Estonian public libraries lack funds to buy enough books

The Estonian Librarians’ Association says public libraries do not have enough funding to buy sufficient books and other materials, while Estonia is also discussing a wider reform of its public library system.

The association sent a letter to the Ministry of Culture, warning that limited funding is affecting public libraries’ ability to purchase enough materials. According to ERR, state support for buying library materials has remained unchanged for five years, at €1.9 million, while book prices have increased and municipal support varies by region.

The association said there are long waiting lists for popular books. At the Oskar Luts Tartu City Library, 127 people were waiting for Tõnu Õnnepalu’s book “Tööpäevale”.

Kristi Veeber, head of the Estonian Librarians’ Association, said demand for e-books and audiobooks is also growing, but the selection available through the Mirko e-library does not cover it. She warned that if the situation continues, many people could lose access to Estonian-language literature, especially children and young people.

According to Veeber, at least €1 million would be needed to help public libraries get out of the crisis. Ülle Talihärm, library adviser at the Ministry of Culture, said increasing support for public library collections is a priority in state budget negotiations for 2027.

Librarians are also concerned that funding could be directed to developing the Mirko e-library instead of supporting public library collections. Veeber said Mirko should not be financed at the expense of collection support, as both are important.

The funding concerns come as Estonia discusses public library reform. In a separate ERR opinion piece, education, culture and local government consultant Marika Saar wrote that libraries are not just public services, but meeting places for people, reading and culture.

Saar wrote that Estonia currently has 478 public libraries, while support systems are fragmented, workloads differ by county and several activities are duplicated. She argued that strengthening the role of the National Library of Estonia as a nationwide development unit, together with a unified e-catalogue, modern data management, automated support services and better logistics, could help improve library services across the country.

At the same time, Saar said reform should not break existing networks and must take regional differences into account. She wrote that practical planning should continue in cooperation with public libraries and other partners.

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Main image: Narva keskraamatukogu