ISSN 0235-0351 (printed edition) 5/1999

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EDITORIAL

Dear collegues,

It can be definitely said that Estonian library community has been busy, especially in the autumn. Annual library days, organised by the Estonian Librarians Association, have enriched everyday routine of every library. Though these undertakings seem to be mostly initiated for proving library's value not to the readers but to itself, the public interest focuses on library matters for a while. There have been other important developments, too. At the beginning of this October, Laiuse library, the oldest Estonian libraries, celebrated its 150^th anniversary. Several other libraries have also celebrated their historical dates, and highlighting them with a conference occurs to be a trend. New library premises are opened to the public, as well as workshops held and discussion meetings, both national and international, organised. I hope our journal has managed to cover majority of these events.
I am pleased to announce that the number of Estonian librarians who have realised the importance of promoting their libraries in the writing press is gradually growing. The statement is supported by the fact that we, editors, recieve more invitations to library events, as well as library news reported by the locals. This is a welcomed change of attitude indeed – co-operation is a vital power for development.
Keeping our co-operation, and publishing your contributions, always on the priority list

Ene Riet

FIRST COLUMN

Librarian's Profession - Krista Talvi - 4
At the beginning of this year, Estonian libraries employed 3210 public, research, special and school librarians, 1805 of them with university education including 934 with higher LIS education. In 1996, Professional Requirements for Librarians were established by the decree of the Minister of Culture. The Council for Training Librarians active at the Ministry of Culture and the Committee on Training at the Estonian Librarians Association aim to level the requirements for professional certification and additional training for librarians.
The article lists also the professional criteria for librarians drawn by the Swedish Documentation, Information and Culture Association (DIK).

PUBLIC LIBRARY

A New Library in Rakvere - Liisa Düüna - 5
The Director of Lääne-Virumaa Central Library Liisa Düüna introduces the new building of the Library, opened on 1 September, 1998 in Rakvere. The Library was founded in 1912, but had lead a miserable life in extremely bad conditions and only in 1995 the decision for the renovation of the house for the library was accepted. This library in Rakvere is really a modern information and cultural centre and the residents have a high opinion of it. Especially popular is the re-established Rakvere Literary Club. Thanks to the new building the number of visits has increased 40 per cent and the number of loans 20 per cent.

Pärnu Central Library - Saima Andla - 7
Director of Pärnu Central Library Saima Andla in her article introduces the ninety-year-old library. On 7 January, 1909 a public reading room, free of charge, was opened in Pärnu. On this event 400 books in the Estonian language and 16 newspapers in the Estonian, German and Russian languages were procured and subscribed. The author gives a detailed survey of the activities of the Library by decades, mentions the names of the people who have been connected with the Library and speaks about the Book Year of 1935. She makes known which publications and books the women preferred in the 1930s. Pärnu Central Library has also the function of the central library of the county. The Library is situated in several different places. In 1997 the place of the new building was determined. But the construction of it has not begun yet.

Library Innovation in Valga - Salme Vainlo - 10
Salme Vainlo, the former director of Valga Central Library describes the automation of library work and the problems that have been emerged during the renewal of Valga Central Library. The Library has initiated a new department – the Information and Training Centre with two sectors – the Internet Open Access Point and the Information Office of the European Council. Valga Central Library has now the following structural units: the Information and Training Centre, Acquisition, Circulation, Mainte-nance Service and Children's Literature Departments.

RESEARCH LIBRARY

Fine Arts Collection in the National Library of Estonia Juta Saava - 12
Juta Saava, a senior librarian of the Fine Arts Information Centre at the National Library of Estonia gives a survey of the activities of the librarians in the Fine Arts Reading Room and the compiling of the reference collection during the last 40 years. The collection consists of books, exhibition catalogues, bookplates, posters, postcards, paints, the originals of book illustrations, videos and CD-ROMs on architec-ture and fine and applied arts. All these items are accessible to customers by card catalogues and indexes and via electronic databases. In addition to reader service and database update the librarians fill in the gaps proceeded from the Soviet acquisition policy.

55-Year-Old Estonian Medical Library - Milvi Tedremaa - 15
Milvi Tedremaa, director of the Estonian Medical Library introduces a 55-year-old special library. She has been dealing with the housing problems since 1964 when she became the director of the EML. Tedremaa introduces the activities of the Library and its many workers who have taken their tasks to their hearts for decades. The EML has always been the cultural centre of medical profession. In the 1970s many fields of therapy, unknown in the Soviet Union, were investigated in Estonia. From 1999 the EML is a member of the EAHIL.

LIBRARIES ABROAD
German Libraries after the WW II - Gerhard Hopf - 17
Director of the Library of the Council of the City of Lünenburg reviews the development of German reserach and public libraries after the WW II and their present situation. The libraries of the former Democratic Republic of Germany are payed more attention.

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Estonian Special, Research, Public and School Libraries in 1998: Statistics - Heli Priimets - 21

RECENT LITERATURE ON LIBRARIANSHIP - - 23

INTERVIEW

There Must Be Computers between the Shelves in a Library: Interview with Raivo Kelomees - Maire Liivamets - 28
In his interview the art critic and multimedia artist Raivo Kelomees introduces the possibilities of computers and art activities. He also meditates upon the situation of a book and modern art. Although the conflicts between the art critics of our older and younger generation have been growing deeper, Kelomees thinks that the differences between them are not so deep. But writing the article, a critic must express the position of the project he/she is connected with. But Kelomees is very sure – there must be computers between the shelves in a library.

