2/1999

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EDITORIAL

How do you do?
Library is indeed a wonderful place - all kinds of things are done here. Luckily the natural development of culture sorts out all stupidities and unnecessary creations, and life goes on. During longer and shorter periods everyone of us has been influenced by hothead orders, formal changes that make no sense at all, but the essence of libraries has luckily not changed. Of course we can argue about shifts in the function of libraries in the next century, but if books - well, documents, and readers do not exist any more, then what will become of us? I took such train of thought after reading the words of Leo Võhandu in the Estonian journal Luup No. 1, 1999. In his interview to Andres Langemets he says: "Our libraries are linear. A library must change to unlinear, in the future we must get information horizontally. Only horizontality, self-regulation, evolution work. This system determined by the nature is wiser than any legal system built from top to bottom."
No matter how much technics imposes itself on us, the Christian, or European world view and elementary ethical code still hold good. At least in the organisation of world they should. I am of the opinion that horizontal information exists anyway and the Internet follows its own path of life, unregarding the wishes of libraries. But European education works linearly. Library culture and network that we know has developed within the framework of social development. They have been needed just the way they are. And we can be proud of our professional achievements. It is interesting to meditate if Leo Võhandu, a technical scientist, does think that during the evolution in libraries, a species of librarians do become extinct too. Who can be sure that collecting horizontal information costs less than acquisition by the well-balanced and familiar system? And if Leo Võhandu, a scientist, does not need such libraries, then somebody does. Maybe they contribute to the Estonian culture - Estonian identity. I favour tradition and preserving conservatism in libraries and librarianship. I am waiting for everyone with deep professional knowledge to join in the discussion.
Maire Liivamets

Sisukord

CONTENTS
FIRST COLUMN Meeli Veskus

Meeli Veskus, senior specialist of the Folk Culture Department of the Ministry of Culture casts light on the present situation of Estonian public libraries, turning special attention to their automation processes.

PUBLIC LIBRARY

Tallinn Central Library in 1999 - Kaie Holm

Kaie Holm, director of the Tallinn Central Library, introduces the plans for the year 1999. She discusses the problems of the branch libraries network. As Tallinn has grown during the last years, the Library must open new branches in new quarters and close some less used ones. The last unpopular activity is not understood by the residents. Some changes will be made in the Central Library, too. More attention must be given to the acquisition of foreign literature. The repairing of the main building is concerned about. Some changes will take place in reader service: the service of medical institutions, physically handicapped people and olsters will increase, the service of different institutions will decrease. The use of Internet will be extended. It is necessary to link up with some other system because Kirjasto 3000 is not quite suitable for the Central Library. There are 1,199,200 items in the Tallinn Central Library and its branch libra-ries. All essential numeral data about the Library are given in the article.

140 Years of the Public Library in Paide - Malle Kull

In her article Malle Kull, director of the Central Library of Järva County, gives a survey of the library history in Central Estonia and library activities today. The first circulation library in Central Estonia was founded in Paide (Weissenstein) by the local bookseller Aleksander Meyer in 1844. The foundation of the city library was initiated in 1858 and on February 1, 1859 was opened for the public. The literature was mainly in the German language, and only in the beginning of the 20th century the literature in Estonian was obtained. In the Soviet time the Library was a typical central library of this time. Many social events - ideological, as well as literary were organized there. New trends and also new troubles were met after the re-establishment of the independent state. Many Estonian central libraries have moved into new rooms or buildings, but the Central Library of Järva County has not solved its housing problems. The new home for the Library will be the former school-house, but the repair work hasn't begun yet.

Library Council in Lääne County Library - Ilme Sepp

Ilme Sepp, director of the Lääne County Central Library explains the reasons to found the library's council at the beginning of 1997 and gives a report of its actions to the present.

Impressions of Danish Librarians in Estonian Libraries

Two Danish librarians visited Estonia in 4-13 October 1998. The tour included Tallinn, Tartu City, Lääne-Viru and Harju Counties central libraries as well as several commune and village libraries.

RESEARCH WORK

New Trends in Information Science - Anu Nuut

In her article Anu Nuut, head of the Library Science and Development Department of the National Library of Estonia summarizes the main goals of informatization and states that information sciences today have become interdisciplinary fields of research and academic learning. She presents different levels of research of the field: interdisciplinary, disciplinary and practical levels; its main objects, conceptions, problems and their solutions, as well as future perspectives of research.

