A Paradigmatic Shift for Estonian Research Libraries: Thirty Years of Rapid Travel on the Digital Highway

1 The Restoration of Independence

Estonia, along with Latvia and Lithuania, was occupied by the Soviet Union during the Second World War. In the late 1980s, as the Soviet Union underwent political changes, an opportunity arose for a short “window” in which to regain independence. On 20 August 1991, Estonian independence was declared, and the country was free again after fifty years of Soviet occupation. This marked the beginning of a new era, and the normal development of the country, which had been severed in 1940.

2 The Estonian “Singing Revolution” and the Baltic Way

Different events preceded this important date. We Estonians like to say that we sang ourselves free. There was a so-called “Estonian Singing Revolution”, which refers to events in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when singing was used as a form of non-violent protest. The Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn became a symbolic venue. Starting in 1987, spontaneous singing demonstrations, often involving thousands of people, took place – spontaneous night song festivals, the People’s Front rally and the “Song of Estonia” were held in 1988, when up to 200 000 participants took part. In 1989, the Committee of Estonian Citizens was established, and the direction to restore Estonia’s independence was taken.

On 23 August 1989, approximately two million people from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania formed a human chain, known as the Baltic Way or the Baltic Chain, spanning around 600 kilometres. This peaceful political demonstration aimed to draw the world’s attention to the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between the USSR and Germany, with which they partitioned Central and East European countries between them.^[2] At the same time, this highlighted the unity of the Baltic States and demonstrated to the world the will for freedom.

The Singing Revolution and the Baltic Way gained international attention and support, so Estonia’s independence, which was declared on 20. August 1991, was recognised by several Western countries. Iceland was the first to officially recognise Estonia as an independent state on 22. August 1991. This encouraged other nations to follow.

3 The Challenges of Transition

The 1990s saw Estonia transitioning from a centrally planned economy to a market-oriented one. Economic reforms included privatisation, liberalisation, and the introduction of a new currency, the Estonian kroon, in 1992. A new constitution was implemented in 1992, democratic institutions were established, and Estonia pursued a pro-Western foreign policy. In 1994, Estonia became a member of the Council of Europe, and in 2004, it joined the European Union and NATO.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union and the move towards a market-oriented economy brought both opportunities and challenges. The restructuring of industries and privatisation contributed to unemployment as some enterprises downsized or closed. The country underwent economic reforms, old structures disappeared – for instance, in the countryside there were no more collective farms, where many people used to work, in towns the same processes took place in factories and big enterprises – they were privatised, sold, and activities were terminated. While these changes aimed at long-term economic growth, they also led to job losses and income disparities – poverty was a concern.

During the Soviet era, there was a well-known word – “deficit” – which foreigners often did not understand: “How is it possible that there are not enough supplies in shops? If one shop does not have it, this is an opportunity for another merchant!” But the Soviet economy did not work like a normal market economy. Many goods were sent to the capital city or to other bigger cities. In Russian villages, there was nothing to buy. Many people from poorer areas came every day by trains or buses to Estonian shops to buy food for their families. As a result, in the 1990s special cards were given to people living in Estonia, to protect the Estonian consumer. The year 1991 is remembered by many not so much for the power struggle that took place in Tallinn and Moscow, but rather for the fact that trade fell apart, and basic foodstuffs could no longer be obtained.

These first years of independence were harsh, and there was quite a high level of criminality, mafia groups, etc. Still, we remember a saying from these years: “For the sake of our freedom, we are ready to eat potato skins if needed!” This saying shows the mentality of Estonians and the support for our own state.

4 The Political Confrontation

The situation of the Russian-speaking minority in Estonia, a legacy of the Soviet era, also posed challenges. To explain the situation: in Estonia, historically there used to be four larger national minorities – German, Russian, Swedish, and Jewish. They all had the right to cultural autonomy since the 1925 Law. The historical Russian minority arrived in Estonia at various times starting from 1580, and it was not a problem for Estonian and Russian people to live together. The problems arose while during occupation massive numbers of people came as a part of colonisation and the policy of Russification. After Estonia’s restoration of independence, many among the Russian minority did not accept the change and losing their superiority. This was often described in foreign media at the time as Estonian state bullying of Russians and not considering their civil rights, which Soviet media used as a weapon for years against the young republic.

