Steinbach library's Ukrainian Book Corner grew by 50 pounds on Thursday

The Ukrainian Book Corner at the Jake Epp Public Library in Steinbach grew by 23 kilograms or 50 pounds on Thursday.  

It’s only been two months since the donation bin was set up and Daryna Malyukh, with the Ukrainian Community Groups, says, she couldn’t be more pleased with the latest delivery. 

Daryna says the little "Ukrainian Book Corner" at the library in Steinbach is starting to be known in Ukraine, and so when a friend of theirs made travel plans to visit her family in the eastern European country, Daryna had an idea.

Daryna says, “We found out last minute that Yana is was going to Ukraine, we said, we should collect some books. So we were asking Ukrainians who live here in Canada but still have families in Ukraine, that if their families are willing to donate those books and send them to where Yana was going to in Ukraine. So people from all over Ukraine were sending books by post to Yana. Some people were sending money so that some more books could be bought in Ukraine. The money also helped pay for transporting the books and buying an extra suitcase for Yana.  So it's a community. It's not only the Ukrainians from Ukraine but Ukrainians who also live here who participated. They told their families and they were sending money.”  

Daryna says because there are still no flights leaving Ukraine right now, the closest place airport for Yana was in Poland. “So, she was driven by bus with her luggage, and this huge suitcase.”

Going through the suitcase of donated Ukraine language books

Daryna says in order to grow their Ukrainian language library, they need to have everyone do their part. Whether people live in Canada, Ukraine, or another nation.

Yana thanked Daryna and Viktoriia Romaniuk as “they helped, a lot because we were trying to find a lot of books.” 

She says that while she was in Ukraine, her whole family was collecting books and many others in their town as well. “A lot of Ukrainians were donating books because we understand that it's really important."  

Yana says she left many books behind in Ukraine because she didn’t have another suitcase. “But maybe in the future, I will have an opportunity to bring them all to Canada.”

A donated Ukrainian language book

Aubrey Walker, Assistant Director at the Jake Epp Library was pleasantly surprised at the huge donation of books.  

“It's just amazing. Here at the library, we know the importance of having our own stories told, so it's just really amazing to see your community come together this day and do this for everyone that is around here. It's just phenomenal to see you guys do something like this, so thank you.” 

Viktoriia notes that this donation wasn’t because of one person, but because there were many involved in getting these Ukrainian language books to Canada.  

“And I want to just add, doesn't matter what kind of dream you have, if you don't have a team, it doesn't matter. So like it was a dream to create this book corner but because of so many people that are helping and encouraging and participating, only then is it possible.” 

The request for Ukrainian language books and the opening of the Ukrainian Book Donation box was on February 23, and since then many local Ukrainian residents have donated books. Some have even written a special message of dedication inside the book cover, for which the Ukrainian Community Group is grateful.