Little Free Library is thrilled to work alongside the people of Ukraine, the American Library Association, and San José State University to provide six new Little Free Libraries and 3,000 books for Ukrainian children.
“The goal is to establish six Little Free Libraries in Cherkasy, Central Ukraine, that will serve as safe havens where children can read, learn, and dream,” tells Dr. Anthony Chow, SJSU iSchool Director and LFL Board member. “Last year at the ALA conference we collected over 370 children’s books. This year we are sending 35 boxes of books, which amount to a few thousand. And we will continue.”
The six Little Free Libraries launched in Cherkasy, Ukraine, on September 17, 2025. See videos and images from the project:
This work is primarily done with support of a student volunteer team, led by Assistant Professor Dr. Ulia Gosart, who prepared for the book drive months in advance creating flyers and bookmarks, then attending the conference to collect, inventory, and pack books.
“Getting involved in this project lets us see the human side of things and the lived experiences, as a lot of the [news] coverage [of the war] is reduced to numbers, statistics.” shares iSchool student Ocelia Stanley. “It’s hard for people here to remember that time doesn’t stop for people who are impacted by wars. Kids in Ukraine are still growing as they can’t just pause and wait until the war is over to get back to learning things. They have to do it now.”
Our mission at Little Free Library is to be a catalyst for building community, inspiring readers, and expanding book access for all through a global network of Little Free Library book-sharing boxes. We believe everyone deserves a book to read.
We hope these Little Free Libraries and the books inside are a positive addition to the Ukrainian community. Through reading, kids can learn, grow, and imagine the future they want to see.
Learn more about our programs, which grant hundreds of Little Free Libraries and thousands of books to communities that need them each year.