The Odesa National Scientific Library has received a new mobile station, ARK 1, equipped with advanced technology for cleaning and restoring documents. This initiative has been made possible through the financial support of the ALIPH Foundation and the involvement of the Ukrainian Library Association.
The first unit arrived in Ukraine in January 2025. Its compact size (6 × 2.3 meters) allows for quick deployment without the need for specialized equipment, and it can operate on a generator in the absence of electricity.
From March to August, specialists processed over 350 documents, including about 200 books from university library collections, 30-35 newspaper archives from the Kherson Regional Universal Scientific Library, and over 70 archival documents from the National Library of Ukraine and other institutions.
Odesa, with its unique cultural heritage, now has the means to respond swiftly to damage to library collections. In October, training sessions for librarians on document preservation will be held.
This project is being implemented in collaboration with the National Library of Ukraine, the National Library of the Czech Republic, and the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, supported by Ukrainian organizations.
The project is financed by the Komarek Family Charitable Foundation and various international donors, coordinated by the National Library of Ukraine.
