Orkney Library welcomes Ukrainian book donation

Orkney Library and Archive has received a generous donation of Ukrainian books in a bid to ensure refugee families living in the county never lose literary and cultural ties with their homeland. 

A native of Kyiv, Nataliia, who has settled into life in Papay, wants all displaced fellow Ukrainians in Orkney to maintain close links with their first home and that’s why she gifted the books. 

She said: “The books in Ukrainian were donated to the library because we have to take care of the future of Ukraine - our children. Reading promotes language development, replenishes vocabulary, and broadens horizons. Reading Ukrainian literature helps children not to lose their ties with their homeland and will allow them to identify themselves as Ukrainians in the future. 

“Culture has incredible power because it can unite different aspects of life and different people. Popularising Ukrainian culture, including literature, is my priority. In my opinion, Ukrainian culture should regularly appear in the foreign information field. People should read about it in newspapers and discuss it on social media. Who better to lobby for Ukrainian culture than Ukrainians? No one understands its richness better than we do. Its origins and diversity. Its fantastic beauty. After all, it is an opportunity to broadcast your meanings, aspirations, and ideals, to advertise your country and your lifestyle. 

“Of course, we should not forget another priority vector: familiarity with Ukrainian literature will help people who have opened their homes to us to understand us better. Also, interaction with another culture enriches, first of all, the hosts of the place where it is presented, namely the residents of the Orkney Islands.” 

She feels very strongly that many are familiar with classical Russian literature, whilst Ukrainian classics have been “undeservedly left in the shadows”. 

Nataliia continued: “Most foreigners believe that either Ukrainian literature is identical to Russian literature or is not worthy of attention, but this is a misconception. The canon of Ukrainian classics emerged at the same time as that of other nations – in the second half of the nineteenth century.  Today in Ukraine, there is a rich and high-quality literary canon.” 

Nataliia would like to see the works of the great poet Taras Shevchenko on the shelves of the Orkney Library & Archive. Taras Shevchenko is the national bard of Ukraine – held in the same esteem as Robert Burns in Scotland. 

Nataliia Kuzmina, the Council’s Project Manager, (Resettlement Schemes) said: “It is of great importance to preserve and promote Ukrainian culture and language. The ongoing war has emphasised the significance of understanding and embracing our history and heritage, as well as sharing them with the world. 

“Ukrainian literature can help people gain a deeper understanding of our traditions, intricate culture, the challenges we have faced, and the oppression our nation has endured. Moreover, literature plays a crucial role in shaping societal narratives and influencing cultural identities. 

“By reading Ukrainian literature, children can maintain their connection to their homeland and develop a strong Ukrainian identity for the future. Simultaneously, for adults, books in their native language serve as precious fragments of their motherland, enabling them to stay connected to their nation regardless of their location.” 

Vikki Kerr, Team Manager, Orkney Library and Archive, said: “As a library our book collection is always growing in different directions, and we were delighted to be kindly given these Ukrainian books from one of the refugee families currently living in Orkney. 

“The books are all available to borrow.”