ABSTRACT
The geopolitical location of Ukraine in Central-Eastern Europe has significantly influenced the historical and present development of the country and its libraries. The Ukraine became a fully sovereign state in 1991, after long periods of successive domination by Poland-Lithuania, Russia, and the Soviet Union. Since Ukraine became independent libraries have been rethinking their role in society, considering different goals and facing new challenges. Those challenges are closely linked to democratic changes occurring in Ukraine during the last decade. This entry gives a brief history of libraries in Ukraine, reviews conditions and development of Ukrainian libraries, and discusses new trends in their activities. It also contains basic information about some of the major libraries in Ukraine.
