The prize is awarded in two categories: for Polish books in the field of source studies and auxiliary sciences of history, and for book-length source editions. It aims to promote Polish works in this field. Candidates submitted by independent academics are assessed by the Jury (comprising members of the Editorial Board and Advisory Committee of the Studia Źródłoznawcze. Commentationes) in two stages. First, a group of no more than six nominated books is selected by correspondence, and then the hierarchy and the amount of the awards are decided in plenary session, followed by the award ceremony. The prize is funded by the Director of the Institute of History of the Polish Academy of Sciences and by the Dean of the Faculty of History of the University of Warsaw; it is possible for sponsors to contribute to the prize fund.