Solutions from Ukraine: Kyiv region launches free book distribution project for libraries
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A project has been initiated in the Kyiv region to distribute books for free to libraries.
The co-founder of the Irpin Restoration Fund, Volodymyr Karpluk, reported this on Facebook.
What is the problem?
Language is of great importance when it comes to protecting a country's geographical and cultural borders and the development and national identity of an entire nation.
Therefore, due to the full-scale Russian aggression in Ukraine, it became apparent that the Ukrainian book must finally and forever supplant the Russian one.
- First, the availability of quality Ukrainian literature naturally eliminates the need to buy and read Russian and instills love for the Ukrainian language.
- Secondly, the book market will be able to function and develop. More profit — stable growth of the book industry.
- Thirdly, the Ukrainianization of the book market will contribute to the development of culture because there is no statehood without culture and culture without books.
But not everyone has the opportunity to buy books in stores because their prices are pretty high. There is another way out – it's a trip to the library. However, the Russian aggression led to the fact that libraries massively removed Russian-language literature from their collections and are trying to replace it with Ukrainian-language publications.
However, there are not enough books in the Ukrainian language, or the libraries do not have the funds to purchase them.
What is the solution?
Therefore, in Irpin, Kyiv region, the "Brave" society started its own publishing project, "Library "Words of the Brave".
The purpose of this project is:
- popularization of quality Ukrainian literature,
- encouraging young people to read and self-develop.
How does it work?
Within the scope of the project, the Society with its funds:
- will publish books by outstanding Ukrainian writers, poets, translators,
- will distribute them free of charge in public and school libraries of Kyiv region.
Books can also be purchased in bookstores or listened to in audio format.
The first will be a printed collection of poems by one of the authors who lived and worked in Irpin. Five authors are planning to publish books by the end of this year.
In addition, the "Brave" Society actively supports the cultural life of the Irpin community. In particular, the company:
- supported the creation of the Literary mural "The Secret Dinner of Writers,"
- initiated the creation of a mural with Taras Shevchenko's painting "Kateryna,"
- bronze sculpture "Resistance," dedicated to the heroes who defended the city.
For reference:
In 2020, the Brave Society launched the Irpin Literary Award – an annual all-Ukrainian award in the field of literature with five nominations:
- "Poetry",
- "Prose",
- special prize "Literature for children,"
- "For already published books by Ukrainian authors,"
- "For the best literary work of a military serviceman or a war veteran with Russia."
- The collection of works of the first laureates has already been published in the book "Words of the Brave."
The Irpin Literary Prize is the largest in Ukraine in terms of the size of the prize fund and will amount to 500,000 hryvnias.
Also, with the support of the "Brave" Society, the All-Ukrainian plein air "Painted Irpin" is held annually in Irpin.
It should be noted that the German Goethe-Institut announced the start of a project for libraries.
In addition, a round table was held at the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, where the work on the creation of the National Electronic Library of Ukraine was presented.
