Night Library offers both dog and cat therapy

The traditional Night Library, during which the library remains open until midnight on weekdays, will take place this year from 11 May to 5 June. In addition to the popular therapy dogs, who once again bring joy to students with their presence, a special purring corner will also be available this spring to help relieve stress.

“As we currently have an exhibition titled How to Rule the World, which focuses on cats, we came up with the idea of offering feline therapy as part of the Night Library,” said Olga Einasto, Head of the Service Department. “For this purpose, we have created a cosy purring corner in the exhibition hall, where visitors can sit in a rocking chair and listen to the soothing purring of a cat.” Einasto added that, according to scientific studies, a cat’s purring at a frequency of 25–150 Hz helps reduce anxiety and lower stress levels. “We hope that students will warmly welcome this relaxing therapeutic corner and that it will help them refocus on their studies afterwards,” she said.

While cat therapy is available every day, therapy dogs from the Estonian Assistance and Therapy Association visit the night library on Tuesdays: 12, 19, and 26 May at 18:00. Every Wednesday at 20:00, the Jätsiabi ice cream bus stops in front of the library. On Thursdays at 17:00, guided tours of the exhibition “How to Rule the World” take place. On two Wednesdays, 27 May at 19:00 and 3 June at 16:00, you can also attend Markus Louis Mühlberg’s short lecture “How to Study Effectively – What School Didn’t Teach Us.”

The University Library has been organising the Night Library for twenty-three years, in cooperation with the Student Union.