Efforts were made to address issues related to citizenship and language, but these issues remained sensitive throughout the decade or even longer, as many Russians worked actively against the restored state. Demonstrations were organised in some factories and the eastern Estonian-Russian border city of Narva tried to declare itself an independent region (or a Russia-linked region).

5 International Support

During the process of regaining independence and after that, as the economic landscape changed drastically, the situation remained difficult. Luckily, Estonia received support from the international community. Many European countries and the United States played a significant role in supporting Estonia. The support of the Estonian diaspora living in foreign countries must also be considered particularly important. Diplomatic efforts, political support, and international pressure contributed to the success of Estonia’s independence movement. The support, including financial assistance, played a crucial role in the country’s successful transition. Estonia received international assistance and loans from organisations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to support economic reforms and address social issues, including poverty. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, the country experienced economic growth and improvements in living standards, contributing to the reduction of poverty levels. The international community, various organisations, and individuals contributed to supporting the country’s academic and cultural institutions, including libraries.

6 Educational and Cultural Renewal

Estonia focused on revitalising its education and cultural sectors. Efforts were made to restore and preserve cultural heritage, for instance, a special programme for reconstructing old manor house schools was implemented at the beginning of the 2000s.^[3] Multiple educational reforms were introduced and new institutions, schools, even new universities, etc. were founded. The quality of higher education could vary, so some of them are flourishing at the present day, but many were later closed or merged with some other institutions. New private universities were opened, with what sometimes seemed a childish enthusiasm combined with academic irresponsibility, since the plan was not well thought out, and they often lacked libraries and textbooks for students.

7 Change in Libraries

All previously described, change did not leave libraries untouched either. The biggest issue which every institution had to overcome was the sudden change of budgets: since as the previous structure and funding model collapsed, there were difficulties with everything. There was not enough money to manage the buildings, for procuring office supplies, for paying salaries and for acquisitions. A book, which gives an overview of libraries during these years, confirms this:

The development of librarianship in newly independent Estonia has been revolutionary. The libraries have faced difficulties while trying to reach the desired and established goals, predominantly because of the economic, political, or cultural conditions. Economic difficulties of the newly independent country have hindered the procurement of information resources on the modern level of information demand. The main reason for that is the lack of a public procurement policy for library services, and the lack of such library and acquisition policies and national financing schemes that would provide for an integrated development of library network. Despite of that, Estonia has developed a stable library network. Today there are 1220 libraries in Estonia, 585 of which are public libraries, 542 school libraries, and 93 – research and special libraries. (During the period (1991–2001) notable changes have only taken place among special libraries – in 1993 there were 132 special libraries in Estonia, in 2000 only 67.^[4]

For comparison, in 2022, there were 893 libraries in Estonia: 506 public libraries, 39 research-and special libraries and 348 school libraries (some public and school libraries have been merged).

One might presume that no building or renovation was conducted during these difficult years, but surprisingly this was not the case. A big event was the opening of the National Library’s new building in 1993. In 1999, the Academy of Music and its Library, and, in 2000, the University of Agriculture and its Library received new premises. The Academic Library was renovated, and the Archival Library of the Estonian Literary Museum was extended. The situation was improved for public libraries, too. In the1990s, despite the complicated economic situation, many public libraries still had renovations.

Recent years have bought along substantial changes in the administration and technical equipment of libraries. Multiple central and county libraries got modern rooms. Recently local governments have more valued the importance of a library in local life, during five recent years 8 new rural libraries have been opened in Estonia, 214 public libraries have got new accommodations or have had their existing rooms enlarged, extensively renovated and newly furnished.^[5]

In 1997, regardless of the type and location, libraries were changing from institutions that loaned materials to institutions that made local and international information search and data exchange possible.^[6]

A crucial step was adopting a law of legal deposit for Estonian publications in 1997. There were historically different institutions which held themselves responsible for preserving national publications. At last, the law clarified the situation and free legal copies were assigned to four libraries (National Library, University of Tartu Library, Academic Library, and the Literary Museum’s Library). Legal problems concerning the dissemination of electronic information still awaited solutions.^[7]

In the USSR, there were libraries in hospitals, factories, state companies, etc. Since many institutions ceased or their profile or owner changed, or there were significant budget cuts, this also meant changes for libraries. Many libraries were closed, and their collections were given to larger libraries or taken by the employees. This did not happen suddenly but over time, and some libraries were closed or merged even in the 2000s as well as part of more extensive changes in the higher education landscape.

