Send a mobile library to Ukraine

Help us raise £10,000 to send a mobile library from the UK to Ukraine

Librarians in Ukraine say they need a mobile library. Let's send them one.

Ukrainian libraries are under attack

When Russia invaded Ukraine, a key part of its strategy was to destroy the cultural heritage of the Ukrainian people. To date over 600 public libraries and 2,000 school libraries have been damaged or destroyed by Russian troops. Millions of Ukrainian books have been burned - literary works by Ukrainian writers and textbooks on Ukrainian history have been particularly targeted.

Send a message of solidarity

When we asked our partners in Ukraine how we could help, they said they needed a mobile library. With a mobile library they could continue to provide a service when their library buildings have been destroyed or damaged. They told us it would bring moral support and a message of solidarity while preserving and promoting Ukrainian culture. And for children, each visit from a mobile library brings new stories, characters and adventures - sparking imaginations and possibilities as a time of unthinkable suffering.

With £10,000 we can purchase a decommissioned, fully serviced mobile library from a UK library service and deliver it to librarians in Ukraine. This includes all necessary renovation and conversion, insurance, fuel and travel costs.  The mobile library will be driven across Europe to the Ukraine border, where it will be handed over to our partners and taken into Ukraine.

FAQs

What is Libraries Connected?

We are an independent charity that supports, promotes and represents public libraries. Our work is driven and led by our membership, which includes every library service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. As well as providing practical support, training and advice to libraries, we represent them to government and raise their profile in the media. Part of our core funding in England comes from Arts Council England to help libraries embed their Investment Principles.  Find out more about us.

Who are you working with in Ukraine?

Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, we have worked in partnership with Library Country Ukraine, a charitable foundation in Ukraine that has a similar role to Libraries Connected. Its achievements include:

• Delivering over 100,000 books to more than 500 Ukrainian libraries
• Providing humanitarian aid to more than 200 librarians affected by Russia's attack on Ukraine, as well as professional, psychological and legal assistance, and facilitating networking and mutual assistance among affected librarians
• Supporting the physical and mental health of communities through the Healthy Libraries in Ukraine initiative
• Helping to expand access to books for Ukrainians abroad and donating more than 30,000 Ukrainian books to European libraries and refugee centres 

We have recently established a twinning programme with Library Country Ukraine, matching UK and Ukrainian libraries for mutual support and cultural exchange. We also working with the Ukrainian Library Association.

Do you have to donate as an individual?

No, we welcome donations from companies and other organisations.

When will the library be delivered to Ukraine?

The situation in Ukraine is constantly changing but we hope to deliver the library in the summer of 2024, if we are successful in reaching our target.

What will you do if you don't reach your target?

If we don't reach our target by the deadline the trustee board of Libraries Connected will decide how best to use the donations. If we are unable to purchase and deliver a mobile library with the funds raised, we will donate them to the Library Country Ukraine Charitable Foundation to buy books for Ukrainian libraries and support librarians in need.

Who will stock the library?

The mobile library will be stocked by our partners in Ukraine but there will also be an opportunity for libraries in the UK to donate Ukrainian or bilingual books.

Will the mobile library have disabled access?

Yes, the mobile library will be fully accessible.

Why Ukraine and not other conflict zones?

We have chosen Ukraine because we have a longstanding partnership with Library Country, who first suggested the idea to us. The logistics are manageable and it is possible to deliver the mobile library safely. If this initiative is successful we will consider a wider programme covering other conflict zones around the world.