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20 OUR LIFE • July-August 2024 Bringing Ukrainian Books to the Library НАВЧАЄМО • EDUCATE Books We Read: Tell us what inspired your initiative, Bring Ukrainian Books to the Library . UNWLA: The initiative to com- pile bibliographies of Ukrainian books started when we noticed a growing interest among people on Facebook for book recommen- dations related to Ukraine. The UNWLA aims to increase the vis- ibility of Ukrainian literature in the English-speaking world, address- ing misconceptions caused by russia’s century-long suppression of the Ukrainian language, his- tory, culture, and people, which made many Americans unaware of the availability and significance of Ukrainian literature. Through curated reading lists and bibli- ographies, the project strives to introduce American readers to the richness of Ukrainian literary talent. For instance, consider the as- tonishing cultural period known as the “Executed Renaissance” of the 1920s to early 1930s, dur - ing which gifted representatives of the Ukrainian creative and artistic elite were brutally executed under Stalin’s regime because they helped to revive Ukrainian culture. Authors such as Mykola Khvylovyi (Ukrain - ian modernist), Mykola Zerov (Ukrainian poet), Valerian Pidmohylnyi (Ukrainian urban novelist), Mykhail Semenko (a promoter of Ukrainian futurism), Veronika Chernyakhivska (Ukrainian poet and translator), Bohdan Ihor Antonych (Ukrainian avant-garde poet), Maik Yohansen (Ukrainian poet and the author of the first Ukrainian bestseller), and others whose contributions to the development of authentic Ukrainian culture and traditions have been forcefully marginalized deserve great - er recognition globally. Furthermore, contemporary figures like Victoria Amelina, a Ukrain - ian writer mortally wounded by russian shelling in June 2023, under - score the ongoing challenges faced by Ukrainian authors. Amelina helped find the diary of the Ukrainian writer Volodymyr Vakulenko-K., who was shot by the russian occupying forces in 2022 and buried his diary in his garden. In her foreword to Volodymyr’s now-published dia - ry, she recalls the moment of looking for the diary and fearing that she is “inside the new Executed Renaissance.” Ukrainian artists and writers form a particularly powerful cultural movement, serving as symbols of resilience within their cultural landscape; that’s why they are being exterminated, as are their works. Our initiative not only empowers English-speaking audiences to ex - plore Ukrainian culture and history but also challenges the dominant narrative maintaining the myth of “great russia” at Ukraine’s expense. BWR: What is the main goal of these reading lists? UNWLA: The goal is to provide English-speaking readers with a nuanced understanding of Ukrainian culture. Through our book col - lections, readers can explore a wide range of Ukrainian stories and perspectives. By introducing these curated collections to public librar - ies, our goal is to enhance readers’ awareness and understanding of Ukraine’s abundant and versatile cultural heritage, traditions, and mentality. Additionally, by promoting Ukrainian books in educational programs, we aim to cultivate broader knowledge and comprehension of Ukrain - ian culture and history among future generations, offering valuable in - sights into Ukraine’s history, identity, and ongoing challenges. BWR: What do you think you have achieved so far? UNWLA: We have partnered with the Secaucus Library in New Jer - sey to procure Ukrainian books from the U.S.-based Ukrainian bookstore At the start of russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine, Rutgers University Libraries’ “Books We Read” explored the books available about Ukraine at Rutgers and featured poets and poems from Ukraine. The publica- tion followed the efforts of Ukrainian colleagues to preserve Ukrainian culture and to provide the Ameri - can public with a glimpse into Ukrainian culture. In the fall of 2023, the UNWLA organized several events at Rutgers to advocate and educate the public about Ukraine: a Holodomor exhibit; a screening of the film Mr. Jones , the story of journalist Gareth Jones’s struggles to report on the Holodomor; and a talk by Victor Rud that commemorated the 90th anniversary of the genocide. “Books We Read” continues to collaborate with the UNWLA and to promote our resources. Rutgers li - brarian Judit Hajnal Ward, PhD, recently interviewed Anna Petelina, Culture and Education chair at Branch 143 in Jersey City, about the UNWLA’s Bring Ukrainian Books to the Library initiative. Christina Pikhmanets, NJ Regional Education Chair and member of Branch 137, Clifton, NJ, contributed to some responses. Anna Petelina
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