For instance, in 2005, Tallinn University was established following the merger of several higher education and research institutions in Tallinn. The University Library was established in the grounds of the Academy of Science Library. In 2008, the Estonian Medical Library was closed, and its collections transferred to Tallinn University Library. In Tartu there were many changes too at Estonia’s oldest University – some research institutions were merged in with the University, and the structure of university departments was changed. All this also affected the work of the University Library. As there was a general lack of money, it was not reasonable to buy duplicates of some expensive books. To better support science and teaching, a major project of unifying the network of university libraries began.

In the second half of the 1990s, when a switch to computer cataloguing took place, the idea of describing the entire university collection came up again. In 1993, INGRID, the first e-catalogue in Estonia, was launched at Tartu University Library, then after three years the first department library (the Library of Art History, with approximately 1 100 records) joined the catalogue. But there were still more than 80 different libraries, most of which did not have a librarian, some did not have a card catalogue, and some were only a professor’s room full of books. Year on year, more small libraries joined the e-catalogue, but still not all.

In 2005, the University Rector’s Directive about the university book collection (as a whole) was issued as a reminder that everything that had been bought with university money belonged to the university and must be described in the e-catalogue to unite all university special and branch libraries virtually. University finance offices were also keen to have an overview of the use of university budgets, the funds spent on books included. All the books should have been regarded as a public good for the whole of the university community.

Cataloguing of these scattered collections started. During this process it turned out that many books, which were described in card catalogues, were already missing, as there had been nobody responsible for those books. Every department which wished to have a library had to name somebody responsible for it. Those who did not have enough interest or staff had to give the collection to the main library. The process was painful, like trespassing on someone’s land – that is what many professors felt. They were used to having those books, as “Nobody else is teaching/doing research on this subject. Only I/we need it.” It took several years before all the collections were maintained, the network was organised and co-operation between departments and the main libraries became smooth, so that new books reached the e-catalogue immediately after they were acquired (with some help from university finance offices).

In 2001, subject librarians were introduced. This meant that in each university library there were contact persons between the library and academic units. Every department had its own subject librarian with whom to discuss acquisitions and other topics of interest.

8 The Opening of Restricted Access Collections

The Soviet regime had banned and destroyed many publications: in total, an estimated 26 million books and 4 million magazines in Estonia.^[8] The restricted access collections were called both “special collections” and “special funds”. Those were formed at six research libraries during the Soviet era, where two copies of banned books were allowed to be kept (other copies were eliminated, if not saved by librarians). Banned books were replaced with compulsory copies of Russian fiction and non-fiction, so that the number of titles in the post-war period showed a strong increase.^[9]

The release of these restricted collections had already begun during the last years of the USSR, when in 1988, the first directive about it came from Moscow. First the publications published during the Estonian Republic (1918–1940) and the German Occupation (1917–1918) could be released. Forty-three books still had to be kept from the public. In 1992, by a resolution of the Director of the National Library, the Restricted Access Collection was disbanded, and its contents were handed to the Archives and the main Library collections. Redirection ended in 1994. In Tartu University Library, the last publications from the Restricted Access Collection were made available for public use in 1992. By a resolution of the Rector of Tartu University, the Restricted Access Department was disbanded on 1. August 1990. In the Estonian Academy of Sciences Library, this department was renamed the Archives Department in 1993 and in 1994 it was merged with the Baltics Department.^[10]

9 Acquisitions and Donations

For acquisitions librarians had to find and implement new ways of ordering publications. As there were no longer restrictions, everything could be purchased. These possibilities raised new questions – how does the market work, how to subscribe, how to order? There were no contacts and no knowledge. And of course, there was no money. Happily, in these first years we had lots of friends and supporters abroad, who helped us to get on board, learn how the publishing world worked, what was worth looking at, and where high-quality publications were available.

