Potikha Andrii

Activities of Ukrainian Libraries in the Conditions of Russian Military Aggression

Abstract: The modern war unleashed by the Russian authorities against Ukraine has brought significant changes to the activities of libraries. Every day the number of damaged cultural institutions grew, including libraries, both urban and rural. In the occupied territories, the invaders confiscated Ukrainian-language literature from the surviving libraries, which did not coincide with the Kremlin propaganda. Ukrainian-language literatureis being destroyed, despite its scientific value. At the same time, the ideology of Russian great power and hatred for Ukrainian national identity were imposed. Recently, a large amount of literature has been published that spreads false information about Ukraine, the Ukrainian liberation movement, and Ukrainian culture. Ukrainian libraries are faced with the task of with drawing such propaganda literature. In difficult conditions, libraries work by providing the necessary services to readers. From the first days of the invasion, Ukrainian librarians, using their knowledge, skillsand abilities accumulated over the past 8 years, have been helping the defenders and the civilian population. Their main professional and life priorities have become the protection of the information space: the fight against fakes, misinformation and cyber threats. Electronic versions of books are popularized in libraries. Ukrainian publishing houses opened free access to their sites. And librarians acquaint readers with new editions. Libraries have bomb shelters or equipped rooms where readers and librarians can be duringan air raid. Libraries have also actively joined the volunteer movement. Receiving financial assistance from foreign partners, librarians help volunteers distribute and deliver everything they need to their destination in a timely manner. Since the first day of the war, libraries have also been collecting books for migrants who ended up in Poland. All these give reason to conclude that even under war circumstances, libraries continue to work and perform their important functions in informing users, providing access to literature and services, helping psychological rehabilitation of victims of Russian aggression.

Keywords: libraries in conditions of war, russian aggression, additional library services.

  Full-text PDF    https://doi.org/10.15407/np.64.055     Citation

• Potikha Andrii (V. I. Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, Ukraine, Kyiv, pal56@ukr.net) ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4750-1542

Cite:
Potikha Andrii (2022). Activities of Ukrainian Libraries in the Conditions of Russian Military Aggression. Academic Papers of The Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine, (64) 55-73. (In Ukrainan). doi: https://doi.org/10.15407/np.64.055

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