Wolviex,
I think that many of the books we use as references are becoming even more difficult to obtain, however I think the others would join with me in offering to assisting you directly with whatever we can. Just contact us and let us know what you need. If you need to check a reference out of a particular resource, often we can help. As far as the books themselves..well when they can be found they are incredibly expensive usually in the older ones. Slowly new ones are being published, in fact a landmark book on Indian weapons, "Hindu Arms and Ritual" has just been released by Dr. Robert Elgood. This book can only be described as magnificent and essential to the library of any student of arms and armour as well as those studying anthropology, religions, and art.
With regard to your observations on museum perspective there in Poland, I think this is something that seems to pervade museums worldwide these days unfortunately in many cases. I would be careful to note that this obviously excludes many larger museums who make efforts to maintain scholarly study and representations of arms and armour study, the premier example of which is the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
I would like to add that there have been many outstanding Polish scholars and authors with valuable contributions to the study of arms and armour, whose books would seem more available to you there, while extremely difficult for us to obtain here in the U.S.
To name just a few:
"Szabla Zotnierza Polskiego XIX i XX wiek"
Aleksander Czerwinski and Leslaw Dudek, Warsaw, 1988
"Polish Arms, Side Arms" by Andrzej Nadolski, Warsaw, 1974
"Piec Wiekow Szabli Polskiej" by Wlodzimierz Kwasniewicz, Warsaw, 1993
"Ciecia Prawdziwa Szabla" by Wojciech Zablocki, Warsaw, 1989
and most valuable and of broader scope,
"Bron W Dawnej Polsce", by Dr. Zdzislaw Zygulski Jr. Warsaw, 1975
Professor Zygulski is as you know a brilliant scholar and has been director of the Czartoryskich collection for many years. His contributions to the incorporation of the study of arms and armour and of art are well known, especially his work on the "Polish Rider" by Rembrandt and his unforgettable work on the 'winged hussars' of Poland. A number of years ago he was very kind and helpful in assisting me with a query concerning elements of motif in certain Polish weapons and armour. That a scholar of his station took the time to assist with what must have seemed elementary is something I certainly have never forgotten.
I just wanted to express gratitude to the many Polish scholars who have been so helpful to us here in the west, and that we would welcome the opportunity to return the favor.
With all best regards,
Jim