Various donations from organisations and individuals were an important source, especially in those years, when Estonia was still considered a country in need of aid. This led to several large aid programmes supported for instance by the USA.

Given the increasing importance of technology, donations sometimes also included computers and other technical equipment to help with library automation and modernisation. Donors also facilitated international collaboration, enabling Estonian libraries to connect with their counterparts globally, participate in joint projects, and take part in the work of international associations, like IFLA and LIBER for instance.

We are deeply grateful to these supporters, who made it possible for us to maintain research publications, databases, technical equipment and helped colleagues to join conferences and make study tours to different libraries.

The considerable number of book donations received in the early 1990s helped to fill a fifty-year gap of foreign literature and to ease the hovering information gap because of economic difficulties.

10 Estonian Émigré Publications

At the start of the1940s, Estonians were scattered both to east and west. To the east (= Siberian prison camps) people were forced to go to the west people fled in the fall of 1944, in fear of the occupying forces. Talented and capable Estonians ended up on both sides, but they could develop their culture further only in the West, where they were given the opportunity. A total of 70 000 to 75 000 Estonians left for the West.^[11] The largest wave of refugees moved to Sweden. Many ended up in Germany, and from there went later to Canada, Great Britain, USA, or Australia.

The community of Estonians abroad, the Estonian diaspora, the people who had escaped before Soviet occupation, sent literature to their homeland for years. They sent works of Estonian publishers in Sweden, United States, Canada, Australia, etc. as well as foreign literature. In those first years of regained independence in the 1990s and 2000s, all these books and magazines were like a breath of fresh air. Many people remember how they devoured these pages, how books went from hand to hand as treasures, how everyone wanted to make up rapidly for everything that had been missed in 50 years of occupation. It was like a sweet dessert after 50 years of poor food. These were happy days of literary bacchanalia, as we all got an overdose of the written word, and were drunk on fresh ideas and subjects, previously prohibited.

Our honourable colleague Elle Tarik, former Director of Tartu City Library, and organiser of Estonian émigré literature at the library, has said:

Receiving the written word of compatriots living abroad marked a groundbreaking moment in the recent history of Estonian libraries. Especially public libraries have played a significant role in the development of democracy for ages and will certainly continue to do so, and in those turning times they were able to play their real role again.^[12]

From the annual reports of libraries, we can get an idea of the amounts received these years. For instance, the report of Tartu University Library 1994 notes:

The main sources of acquisition of foreign-language print were still donations and exchange. The total number of donations (i. e. random, non-arranged donations) has decreased. In 1994 the biggest donors were the Sabre Foundation (5 200 copies), Canadian expatriates E. Aruja (approx. 2 000 copies), E. Birnschmidt (1 500 copies), C.H. Loechmüller (approx. 800 copies), Bentley College (approx. 200 copies), Kuopio Depot Library (over 700 copies).^[13]

Ago Ambre from USA sent a huge donation and Olev Träss from Canada. This was simply the number of publications processed, and for years huge quantities (100–300) of boxes were waiting to be processed.

In the years 1988 to 2000, about 20 000 copies of foreign Estonian books and 1 200 magazines were sent to Tartu City Library. Books were donated by 20 institutions/organisations and 80 individuals from abroad. The largest shipments of books arrived from Tartu Institute’s Bibliography Club headed by Endel Aruja – hundreds of boxes of books, newspapers, and magazines. The Estonian Archives in the United States, in Lakewood, sent 6 000 books and many periodicals, organised by Jüri Viiroja and Olga Berendsen.

11 Estonia’s Trademark of Technological Innovation – The Tiger’s Leap

The “Tiger’s Leap” (“Tiigrihüpe”) was an Estonian national project, where large investments were targeted at increasing computing capacity and developing data communications with an emphasis on improving the education infrastructure. One of the most important results of the project was connecting all Estonian schools to the Internet. As a result, a computer room was set up in most schools and the use of UUCP technology was stopped. “Juku” computers, which reached schools in the 1990s as part of the USSR computer science education programme became technologically obsolete and were replaced by IBM PCs in the second half of the 1990s. The first financial allocation was signalled in the 1997 state budget.

