The Estonian Publishers' Association has issued an open letter urging the state and local governments to pay greater attention to libraries and literature as pillars of education, culture and mental well-being.
"The Ministry of Culture recently announced that state funding allocated to public libraries for purchasing books and other materials will be cut by €100,000. As the average price of books has also risen due to small print runs and increased costs, this will significantly reduce libraries' ability to purchase new books and make them available to readers," the Estonian Publishers' Association stressed in its open letter.
The association is calling on both the state and local governments to pay greater attention to libraries and literature as essential pillars of education, culture and mental well-being.
"The decline in deep reading among children and young people is not merely a cultural issue. It affects vocabulary, concentration, imagination, academic performance and the ability to understand oneself and others. These skills are essential for learning, working and participating in society as informed citizens."
"The 2025 reading survey 'Estonians Read 2025,' co-authored by Marju Lauristin, highlights a generational concern: 22 percent of people aged 50 to 60 and older are active readers with diverse literary interests, compared with just 11 percent of those aged 15 to 24. A strong interest in books among young people generally develops in homes with plenty of books. Public libraries must therefore help bridge disparities between households by providing every child with free, age-appropriate reading materials, good recommendations and opportunities to discover books, even when their family's book collection or financial circumstances do not allow it," the association explained.
According to the association, libraries are essential for readers of all ages who want to keep up with literature but find new books too expensive or live far from bookstores.
"Libraries are also important community centers. Without libraries and literature in our native language, it is impossible to ensure the survival of the Estonian language. This requires sufficient funding for libraries to maintain up-to-date and diverse collections of newly published works, support readers, authors and publishers through book purchases, and ensure that libraries do not become yet another disappearing community service."
The association said supporting the survival of libraries and access to literature in Estonian is just as important as what is traditionally understood as national defense.
"If we have no culture in our native language, what exactly are we defending?"
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