SJSU iSchool Partners with Ukrainian Libraries to Support Literacy Efforts Amidst War

Teenage girls in Ukraine enjoy a shipment of donated library books, thanks to a unique partnership with the iSchool at SJSU. Photo courtesy of Ulia Gosart.

There is a poem written by a young Ukrainian girl that Ulia Gosart can’t read without crying. Gosart, an assistant professor in San José State’s School of Information (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.

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.

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.

“This one poem is so heartbreaking, because it’s a girl whose dad is going to war,” Gosart recalls. “She writes, ‘I will not let my dad go to war!!!’  And it’s simple, but it breaks your heart, because war is this normality that kids are facing — something they must survive.”

Over the past three years, San José State’s School of Information (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.

Gosart works with a network of librarians from different parts of Ukraine built over three years of war and engages student volunteers to help:

• Building literacy access: Partnering with Little Free Library® to establish six  book-sharing boxes in Cherkasy and three more in regional libraries.
• Hosting global dialogues: Convening symposia in English and Ukrainian for U.S. audiences with Ukrainian library professionals and leaders. 
• Expanding digital access and donations of technology: Establishing 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).
• Developing children collections in Kiev region: Raising funds to build children collections in Boyarka children library and nearby villages.
• Fundraising 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.

One of the impactful outcomes of this partnership has been the traveling children’s art and poetry exhibit, which educates the global public about the war’s effects on young Ukrainians. The exhibit premiered at the Loyola Marymount University on the second anniversary of the war (2024)  and then traveled to Jennifer and Philip DiNapoli Gallery at SJSU’s 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.

Sara Clair, ’26 MLIS, helped Gosart curate the exhibition.

“It was an honor to be a part of these projects that helped express the voices of children during war,” says Clair. “I 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.  It has been incredibly inspiring to see how change can happen from the efforts of a few dedicated individuals.”

To further amplify its reach, the exhibit has been transformed into a browser-based virtual reality experience (view here). This innovative digital project received a prestigious Anthem Award, recognizing its use of technology for social impact and cultural preservation.

Preserving libraries as safe spaces

Children’s librarians from Boyarka, Ukraine, stand with a case of children books donated by SJSU. Photo courtesy of Ulia Gosart.

Sometimes it’s 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.

“Preservation of culturally significant materials and ethnographic records is very difficult in times of crisis,” she says, adding that some of the libraries no longer have heat. “In 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.” 

The scanners also help in documenting the impact of war — capturing images of destruction as evidence of the atrocities experienced by communities. Gosart adds that it’s 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.  

 The libraries left standing also serve displaced people; function as centers for emotional and psychological support;  and cultural revival  places offering Ukrainian language learning, seminars in Ukrainian history (contested by Russia) and places for communities to celebrate Ukrainian cultural holidays. 

The war also brought back the value of physical books. 

“Today [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,” says Maryna Sokolova, a chidren’s librarian from Boyarka. 

Gosart shares that there is an ongoing fundraiser to help villages in the Kiev region rebuild their children’s 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.

“Our city is a ‘polygon’ for the Russians, who use drones to hunt for people and vehicles,” says Tetiana Svatula, a libriarian at Kherson Regional Library. “The right bank of Kherson is still under occupation.”

On March 27, 2025, Russian artillery shelled Kherson for 1.5 hours.  “It was very scary,” says Svatula. “They 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.” 

Svatula shares that folks interested in supporting the region can donate to a fundraiser for the Kherson Regional Library. 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.

“Delivering books to Ukrainian children through ALA was just the first step,” says Anthony Chow, iSchool director. “Now, we’re expanding our impact by bringing books, literacy and cultural initiatives directly into Cherkasy’s 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.”

“Our partnership with the iSchool helps us cope with the realities of war,” says Cherkasy Regional Library Director Liudmyla Diadyk. “It gives us hope. We stand together, striving to end this terrible war and build a brighter future for our children.”

“Our 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 — it’s a chance to make a real impact during a time of great need,” adds Chow. “Our 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.”

For more information on the SJSU iSchool’s effects and ways to support Ukrainian libraries, visit SJSU iSchool’s website. Visit Ulia Gosart’s fundraiser to learn more.