Under Attack, from Ukraine to Elsewhere: Libraries, Science & Democracy

Тези доповіді

Yuliia Polovynchak,
ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4903-5434,
Deputy Director General for Research,
V. I. Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine,
Kyiv, Ukraine,
е-mail: nub@nbuv.gov.ua

Vladyslav Demianiuk,
ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2800-4802,
Leading Translator, Organizational Department,
V. I. Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine,
Kyiv, Ukraine
e-mail: vladyslavdemianiukwork@gmail.com

Under Attack, from Ukraine to Elsewhere: Libraries, Science & Democracy

This article highlights the key aspects presented by the National Library of Ukraine during the 114th German Library Congress (BiblioCon 2026), which took place in Berlin from May 19 to 22, 2026. A dedicated panel titled “Under Attack, from Ukraine to Elsewhere: Libraries, Science & Democracy” focused specifically on Ukrainian libraries. The presented theses outline the key areas that have been actively developed in the work of Ukrainian libraries in recent years. It is emphasized that despite the threats posed by the war, Ukrainian science has not come to a halt; on the contrary, the humanities – of which the Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine is a part – have only intensified their work.
Keywords: libraries, military challenges, Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine, library as a "third place", Open Science.

The 114th German Library Congress, BiblioCon 2026, took place in Berlin from May 19 to 22, 2026. A significant portion of the program focused on access to knowledge and the role of libraries during times when democracy is under threat, with Ukrainian issues taking center stage throughout the event. Notably, a dedicated panel titled “Under Attack, from Ukraine to Elsewhere: Libraries, Science & Democracy” focused specifically on Ukrainian libraries.
This article highlights the key aspects of the issue presented by the National Library of Ukraine during that panel session.
Ukraine's experience can and must become a contribution to our collective security. War is a terrible challenge, yet it forces us to adapt, innovate, and respond effectively to emerging threats. While our experience is deeply traumatic, it is also unique – encompassing work under physical threat, maintaining research and educational programs remotely, documenting cultural and information realities, and providing society with reliable information. This includes analytical work supporting government bodies and local communities, addressing the needs of refugees and internally displaced persons, safeguarding veterans' rights, and advancing European integration. Given the scale of the war and the complex nature of the media landscape in which we operate, this experience is of exceptional value to the international library community and should be shared and applied far beyond Ukraine's borders.
If we were to summarize the experience of Ukrainian libraries during this war, we would highlight two key aspects: the challenges we have been forced to face and the responsibilities we have taken on as a professional community.
First, there are immediate security challenges. The statistics on damaged libraries continue to increase; as of mid-2026, according to government records, nearly 900 libraries have sustained varying degrees of damage – from those completely destroyed alongside their cities to those damaged by shelling. Beyond physical protection, libraries have had to transform into autonomous community hubs capable of providing alternative power supplies and internet connectivity during blackouts.
It is equally essential to address the human impact on our library professionals. This is a deeply painful issue involving literal losses: the "Unfinished" project – which documents the growing martyrology of the Ukrainian book industry – has identified 289 individuals killed during the Russian-Ukrainian war. This list includes authors, translators, editors, publishers, librarians, and printing house workers. Many of our colleagues, as well as family members of our staff, are currently serving on the front lines.
Despite these hardships, Ukrainian librarians continue to carry out their daily professional duties – reader services, research, and methodological work – often under difficult conditions without electricity or heating, amid shelling, while actively volunteering and providing both informational and psychological support.
In addition to these security challenges, the war has forced us to take on new responsibilities. Ukrainian science did not pause during the war; on the contrary, the humanities – of which the Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine is a part – have only intensified their work. Currently, the collection of our Library comprises 17 million storage items, 4 million of which represent unique cultural heritage. The priority objective of our Library during the Russian aggression is to preserve and digitize this cultural heritage for future generations. The Library actively cooperates with international partners in digitizing and safeguarding cultural heritage. In particular, this work is being carried out within the framework of the Wikimedia project "Open GLAM Ukraine," initiatives by the Jewish Research Institute focused on Ukrainian Jewish heritage, and a shellac records digitization project in cooperation with RISM.
We would like to highlight that despite challenging conditions regarding electricity and internet connectivity, our website hosted 18 million visits in 2025, 3.5 million of which came from unique IP addresses. Demand has grown for access to materials of strategic significance to national identity. It is well known that history itself has been a target of manipulation and distortion during this war. Our colleagues from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland – countries that unfortunately shared a history with Russia in the past –clearly recognize this threat. For this reason, our specialists in book history and researchers of manuscript heritage are working with greater intensity than ever – continually compiling catalogues, populating databases, describing and publishing unique artifacts, and developing theoretical and methodological approaches to working with them. We are keenly interested in joint digitization projects that will protect Ukrainian heritage and enrich the broader European cultural legacy.
