On Monday, emotions ran high in Tallinn as a familiar figure on the city’s streets — the library bus Katarina Jee — began a new chapter of service. After nearly two decades of bringing books to local readers, the retired mobile library set off for Kharkiv, Ukraine, where demand for cultural and educational services has grown urgent amid the war.
Named after a character from Estonian author August Gailit’s classic novel Toomas Nipernaadi, Katarina Jee has been more than just a bus. Since her purchase in 2008, she has been a roaming haven for readers, operated by the Tallinn Central Library. Chief Specialist Librarian Annika Marsh, who worked with the mobile library for 15 years, admitted the farewell was bittersweet: “She was full of memories — we really built a bond with her.”
Instead of being sold for the usual €15,000–30,000, the bus was donated free of charge as a gesture of solidarity. The donation is being coordinated with the Ukrainian Embassy, the Kharkiv State Scientific Library, and Tallinn’s Department of Culture and Sports. The city will also cover transport costs of around €7,000 from its reserve fund.
The new Katarina Jee, which took over library duties in Tallinn in late 2024, even rolled up on Monday to “see off” her predecessor.
Tallinn Deputy Mayor Kaarel Oja emphasized the importance of such initiatives, noting that cultural resilience plays a vital role during wartime: “Throughout our communications with Ukrainian colleagues, one message was clear — keeping cultural institutions alive is essential. This is something we have taken seriously in our own cultural crisis planning.”
As she makes her way to Kharkiv, Katarina Jee carries not only books but also a powerful symbol of cultural continuity and friendship between Estonia and Ukraine.
