When schoolteacher Tetyana Nishkur was laid off in 2005 after 33 years of service, she had difficulty finding a new job. With the help of the local public library, she learned to write a business plan and started a business renting kayaks and leading tours. Today the business is thriving, and the internet access provided by the library has become an essential part of her life.
Our goal in producing these videos is to highlight the transformative uses of public libraries. Ninety-three percent of respondents in a November 2009 survey of Ukrainian citizens associated the library with books, and 91% as a place to support children's education. Books, of course, are the core of traditional library services, but Tetyana Nishkur's story shows that Ukrainian public libraries have much more to offer for people of all ages.