RESEARCH LIBRARY

Library of Humanities - 100 Years Old - Ljudmila Dubjeva

In her article Ljudmila Dubjeva, librarian at the Tartu University Library (TUL), introduces the hundred-year-old library of humanities, popularly called "seminarka" (seminary). In 1898 Jevgeni Shmuro, professor of history, proposed to found a special library for the Faculty of History and Languages by the Tartu University Library. The Library of Humanities is one of the four branches of the TUL. It contains 13 so-called seminaries (Slavonic, Romanic, Germanic, Finno-Ugric, English languages and culture; theology, literary, science, history of literature, history, ethnography, philosophy, philology, pedagogy, folklore). One can find there the literature from 1568. In 1899 when it was founded, only the students of the Faculty of History and Languages could use it. In connection with the reorganization of the University, on the basis of the Faculty of History and Languages, the Faculty of Philosophy was founded. All the libraries of the departments (seminaries) were gathered together and the name "seminarka" (seminary) came into being.

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Estonian Public, Special, Research and School Libraries in 1997

Estonian Public Libraries in 1998
Diploma Papers of Viljandi Culture College Graduates of Library

Science in 1998

RECENT LITERATURE ON LIBRARIANSHIP

INTERVIEW

Elle Tarik Speaks about Librarians and Their Erudition - Maire Liivamets

In the interview with the well-known and long-standing public librarian Elle Tarik the problem of librarians' erudition and its quality in public libraries and also generally speaking has been raised. She speaks about the character of librarians and mediates upon the fact that librarians keep to the same profession for their whole life. Elle Tarik expands on the problem of the changing of generations in libraries. She expresses her opinion also on the Public Lending Right.

BOOK HISTORY

Estonia on the Old Postcards - Marita Paas

In her article "Estonia on the Old Postcards" Marita Paas, librarian at Estonian Academic Library, introduces the history of an Estonian picture postcard. In 1894 the bookseller Ferdinand Wassermann advertised in local newspapers of Tallinn that he was selling the postcards with Tallinn's views. At first the publishing of postcards was the priority of the booksellers of German and Russian origin. Since 1910 there are picture postcard publishers in every town. In the beginning postcards were printed in Sweden and Germany. The most productive publisher of postcards was R. von der Ley who issued 1,200 views of Tallinn and its surroundings. The Collection of Picture Postcards in the Estonian Academic Library Baltica Department holds about 14,000 postcards and photos, most of them published before 1940.

Cult Books. Douglas Coupland "Generation X" - Aimar Ventsel

The second piece published in the ethnologist Aimar Ventsel's column Cult Books talks about Generation X by Douglas Coupland (St. Martin's Press, 1991).

ESTONIAN HISTORY OF IDEAS

Rudolf Tobias's Collection of Articles In puncto musicorum - Tiiu Tosso

In the series "Estonian History of Ideas" Tiiu Tosso introduces Rudolf Tobias's collection of articles "In puncto musicorum". The well-known Estonian composer Rudolf Tobias (1873-1918) was the first Estonian in the composition class of the Conservatoire of St. Peters-burg. He was the first composer of symphonic work, string quartet and piano concert. He also laid the foundation of the development of the Estonian musical science. Estonian music was first in his heart. The articles he has written are full of lively spirit and humour, they comprehend erudition and flight of thought. His oratorio "Jonah's Mission" belongs to the world music.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Library PR - Triin Soone

A yearly column to help the libraries to plan their PR activities. The second piece discusses different in-house information dissemination strategies.

CRITICAL REVIEW

Verba volant, scripta manet - Milvi Tedremaa

A review of the collection Me õppisime raamatukogundust Tartu Ülikoolis // We were educated in librarianship at the University of Tartu composed on the basis of the materials of the alumni days of the UT librarianship and bibliography unit, held in 1997.

ESTONIAN LIBRARIANS ASSOCIATION

Overview of the ELA Annual Meeting

Pre-election Political Meeting in ELA - Maire Liivamets

An overview of the meeting Libraries in the culture progammes of Estonian political parties, organised by the ELA.

Friedrich Puksoo Prize Awarded - Kalju Tammaru

On 22 January 1999 Tartu University Library Conference Hall housed annual festive event - Friedrich Puksoo Prize was awarded, this time to Tõnu Tanneberg, a compiler and one of the authors of the collection Tarto maa rahwa Näddali-Leht: uurimusi ja allikmaterjale. The jury also picked out the Bibliography of Eduard Tubin compiled by Valve Jürisson and Ljudmila Dubjeva's articles on the essence and use of traditional information retrieving systems. Through her research, Dubjeva aims to find best ways to provide open access to library collections by implementing automated information retrieving systems. Two volumes of the Transactions of National Library of Estonia - Church and the Written Word in the Baltic Sea Region in the 17^th Century and Research Libraries in the Public Information System: Towards Performance Quality - presented to the jury, also distinguished from the bulk for their excellent quality, as well as the NLE jubilee collection National Library of Estonia - 80.

READER'S COLUMN

What kind of a Book is called a Book in the Estonian

Language - Uno Liivaku

The author askes if lists of books in the Estonian language should also include books on the Estonian language, e.g. grammar books.

NEWS

SUMMARY