Linda Hall Library digital initiative technician scanning book.

Linda Hall Library joins efforts to offer resources to Ukrainian scholars

The Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering & Technology has joined the UK-Ukraine Twinning Initiative to provide access to research resources for Ukrainian academics, researchers, students, and staff still residing in Ukraine and those who are displaced. The Library will also reserve one virtual fellowship spot per application cycle for a qualifying Ukrainian graduate student or early-career scholar.

The Russian war on Ukraine has left many Ukrainian scholars without resources, buildings, or staff. As the war continues and during the period of reconstruction after, the Linda Hall Library has pledged to extend free document delivery and Controlled Digital Lending to any Ukrainian student, scholar, and/or teacher. The UK-Ukraine Twinning Initiative is an institution-to-institution collaborative model supported by Universities UK International and coordinated by the Cormack Consultancy Group that allows universities and other intellectual organizations and consortia around the world to support their Ukrainian counterparts.

“I have been enormously impressed by the swift action taken by our British colleagues to provide assistance and support to Ukrainian scholars and students who are bravely endeavoring to continue their research,” said Linda Hall Library President Lisa Browar.  “The Linda Hall Library is proud to be the first American institution of higher learning to join the effort to facilitate the ongoing work of Ukrainian scholarship during this disruptive time.”

Any Ukrainian scholar working with Universities UK International partner institutions will be able to request materials via the Inter-Library Loan, with the Linda Hall Library filling those requests as quickly as possible at no charge. Scholars can also submit requests directly to the Linda Hall Library at requests@lindahall.org.

All public domain materials in the Linda Hall Library’s collection are available online here. For materials still under copyright, the Linda Hall Library will offer free virtual library cards, which will allow access through Controlled Digital Lending (CDL) or direct digitization requests.

To request access, Ukrainian scholars can contact the Linda Hall Library Reference Department at reference@lindahall.org or fill out a form for an account here. For more information on requesting materials, Linda Hall Library’s YouTube page offers how-to videos of the process.

By joining this effort, the Linda Hall Library will work with over 165 British and Western European universities to support Ukrainian research and scholarship. More U.S. universities are expected to join the effort in the coming weeks.