First shipment from new warehouse supports Ukrainian libraries
Book Aid International is pleased to announce that it has sent its first shipment of brand-new, publisher-donated books from its new warehouse in Swindon. The shipment contains 15,554 books, the majority of which will support PEN Ukraine’s Unbreakable Libraries campaign.
The shipment comes at a particularly important moment following the damage to PEN Ukraine’s Kyiv warehouse in a July airstrike. Books provided to PEN Ukraine include children’s books, leisure reading and English as a Second Language texts.
They will help restock damaged and threatened libraries, including those in frontline and liberated communities, creating access to English-language books for thousands of Ukrainians. They will be highly valued as English is increasingly used by Ukrainians for education, work and as part of day to day conversation.
Book Aid International has so far provided 52,888 books to PEN Ukraine which have reached more than 250 libraries. Maksym Sytnikov, PEN Ukraine Executive Director said:
“We are deeply grateful to Book Aid International for their generous donation of books to Ukrainian libraries. In the midst of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, these books are more than just books — they are instruments of resilience, unity, and cultural continuity. Each book that reaches a Ukrainian library during the war is priceless.”
Book Aid International began operations at its new Swindon warehouse on 1 September. The charity aims to increase the books it provides to partners worldwide to two million books per year by 2030 from its new premises, and its next shipment will support readers across Zimbabwe.
Alison Tweed, Chief Executive of Book Aid International, said:
“To have our first shipment from Swindon go to PEN Ukraine as they recover from the damage to their own warehouse is very special. We are enormously grateful to the UK publishing community for its generosity, and we hope publishers will continue to work with us to share the power of books with readers worldwide in the years ahead.”
Book Aid International is calling on publishers and booksellers to help it expand its work and give everyone the opportunity to read.
To find out more, visit https://bookaid.org/support-us/donate-books/. To start a conversation contact Book Aid International Partnerships Manager Sally Murphy: Sally.murphy@bookaid.org.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Images
Please find a selection of images and the Book Aid International logo here: https://bookaid.dash.app/sharing/type/collection/plruu-first-shipment-release
Further information
Please contact Emma Taylor:
07582 402 446
emma.taylor@bookaid.org
About Book Aid International
Book Aid International is a charity which shares the power of books and helps build a more equal future. Every year, Book Aid International works with its partners worldwide to provide over one million brand-new books which support or establish libraries in communities where people would otherwise have few opportunities to read.
Almost all of the books Book Aid International provides are donated to the charity by publishers in the UK, and every book sent is carefully selected in line with the charity’s partners’ requests. Book Aid International also funds the purchase of thousands of nationally published books every year.
Book Aid International is a registered charity in England and Wales. Charity number 313869 and company number 880754.