Publishers:
	2003
		Issued 6 numbers a year

2003 nr. 6

EDITORIAL

CONTENTS

ARCHIVE

Dear colleagues, The Estonian Librarians’ Association and our journal, founded as far back as eighty years ago, have been successful in creating the identity and raising self-esteem of our profession. The survival of the ELA and Raamatukogu for so many years is a token of the need for and possibility of Estonian librarians’ cooperation. The praises of the journal in the annual column The Answer Place might be, to some extent, carried of jubilee thoughts. Nevertheless, the editorial staff wants to believe in their sincerity and, by this, in the journal’s importance in disseminating progressive professional knowledge. In the first column, dedicated to the ELA, we asked the contributors to use their fantasy and provide ideas for innovating the activities of the association (considering also the change of its membership conditioned by the alteration of its Statutes). Sudden thoughts frequently help to find out truth and feel the real needs. At the same time, these thoughts might serve as the basis for a discussion, in course of which required concrete proposals for solutions will be formed. Accordingly, we tried to initiate a discussion by asking to vision the ELA’s future. After all, our readers have reproached the journal the most that problems and discussion do not reach its pages. It has also been noted that cataclysms that have swept Estonian librarianship during the year are solely treated in the Editorial. Why, then? Why is it so difficult for the editorial staff to find somebody, who can and dares to express his/her thoughts on a sensitive issue already at the time when the problems are on the air, not after the making the decision? Is it the lack of personal opinion or, instead, civil courage? Or is it influenced by circumstances that our readers are not to be blamed of? Estonia is a democratic country and librarianship is a democratic field. Democracy is based on the freedom of expression, but not only that – it is also based on the art of listening to what the other people have to say. And at that a skill not to get offended by taking something said too personally. It is based on understanding the problem in the wider perspective and considering it. We wish our contributors to have a continuous train of brilliant ideas and courage to write them down! We thank all the supporters and readers of Raamatukogu! A Happy New Year! Ene Riet