Since then, Estonia has had some success stories and has become known for its early adoption of digital solutions, including the introduction of electronic ID cards and online government services. All state services are digital: you need only be present to get married or divorced.

12 The Introduction of Computers and Automation in Research Libraries and the Founding of the ELNET Consortium

In terms of information technology in 1990, Estonian libraries were about 20 years behind compared with Western countries. In Estonia libraries even lacked typewriters and photocopying was a rarity.^[14] Technologically, these were really challenging times.

In Estonia, the process of automating the work of research libraries started in the second half of the 1980s, when libraries were able to acquire the first personal computers. The main problems were a lack of qualified staff and specific library software. There were also only few personal computers in Estonian research libraries. Accordingly, we can say that the real beginnings of library automation were from the 1990s. In that decade, Estonian research libraries underwent significant innovation, leveraging emerging technologies to enhance their services. Digital cataloguing and online databases were introduced, improving accessibility to research materials. The adoption of internet connectivity facilitated remote access to electronic resources, transforming the way researchers accessed information.

The first bibliographic information exchange format, EKF, was developed in 1991. Its important contribution was the organisation and harmonisation of professional terminology in Estonian. In 1992, a library automation working group (BIBLIO.AUTG) was created by the Estonian Librarians’ Association, which brought together specialists from major research libraries. In 1993, the first version of the “Estonian library information system” project was completed. The project included five research libraries and was based on the adaptation of already existing software (KIRI, Micro-CDS/ISIS, Paradox, etc.) in line with the needs of Estonia.

A big obstacle to automation was the chronic lack of money and a continuing lack of hardware. In 1995, the Open Estonia Foundation allocated 2.4 million kroons for the library information system project. Negotiations with the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation began. Originally, a joint project involving the three Baltic States was planned, but this did not happen. However, consequently, a crucial event for Estonian librarianship took place – the Estonian Library Network Consortium (ELNET Consortium) was officially founded in 1996, although some activities had already started earlier. The Consortium began to investigate more specifically the options for developing an information system of Estonian research libraries. The Consortium was not just about the library system. It aimed to coordinate the acquisition of electronic resources, improve access to information, and foster co-operation among research libraries. This collaboration helped libraries benefit from shared expertise, negotiate better deals with publishers, and collectively address the challenges posed by the evolving landscape of information and technology at that time.

Already in 1995, invitations with specific requests for Estonian libraries were sent to more than 30 software developers. By the end of 1995, five library systems had been assessed. The development of hardware and computer networks took place concurrently. By the end of 1995, seven major research libraries already had computer systems, the first local networks had been developed and Internet connections had been established. The qualification of staff was still a fundamental problem. The library software in use was local and differed from library to library in its compatibility. The first e-catalogue available on the Internet was from Tartu University Library, where a local INGRID information system had been developed – the first entry was added to the e-catalogue in November 1994. As a remark worthy of mention, in 1995, the first webpage of an Estonian library, that of Tartu University Library, was launched (in Estonian and English).^[15]

In 1996, INNOPAC library software was selected for Estonian research libraries that were members of the ELNET Consortium. INNOPAC was an integrated library system developed by the US software developer, Innovative Interfaces Inc. At the same time further development of local library systems in Estonian research libraries was completed. The implementation of INNOPAC was financed by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and through the Estonian state budget.