Demand for access to information through online resources has increased due to the war – from Ukrainian researchers who have intensified their work, from colleagues who were displaced abroad but continue their research, and from foreign scholars focusing on Ukrainian studies. The importance of scholarly resources continues to grow, as evidenced by access statistics for the Open Science databases developed and maintained by our specialists. Libraries are increasingly taking on the role of resource and service providers for research: organizing access to source materials, data, and open research outputs; supporting research profiles in scientific identifier systems; conducting scientometric analysis of research outputs; and offering informational and consultative support for digital scholarly communication. Particularly important is the Repository of Scientific Texts of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, which provides free access to the Academy’s publications and is integrated into international scientific information systems.
An essential aspect of our activity is ensuring open access to digital collections. During wartime, this enables researchers, students, and all interested citizens to continue their educational and academic pursuits regardless of their location. It serves as an effective tool for supporting the intellectual resilience of society. The digital projects of the V. I. Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine play an important role in preserving national heritage, advancing science, and ensuring open access to knowledge, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
At the same time, these resources – developed under conditions of constant danger and through immense effort – are themselves under permanent threat. We place great importance on protecting our digital resources, encompassing both historical and cultural artifacts as well as current research databases, from cyberattacks, while also securing backup power for servers during blackouts. We are fully aware that these threats persist, and we are doing everything in our power to secure our digital infrastructure.
Demand for high-quality information across different user categories has risen sharply. The informational dimensions of the war against Ukraine, Europe, and the democratic world as a whole are profound. Libraries address this challenge at various levels: public libraries run media literacy projects to help citizens navigate information warfare, disinformation, manipulation, and propaganda. Our Library is actively engaged with this challenge as well, though at a different level. As a research institution and central information hub, it focuses on theoretical research into information flows and on practical analytical projects. The Library houses three dedicated analytical units– the National Law Library, the Service for Information and Analytical Support of State Authorities (SIAZ), and the Fund of the Presidents of Ukraine – which monitor and analyze the information landscape, providing actionable findings to government bodies, local authorities, and civil society organizations.
When addressing information security issues, one critical point must be made: there is a very fine line between freedom of expression and protection against hostile narratives. Maintaining this balance is challenging, yet vital for the survival of democratic societies. In this regard, I firmly believe that libraries, functioning as advanced information hubs, can play a pivotal role in navigating this dilemma.
The library is increasingly becoming a "third space" – between home and work – fulfilling essential societal functions. Public libraries, serving as information hubs for their communities, are at the forefront of this work; however, our national library also serves as a pillar of strength for researchers and operates a volunteer hub supporting both military personnel and affected civilians.
In conclusion, today the Library stands as the heart of scholarly research, particularly in the humanities. It is a foundation of democracy and resilience – a sanctuary for democratic values. Supporting Ukrainian libraries today is an investment in the security and cultural diversity of all of Europe.

Половинчак Юлія Миколаївна,
ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4903-5434,
заступник генерального директора з науковї роботи,
Національна бібліотека України імені В. І. Вернадського,
Київ, Україна
е-mail: nub@nbuv.gov.ua

Дем’янюк Владислав Валерійович,
ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2800-4802,
провідний перекладач,
організаційний відділ,
Національна бібліотека України імені В. І. Вернадського,
Київ, Україна
e-mail: vladyslavdemianiukwork@gmail.com

Під ударом, з України до інших країн: бібліотеки, наука та демократія

Тези висвітлюють ключові аспекти, представлені НБУВ під час 114-го Німецького бібліотечного конгресу BiblioCon 2026, який проходив у Берліні з 19 по 22 травня 2026 року. Спеціальна панель під назвою «Під ударом, з України до інших країн: бібліотеки, наука та демократія» була присвячена саме українським бібліотекам. Дослідження узагальню напрями, які активізувалися в роботі українських бібліотек останніх років. Наголошено на тому, що попри воєнні загрози українська наука не зупинилася під час війни; навпаки, гуманітарні науки, частиною яких є НБУВ, лише активізували свою роботу.
Ключові слова: бібліотеки, військові виклики, НБУВ, бібліотека як «третє місце», відкрита наука.