It is sometimes said, with a touch of dark humor, that when a new crisis hits society, the first responder is a smart and multi-talented librarian. But how many resources and responsibilities do libraries actually have? And how does the function of civil protection fit in with dozens of other tasks – culture, education, information management, and community work?

These are the questions explored by Signe Heiberg, editor of Raamatukogu magazine, in her conversation with Hannes Nagel and Tuuliki Tõiste, chairman of the Estonian Librarians’ Association. In the conversation, Nagel emphasized two central ideas. First, libraries are the core of democracy and community, one of the few spaces where there are no economic or social barriers. They are places where human contact occurs, preventing society from becoming encapsulated in social media echo chambers.

Second, the experience of Ukraine shows that libraries are not just cultural institutions—they are centers of resilience that can function even in wartime, providing shelter, information, routine, and continuity even when everything else around them is in turmoil. According to Nagel, Estonia needs to understand that libraries are not a “soft cultural expense” but critical infrastructure, the strengthening of which increases the resilience of society as a whole, both in times of crisis and in times of peace.

🟠 You can listen to the podcast here!