Also in 1996, a preliminary schedule was prepared for the introduction of the INNOPAC system and staff training. Separate working groups were formed at the Consortium to configure and adapt different modules of the integrated library system. The library system was initially based on two servers – separate systems were planned for Tallinn and Tartu, as the quality and speed of data communication were still extremely poor in the 1990s and with only one server the system would not have worked properly. In the first stage, the Consortium included seven research libraries, i. e., all major research libraries in Estonia. The two biggest public libraries (Tallinn and Tartu) joined only later in 2000. By the end of 2000, there were 761 computer workplaces, of which 163 were available to readers, in the 11 research libraries.^[16]

Great attention had to be paid to the issue of the bibliographic standards. In earlier Estonian applications, the FINMARC standard developed in Finland was used: in the new situation, USMARC, later MARC21, came into use. The primary areas of concern were the conversion of existing data, certain specific requirements in Estonia (the need to display the Russian alphabet, a specific order of letters in the Estonian alphabet, certain specific requirements related to subject headings, the need to harmonise several aspects of loan processes in different libraries). Initially, it was decided to fully implement only the cataloguing and lending modules and the public online catalogue. At the same time, the libraries began to prepare for implementing the acquisition module, but the scope of its use was left to the discretion of different libraries themselves.

In the second half of the 1990s, several important decisions were made that influenced the IT development of libraries in the following years, even decades. In the Consortium’s working groups, cataloguing manuals were developed, used keyword sets were defined, and the first negotiations and tests for joint procurement of research article databases were started. In parallel, the IT hardware and computer networks of the Consortium’s member libraries were developed. To show how much time it took to change the mindset of librarians, let me add a quote from 1998.

Libraries have equipped internet rooms. Being relatively poor in terms of computers, we must consider to whom, how many and what kind of searches we allow. The Internet and its use without training is quite a risky venture. After all, the articles are available on www for anyone to read on any topic all over the world. The value of these articles without the corrective influence of editors or publishers is questionable. There is a lot of talk about Tiger’s Leap project, but to say that surfing the Internet has great educational value is as ridiculous as if we were to say that the best way to teach children is to leave them alone in a bookshelf.^[17]

Since there were not enough computers in the early years, several libraries allowed computer use only for searching the library catalogue. In 1997, the first public internet point was opened at the National Library, and after some time those were opened all over Estonia.

The Consortium expanded. It also faced a completely new challenge from 2000 since, in addition to several smaller libraries, Estonia’s two largest public libraries – Tallinn Central Library and Tartu City Library – joined. The organisation of co-operation had already been under special attention of the consortium, but now it was necessary to consider the specific features of different types of libraries. Transferring the public libraries data to the common library system also required a certain amount of effort and energy. Unfortunately, a significant part of the work had to be done by hand when compiling the records.

From the beginning of the 2000s, there was a transition from the previously text-based INNOPAC system to Millennium, the JAVA-based graphical user module. The transition took place gradually, in line with software developments. The system’s main servers in Tallinn and Tartu also had to be replaced.

In Estonian libraries, reader identification is possible using the Estonian ID card and the library reader card. Corresponding software applications were created in Estonia during the 2000s. In line with the general development of the online catalogue, readers were offered the opportunity of identifying themselves on the website using an ID card. In 2006, the first lending machines were put into use in two Estonian libraries, and readers were offered the possibility of self-service lending. In 2014, the e-catalogues ESTER Tallinn and ESTER Tartu were merged as a joint effort by ELNET Consortium member and partner libraries, and the information system was transferred to the new Sierra software.

Estonia’s demanding situation also included some positive aspects for information technology development. Since most of the infrastructural changes had to be made from scratch, it was possible to perform some stages of development faster than in developed countries, and it was even possible to skip some stages. As a result of the mentioned “Tiger’s Leap” Estonia today has, for example, an ID card system that enables digital signing, and today’s general state of information technology is also relatively good.

13 The Transition of Card Catalogues to e-Catalogues (Retrospective Cataloguing)

This shift towards digital materials was not easy. It needed a different mindset from the librarians. For quite a long time, some colleagues thought that the e-library was only about new electronic databases, that it did not involve early collections or card catalogues, and that this work would continue as it always had. There were many discussions and gradually the shift took place. In 1999, ELNET Consortium members gave up updating their card catalogues, and then it was decided not even to correct the information in card catalogues and to work only with the e-catalogue, a decision which did not please librarians as now we had an e-catalogue that showed recent publications only and we had a card catalogue that did not show the true situation. But everybody understood that it was not possible to duplicate work: there were not enough people for that, and there were many new tasks connected with the electronic library.

