Hammad Rauf Khan , Library Journal; Libraries in a Time of Conflict
"In the future many library collections in Ukraine will need to be replenished, and unfortunately some rare items may be lost forever. We need to work together across borders in making sure to preserve endangered library collections. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is working with Blue Shield International and UNESCO on plans of action to safeguard library collections. It will be interesting to see the action they take for Ukraine, but why don’t we already have steps in place to make sure if a crisis happens, we can protect our rare and culturally valuable items from harm? While many of our library organizations ask us to develop disaster planning and community resilience guidelines, these often don’t address issues around war and how to protect special collections from invaders. While we hope that none of us find ourselves and our communities in a conflict like the one playing out in Ukraine, we as library professionals should work towards creating a guidebook on protecting rare books, historical materials, documents, and maps during times of war. It is better to be over prepared than to not be ready at all.
We must collaborate, cooperate, and coordinate our efforts in preserving and inventorying our unique library materials. We need to generate data on the condition of materials as they are stored, the conditions under which they are used, the security around the collection, and the policies that affect their care, storage, and handling. Libraries transmit culture, have the unique ability to uplift individuals and society, and continue to enhance democracy even in conflict. To do that best, we must make sure we are prepared to work together to save what can’t be replaced."
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