The bombing of Kharkiv damaged one of Europe’s largest libraries

As a result of the occupiers’ actions, Korolenko Kharkiv State Scientific Library, one of the largest libraries in Ukraine and Europe, was damaged. This was reported by Суспільне. Харків (Suspilne. Kharkiv).

Windows in the building of Korolenko Library were smashed, two bookstores, the main building and the grand piano, where Russian composer, Sergei Rachmaninoff, played, were damaged.

The book collections in the library are not damaged at this time, but this may happen due to a violation of the temperature regime. Stained glass windows in the building were also damaged.

Director said: «The volume of funds is more than 7 million copies of documents in different languages. This is a fund of national importance. And our library today is not only a fund, but also a digital education hub, 13 reading rooms, two information Internet centres, 12 interest clubs».

Korolenko’s library is currently looking for volunteers to bring food to those who stayed inside. Contact us: 095 352 28 61 (Natalia Petrenko, chief).

Korolenko Kharkiv State Scientific Library is the largest library in Kharkiv and Ukraine, the second largest in the volume of book funds after the Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine.

The library was founded in 1830 as the Kharkiv Provincial Public Library. It worked with long breaks and changes of owners due to constant material, personnel and other problems. In 1884 it was restored as the Kharkiv Public Library and has been open to visiting since 1886.

3D modelling of a building

In the following years, the name of the library and its status changed many times. In November 1922, in accordance with the Code of Laws on Public Education of the Ukrainian SSR, it acquired the status of a state library and was determined as the city’s central book collection, and was renamed as Korolenko Kharkiv State Library.

During its existence, the library has changed several addresses. The building, which still houses it, was designed by the famous Ukrainian architect, Oleksii Beketov, in 1901.

During the Second World War, the building of the book collection library was damaged, where at that time there were almost 200,000 books taken out of the main depository, which was bombed in October 1941.

As previously reported, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine has announced the collection of information on damage and destruction of cultural heritage sites committed by the Russian occupation forces in Ukraine.

In addition, since the beginning of Russia’s full-out invasion of Ukraine, the Russian army has bombed and shelled more than 280 schools.