{"id":2187,"date":"2025-07-06T11:41:18","date_gmt":"2025-07-06T18:41:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/?p=2187"},"modified":"2025-08-03T20:59:46","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T03:59:46","slug":"sjsu-ischool-partners-with-ukrainian-libraries-to-support-literacy-efforts-amidst-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/sjsu-ischool-partners-with-ukrainian-libraries-to-support-literacy-efforts-amidst-war\/","title":{"rendered":"SJSU iSchool Partners with Ukrainian Libraries to Support Literacy Efforts Amidst War, 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Originally published on the <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.sjsu.edu\/newsroom\/2025\/sjsu-ischool-partners-with-ukrainian-libraries-to-support-literacy-efforts-amidst-war\/\">SJSU NewsCenter Blog<\/a> on Apr 9, 2025 and written by Julia Halprin Jackson.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>SJSU iSchool Partners with Ukrainian Libraries to Support Literacy Efforts Amidst War<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>There is a poem written by a young Ukrainian girl that Ulia Gosart can\u2019t read without crying. Gosart, an assistant professor in\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ischool.sjsu.edu\/\"><span>San Jos\u00e9 State\u2019s School of Information<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0(iSchool), has been collaborating with several libraries across Ukraine since war broke out in early 2022. A native of Cherkasy, a city in central Ukraine, Gosart has led several volunteer efforts from afar to support literacy and community development in regions impacted by war.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Among her recent projects is organizing the production of a zine composed of art and poetry by Ukrainian children created during the war. The zine was constructed by iSchool students who partnered with a Kiev-based scholar who translated poems. The images and poems came from art contests in Cherkasy, Ukraine, that iSchool supported.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_54513\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\">\n<div id=\"attachment_54513\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54513\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54513\" class=\"wp-image-54513 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sjsu.edu\/newsroom\/files\/2025\/04\/Ulia_Anthony-400x289.jpg\" alt=\"Ulia Gosart, Anthony Chow, iSchool, ALA conference, Ukraine libraries\" width=\"400\" height=\"289\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-54513\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ulia Gosart (left) and Anthony Chow at the 2024 American Library Association conference, where they gathered donated books to ship to Ukrainian libraries. Photo courtesy of Ulia Gosart.<\/p><\/div>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-54513\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cThis one poem is so heartbreaking, because it\u2019s a girl whose dad is going to war,\u201d Gosart recalls. \u201cShe writes, \u2018<i>I will not let my dad go to war!!!\u2019<\/i><span>\u00a0 And it\u2019s simple, but it breaks your heart, because war is this normality that kids are facing \u2014 something they must survive.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Over the past three years,\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ischool.sjsu.edu\/\"><span>San Jos\u00e9 State\u2019s School of Information<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0(iSchool), led by iSchool Director Anthony Chow, has supported Ukrainian librarians. This spring, iSchool shipped over 370 books to the Cherkasy Universal Regional Library, donated by publishers at the 2024 American Library Association (ALA) Conference.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Gosart works with a network of librarians from different parts of Ukraine built over three years of war and engages student volunteers to help:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Building literacy access<\/b><span>: Partnering with Little Free Library\u00ae to establish six\u00a0 book-sharing boxes in Cherkasy and three more in regional libraries.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Hosting global dialogues<\/b><span>: Convening symposia in English and Ukrainian for U.S. audiences with Ukrainian library professionals and leaders.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Expanding digital access and donations of technology:<\/b><span>\u00a0Establishing an e-section at Cherkasy Regional Library, equipped with computers, scanners and printers and supporting three Cherkasy region village libraries with technology, in partnership with Saving Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online (SUCHO).<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Developing children collections in Kiev region:<\/b><span>\u00a0Raising funds to build children collections in Boyarka children library and nearby villages.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Fundraising<span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span>to rebuild the Braille collection of Kherson Regional Library, completely destroyed by the targeted missile attack in 2023 to service youth with disabilities and veterans.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span>One of the impactful outcomes of this partnership has been the traveling children\u2019s art and poetry exhibit, which educates the global public about the war\u2019s effects on young Ukrainians. The exhibit premiered at the Loyola Marymount University on the second anniversary of the war (2024)\u00a0 and then traveled to Jennifer and Philip DiNapoli Gallery at SJSU\u2019s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. It is currently on display at the University of Connecticut until fall 2025 to then continue to tour U.S. colleges as a call for peace.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Sara Clair, \u201926 MLIS, helped Gosart curate the exhibition.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cIt was an honor to be a part of these projects that helped express the voices of children during war,\u201d says Clair. \u201cI saw firsthand how the actions of librarians can contribute to meaningful initiatives that have the potential to give respite to people during terrible times of crisis.\u00a0 It has been incredibly inspiring to see how change can happen from the efforts of a few dedicated individuals.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>To further amplify its reach, the exhibit has been transformed into a browser-based virtual reality experience (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/framevr.io\/ukraine-exhibit-sjsuischool\"><span>view here<\/span><\/a><span>). This innovative digital project received a\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.anthemawards.com\/\"><span>prestigious Anthem Award,\u00a0<\/span><\/a><span>recognizing its use of technology for social impact and cultural preservation.