Minna Tarkka passed away in August 2023.
This project is a personal and professional tribute to a much missed friend and colleague.
Browse the collection
The Minna Tarkka Library Project offers a digital snapshot of Minna’s lifetime of reading and curiosity through a collection of titles in her bookshelf.
All her books have been stamped, and scanned either visually or by barcode. The work of updating the online collection from those scans continues.
The physical collection is in the process of being divided and distributed, but the online catalogue will keep the titles together as a portrait of different aspects of Minna’s life in the world of ideas.
You can browse the collection on Zotero (an open source bibliographic tool)
Host part of the collection
Minna wished her professional library to be made available to the next generations of artists and researchers and for the books to be used and read.
The collection is temporarily stored with M-Cult. Last year’s working bee was postponed due to injury. They have now re-scheduled space for us to complete sorting and distribution 8-17 December 2025.
The Library Project has received expressions of interest from both organisations and individuals who would like to host some of Minna’s books, but there are still plenty of books looking for short or long term hosts. Please get in touch ASAP if you would like to spend time with some of Minna’s books. Or if you can help out in some other way.
Help Out
We have to move the books by December 18th. There are many ways you can get involved…
- Express an interest in hosting some books–browse the catalog and tell us which books you would like to host and why
- Volunteer to help evaluate competing requests, if there are any
- Tell your organisation’s librarian about the project, spread the word
- Lend some muscle to the effort of getting books out of storage
- Volunteer to transport books
- Tell us about small public bookshare spots near you and collect unclaimed books to give away
- Tell us a story about Minna related to the books you want to take or read aloud from them for our Reading Aloud tribute project
- If you or your organisation has resources consider offering a pay-as-you-feel contribution to the work of cataloguing and distributing the collection.
- Offer temporary storage (ideally step free) for some of the remaining books waiting to be distributed after 18th Dec
- Help out with continued development updates and maintenance. A web interface to browse the collection in different ways is in the works.
If you would like to help or host or have questions, please get in touch and ask for more details.
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Reading Together : radio live stream Fri 12th Dec
CANCELLED! Sorry for short notice, this event has been postponed. Please get onto our occasional announcement list for updates on this, and other Library Project news. Join us to celebrate and remember Minna through reading, talking and sharing her books among the community. This informal event, taking place on Friday, 12 December 2025 revisits the lovely…
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2025 Dec Book-sharing Schedule
Bookmark this post for updates to the schedule such as times of Open Book-sharing sessions, when you can come and take books home that have not been allocated to libraries already. Or sign up for updates in your inbox for new announcements every week or so from 24/11 till 17/12 (and then occasional project updates…
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Book-sharing talkoo 8-18 Dec 2025
Minna wanted her professional library to be used. Now is the time to request books you want to host or sign up for updates on open sessions to browse and re-home remaining books. Details about the book-sharing talkoo will be added here The books need homes and if you want to help out, this is…
Email updates
Get email updates about Minna Tarkka Library Project, related events (in Helsinki or online) and the book distribution process.