Symposia Series
Updated 3/22/2026
Symposia
Since the summer of 2022 we have hosted an ongoing series of symposia focused on the conditions, needs and services of Ukrainian public libraries, in partnership with the San Jose State University School of Information. This initiative exchanges the expertise of Ukrainian library professionals and scholars with a global audience towards a collaborative development of recommendations and solutions to the problems Ukrainian librarians face.
Coming Soon: Children’s Library Services in Wartime Ukraine
To commemorate the recent bombing of the National Library of Ukraine for Children, and to honor the memory of the 763 Ukrainian children killed, and the nearly 20,000 abducted, the Spring 2026 symposium will focus on how Ukrainian librarians are supporting children. during the war.
The symposium is organized in partnership with the National Library of Ukrainian for Children, and Ukrainian Library Association and School of Information, SJSU.
Wednesday, April 8, 2026; 10-11 am PT
Register Here: https://sjsu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TanyT-prTJ6z15fWtK87Lw
Shandryholove Village Library (March 2024)
Background: As the attack on Ukraine unfolded, libraries transformed into safe havens for children, in a physical, psychological and emotional sense. They serve as bomb shelters and places to get warm during blackouts. They address children's fears and trauma through bibliotherapy, art therapy, games, relaxation, and mediation practices. Internally displaced children find the library to be the first place in a new community to feel accepted, calm, and heard.