The idea behind the initiative is to collect Russian books and magazines, recycle them, and use the proceeds to buy modern Ukrainian literature for a library in the village of Drachyntsi (Chernivtsi region).
The initiators of the campaign, known as the "Goncharenko Center Chernivtsi. Education and Culture," encourage willing participants to clear their bookshelves of Russian books they no longer have any sentimental attachment to or do not wish to keep. Many people have expressed a willingness to get rid of their Russian books and send them for recycling, especially since it serves a noble cause - enriching the village library with high-quality literature written in their native Ukrainian language.
The precursor to this initiative was the "Support the Village Library!" campaign, which the center launched back in February. However, after the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine, they decided to change the format of the campaign. With each passing day, the initiative gains more momentum, leading them to extend it until July 31st.
"Our goal and motto are not to nurture an inner Pushkin but to make room for our Ukrainian authors. Among the majority of visitors who bring us books, we often hear about their reevaluation of Russian literature and the classics they used to be passionate about. They are now letting go of it," shares Vitalii Yaremchuk, the director of the educational and cultural center.
The center has already received over three hundred books, including detective novels, volumes of Russian classics, translated foreign literature in Russian, "Russian language" textbooks, and so on. Among the recent "findings" are volumes of the "Soviet Encyclopedia," for which they plan to purchase excellent Ukrainian editions.
"We accept literature that carries negative content for the Ukrainian reader and harmful Soviet narratives. We do not impose anything, but ask people to bring books that are no longer dear to their hearts and have no value. And it's the person's choice whether to get rid of them or not. And this is not a Ray Bradbury story at all. Once we were reproached for repeating the plot of Fahrenheit 451. But this is not the case at all. We don't burn or destroy anything," says Oksana Kravtsova, the center's administrator.
They will be collecting Russian books, magazines, and newspapers until July 31st, and then all the collected materials will be sent for recycling as waste paper (makulatura). The money obtained from this recycling will be used to purchase Ukrainian publications for the library.
"A kilogram of waste paper costs 3-4 UAH. So we need to collect a lot. Then we plan to buy books by contemporary authors, foreign bestsellers translated into Ukrainian. We have already talked to several publishers. It will be high-quality contemporary literature. By the way, you can also bring Ukrainian books (published in the last 20 years) to the center, which we will also hand over to the Drachyntsi library," adds Vitalii Yaremchuk, the initiator of the campaign.
Those who want to close the gestalts associated with Russian literature can bring books to the Goncharenko Center Chernivtsi from Monday to Saturday (at 5 Ruska St.). Details +380 (95) 249 57 03
