Disturbing Indifference to Russia’s War

Statements about “Ukrainian fascists” and Ukrainian cities being portrayed as Russian are being made. Yet the Russian Library Association is not excluded from the international library organization IFLA.

On April 30, the Russian Library Association published a news item on its website about the decisions made at its latest board meeting. Among other things, new members had been accepted—libraries in the cities of Yakymivka, Melitopol, Vedmezhe, Mariupol, Novoazovsk, Khartsyzk, and Dovzhansk.

These cities are located in Ukraine, in territories occupied by Russia.

There are further examples of the Russian Library Association supporting Russia’s war of aggression, drawn from a nine-page statement that the Ukrainian Library Association submitted to IFLA in October last year.

The Russian National Library, whose director also chairs the Russian Library Association, has signed an agreement with a military organization that is actively participating in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The library has organized events where the proceeds have been donated to the war effort.

The association’s vice chair has made statements about “Ukrainian fascists” and initiated a campaign promoting Russia’s war.

The Ukrainian Library Association has called on IFLA’s governing board to expel the Russian association.

More than six months later, IFLA President Vicki McDonald issued a response last week. The message was that IFLA’s board had investigated the matter, but that the Russian Library Association would remain a member.

At the same time as the letter from Ukraine was sent, a podcast episode featuring the Russian association’s chair, Vadim Duda, was published on IFLA’s website. The interview was conducted by another representative of the Russian library sector, which likely explains the sycophantic tone and complete lack of critical questions.

I recently returned from Ukraine—the results of that trip will be published in the upcoming issue of Biblioteksbladet later this week. Destroyed libraries and testimonies from library staff who have experienced occupation and now live under the constant threat of terror bombings form the core of the story about how Russia is attacking language, identity, and culture. In this light, IFLA’s indulgence of support for the Russian war is frankly repellent.

Last week, Anya Feltreuter and Silvia Ernhagen—new Swedish members of IFLA’s board and one of its divisions, respectively—responded evasively when asked about the Russian membership. I hope they will be clearer going forward.