The facts. Real situation. 4 steps to recovery.
Preliminary figures of the Book Chamber of Ukraine on the issue of books this year in relation to 2021 record a drop in titles by 47%, and in circulation - by 56% at the beginning of December. And this is in comparison with the unsuccessful covid year.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, 350 libraries were bombed. All libraries that were in the occupied territories were looted.
Only in the bookstore chain Knygoland, 6 bookstores were burned and damaged. Bookstores in the east and south of the country, where they are most needed, are closing due to expensive rent and unprofitability. Even during the war, new bookstores are opened, and they talk about it loudly. What they prefer to keep silent about is that for one open bookstore there are four or five closed ones.
Most libraries removed Russian-language publications but remained with empty shelves. Currently, the shortage of bibliographies is no less than 10-12 million copies of modern Ukrainian publications. Even in the book collections of military hospitals in Kyiv, most of the books are in Russian. And it is to the publishers that the heads of hospitals turn to for the charitable supply of books.
The price of the book doubled due to the increase in price and shortage of paper, complicated logistics, and the increase in the cost of printing services.
About the positive with caveats.
- Ukrainian libraries felt a crazy demand for Ukrainian authors. But there are no funds for the purchase of books. Publishing houses are unable to fill the shelves at their own expense.
- Most publishing houses are working, working remotely, despite rocket fire and air raids, despite blackouts. But the publishing teams cannot safely meet in full in one city, because they are all scattered throughout Ukraine and the world. Working in such conditions is emotionally exhausting and definitely does not increase productivity.
- New editions are published. But most of the layouts were prepared in the pre-war period. 2023 is expected to be the most difficult year, not only due to blackouts but also due to a lack of personnel (volunteering, defense of the country in the ranks of the Armed Forces, travel abroad due to danger to life)
- The demand for Ukrainian books abroad has increased due to the huge number of refugees from Ukraine. Shelves with Ukrainian publications have appeared in many libraries and bookstores in Poland and Germany (it is in these countries where most of our citizens live). But books are not enough. Most of the books were supplied by Ukrainian publishing houses for free in the first months of the war. The systematic purchase of books abroad has not been established. There are no large distributors specializing in Ukrainian books. Usually, a Ukrainian edition can stand on the shelf next to Russian books with anti-Ukrainian content. Even asking libraries to remove Russian publications does not help - democracy and freedom of speech will not allow to remove Ukrainian-phobic publications without a court decision.
- The demand for buying licenses for publications by Ukrainian authors has increased. But Ukrainian writers are not well known abroad, and special steps must be taken to promote Ukrainian literature abroad (participation in book exhibitions, support for translations into EU languages, creation of catalogs for electronic and paper editions).
- The law adopted this year on the support of bookstores and digital certificates for teenagers and parents of newborns. But for obvious reasons, the budget for 2023 does not include funding for these very important programs.
- There are fewer and fewer books in Russian on sale, many people do not buy in Russian in principle. Book chains independently refuse to sell Russian-made books. Despite the losses. Freedom is more expensive. But the sanctions law banning books from Russian publishers has not yet been signed by the President.
- Many foreign benefactors offer to supply Ukrainian books for libraries. But they ask publishers for copyright free of charge for digital printing. It keeps readers going but kills the publishing industry. It would be correct to purchase already published books from publishing houses.
What shall I do?
Four steps to protect the information space of Ukraine and support the book publishing industry.
1. Tax benefits.
A rescue legislative initiative should be the abolition of the income tax and the introduction of a zero VAT rate. This decision does not look like populism against the background of the fact that today a gaming business with a turnover of up to 10 billion can pay only 2% of the turnover.
2. Adopting a reading support strategy. The strategy was developed back in 2019 and with a little refinement can become a step-by-step document for the recovery of the industry.
3. Protected article of funding of library funds.
The recovery plan of Ukraine, which is financed by the EU, must necessarily include protected funding for the replenishment of library funds and support of bookstores. This program is a minimum of 5 years.
4. Continuation of e-support
Immediately after the Victory, continue the e-support (book thousand), which will help support readers of Ukrainian books and restore the publishing industry.
I am glad, everyone has already understood that Ukrainian is the language of Victory. We are working!
