{"id":2068,"date":"2025-06-09T18:10:54","date_gmt":"2025-06-10T01:10:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/?page_id=2068"},"modified":"2025-06-24T23:27:19","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T06:27:19","slug":"kherson","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/kherson\/","title":{"rendered":"Kherson"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Kherson-Arrowcrop.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"564\" height=\"479\" class=\" wp-image-2175 aligncenter\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Kherson-Arrowcrop.png 615w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Kherson-Arrowcrop-300x255.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 564px) 100vw, 564px\" \/><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gofund.me\/17eadf92\"><strong>Restore Kherson Braille Book Collection Fundraiser<\/strong><\/a><\/span><br \/>\nWe are fundraising to help colleagues from Kherson Regional Universal Library restore their collection for the blind. The library was destroyed in 2023, yet librarians continue to work as Kherson continues to be attacked daily. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ischool.sjsu.edu\/speaker\/tetiana-svatula\">Tetyana Svatula<\/a>, a librarian from Kherson Library,<\/span>\u00a0tells the story of the library in<span>\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/epdf\/10.1080\/01616846.2024.2319911?needAccess=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this article<\/a><span>\u00a0<\/span>in our interview.<\/p>\n<div class=\"gfm-embed\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/restore-braille-books-of-kherson-regional-library-ukraine\/widget\/medium?sharesheet=fundraiser sidebar&amp;attribution_id=sl:c9e9b6e3-a22c-4683-9e3e-fac54f77fa99\"><\/div>\n<p><script defer src=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/static\/js\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em><b>Background<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Prior to Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kherson Library possessed one of the largest collections of Braille books in Southern Ukraine. The library began to develop their braille collection in 2006, with the assistance of the US Embassy in Ukraine and the FORCE Charitable Foundation (Netherlands), resulting in the accumulation of over 400 titles. In addition, the Kherson facility included the Service Center for People with Disabilities Library, which was equipped with audio-visual equipment and literature to increase access to patrons with visual impairments.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0007_ORIGINAL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"355\" height=\"267\" class=\"wp-image-2076 alignnone\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0007_ORIGINAL.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0007_ORIGINAL-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0007_ORIGINAL-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0007_ORIGINAL-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0007_ORIGINAL-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 355px) 100vw, 355px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0009_ORIGINAL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"356\" height=\"267\" class=\"wp-image-2077 alignnone\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0009_ORIGINAL.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0009_ORIGINAL-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0009_ORIGINAL-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0009_ORIGINAL-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0009_ORIGINAL-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 356px) 100vw, 356px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Currently<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Kherson was among the first occupied by Russian forces in 2022, and the Kherson\u2019s left bank region is still under occupation. Although a large part of Kherson regained its independence in 2022, it has continued to experience heavy shelling by Russian forces. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.libraryjournal.com\/story\/why-suppression-of-libraries-corrupts-a-nation-backtalk\">November 2023<\/a>, a targeted missile attack destroyed large parts of the Kherson Library building (see Figure 1). The Service Center for People with Disabilities was completely demolished, including one of the largest collections of Braille books in Southern Ukraine. As its location was on the first floor overlooking the Dnipro River, it was geographically at ground zero.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Figure 1: Kherson Library Before and After the Attack on November 12, 2023<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Kherson1-300x262.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"376\" height=\"329\" class=\"wp-image-2069 alignnone\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Kherson1-300x262.png 300w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Kherson1.png 335w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 376px) 100vw, 376px\" \/>\u00a0 \u00a0<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Kherson2-300x277.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"358\" height=\"330\" class=\"wp-image-2070 alignnone\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Kherson2-300x277.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Kherson2.jpg 316w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 358px) 100vw, 358px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Our Efforts<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>This project aims to redevelop a collection of Braille books at Oles Honchar Kherson Regional Universal Scientific Library (Kherson Library), which was repeatedly targeted and destroyed during the war in Ukraine. This collection is critically important for the many children who experienced visual impairment or loss, and often critical eye injuries, during the war. Our partners from Kherson Library include <a href=\"https:\/\/ischool.sjsu.edu\/speaker\/tetiana-svatula\">Tetyana Svatula<\/a>, a librarian,\u00a0and Oksana Shestakova, a library deputy director.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0012_ORIGINAL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"372\" height=\"279\" class=\"wp-image-2080 alignnone\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0012_ORIGINAL.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0012_ORIGINAL-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0012_ORIGINAL-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0012_ORIGINAL-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0012_ORIGINAL-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 372px) 100vw, 372px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0010_ORIGINAL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"277\" height=\"311\" class=\"wp-image-2079 alignnone\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0010_ORIGINAL.jpg 958w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0010_ORIGINAL-267x300.jpg 267w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0010_ORIGINAL-912x1024.jpg 912w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0010_ORIGINAL-768x863.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 277px) 100vw, 277px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em><b>Implementation and impact<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n<p>The library staff in Kherson are working remotely from a temporary location where families with disabled children convene. It is their goal to redevelop the Braille book collection so that local children with sight impairment can gain access to literature and enrichment. At the beginning of March 2025, Kherson librarians received a generous donation of equipment to support people with visual impairments from the German Federal Foreign Office, the German Ministry of Culture and Media, and the State Library in Berlin.\u00a0 This donation served as a catalyst for the librarians to begin rebuilding their Braille book collection, and we hope to bring them even further to rebuilding.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Additional Images:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 20%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-2068 gallery-columns-5 gallery-size-medium'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0002_ORIGINAL-1.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"224\" src=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0002_ORIGINAL-1-300x224.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0002_ORIGINAL-1-300x224.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0002_ORIGINAL-1-1024x766.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0002_ORIGINAL-1-768x575.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0002_ORIGINAL-1-1536x1149.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0002_ORIGINAL-1.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0005_ORIGINAL.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0005_ORIGINAL-225x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0005_ORIGINAL-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0005_ORIGINAL.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0004_ORIGINAL.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0004_ORIGINAL-225x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0004_ORIGINAL-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0004_ORIGINAL-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0004_ORIGINAL-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0004_ORIGINAL.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Kherson4.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Kherson4-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Kherson4-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Kherson4.jpg 383w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0006_ORIGINAL.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0006_ORIGINAL-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0006_ORIGINAL-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0006_ORIGINAL-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0006_ORIGINAL-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0006_ORIGINAL-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/KHEKHE_KRU_03062023_0006_ORIGINAL.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Restore Kherson Braille Book Collection Fundraiser We are fundraising to help colleagues from Kherson Regional Universal Library restore their collection for the blind. The library was destroyed in 2023, yet librarians continue to work as Kherson continues to be attacked daily. Tetyana Svatula, a librarian from Kherson Library,\u00a0tells the story [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2068","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2068","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2068"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2068\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2176,"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2068\/revisions\/2176"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2068"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}