For many years, our readers had to use both card and e-catalogues. But as the years went by, the new generation believed that the e-catalogue is enough, and every year more readers thought that everything could be found in the e-catalogue and rarely did we see anyone using the old card catalogues. Librarians had to repeat the same mantra: “Only part of our collections are in the e-catalogue: you have to use both e-catalogue and card catalogues […] and remember the latter are not updated.”

Retrospective cataloguing was at first conducted with the help of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the Open Estonia Foundation, which financed the first projects. Librarians were able to have overtime adding records to the e-catalogue. This was initially welcomed, but after a few years problems arose because too much overtime was unhealthy and sometimes led to quality problems.

Retrospective cataloguing remained a significant additional task for many colleagues for years, even after overtime had finished. There was a period, which may be called a transitional phase, when all over the world memory institutions started microfilming, which was continued in parallel with digitalisation. The preservation of microfilms was taken for granted, but how to preserve digital copies was yet unsure.

The collections of Tartu University Library comprised 3.7 million items (2006), of which 31 % could be found in the e-catalogue and 69 % in card catalogues. At Tartu University Library the situation changed in 2007, when the University allocated funds for the conversion of card catalogues. A big retrospective conversion project was started.

Retrospective conversion had to precede with a massive evaluation of collections. Let us explain why evaluation was necessary. During the Soviet era, the acquisitions policy did not work as today, but with political preferences, i. e., you could get publications from countries counted as “friendly”.^[18] There were many publications in collections, which had been received from different research institutions all over the USSR and “friendly” Socialist countries. Many of those were written in smaller languages, which were not much used in Estonia, so many of them had never been opened. Some of these university publications were nicknamed “mass grave”, as they contained articles on every subject, which for a smaller university enabled all the professors to have their say. Those publications were rarely used.

The evaluation of collections meant making decisions about a million items – did the library need to retain it or should it be withdrawn? Many were duplicates or reprints, outdated educational literature, etc. A century-old Library rule complicated the situation, if an item had been added to the collection one copy had always to be kept. It was not easy to change this rule, but finally it was agreed, and about 300 000 items (duplicates included) were withdrawn.

There was a two-fold approach to the retrospective conversion project: partly records were bought in, and parts of the old catalogues were digitized. The promise to the University – to make the collections “visible” in one year – had to be fulfilled. The result was that 80 % of records for Tartu University Library’s collections were transferred to digital mode (before the project that figure was 31 %). By the time the project finished, 49 % of the collections could be found in the e-catalogue, 40 % of collections could be found via the digitized historical catalogues and 11 % remained only in card catalogues (different historical collections).^[19]

The cataloguing process changed drastically as records from other libraries could be used now instead of making all the records yourself. At first, not all records were available, and some were free, and some were not. Even diplomats were sometimes contacted about access to other countries’ e-catalogues. For instance, Tartu University tried to establish co-operation with Poland since Tartu University Library’s collections contained quite a lot of Polish publications. Even the Polish Ambassador was contacted.

The digitization of library collections also started in parallel, depending on how quickly big scanners could be acquired. This started in all large libraries and soon agreed preferences were written down to avoid duplication. This created a completely new situation. Thus far, libraries had mediated content made by others (or copied the content others had in ancient times). Now, a completely new way of publishing emerged – in the form of making new digital copies. A new cataloguing practice occurred too: in some libraries the digital copy was given an additional record in the e-catalogue, although in other cases only a link to the digital format was added.

14 E-Databases

In 1998 a colleague wrote:

E-journals lead to significant short-term preferences, precisely because of the ease of information search. However, we know that there are several problems with their use. E-journals are inconvenient to read and browse, and what is worse – from the library’s point of view – is their long-term storage and archiving. The trickiest thing is to maintain a combination of hardware and software that would allow electronic media to read it ten years from now, because then perhaps such a combination of hardware and software no longer exists. We also know that CD-ROM does not have a long shelf life, it is annoying to work with, and everyone wants to be able to read an article on paper in the end.^[20]

