Publishers:
	2007
		Issued 6 numbers a year

2007 nr. 1

EDITORIAL

CONTENTS

ARCHIVE

Dear colleague, I have always thought that rumors about bad situation of school libraries have been exaggerated. I have only seen seemly school libraries, and our journal has reflected the most outstanding of them. The School Libraries Section of the Estonian Librarians’ Association is also doing a fine work. The modern learning centres of schools in Tallinn are spacious, equipped with modern technology and rich collection, and consider all the needs of pupils and teachers. And there is nothing unusual that public libraries turn keen attention to acquiring reading for pupils (compulsory reading) – mothers and fathers are only happy to instantly lend everything their children need for school while visiting the library. That is why I in particular remembered the reproach of Ene Sööt from Jõgeva Town Library to school libraries, posed in the end of the previous year at the conference “The Library of Babel”. She expressed her opinion that public libraries could acquire a larger variety of literature, first of all, first editions of Estonian literature, if they were not imposed to deal with the omissions of school libraries, providing pupils with compulsory or commendatory reading. She said: “And so we usually order such works in more than two or three copies, though we are aware that those are needed only during several months a year. /---/ We consider it a mission – so children do not lack reading they have to do. But therefore we do not purchase some interesting books. /---/ Even recently published information literature is selected on the basis that pupils can write their essays.” The inspection of upper secondary school libraries in 2006 revealed that there are, indeed, several shortcomings outside Tallinn. In this library issue, Ester Sõrmus provides a gist of the inspection and gives some shocking examples. The acquisition budget of the quarter of 114 evaluated libraries was too small to support the learning process to the necessary extent. Librarians have neglected all classification systems while shelving the publications, and there have been occasions when they do not even find the books needed in the fifth of libraries. The fifth of libraries also lacked any kind on search engines. A half of libraries have not acquired integrated library system, and a part of the rest of librarians have not implemented the system, because it seems too complicated. A third of libraries do not meet the requirements of a learning centre, providing too few reader’s seats. Those include also newly renovated library premises. It is said that incompetent librarians have already been discharged in some counties. But in 2008 most of learning centres must meet the required standards. Ene Riet Editor

