At the Library with Tuula
- A new kind of bustle has entered Tuula Amberla’s workdays since the fully renovated main library reopened its doors in August. Now everyone wants to see the renewed library – and no wonder.
Tuula Amberla lets out a soft sigh as she sits down at the sturdy oak table in the library’s local history room on a November Friday afternoon. She’s on the evening shift today, but the morning was already full of action: first a group of preschoolers who were introduced not only to books but also to the library and its principles, and then a group of schoolchildren from Pyhämaa who combined their swimming hall visit with a trip to the library.
“And yesterday we had 85 participants at story time,” she says with a laugh. “We had to get a bit creative to make everyone fit. But we managed, and we had an absolutely wonderful time.”
To many, the name Tuula Amberla is familiar from the music world – who among us hasn’t sung Lulu, the song she made famous, on a karaoke stage at some point? She still performs now and then, but her main work has long been in the library world, and for the past ten years she has worked at Uusikaupunki Library.
Tuula was there more than five years ago when the main library moved into temporary premises due to the renovation – and she was there again this past summer when the moving boxes were rolled back in.
“We packed and arranged all 65,000 items ourselves. After that, I wouldn’t have had the energy to move back right away – it was such a massive job,” Tuula recalls.
The library, originally built as a school in 1854, finally reopened in August. The thoroughly renovated building has been given a completely new lease on life – now it’s like a beautifully wrapped candy with its colourful wallpapers, exhibition spaces, and plush animals.
The long-awaited reopening is clearly reflected in visitor numbers as well.
“The annual statistics are always published in April, but even now we can already see how both visitor numbers and loans have increased. We’re issuing new library cards all the time,” Tuula says happily.
The borrowing of children’s and young adult books has increased by as much as thirty percent, which delights Tuula, who works as an information specialist for the children’s and young people’s section. She has been involved in planning the renewed departments from the very beginning.
“The new spaces are in many ways exactly what we hoped for,” she says. “The children’s section turned out just the way I wished, and so did the event space. And one really lovely thing is that we now have separate sections for children and for young people.”
The layout of the departments was completely reshuffled during the renovation, and fiction can now be found in the former children’s section – the largest open area in the building, overlooking the bay. The deep red shade of the old seaside warehouses is playfully echoed in the wallpaper.
The colours in the children’s section are just as delicious. Adding to the playful atmosphere are Raija Nokkala’s paintings and the adorable plush animals sitting on the shelves keeping an eye on young readers.
“Every morning, the first thing I do is check that the children’s section is in order. Tidying up the departments is actually quite a big part of this job,” Tuula says.
Alongside customer service, events, and arranging the shelves, there should also be time to read. Book recommendations for schoolchildren are part of the city’s cultural education plan and a significant part of Tuula’s work.
To know what to recommend, she has to keep up with the new titles.
“My work is in many ways based on the cultural education plan and following it. Of course, we always try to respond positively to all visits and ideas whenever we possibly can.”
So what does Finnish children’s literature look like through a professional’s eyes? Tuula is quick to list a number of talented children’s authors, such as Roope Lipasti, Maria Kuutti, Paula Noronen, and Tapani Bagge.
Overall, Finnish children’s books tend to have a slightly somber tone, Tuula says.
“Sometimes I think Finnish authors write rather serious books for children. Maybe they could let loose a bit more,” she reflects. “In Finnish children’s books, serious topics are stated quite directly, whereas for example in English children’s literature, you can sense the darker themes, but the story itself remains light and cheerful.”
Right now, people are already beginning to look for Christmas reading on the shelves. But whatever the book’s theme may be, it’s always safe to explore it in the library’s charming children’s section, nestled in the soft embrace of Kauno, the big library bunny.