Oksana Pliushchyk (Institute of Biographical Research, V.I. Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine) (ONLINE)
During the full-scale invasion of russian troops in Ukraine, changes have occurred not only in personal fates of individuals but also in the structure and organization of society at the state level. Over the past decade of the russian-Ukrainian war, the state has not reported real losses, but unfortunately, almost every day, both civilians and military personnel perish. In response, the state can create memorials, perform collective rituals, establish places of remembrance, etc.
This context has sparked discussions among scholars, museum professionals, and various organizations regarding how best to commemorate these losses. There is a consensus that each soldier’s contribution in the war matters and that it is now worth even chaotically organizing places of memory, recording information about the fallen in any way acceptable to people. Over time, this chaos will likely undergo structuring, and such actions will become regular and organised, possibly even leading to entirely new forms of commemorative practises.
The digitalisation era expands the internet space boundaries, and its accessibility and convenience are actively utilized by libraries. Changes have also occurred in their structure, with content (biograms/biographies/narratives) about Ukraine’s fallen defenders now available, fulfilling several functions: honouring memory, mediating of collective and personal traumatic experiences, developing a culture of memory and cultural policy.