UK charity Book Aid International has joined English PEN and PEN International in supporting PEN Ukraine’s Unbreakable Libraries project with a donation of 25,000 brand-new books, all of which have been generously provided free of charge by leading UK publishers. The books will support libraries throughout Ukraine including in front-line and liberated territories, and are expected to arrive in Kyiv in September 2023.
Since Russian forces invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the library network across all regions of Ukraine has been systematically suffering from heavy bombardments. More than 570 Ukrainian libraries have been damaged and completely or partly lost their book collections. Some of them have been forced to move to safer regions of Ukraine.
The increasing number of internally displaced persons (IDP) — some 5 million people at the end of June 2023 — and the frequent power outages in all the regions of Ukraine have affected the work of libraries, with a growing public interest in printed books, and a lack of them.
In response, PEN Ukraine launched the Unbreakable Libraries project in June 2022 to support Ukrainian libraries. Since then, with the support of international partners, Ukrainian publishers and Ukrainian citizens, PEN Ukraine has collected and sent books in Ukrainian and English to libraries in the Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Sumy, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Donetsk regions. This additional donation of 25,000 books will enable PEN Ukraine to expand its campaign and support more institutions.
The use of English language is today a significant part of daily communication in Ukraine. More and more people use it daily for work, leisure, or learn it from scratch, explains Tetyana Teren, Executive Director of PEN Ukraine. The English language is integrated into Ukraine’s educational and cultural processes, and as a result, there are plenty opportunities for international partnerships and projects. Unfortunately, acquiring new English books is challenging in present-day Ukraine. Hence, our objective is to assist libraries in fulfilling readers’ aspirations to learn, improve and practise English. Jointly with Book Aid International, PEN International, and English PEN our initiative aims to make English books accessible in libraries all around Ukraine.
The libraries PEN Ukraine is supporting have become far more than places to read. They are social hubs where people can spend time with their community, and some even serve as shelters during bombardments. Access to books in those libraries helps Ukrainians living in the war cope with the challenges they face. English language books in particular provide a sense of connection with the outside world and international solidarity with Ukraine.
In April 2023, English PEN and PEN International joined the initiative by organising the collection of books during their programme of events at the London Book Fair.
PEN International is proud to support the Unbreakable Libraries project in Ukraine. As an organisation at the intersection of literature and human rights, we recognize the vital role that access to books plays in fostering resilience and rebuilding communities affected by war. By providing these books, we aim to empower young generations to continue their education, enhance their language skills, and find solace and inspiration through literature. Our collaboration reflects our commitment to promoting freedom of expression and ensuring that the transformative power of literature reaches those who need it the most. Romana Cacchioli, PEN International Executive Director
Daniel Gorman, Director of English PEN, said: We are grateful to everyone who donated books and supported the growth of this initiative at the London Book Fair, and to Book Aid International for taking this important and urgent project to the next level. We are proud to support PEN Ukraine in this vital campaign and to partner with PEN International to protect and promote access to literature, as we continue our work championing the freedom to write and the freedom to read.
Book Aid International’s Chief Executive, Alison Tweed, spoke of the charity’s commitment to supporting Ukrainian libraries:
“When PEN Ukraine reached out to Book Aid international at the London Book Fair this year, we knew we had to support this very important and courageous initiative to donate books to libraries across Ukraine and give readers access to books in English. We hope that these books will provide comfort and escape to Ukrainians who are facing the realities of war, particularly to so many children whose lives have been overturned and hugely impacted by the war. We warmly thank all our book donors and financial supporters for making this book donation possible.”
The books will be shipped overland from Book Aid International’s South London warehouse to a central depot in Kyiv, and from there to libraries by PEN Ukraine in partnership with the New Post Company.
PEN Ukraine have conducted a preliminary survey among 100 Ukrainian libraries from different regions of the country, which revealed that the libraries have a high demand for children’s and teenage books, both fiction and non-fiction, as well as books to support English language learning. Other requests include English language biographies, memoirs, reportages, essays, classic and self-development books, and contemporary fiction. The requested quantities range from 10 to 2,000 books.
In response, Book Aid International’s shipment will be made up primarily of children’s books, as well as classics, art and leisure books, and English as a Foreign Language texts. Each will be carefully selected in response to PEN Ukraine’s requests.
Bloomsbury is one of the publishers supporting this shipment. Bloomsbury founder and Book Aid International president Nigel Newton spoke of his support for the campaign, saying:
“This is an incredibly important book donation which will create access to books for Ukrainians who have been through unimaginable challenges since the Russian invasion. I’m urging more publishers to get behind this shipment however they can – whether by donating books, funds or spreading the word.”
Publishers interested in contributing books to the September shipment should contact Mark Simpson: [email protected].
To find out more about the Unbreakable Libraries campaign, please visit https://pen.org.ua/en/nezlamni-biblioteky.