As a global community of mission-driven publishers dedicated to the advancement of knowledge, the Association of University Presses (AUPresses) is dismayed by targeted Russian bombings of Ukrainian warehouses, printers, and publishing houses across multiple regions including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kherson during July and August. The International Publishers Association, of which AUPresses is a member, reports six deaths as a result of these bombings and the destruction of more than 8 million books, including school books.*
AUPresses has created a GoFundMe effort in hopes of assisting our colleagues in Ukraine, with donations to be used as follows:
- The first $6,000 collected will send three Ukrainian publishers to the International Convention of University Presses at the Frankfurt Book Fair on October 9. This gathering, reconvening after a seven-year hiatus, aims to facilitate transnational dialogue, network building, and shared perspectives on the future of university press publishing. (more information about the convention)
- Any funds received in excess of that amount will be donated to the Ukrainian Book Institute (UBI) as it persists in developing the country’s book industry, promoting reading, and making Ukrainian literature more accessible in Ukraine and more visible in the world.
As the UBI states, “even in turbulent times, the importance of culture and books in particular should never be underestimated. Our actions are a testament to the unwavering strength of literature in the face of adversity.”
AUPresses is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so donations are tax deductible according to US law.
*Read more about the devastating situation in Ukrainian publishing:
- From International Publishers Association: https://internationalpublishers.org/ipa-condemns-devastating-attacks-on-ukrainian-publishing/
- From Supporting Ukrainian Publishing Resilience and Recovery (SUPRR): https://www.suprr.org/post/millions-of-ukrainian-books-destroyed-by-russia-you-can-help-the-recovery
Also of interest
Essential Reading from University Presses on Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine