The Odessa National Scientific Library has claimed the top spot in the annual competition organized by Goethe-Institut Ukraine among partner libraries. The award was presented to the German Reading Room for its vibrant cultural initiatives carried out throughout 2024. The library's director, Irina Biryukova, shared insights about the project and the victory with the media.

The German Reading Room was recognized as the best among fifteen partner libraries of Goethe-Institut in Ukraine. The evaluation highlighted not only consistency but also the diversity of events, ranging from educational meetings and language courses to children's games, music, and book releases.

As a prize, Goethe-Institut provided a selection of books in Ukrainian from the "Best Book Design" collection, along with new editions for the "German Shelf" — a permanent display of contemporary German literature.

Support and Partnership

Special recognition was given to the team and the librarian of the German Room, Viktoriya Zayets, who had completed an internship in Germany. The German Reading Room is part of a larger library network. Each year, a new space is highlighted, and this time, Odessa was honored. However, the main focus is not on the title but on continual progress, as emphasized by the library director, Irina Biryukova:

"This is not just about winning. It’s about being useful to people and changing the world around us through knowledge."

Not Participation, but Daily Work

The victory in the competition was not the goal, as there was no formal submission for participation, Irina Biryukova explained. Librarians simply did what they do best — organized events, learning sessions, and cultural gatherings, even during the war.

"There was no specific competition for which we applied. We were just doing our job. The project has been running for 25 years: a tripartite agreement was established between the library, Goethe-Institut, and the "Bavarian House Odessa", which provided the space for meetings. The project then evolved, utilizing the library's resources: human, spatial, and technical," Biryukova noted.

The demand has not diminished, the director assured — on the contrary, it has increased: people seek knowledge, communication, and support.

A Bridge Between Cultures

Today, the German Reading Room is not just language courses or bookshelves, but a fully-fledged space for intercultural interaction, featuring books, music, culinary arts, and traditions.

"This project is significantly broader than merely library work or providing informational services. It’s about a deeper process of understanding culture in all its forms, the culture of the partner country, through literature, music, and familiarization with intangible cultural heritage, like culinary history," Biryukova explained.

Meetings are held for people of all ages: fairy tales are read for children, while discussions, training, and thematic events cater to older audiences. And all of this is free of charge.