Dear Friends,
I'm writing to request that ALA Council consider supporting our colleagues at the Ukrainian Library Association. I've been corresponding with the ULA Executive Director, Yaroslava Soshynska, who sent this appeal this morning. The ULA is asking other professionals to support this appeal (this was sent to IFLA, but she asked to share it with ALA as well):
The Appeal of the Ukrainian Library Association
to IFLA President and Governing Board and IFLA Members
Dear friends and colleagues,
The fifth day of the full-scale Russia's invasion to Ukraine is ongoing, air bombing of a large number of cities and villages of whole Ukraine, Russian tanks are on approaches to Kyiv, Kharkiv, Russian subversive groups are on our land. The occupiers are firing not only on the military infrastructure, but also on schools, museums, libraries, hospitals, civilian residences. In Chernihiv the municipal library for children has been destroyed. Our brave defenders, civil people including children are dying.
As at February 27, 352 Ukrainians are dead, among them 14 children, 1684 – wounded, among them 116 children. Thousands of people were forced to leave the country.
In these challenging times Ukrainian librarians are together with all the people. There where it is possible, libraries continue to provide their services to users, including online services. Libraries are working in cyberspace against disinformation. Libraries are holding classes in emergency medical assistance. Hostels, care units for displaced persons are accommodated in libraries.
Ukraine is supported by the whole civilized world. We have received a lot of letters of support from library associations (including IFLA members) and librarians from different countries. We are receiving media help in spreading true information about Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. We are being offered help in accommodating Ukrainian refugees.
We are grateful to everyone who is with us in these difficult times for our country and our people.
The profession of a librarian obliges everyone who has chosen it to be media literate. Librarians as no one else must stand against disinformation. However, we regret that Russian librarians and Russian Library Association do not react to the situation.
To stop this bloody war economic and other sanctions are being imposed on Russia. We are convinced that sanctions in the cultural sphere are no less important and will accelerate the fall of putin regime in the Russian Federation. We therefore appeal to IFLA President and Governing Board to support Ukrainian librarians and exclude the Russian Library Association and all institutions of the aggressor country Russia from IFLA members, and their representatives from all IFLA governing bodies.
We appeal to IFLA members to support our appeal and address their appeals to IFLA President and Governing Board.
Today Ukraine is fighting not only for its own independence and the future of its children. We are fighting for the future of the whole world! Ukrainians are dying for European values! Supporting Ukraine, you are supporting the democratic future of all the countries!
Glory to Ukraine!
Oksana Brui, ULA President
Larysa Luhova, ULA Vice-President
Svitlana Moiseeva, ULA Vice-President
Yaroslava Soshynska, ULA Executive Director
Thanks for your consideration,
Erica Freudenberger
Councilor-At-Large
p.s. The ULA is unstoppable -- this morning they launched a national digital library!
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[Erica] [Freudenberger]
[Outreach & Engagement Consultant]
[Southern Adirondack Library System]
[She, Her, Hers]
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