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">Preserving libraries as safe spaces<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_54517\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\">\n<div id=\"attachment_54517\" style=\"width: 292px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54517\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54517\" class=\"wp-image-54517 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.sjsu.edu\/newsroom\/files\/2025\/04\/ukraine-libraries.jpg\" alt=\"Ukraine, libraries, iSchool, literacy\" width=\"282\" height=\"390\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-54517\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Children\u2019s librarians from Boyarka, Ukraine, stand with a case of children books donated by SJSU. Photo courtesy of Ulia Gosart.<\/p><\/div>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-54517\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\n<\/div>\n<p>Sometimes it\u2019s hard to predict what a community needs during a crisis. When the war started, Gosart reached out to her hometown to see what resources they needed. Their first request? Scanners to digitize the remains of their collection, much of which was burned or bombed.<\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cPreservation of culturally significant materials and ethnographic records is very difficult in times of crisis,\u201d she says, adding that some of the libraries no longer have heat. \u201cIn Kharkiv Scientific Library named after Korolenko, whose collections are among the oldest in Ukraine and Europe, librarians are working today with no heat to manage their conditions.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The scanners also help in documenting the impact of war \u2014 capturing images of destruction as evidence of the atrocities experienced by communities. Gosart adds that it\u2019s especially important to document ethnographic materials that are among the major sources of contemporary history of Ukraine, documenting Ukrainian independence that the Russian government denies. Kherson Regional Library was targeted by the Russian military in part as a major repository of records of contemporary history of Southern Ukraine, including Crimea.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u00a0The libraries left standing also serve displaced people; function as centers for emotional and psychological support;\u00a0 and cultural revival\u00a0 places offering Ukrainian language learning, seminars in Ukrainian history (contested by Russia) and places for communities to celebrate Ukrainian cultural holidays.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>The war also brought back the value of physical books.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cToday [the] value of a physical book became particularly important; children like holding a book, bringing it to places, to go to bed with; it brings comfort especially in times when sirens are on and we have to hide because of the air attack,\u201d says Maryna Sokolova, a chidren\u2019s librarian from Boyarka.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Gosart shares that there is an\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/supporting-ukrainian-village-libraries\"><span>ongoing fundraiser<\/span><\/a><span>\u00a0to help villages in the Kiev region rebuild their children\u2019s collections. The fundraiser has helped add over 500 Ukrainian books to children libraries in Boyarka (Kiev region) and nearby villages since 2023. The need for books and services remains high.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cOur city is a \u2018polygon\u2019 for the Russians, who use drones to hunt for people and vehicles,\u201d says Tetiana Svatula, a libriarian at Kherson Regional Library. \u201cThe right bank of Kherson is still under occupation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>On March 27, 2025, Russian artillery shelled Kherson for 1.5 hours.\u00a0 \u201cIt was very scary,\u201d says Svatula. \u201cThey shelled [a] train station, the market, [the] bus station, [and] apartment buildings, including my neighborhood. It was very scary. We hid all the time in the bathroom. In this time your support is particularly meaningful.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Svatula shares that folks interested in supporting the region can donate to a\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/restore-braille-books-of-kherson-regional-library-ukraine\"><span>fundraiser for the Kherson Regional Library<\/span><\/a><span>. The fundraiser will help rebuild a collection of books for the blind that will serve children experiencing visual impairment or loss because of the war, as well as veterans and other people with disabilities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cDelivering books to Ukrainian children through ALA was just the first step,\u201d says Anthony Chow, iSchool director. \u201cNow, we\u2019re expanding our impact by bringing books, literacy and cultural initiatives directly into Cherkasy\u2019s communities. Through our global initiatives, we are not only preserving cultural heritage, but also reinforcing the fundamental role libraries play in safeguarding truth and promoting peace. We believe in the power of books and libraries to offer comfort and connection during times of crisis. Supporting our Ukrainian partners is not just a professional responsibility, but a human one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cOur partnership with the iSchool helps us cope with the realities of war,\u201d says Cherkasy Regional Library Director Liudmyla Diadyk. \u201cIt gives us hope. We stand together, striving to end this terrible war and build a brighter future for our children.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cOur students are truly honored and excited to contribute to this meaningful work. Supporting Ukrainian children, libraries and communities through education, literacy and cultural preservation is not only a powerful learning experience \u2014 it\u2019s a chance to make a real impact during a time of great need,\u201d adds Chow. \u201cOur commitment at the iSchool is to empower communities through information access, even in the most challenging circumstances. This partnership exemplifies how libraries can be lifelines for education, healing and hope.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Originally published on the SJSU NewsCenter Blog on Apr 9, 2025 and written by Julia Halprin Jackson. SJSU iSchool Partners with Ukrainian Libraries to Support Literacy Efforts Amidst War There is a poem written by a young Ukrainian girl that Ulia Gosart can\u2019t read without crying. Gosart, an assistant professor [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":2188,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2187","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-media-coverage"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2187","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"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=2187"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2187\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2208,"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2187\/revisions\/2208"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2188"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2187"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2187"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ischoolblogs.sjsu.edu\/community-engagement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}