Library and book lovers who want to help the Ukrainian library community are encouraged to donate to the ALA Ukraine Library Relief Fund. Established by the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Ukrainian Library Association (ULA), the fund will gather donations for the Ukrainian library community as they face the challenges of war.
Dozens of libraries in cities and towns throughout Ukraine have been severely damaged or destroyed since the beginning of Russian aggression. Ukrainian librarians have kept libraries open for as long as possible and are improvising to bring services to people. In Kreminna, the city library offered services a couple of hours a week as street fighting raged. And in Kharkiv, librarians organized a pop-up library in the metropolitan transit system where families were taking shelter.
In addition to the destruction and damage of libraries in the war zones, there are significant challenges serving people displaced by the fighting. Libraries do not have enough computers for displaced people to use to communicate with relatives or for job seeking, online learning, and more.
Funds raised by the ALA Ukraine Library Relief Fund will help purchase computers, software, and other resources. Donations will also help support immediate repair needs such as glazing windows and fixing roofs damaged by bombing to keep libraries open. ULA will provide small amounts of support for librarians and library workers who are in harm’s way, wounded, or displaced and need of financial assistance.
“The Ukrainian Library Association expresses our sincere gratitude to the American Library Association and American library community for the unity and support of Ukraine and Ukrainian librarians,” said ULA President Oksana Brui. “We highly appreciate your efforts to raise funds for rebuilding and reconstruction of Ukrainian libraries and supporting library services during and after the Russian aggression.”
Donations to the ALA Ukraine Library Relief Fund can be made directly via credit card or by check made out to the American Library Association with a notation that it is for Ukraine. ALA will send donations to ULA once a month.
