Kirjad raamatukogule

Abstract

Letters to the Library

Probably the best way to commemorate our former director Krista Aru, who passed away on 25 February 2025, is to recall her own words and thoughts on issues important to her.  Publishing selected brief excerpts from her letters to colleagues, posted in our Library’s internal mailing list during her five years in office, is an effort to do so.

Her letters in this selection, addressed to “Dear friends” or “Dear companions”, do not administrate, command or forbid. Krista is rather sharing and inspirating, inviting us to find and see good reasons in our daily lives and the world around us to feel joy, to be proud of our Library and of the meaningful work we are doing. Books, the Library, University of Tartu and Estonia – the country, it’s people and culture – were the four weight bearing pillars of our world in her eyes. She saw the past as our strength, the gift from our predecessors who
paved the road for us, and the future would be of our doing as our responsibility. Karl Morgenstern (1770–1852), the first director of our Library, and Jaan Tõnisson (1868–1941), an outstanding Estonian statesman, were no mythical figures for Krista, but more like old and wise colleagues with whom she could have a word on difficult issues. Krista never hesitated to shoulder her responsibilities as she saw them – for our Library, for Estonian culture, for both our history and future.

The selection of Krista Aru’s letters for this publication was made by Katri Armolik, Kertu Uri and Marianne Marlene Tiik.