University of Tartu library expected to be finished by January 2019

TALLINN – Construction work of the library of the University of Tartu will continue next week and the new deadline for finishing the construction is January 9, 2019.

"The University of Tartu and the winner of the public tender for the construction of the library AS Ehitustrust and OU Tallinna Ehitustrust on Monday signed an agreement, according to which the final deadline for finishing all construction work on the building is January 9, 2019. AS Ehitustrust will start work on the project next Monday, when they will carry out necessary demolition works," the University of Tartu said.

"The renovation of the library will be carried out in multiple stages," Heiki Pagel, head of the estates office of the University of Tartu, said. "Our priority is to finish those areas, which are necessary for students for normal study and servicing the readers." Therefore, the first stage of construction includes work on the foyer, first floor with storage facilities, the second floor, new staircases and small goods and passenger elevators. The builder also hopes to carry out necessary reconstruction work on the square in front of the library building.

The construction work of the first stage are expected to end in January 2018. "Once the builder has finished its work, the furnishings will be installed next. In addition to that, bringing books stashed away in boxes back to the shelves will also take time," Pagel said. "The latest date when we hope to give the readers a specific date when they can access the reading rooms is in November."

The second phase of work will include construction work of areas not open to the public, including basement storage facilities and existing staircases. The third phase of work will include carrying out, completing and handing over all other intended internal and external construction works as well as procuring an authorization for use for the building.

"The situation is still difficult to all of our readers, but this time we will face the new academic year much more optimistically," Martin Hallik, director of the library of the University of Tartu, said. "We have high hopes that both students and readers will be able to access the library already at the beginning of the new year."