This new Ukrainian library wants to make readers feel 'at home'

If you've ever wanted to read the fiction ofJ.R.R. Tolkien or Steve Jobs's biography in Ukrainian, now's your chance.

Those are justsome of the several hundred booksavailable to be checked out at L'Ukrainka, a newlibrary for Ukrainian-language literature that launched earlier this month in Ottawa.

It was "pretty difficult" to find works in Ukrainian before, with few options and long waitlists at the Ottawa Public Library, saidTamara Pastukh, L'Ukrainka's project co-ordinator.

"You had either to order them from Ukraine, or maybe take them from the public library in Ottawa but this option became available only after the war started," Pastukh told CBC Radio'sOttawa Morning.

"Before, it was very difficult to find Ukrainian books, [especially] modern ones in Ottawa."

Ottawa Morning8:21Ukrainian library opens in Ottawa

Tamara Pastukh is the project coordinator of LUkrainka a new library in Ottawa with hundreds of Ukrainian titles for patrons to choose from. She shares why its important to have access to books written in Ukrainian and the challenges of getting those books onto Canadian soil.

How it works

While the waves of Ukrainians who've fled Russia's February 2022 invasion have brought with them a desire to read in their own language, Pastukh said the idea for L'Ukrainka preceded not just the invasion but also the COVID-19 pandemic.

The library,which had its public launch on March 22, has about 300 books donated from the community, plus another 70 that came courtesy of the Ukrainian Embassy.

Interested readers first takeout a $20 membership, which lets them browse L'Ukrainka'sonline catalogue and sign out up to twobooksfor up to a month at a time .

They then pick them up the following week at the Lesia Ukrainka School of Ottawa.

Pastukh said the membership fee is necessarybecause they're operating as a non-profit and need a way to cover any costs associated with books that get lost or aren't returned.

The fees will ultimately be put toward expanding the library's collection, she added.

A 'different level of satisfaction'

The library project is a personal one, said Pastukh, a former principal and teacher at the school who donated many of her own Ukrainian-language titles she brought with her when she immigrated to Canada.

While there is adult-oriented literature, most of the library's current selection is aimed at young people, she added.

"I know how fast kids can learn English, but at the same speed, they can forget the Ukrainian language," saidPastukh. "So it is really important for them to read or [even have their] parents read to them."

As for adults,there's a "different level of satisfaction" when you enjoy a book written in your native language, she said.

"When you read in Ukrainian, you feel like you're at home."