Celebrating Libraries in Ukraine: New Horizons
September 30 marks the National Library Day in Ukraine, established by Presidential Decree on May 14, 1998, to acknowledge the vital contributions of libraries to education, science, and culture.
Ukraine is home to over 30,000 libraries, including national, university, children's, and specialized libraries. The largest among them is the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine.
On September 26 and 30, 2024, festive events dedicated to National Library Day took place in Odesa.
The director of the Culture Department of the Odesa City Council, Ivan Liptuga, presented awards to the best librarians.
«Your work is incredibly important. We see libraries transforming into modern spaces where young people can engage. This year, the budget for libraries has increased nearly fourfold, allowing for the purchase of quality Ukrainian literature. Libraries today are not just book repositories but platforms for youth initiatives and cultural events», emphasized Ivan Liptuga.
In the first nine months of this year, the Central Library System for adults welcomed 207,000 visitors, while children's libraries served 529,000 children.
According to the Culture Department, 1,292,821 books were issued to adult readers in Odesa libraries, and children's libraries issued 1,599,000 books.
Since the beginning of this year, library collections have been enriched with Ukrainian literature by 35%.