CONTENTS

FIRST COLUMN To the People of Open Books - Anneli Sepp The author, the president of the Estonian Librarians’ Association ponders upon valuing librarians’ time and new forms of library activities. RESEARCH LIBRARIES Information History - Alistair Black The first part of an article on information history that will be published in several journal issues. It seeks an answer to the question, whether information is a process (in the meaning of providing or acquiring new knowledge) or an object (commodity). Specifying information, turning its concept from the one of a process into the one of an object holds that every material and other aspect of human culture has dynamics of information. Our Cooperation in the Realm of Research and Development - Janne Andresoo The Head of the Research and Development Department of the National Library of Estonia’s retrospect of the previous year’s vital issues, e.g. cooperation in preserving and archiving cultural heritage, in surveys of research libra­ries’ service quality, in information competency and electronic learning, in librarians’ professional training and user training provided by libraries. The Belarussian Diamond: Tiiu Valm’s Impressions Passed on by Ellen Arnover The impressions of Tiiu Valm, Director General of the National Library of Estonia, of one of the most imposing lib­rary buildings in Europe – of the National Library of Belarus building, opened to the public in the last year. It takes pride in its eight-storey stacks, shaped like a diamond. PUBLIC LIBRARIES A Glimpse at the History of the Public Library of the Town of Haapsalu - Ilme Sepp An overview of the history of public libraries in Haapsalu, beginning with establishing the libraries of Club Musse Salon, Russian Cultural Society and Temperance Society Kungla. In 1940, all the public libraries in town were assembled to a single library that has born the name of the Central Library of Lääne County since 1944. In 1993, the era of changes began for the library – in the next years the library was turned into a municipal agency and moved into modern premises in Haapsalu Cultural Centre. In recent decades the library has implemented modern working tools and work organisation, however, at the same time valuing its traditions. The Temple of Wisdom - Tiiu Kask As essay of the user of the Central Library of Lääne County about books and libraries. Viljandi Town Library – 95 Linda - Sarapuu, Maire Killar, Ülle Rüütel, Evi Murdla An overview of the history and present day of Viljandi Town Library. The modern library in its new building is popular both among the citizens of the town as well as among the students of the of the Viljandi Culture Aca­demy of the University of Tartu. 500 up to 1,000 people visit it per day. Some Thoughts on the Occasion of Fifty Years of Service - Koidu Kann Mikitamäe librarian has been already working in the library for fifty years. She has also been a member of the Council of Mikitamäe Rural Municipality and is of the opinion that library has a vital role in local cultural life. Library work has cardinally changed in the recent years and considerably facilitated by the use of computers. All these swift changes keep the author clinging to her job. SCHOOL LIBRARIES The Inspection of Estonian Upper Secondary School Libraries - Ester Sõrmus In the beginning of 2006, the inspection of the libraries of upper secondary schools outside Tallinn with Estonian language of instruction took place. The inspection proved that libraries’ development and their level of user service mostly depend on librarians themselves. Unfortunately, almost a third of visited libraries did not sufficiently meet the demands on library work. TERMINOLOGY Library terminology in the Course of Time - Hans Jürman The piece gives an overview of developing Estonian library terminology, structuring it into certain periods. BOOK HISTORY Brotze’s Estonica is the Most Outstanding Work Published in 2006 - Lauri Suurmaa The article provides a brief insight into the life and work of Johann Christoph Brotze, a Baltic-German researcher of culture in the end of the 18th century and in the beginning of the 19th century. A publication, Estonica, that includes Brotze’s collected and self-made drawings of and comments upon approximately 300 immovables and movables on the Estonian territory, has been thoroughly introduced. The work is loaded with fascinating material that should be new to the public. ESTONIAN LIBRARIANS’ ASSOCIATION Two Hard Days of the the ELA’s Professional Qualification Committee The Committee awarded 213 librarians with professional certificates in the beginning of 2007. The School Libraries Section’s Information Day - Piia Selge An overview of the ELA School Libraries Section’s information day “Library as a Communication Centre”, where the image of schools, school as a learning environment and school librarian’s communication competencies were talked about. The Third Literary Tour: Readers Expect Well-known Writers The Estonian Writers’ Union, the National Library of Estonia and the Ministry of Culture organised the third literary tour “Estonian Writers in Estonian Libraries” in the end of November 2006. Ingrid Spits from Viru County, Külli Ots from Põlva County, Lenna Eliste from Pärnu County, Ene Sööt from Jõgeva County and Marika Võsamaa from Hiiu County give an overview of how the readers meetings with authors turned out and what should be taken into account organising the next tour. CONFERENCES & SEMINARS We Must Move on in the Provision of Digital Information - Ene Riet An overview of a conference “Digital Libraries and Their Users. IV”, organised to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the ELNET Consortium in Tartu University Library on 25 October 2006. Forty-five Years of Estonian Book Science Confe­rences in the Estonian Literary Museum - Kalju Tammaru An overview of Oskar Kallas Day, the 21st Estonian book science conference, held in the Estonian Literary Museum on 25 October 2006. NEWS The Estonian Children’s Literature Information Centre Has Been Renamed and Gets a New Home - Ene Riet Since 2 January 2007 the institution carries the name of Estonian Children’s Literature Centre. The beginning of renovation of the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre new building, Pikk Street 73 was celebrated on the 10 th of January. The Minister of Culture, builders, designers, writers and illustrators of children’s books and other friends of the Centre participated in the event. The Annual Rosin Prize The Rosin (meaning raisin) Prize of 2006 was awarded by the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre on the 3rd of December. The prize for the most original Estonian book for children went to sisters Maarja and Kirke Kangro for a picture book, Puuviljadraakon (The Fruit Dragon). A New Literary Prize for Acknowledging Estonian Authors Tallinn University initiated a new tradition, from now on awarding literary prize for acknowledging Estonian authors who study or lecture at the University or be alumni and who have published a comp­lete literary work in whatever genre (prose, poetry, essay, translation of a text of high value) in the previous year. Congratulations: Ivi Tingre – 75, a long-standing Councellor for the Ministry of Culture on Library Matters Mati Muru – 70, a long-standing member of the academic staff of Viljandi Culture Academy Eha Tillmann – 70, a long-standing Director of Võru County Central Library NEW PUBLICATIONS Estonian Children's Literature Centre's publications Come to the National Library! - Urve Pals The table calendar of the National Library of Estonia 2007. Pirita Calendar - Marika Plooman The calendar of 2007 that presents photographic postcards of Pirita district from the collections of the the Academic Library of Tallinn University. Johann Wilhelm Krause – 250 Moonika Teemus The calendar of Tartu University Library 2007 is dedicated to the architect of the university’s building, Johann Wilhelm Krause (1757–1828), who was born on the 1st of July 250 years ago. Best Articles Published in the Raamatukogu in 2006 Our journal readers have selected three best articles from the issues of the last year. Cumulative List of Contents of the Raamatukogu in 2006 Margit Stamm

ARCHIVE

2006 - 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 2005 - 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 2004 - 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 2003 - 6, 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