Ark I relocates from Kyiv to Odesa
Published: 6. october 2025
The mobile Ark I unit has moved from Kyiv to Odesa after several months of operation. The mission remains the same – to protect and preserve written cultural heritage. As Odesa has long been under the threat of shelling, the unit’s presence has a positive impact on safeguarding Ukraine’s culture.
The mobile Ark I station arrived at its new location at the turn of September and October 2025: the Odesa National Scientific Library. The relocation was made possible with financial support from the ALIPH Foundation and in cooperation with the Ukrainian Library Association.
Throughout October, practical training sessions and workshops will be held for librarians from Odesa and the wider region, focusing on the preservation of endangered documentary collections. These activities will provide Odesa with important tools to protect cultural heritage even under the conditions of war.
Hundreds of processed documents
Since the beginning of the year, at which point Ark I was put into operation, experts have processed more than 350 documents – over 16,500 pages in total. Among the processed materials are approximately 200 books from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as 30 to 35 volumes of historical newspapers from the collections of the Oleksandr Honchar Kherson Regional Universal Scientific Library.
Ark I has also helped process more than 70 archival documents and manuscripts from the collections of the Yaroslav the Wise National Library of Ukraine, the National Historical Library of Ukraine, the Scientific and Technical Library of KPI, the National Museum of the History of Ukraine, and the Museum of Books and Printing of Ukraine. Around 30 periodicals originate from university and regional cultural institution libraries, with additional items including paper‑based museum artefacts.
The Ark initiative was established through cooperation between the Yaroslav the Wise National Library of Ukraine, the National Library of the Czech Republic, and other institutions. The project is funded by the Karel Komárek Family Foundation and other donors.
Newsletter