READERS / Subject Guides / Ethnology and folkloristics

Information on ethnology and folkloristics

The open access collection of literature on ethnology and folkloristics is located in the Humanities Reading Room on the 7^th floor.

How to find literature

Online catalogue ESTER - a joint catalogue of the ELNET Consortium member libraries that contains information on Estonian and foreign language books and periodical publications.

List of new books in the humanities – a list on the homepage of the National Library provides information on recent additions in the fields of the humanities, including ethnology and folkloristics, acquired by the Library during the last month. Published ten times a year.

How to find articled published in the Estonian press

Database of Estonian articles ISE – a bibliographic database of the newspapers, journals, collections of articles, and serials published in Estonia. Of foreign publications, articles about Estonia and by Estonian authors are available. Articles on ethnology and folkloristics can be searched across the entire database or in the subject database ISE humanitaaria. The database contains also links to full texts.

Information on articles issued during previous years can be found in the card catalogues and the following bibliographic publications:

Reference Reading Room on the 5th floor holds card catalogues which contain information on articles issued before 1944 and in 1952-1991.
Artiklite ja retsensioonide kroonika. (Chronicle of articles and reviews)

Eesti rahvusbibliograafia. Artiklid. (Estonian national bibliography. Articles.)
Bibliographia Studiorum Uralicorum 1917-1987. 2, Ethnology and folkloristics. P. 2, Folkloristics = Библиография по уралистике = Bibliography on Uralic studies.
A bibliography of works published by Estonian ethnologists in exile 1945-1956 / compiled by Ilmar Talve. Stockholm : Estonian Learned Society in Sweden, 1957.
A bibliography of works published by Estonian scholars in exile : ethnology 1945-1975 / compiled by Aino Ränk. Stockholm : Institutum Litterarum Estonicum, 1975.

Ribenis, Karin. Eesti rahvaluule bibliograafia (1918-1992). 1 = Bibliography of Estonian folklore (1918-1992) = Библиография литературы по эстонской фольклористике (1918-1992). Tallinn : Eesti Keele Instituut, 1997.
Ribenis, Karin. Eesti rahvaluule bibliograafia (1918-1992). 2, Registrid ja lisad = Bibliography of Estonian folklore (1918-1992) = Библиография литературы по эстонской фольклористике (1918-1992) = Indices and appendices = Указатели и дополнительные материалы. Tallinn : Eesti Keele Instituut, 1998.
Ribenis, Karin. Eesti rahvaluule bibliograafia (1993-2000) = Bibliography of Estonian folklore (1993-2000) = Библиография литературы по эстонской фольклористике (1993-2000). Tartu : Eesti Keele Sihtasutus, 2002.
Ribenis, Karin. Eesti rahvaluule elektrooniline bibliograafia (1918-1992) [Võrguteavik] = Electronic bibliography of Estonian folklore (1918-1992). Tartu ; Tallinn : Eesti Kirjandusmuuseum, 2002.
Ilukirjandus, kirjandusteadus ja rahvaluule, 1940-1990. Aastabibliograafiad. (Fiction, literary science and folklore, 1940-1990. Annual bibliographies).
Soome-ugri etnograafia ja folkloor : bibliograafia. Tallinn : Teaduste Akadeemia Kirjastus, 1994-2004. (Finno-Ugric ethnography and folklore : bibliography. Tallinn : Estonian Academy Publishers, 1994-2004).
Soome-ugri etnograafia ja rahvaluule : annoteeritud kirjanduse nimestik. Tallinn : Eesti Teaduste Akadeemia, 1973-1993. (Finno-Ugric ethnology and folklore : list of annotated literature. Tallinn : Estonian Academy Publishers, 1973-1993).

Where else to find information on ethnology and folkloristics

Search portal of the National Library enables you to search in one or simultaneously several databases in a uniform environment. Contains library catalogues, databases of articles, and other selected websites. The databases containing information on ethnology and folkloristics are indicated separately. It is possible to find and use all electronic journals accessible via the licensed databases of the National Library and other free-access e-journals. Users may create on the portal their own information or research environments.

E-journals – a foreign-language e-journals alphabetical and subject catalogue which can be browsed also outside the National Library web; however, the journals are available only from the Library computers, unless free access is provided on the Internet.
Subject Gateway – a systematised and indexed search system compiled in the National Library that enables users to find Estonian and foreign databases, texts and free-access journals, a selection of library catalogues and portals created elsewhere. Information on ethnology and folkloristics is available under the link Folkloristics. Information on mythology and ethnic beliefs can be found under the link Religion.
Finno-Ugric database of the Academic Library of Tallinn University contains information on Finno-Ugric ethnology and folklore publications acquired by the Library – monographs, articles from journals and collections.
Estonian Folklore – assembles institutions and centres that are engaged in folkloristic research in Estonia. Contains information on different print and digital publications, the homepage of the journals Mäetagused and Folklore: An electronic Journal of Folklore, and Estonian and foreign-language databases. Includes also information on the heritage of other Finno-Ugric peoples.

In addition, information on ethnology and folkloristics is provided by Estonian History Museum, Baltic Institute of Folklore, Estonian Literary Museum, Estonian Society of Ancient Studies, Estonian National Museum, Estonian Folklore Archives, Estonian National Folklore Council, Fenno-Ugria Asutus, Tartu Nefa Rühm (network for ethnology and folklore students), University of Tartu Department of Estonian and Comparative Folklore.

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On 1 April the Library will open at 16.00.

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