Naukova Dumka

Naukova Dumka was a Ukrainian scientific and academic publishing house based in Kyiv. Established in 1922 under the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, it developed into one of the oldest scientific publishing institutions in Ukraine and the wider former Soviet Union. Its formation was closely associated with the work of the Academy and with Ahatanhel Krymsky, a prominent Ukrainian linguist, orientalist, and scholar whose efforts helped establish the publishing institution. For much of its early existence, the organization functioned as the official publishing arm of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine rather than operating under the Naukova Dumka name. The name Naukova Dumka, meaning “scientific thought” in Ukrainian, was adopted in 1964. The change gave the publisher a distinct public identity while preserving its central role in disseminating the work of Ukrainian researchers and academic institutions. The publisher’s catalogue covered scientific monographs, research syntheses, historical works, linguistic references, dictionaries, and other scholarly materials. Its dictionary program included Ukrainian synonym dictionaries, dictionaries of foreign words, dictionaries of proper names, phraseological dictionaries, and spelling dictionaries. These publications served both specialists and a broader Ukrainian-language readership, helping establish the publisher as an important reference source as well as a research publisher. Naukova Dumka also contributed to literary and cultural publishing. In 1997 it introduced the Schoolchild’s Library series, which brought works by authors including Ulas Samchuk, Vasyl Barka, Ivan Bahrianyi, Todosiy Osmachka, and Volodymyr Vynnychenko to school-age readers. The series was particularly significant because it presented writers who had been absent from Ukrainian literature curricula for many years. Another major cultural undertaking was the complete 20-volume edition of Taras Shevchenko’s works, one of the publisher’s most prominent editorial achievements. The publisher continued producing substantial scientific output in the twenty-first century. In 2008, it issued 95 titles of fundamental and generalizing scientific works by Ukrainian scholars. In 2010, it began publishing the 20-volume Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language, a major long-term lexicographical project. These activities reflected Naukova Dumka’s dual mission: supporting advanced academic research while strengthening Ukrainian scholarly and linguistic infrastructure. The organization was housed in the building of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine’s Institute of Mathematics at 3 Tereschenkivska Street in Kyiv. In December 2024, Naukova Dumka was liquidated as a legal entity. Its activities were transferred to Akademperiodyka, another National Academy of Sciences publishing house founded in 2001 and located nearby at 4 Tereschenkivska Street. The liquidation ended Naukova Dumka’s separate legal existence after more than a century, although elements of its publishing function continued within Akademperiodyka.

Naukova Dumka originated in 1922 as the publishing institution of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Its establishment was supported by the Academy and by the efforts of Ahatanhel Krymsky, a leading Ukrainian linguist and orientalist. From its early period, the organization was intended to disseminate the work of Ukrainian scholars and to provide an institutional publishing channel for academic research. Before adopting its later name, the publisher operated as the official publishing organization of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. In 1964 it received the name Naukova Dumka, a Ukrainian expression meaning “scientific thought.” The new name became associated with a long-running program of scientific and academic publishing and with the broader development of Ukrainian scholarly communication during the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. Its catalogue included scientific studies, historical publications, generalizing research, and language reference works. Dictionary publishing was a particularly important part of the institution’s identity. It issued works on Ukrainian synonyms, foreign words, proper names, established phrases, and spelling. Through these publications, Naukova Dumka served not only university and research communities but also teachers, students, writers, editors, and general readers seeking authoritative Ukrainian-language references. The publisher also undertook projects connecting scholarship with Ukrainian literary and cultural memory. In 1997 it created the Schoolchild’s Library series, which presented works by writers such as Ulas Samchuk, Vasyl Barka, Ivan Bahrianyi, Todosiy Osmachka, and Volodymyr Vynnychenko. The series helped circulate authors whose names had been missing from Ukrainian literature programs for many years. Naukova Dumka’s complete 20-volume publication of Taras Shevchenko’s works was another major editorial and cultural project. The organization remained active in the twenty-first century. In 2008 it published 95 titles of fundamental and generalizing scientific works by Ukrainian scholars. In 2010 it began issuing the 20-volume Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language, continuing its historic role in Ukrainian lexicography and scholarly reference publishing. Naukova Dumka operated from the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine’s Institute of Mathematics building at 3 Tereschenkivska Street in Kyiv. Its independent legal existence ended in December 2024, when the entity was liquidated. Its activities were moved to Akademperiodyka, a National Academy publishing house founded in 2001 and located at 4 Tereschenkivska Street. The transfer marked the end of Naukova Dumka as a separate legal publisher while continuing parts of its institutional publishing mission within another Academy-affiliated organization.