CONTENTS

FIRST COLUMN Predicting the Future Helps to Find Mistakes in the Logic of Thinking - Peeter Tulviste While predicting the future, one must first ask whether and how much we have a reason to expect that the present tendencies will continue. With high probability, the factor of radical change does not occur in the field under discussion, but elsewhere. The reason for the revolution in information management lied not in the librarianship, but in computer engineering and other exact and natural sciences. The emerging of a fundamentally new way of storing information raised a problem of labour distribution between the printed word and electronics that still has to be resolved. Yes to the Ideals! - Tiiu Valm The Estonian Librarians’ Association has been the force where professional competence and ideals have been balanced and that has united librarians and libraries. The Association’s support and capability to succeed depend on both the reputation of library profession as well as on the vision of the social role of libraries. Being a non-profit organisation, the Association’s activities are confined to passive leverages. Following the example of the Nordic countries, we should also involve politicians (including on the local authorities’ level) in managing our library association. NATIONAL LIBRARY OF ESTONIA – 85 Some Words about Being a National Library: Tiiu Valm and Piret Lotman Answer - Maire Liivamets On the occasion of the National Library of Estonia’s 85th anniversary its Director General Tiiu Valm and a library history researcher Piret Lotman discuss the identity of the National Library. About the Reformation of User Services - Ene Loddes The need to reorganise the National Library of Estonia’s user services emerged already in the early 1990s. In the course of a wide discussion, the focus on special reading rooms and user-orientated work organisation was accepted. A five-year plan was drawn up to carry out changes. The acquisition of foreign publications was the first to be reorganised, aiming to achieve purposeful collection development. The Collection Development Board was established to divide finances between different spheres. The second step was to reorganise the work of reading rooms. Today the National Library of Estonia houses eight special reading rooms: the Humanities Reading Room, Social Sciences Reading Room, Law Reading Room, European Union Information Centre, Art Reading Room, Music Reading and Listening Room, Theatre and Film Reference Room, and Cartography and Geography Reading Room. The last major change was the reorganisation of general reference, catalogue consultancy and interlibrary loan services. Oasis of Liberte - Boris Volodin A Russian library researcher ponders upon the traditions of Estonian librarianship and upon the National Library of Estonia on its 85th anniversary. PUBLIC LIBRARIES Paepealse Library - Piret Martinov An overview of the activities of Laagna Children’s Library in Tallinn from its opening in 1983 up to the reorganisation of its work in spring 2003. In connection with moving to new premises, the library was renamed Paepealse Library. It started to serve also the adult population and to use the integrated library system INNOPAC in its user services. Literature is placed on open shelves; adults and children are served by separate departments; the library has a reading room and Internet search facilities. It is Cosy to Read in Pirita Library - Ülle Siska There are two branches of Tallinn Central Library in Pirita District: Pirita Library and Merivälja Library. From September 2003 Pirita Library is located in a new place. In its new premises built specially for a library, the library has twice the floor space it had in its old premises. It houses a separate corner for children. The library services have been computerised. A New Location and a New Look - Külli Kaunissaar A reader’s impressions of the new building and reformed user services of Pirita Library. The article also gives a brief overview of the founding of Pirita Library in 1947 and its development into a modern library. DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES Building or Renovation Aid - Kaie Holm While initiating the building or renovating of a library’s premises, the library’s manager has to clarify a question what the library really needs and to be able to explain it to the owner of the library. It is rational to write one’s needs down – to draw up an original task for planning. The article gives explicit instructions how draw that task. Lightning and ventilation of library premises, and the choice of floor covering have been touched upon. The author also draws attention to the need to get to know the operating costs of newly built/renovated premises and the maitenance costs of the materials used in good time. The RIKS – Taking a Risk or Making a Right Choice - Jaana Hansing Since 1997 Valga Central Library used a library software Kirjasto 3000. In 2003 a decision was made to introduce a programme RIKS and it has been exploited several months already. The article describes the reasons for choosing the RIKS and so-far experiences with using it. RECENT LITERATURE ON LIBRARIANSHIP THE ANSWER PLACE A tenured officer of library affairs Ivi Tingre, a former Head of Research Department of the National Library of Estonia Hans Jürman, a long-standing bibliographer at the National Library of Estonia Vaime Kabur, Library Adviser for the Ministry of Culture Meeli Veskus, and Leading Expert of Study Literature of the Ministry of Education and Research of Estonia Kadri Haljamaa ponder upon the importance of Estonian library journal Raamatukogu. FRIEDRICH REINHOLD KREUTZWALD – 200 Kreutzwald as a Biographer of Friedrich Robert Faehlmann - Kriste Metste In 1852 a biography of F.R. Faehlmann, compiled by F.R. Kreutzwald, was published in German in the series of Transactions of Learned Estonian Society. It was published in the Estonian language in a volume of Kreutzwald’s Teosed (Works) in 1953. The biography of Faehlmann is made to order. The article provides an overview of the completing of the biography through Kreutzwald’s letters to the Secretary of the Learned Estonian Society. LET’S GET ACQUAINTED! The Library of the Estonian Business School - Eda Pihu The EBS is the oldest private university in Estonia that celebrates its 15th year of activities in December. The EBS Library helps to advance the University’s learning, research and development activities. The article provides an overview of the development of the Library. Its collections, users and services are in detail characterised, using figures and charts as an illustrative material. ESTONIAN LIBRARIANS’ ASSOCIATION Diverse Libraries - Ene Riet An overview of an opening of this year’s Library Days, Diverse Libraries (20–30 October), held at the Chamber room of Pärnu Concert Hall. The representatives of the Ministry of Culture as well as research and public libraries took the floor. During the second half of the day, a contest to test librarians’ knowledge of literature was held in the new building of the Central Library of Pärnu. The winners turned out to be school librarians – a representative team of the schools of the town and county of Pärnu, which included Külli Kose from Pärnu Coeducational Gümnasium, Mari Nuut from Vändra Gümnasium and Daivi Jõerand from Tori Basic School. Rural Librarians on the Lands of Kreutzwald - Reet Kukk An overview of the 3rd Rural Librarians’ Day on 30 October 2003 in Võru, where the best librarians of each Estonian county were awarded with letters of thanks. A list of best Estonian rural librarians of 2003 is added to the overview. Looking and Looking for Information – Information Search 2003 - Tiina Sulg, Halliki Jürma An overview of an information search contest, held for the sixth time this year, that can be also called a professional contest of librarians. Overall winners of the two-round contest were Signe Pärt from the Ministry of Finance’s Library, Anneli Limberg from the Academic Library of Tallinn Pedagogical University and Marek Saarmark from the Estonian Patent Library. CONFERENCES & SEMINARS Digital Libraries Were Discussed in Tartu - Malle Ermel An overview of two events at Tartu University Library, where digital library issues were treated: a seminar of the German-Estonian academic week Academica VII, where Head of the Department of Acquisition and Collection Development of the Bavarian State Library, Klaus Kempf, and Head of Digital Library at the Bavarian State Library (including digitisation, Web portals and long-term preservation of digital media), Markus Brantl, shared German experiences, a seminar Digital Library and Its User, where the current situation and the future of Estonian digital libraries were analysed. A Meeting Place Trondheim - Silvi Metsar An overview of the 7th European Digital Library conference, held on 17–22 August 2003 in Trondheim, Norway. A User-orientated Digital Library - Silvi Metsar An overview of an international conference Diglib 2003, held on 7–9 September 2003 in Espoo, Finland. NEWS Estonian Children’s Literature Information Centre – 70 An overview of the celebration of the Centre’s 70th anniversary on 13th November 2003, where longer speeches also provided an overview of the Centre’s past and present. Andres Kollist is a New Director of the Academic Library of Tallinn Pedagogical University On 20 November the Board of the Library nominated Andres Kollist the Director of the Library. He will start to work on 1 January 2004. What Will Happen to the Medical Library of Estonia? About the Ministry of Social Affairs’ plan to join the Medical Library with the National Library of Estonia. Viljandi Academy of Culture On 6 November 2003 the Government of the Republic of Estonia approved a regulation, according to which Viljandi College of Culture was renamed Viljandi Academy of Culture. Congratulations: Ilvi Laidna – 60 A long-standing Head of Rapla Central Library. Miss Russian Library In 2003 Russian librarians held a contest “Miss Russian Library”. It was won by Yelena Flerova, a 9th category librarian of the National Library of Russia in St. Petersburg. The piece includes Flerova’s impressions of a three-day prize trip to Estonia and the National Library of Estonia.

ARCHIVE

2003 - 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 2002 - 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 2001 - 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

2000 - 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 1999 - 6, 5, 4, 3, 2