National Library Canada. It was one of the most important institutions supported by the P.E. Trudeau government as part Canada’s cultural pluralism policy. Krakow remained her great love until the end of her life. She often returned to the city to stroll in the Old Town, to go to St. Mary’s Church and to the Noworol Café, to visit friends, just to stay in town for a while. In the Zielińskis’ Ottawa apartment newcomers were always welcome, not only those from Poland. She died in the fall of 2016 at the age of 95.