“These are books of people’s fight for freedom”

Life proves again that the campaign “Give Den’s Library to Your School,” which was launched in 2011, is extremely necessary and relevant. Recently our newspaper wrote that 10 secondary schools in Cherkasy received the “Armor-Piercing Political Writing” series from JSC Azot during the opening of the photo exhibit Den 2014 in this oblast center. And Specialized School No. 20 got a special present: member of the City Council, director of Temp Plant Oleksandr Zgiblov purchased Ukraine Incognita, Klara Gudzyk’s Apocrypha, The Power of the Soft Sign, Your Dead Have Chosen Me..., the series “Subversive Literature,” and the photo album People of the Maidan. A Chronicle.

Svitlana Lys, deputy principal for educational work of the Cherkasy Specialized School No. 20, sent a thank you letter to the editorial office. “We are sincerely grateful for the priceless books, published by your newspaper’s library. These are unique books on our history, outstanding statesmen, composers, warriors, and poets. These are the books of people’s fight for freedom and dignity, these are reflections on the burning problems of the ancient, medieval, modern, and contemporary history of Ukraine. They will come handy not only in preparation for classes for both teachers and students, but to everyone who cares about our history, who wants to study our culture, art, literature, our path towards freedom deeper,” wrote she.

Lys is a Ukrainian language and literature teacher. She emphasizes: “I want to say special thanks for the 15 books from the ‘Armor-Piercing Political Writing’ series, because they contain articles and excerpts of works that are necessary in classes of Ukrainian literature (Why Don’t I Want to Come Back to the USSR by Ivan Bahriany, From a Camp Notebook by Vasyl Stus, articles by Ivan Franko, Oleh Olzhych, Ukraine or Little Russia by Mykola Khvyliovy) and history of Ukraine (articles by Viacheslav Lypynsky, George Shevelov, Ivan Lysiak-Rudnytsky, Mykola Drahomanov, Mykola Kostomarov). This is wonderful material for teachers of art culture, music and fine arts, as well as for class masters and high school students.”

Lys shared in a conversation with Den that they receive books very seldom now. “We hold a campaign ‘Give a New Life to a Book’ every year, and replenish our library with literature essential for children after turning in waste paper. Usually, these are books for primary school and contemporary literature. Den’s Library publications are more suitable for older children. We have never had such literature in our library before.”

Teachers became the first readers of the presented books. Liudmyla Kita, the principal, says that the first thing she did was look through the touching photos from the album People of the Maidan. A Chronicle, and began reading from The Power of the Soft Sign. “We presented the publications at a teachers’ conference, and the books were all gone in no time,” shares Lys. “Honestly, we need this literature like air. In particular, our historians need it, because these books expound the relations of our nation with Russia and things like the Ems Ukase or the Valuev Circular. I believe that Ukraine Incognita is very useful for the journalist club as well. It contains such newspaper sketches which could be used, for instance, to teach students to construct written statements.” After reading the books, the teachers will hand them over to the library so that the students too could get acquainted with them, says the deputy principal. “Everything is very aptly selected. There are things to read and things to discuss. You are doing a great thing,” summarized Lys.

On its part, Den calls on everyone to keep joining in this charitable action. You can purchase our books by calling the editorial office at (044) 303 96 23, or on Den’s website www.day.kiev.ua. Let’s expand the intellectual space together! Everyone can contribute by donating Den’s books to his or her school.