BOOK HISTORY

Books of Cult: Cracktown – Hopelessness and Grotesque Aimar Ventsel - 31
In the fifth writing of his column, Aimar Ventsel, an ethnologist, reviews a collection of 16 short stories Life is Hot in Cracktown (1993) by Buddy Giovinazzo (born in New York 1960), a popular writer and film maker. The stories of the book descibe life in a New York ghetto.

HABENT SUA FATA LIBELLI

August Annist's Rare Books - Oskar Kruus 32
Oskar Kruus in his article "August Annist's Rare Books" introduces Estonian folklorist August Annist's (1899–1972) two well-known pieces of work that have had a remarkable fate and the story of publishing. Annist's "Kalevala As a Work of Art" has become a rarity because only ten copies from the leaden setting, destroyed during German occupation, were made. In 1944 the work was published in Tartu, but few copies have survived. Finnish people are the savers of this work because they translated the manuscript into Finnish, and it was published by Söderström publis-hing house in 1944. In 1969 the collection of writings was published by "Eesti Raamat" in 1,500 copies. In 1942 "Viro neuvostokurimuksessa" was published in Finland under the name of Jaan Siiras; but actually the book was written by August Annist. This book introduces the bolshevist activities in Estonia in 1940–1941. This book was strictly forbidden during the Soviet occupation and the author was unknown to the public. Only in 1981 Estonian émigré writers made public the name of the person under this pseudonym. August Annist was arrested in 1945 and was released in 1951. The book published under the pseudonym of Jaan Siiras is a great rarity in Estonia.

ESTONIAN HISTORY OF IDEAS

Spanish Spirit and Its International Spirituality Hilve Rebane - 33
In her article "Spanish Spirit and Its International Spirituality" Hilve Rebane introduces Jüri Talvet's collection "Spanish Spirit". Jüri Talvet, professor of world literature at the University of Tartu, has specia-lized on the Spanish literature and culture. He is a well-known scholar of literature and culture and a member of the ICLA's (International Comparative Literature Association) Committee of the Comparative Investi-gation of Cultural and Literal Identity. He is internatio-nally acknowledged as a translator and researcher of the Spanish literature as well as of iberican (Cuban, Mexican, Chilean, etc. literature). The book "Spanish Spirit" consists of articles and surveys on the Spanish literature from the Middle Ages, early Renaissance and baroque up to the modern times. The scientific and cultural level of the book is extremely high, the genera-lization convincing, well argumented and gives an inter-cultural aspect to hispanica. It has on essential value not only for the Estonian, but also for the world culture.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Crisis Management - Triin Soone - 35
A yearly column to help Estonian librarians to enhance their PR activities. The fifth piece provides advice how to prepare the staff for crisis situation.

ESTONIAN BOOK YEAR

Information - Krista Talvi - 36

A report of preparations made, as well as instructions for using the logo of Estonian Book Year. - - 37

ESTONIAN LIBRARIANS ASSOCIATION - 37

A Book's Way into the Library - Ene Riet - 38
On 21 September, a relevant workshop was held at the National Library, initiated by the committee on research libraries collection management and the public libraries acquisitions working group at the Estonian Librarians Association. Libraries, publishers and book-sellers were represented at the workshop.

A Workshop in Helsinki - Sirje Lusmägi - 39
A group of 21, representing the Committee on Old and Rare Books of the Estonian Librarians Association, visited Helsinki University Library on 13-15 October where a 3-days workshop was organized. The workshop included an insight to the library's collection, the discourse upon historical Finnish book collections as well as the introduction of old book and manuscipts research in the Finnish book science.

CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS

Meeting in Tallinn - Tiiu Valm - 39
An overview of the 13^th annual meeting of the Conference of European National Librarians (CENL) on 30 September – 1 October at the National Library of Estonia. CENL is an independent association of chief executives of those national libraries which belong to member states of the Council of Europe. The conference currently consists of 40 members from 38 European countries, and has several observer states. CENL aims to promote the integration of European national libraries. The discussions held in Tallinn concentrated on collaborative projects and future arrangements.

READERS'S COLUMN

Memory Mistakes - Piret Lotman - 41
An answer to the Laine Peep's article published on 16 September in the Estonian daily newspaper Sõnumileht.

NEWS

Library at Laiuse 150 Years Old Ene Riet - 41
On 2 October, the oldest public library in Estonia we are aware of, the Laiuse library at Jõgeva county, celebrated its 150^th year of practice with a worship service and a conference.

A New Brockhause Enzyklopädie in Tartu O. Luts City Central Library - Linda Jahilo - 42
On 14 July this year, Gerhard Hopf, the director of the Library of the Council of the City of Lünenburg, Germany, presented the Tartu City Central Library a Brockhause Enzyklopädie of 24-volumes.

"Wanderer" is in Bibliography - Maire Liivamets - 43
An introduction of the presonal bibliography of Juhan Liiv, published by the Museum of Juhan Liiv and the Estonian Academic Library.

ATP Tarkvara Ltd. Organised Its 2^nd Client Days Inga Kuljus - 44
An overview of ATP Tarkvara Ltd. Client Days on 10-12 August where public libraries were provided with know-how for implementing the library automation programme Kirjasto 3000. In addition, bar codes, the prevention of computer viruses, etc. were touched upon.

SUMMARY