Ukrainian Book Chamber Requires 100 Million for Repairs: A Call for Help from the Institution's Employees

The Ivan Fedorov National Scientific Institution, known as the Ukrainian Book Chamber, has suffered significant damage due to winter bombardments by Russian military forces that struck the energy infrastructure of Kyiv and the surrounding region. As a result, employees of the institution have made a heartfelt appeal to social media users, requesting help in raising funds for urgent repairs.

Reports indicate that the premises of the Book Chamber were severely affected by shelling that occurred during the winter of 2025-2026. The attacks rendered the heating, water supply, and sewage systems inoperable. Additionally, windows were shattered, and parts of the building's infrastructure were damaged, creating serious obstacles to its normal operation.

The statement highlights that these circumstances jeopardize the future of valuable collections of books, newspapers, magazines, and other holdings that preserve over a century of Ukraine's publishing achievements. "This has created serious obstacles to the full functioning of the institution and threatened the future of valuable collections of books, newspapers, magazines, and other holdings that encompass over a century of Ukraine's publishing accomplishments," the appeal states.

As previously reported by representatives of the Book Chamber in an interview with Detector Media, a decision was made to drain the heating system's heat carriers following the Russian shelling of the capital in early January to prevent freezing. However, this decision came too late, and the heating system froze, resulting in severe damage. Due to the cold and the absence of glass in the windows, pipes froze and burst, leading to radiator and communication ruptures.

"Moreover, two waves of explosions caused vibrations in the high-rise building, resulting in damage to the roof above the book storage area. When the snow began to melt, the roof started leaking due to destroyed drainage systems. We have been rescuing the collections on our own: covering shelves, books, and newspapers with plastic. We used dryers to combat humidity. The humidity in the premises remains elevated, so we constantly ensure ventilation, doing everything possible to restore the printed materials to proper condition," the interview revealed.

The State Archive of Print Fund of the Book Chamber is included in the List of Objects of National Heritage. It contains over 15 million storage units of publishing products. "The Book Chamber is where the national bibliography is formed and the intellectual heritage of the country, captured in print, is preserved," the Book Chamber representatives remind.

The post states that to fully restore operations, urgent repairs of engineering networks and damaged premises are necessary to ensure proper conditions for preserving the collections and continuing to fulfill state functions. The estimated total funding requirement exceeds 10 million hryvnias.

Employees of the Book Chamber are urging all concerned individuals to join in fundraising efforts to restore the institution's operations and preserve valuable collections for future generations.