• 2024

  Legal entity liquidated

  [1]Naukova Dumkaen.wikipedia.org

  Naukova Dumka was liquidated in December, and its activities were transferred to Akademperiodyka.

• 2010

  20-volume Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language begins

  [1]Naukova Dumkaen.wikipedia.org

  The publisher began issuing a major 20-volume Ukrainian-language dictionary project.

• 2008

  Publication of 95 scientific titles

  [1]Naukova Dumkaen.wikipedia.org

  Naukova Dumka published 95 titles of fundamental and generalizing scientific works by Ukrainian scholars.

• 1997

  Schoolchild's Library series begins

  [1]Naukova Dumkaen.wikipedia.org

  The publisher launched a series presenting Ukrainian literary works to school-age readers, including works by authors long absent from official literature programs.

• 1964

  The Naukova Dumka name is adopted

  [1]Naukova Dumkaen.wikipedia.org

  The Academy's publishing institution began using the name Naukova Dumka, meaning “scientific thought.”

• 1922

  Publishing house established

  [1]Naukova Dumkaen.wikipedia.org

  The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine established the publishing institution that later became Naukova Dumka, with Ahatanhel Krymsky playing an important role in its formation.

A Ukrainian Academy-affiliated scholarly publisher focused on scientific research, Ukrainian linguistics, history, cultural heritage, and authoritative reference works.

• Reference and lexicographical publishing

  Dictionary publishing

  Naukova Dumka published a broad range of Ukrainian-language reference works, including dictionaries of synonyms, foreign words, proper names, established phrases, and spelling. These works supported academic research, education, editing, translation, and everyday use of the Ukrainian language.

• Educational and literary series · 1997

  Schoolchild's Library

  Introduced in 1997, the Schoolchild's Library series brought Ukrainian literary works to younger readers. It included authors such as Ulas Samchuk, Vasyl Barka, Ivan Bahrianyi, Todosiy Osmachka, and Volodymyr Vynnychenko, including writers whose works had been absent from Ukrainian literature programs for many years.

• Literary and cultural heritage edition

  Complete works of Taras Shevchenko

  Naukova Dumka published a complete 20-volume collection of works by Taras Shevchenko. The edition represented one of the publisher's major contributions to the preservation and dissemination of Ukrainian literary heritage.

• Major lexicographical reference work · 2010

  Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language

  This 20-volume dictionary project began publication in 2010 and continued Naukova Dumka's longstanding role in Ukrainian lexicography. It was designed as a substantial reference resource for the Ukrainian language and its scholarly study.

• Academic publishing

  Scientific monographs and research syntheses

  The publisher issued scientific monographs, fundamental studies, and generalizing works by Ukrainian scholars across academic fields. Its 2008 output included 95 titles in this broad scientific category.

• 2024

  Transfer of activities to AkademperiodykaStrategy

  Background

  The National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine reorganized the publishing activities associated with Naukova Dumka.

  Action taken

  Naukova Dumka was liquidated as a legal entity, and its activities were moved to Akademperiodyka.

  Aftermath

  Naukova Dumka ceased to exist as an independent legal publisher, while some of its publishing functions continued under Akademperiodyka.

  Source

• 2010

  Launch of the 20-volume Dictionary of the Ukrainian LanguageProduct launch

  Background

  Naukova Dumka had a longstanding publishing focus on Ukrainian dictionaries and language reference works.

  Action taken

  The publisher began issuing a 20-volume Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language.

  Aftermath

  The project reinforced the publisher's position as a major Ukrainian lexicographical institution.

  Source

• 1997

  Launch of the Schoolchild's Library seriesProduct launch

  Background

  The publisher sought to make Ukrainian literary works available to school-age readers, including authors who had long been omitted from literature programs.

  Action taken

  Naukova Dumka introduced the Schoolchild's Library series.

  Aftermath

  The series broadened the publisher's cultural and educational role beyond strictly scientific publishing.

  Source

• 1964

  Adoption of the Naukova Dumka identityStrategy

  Background

  The Academy's official publishing institution had previously operated without the Naukova Dumka name.

  Action taken

  The publisher adopted the name Naukova Dumka, creating the identity under which it became widely known.

  Aftermath

  The name became associated with Ukrainian scientific, academic, linguistic, and historical publishing.

  Source

1. 1Naukova Dumkaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2History of Naukova Dumkandumka.kiev.ua