Jõgeva library director: rural libraries are waiting for new legislation

The director of Jõgeva Library, Kristi Pukk, argues that Estonia's Public Libraries Act from 1998 is long overdue for an update. Rural municipal libraries in particular are hampered by outdated regulations that no longer reflect the current reality. A new law is needed for libraries to move forward with their development.

Kristi Pukk, the director of Jõgeva Library, has made a clear case in a published opinion piece: Estonia's Public Libraries Act, in force since 1998, is badly out of date and urgently needs to be replaced with legislation that reflects how libraries actually operate today.

From the perspective of rural municipal libraries, the problem is especially acute. The current legal framework was designed for a different era and no longer matches the roles and responsibilities that local libraries have taken on over the past quarter-century. Pukk argues that without a modern legal foundation, libraries cannot take the next steps in their development.

The call for reform is not new, but Pukk's opinion piece puts a sharp focus on the frustration felt by library directors across Estonia's smaller municipalities. They are waiting for the state to act — and until it does, progress remains stalled.