Biography of the Legendary UT Library Director Laine Peep was Published

Ago Pärtelpoeg collected memories and stories about Laine Peep, the former director of the UT Library, and published a biographical book Laine Peep: the Directress.

The manuscript is based on memories about Laine Peep, recorded in 1997–2000, on articles published in the media and about 70 stories told by her colleagues, friends, university employees as well as by her competitors.

Photos from the personal collections of family members of Laine Peep and her colleagues, and the photo collections of the Estonian Film Archive, the UT Library Department of Manuscripts and Rare Books and the Tartu Public Library add much value to this 400-pages book.

Laine Peep (1932–2001) worked as the UT Library director for 28 years. For about 20 years she devoted herself to getting a new library building and better storage conditions for its book collections. Thus, the memories in this volume form a part of the library history. The book also contains exciting and fascinating moments of the academic life of the time, memories of the former library on Toomemägi, its traditions and changes that took place when the library moved to its new building.   

Laine Peep is remembered as a wise, determined and fearless leader, although sometimes a stubborn, powerful and complicated woman. She herself was very well aware of her image. The book quotes the words of Laine Peep, “I know from psychology that progress is possible only through properly arranged and finished conflicts. This gives us an opportunity to reach our aim. Not being afraid of conflicts, being confident in relations with bosses. If it was necessary, I always argued with them.”

The biography was presented at the UT Library on 19 December, in the circle of close relatives of Laine Peep and many of her colleagues and friends.