Estonian authors receive record €1.4M in 2025 library lending payouts
Estonian authors receive record €1.4M in 2025 library lending payouts
The Estonian Authors' Compensation Fund has announced its 2025 lending compensation payouts. A total of €1,402,041 will be distributed among authors and rights holders from a budget of €1,412,360. The payments will be made at the end of June. The compensation was based on 4,051,004 electronically registered loans in public libraries. The full unit value for original-language works rose to €1.48, up from €1.42 in 2024. This increase saw the maximum payout reach €8,368, compared to €7,924 the previous year.
Designer Villu Koskaru led the rankings with 118,086 loans. Writer Kairi Look also featured prominently, receiving 6,238 loans and €6,409 in compensation. In total, 27 authors earned the highest possible amount of €8,368.
Rain Siemer, CEO of Rahva Raamat, observed that library borrowers often prefer lighter fiction over the titles popular in bookstore rankings. The full 2026 payout list, sorted alphabetically, is available online. The fund will disburse payments to writers, translators, and illustrators by the end of June. The total distributed reflects a slight rise in both loan numbers and compensation rates. The published list provides full details of individual payouts.
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