In the 1990s, Estonian research libraries lived mostly on donations. For instance, the University of Tartu Fund in Toronto purchased the “Current Contents” database on floppy disks for Tartu University Library. With the help of the Soros Foundation, a computer class was opened to provide databases on CD-ROMs. The situation of acquisitions was tricky every year, as prices increased all the time, but the budget stayed at the same level. Giving an overview about the implementation of electronic information, we mostly rely on an article written by Marika Meltsas, who has for years been responsible for acquiring e-information for Estonian research libraries via the ELNET Consortium.^[21]

In 1998, Estonia’s largest libraries started testing online research databases. Internet connections were slower than recommended, but still stable enough to outweigh the inevitably lesser-used databases on CD-ROMs. Libraries realised that it was useful to form consortia to conclude more favourable agreements with publishers. In 1999, the joint purchase of full-text databases was achieved by three large libraries: Tartu University Library, the National Library, and the Estonian Academic Library. The first acquired was EBSCO’s Academic Search Elite full-text database, which offered a good discount. This was the first step in purchasing electronic information via a consortium, which has already become customary over the world. To cover the required annual fee, the group of libraries subscribing to EBSCO databases had to be expanded. In 2000, eight libraries joined the informal EBSCO consortium: the public law universities and several newly-opened private universities. By 2001, eleven libraries had joined and two more wanted to join.

In 2000, eIFL (Electronic Information for Libraries) project began. As a part of the joint EBSCO and OSI (Open Society Institute) project, EBSCO made available on the Internet more than 3 000 full-text articles, newspapers, reference works, as well as news from several news agencies and the medical database Medline. The countries were assigned a fixed price for the years 2000 to 2002 (for Estonia it was $48 000). As part of the eIFL project, EBSCO has undertaken to add quality journals in English from the respective countries to the databases. From Estonia, thanks to the eIFL project, the journals Trames Sign Systems Studies, Papers on Anthropology, and the publications of the Academy of Sciences were added to EBSCO databases. The project has thus also contributed to the wider presentation of the works of Estonian researchers in the world.

The usage statistics, as well as a comparison with neighbouring countries, and the total usage of libraries in the eIFL network, testify that Estonia has been a highly active user. EBSCO database statistics show that the usage of e-journals has increased in a continuous upward trend. Comparing Estonia’s population with neighbouring countries, we see that Estonia was the most active user of EBSCO databases per inhabitant in the 2000s.

By 2002, the ELNET Consortium had managed to obtain central funding for public procurement, specifically to cover the license fee for EBSCO databases. During the year, 70 new libraries, state institutions and hospitals were registered as users of EBSCO databases (in 2001, there were only 12 subscribers). In line with the contract with EBSCO, it was possible to use the databases for a fixed annual fee without limitation in all Estonian research and public libraries, as well as in Ministries and not-for-profit libraries. In addition, these libraries had the right to give their registered readers a password to use the databases at home. This meant that in addition to libraries, a diverse selection of e-magazines, newspapers, reference books, and medical information could be available in public internet points and in every Estonian home with a computer and an internet connection.

The creation of an electronic library required big additional expenses from libraries, but the budgets of libraries had in fact shrunk. After serious reform of the Estonian research system, most of the research development activities were transferred to universities. This way, it was easier to support researchers with information “under the same institution’s umbrella.”

Users quickly adopted e-databases and journals, but they were not satisfied with the narrow selection of databases offered. However, the range could not be expanded without additional financial support. It was declared that the state should also finance the acquisition of scientific information necessary for research development activities in proportion to the targeted funding of science. The best solution could be a target-financed electronic library serving the interests of the entire Estonian research community, following the example of Finland.

Since 2002, the acquisition of scientific information via ELNET Consortium for university libraries has been financed from the state budget through the Ministry of Education and Research. At the same time, the state continues to support maintaining and developing the library system, the e-catalogue and some other databases created by the ELNET Consortium.

On behalf of its members, the Consortium negotiates with leading academic publishers to ensure the widest possible unhindered access to important research databases for Estonian researchers, teaching staff, and students. The most effective method for obtaining electronic research information is joint procurement of licenses for these databases, which provides significant savings compared to procurements by individual research institutions.

The ELNET Consortium participates in the EIFL (Electronic Information for Libraries) international network of libraries, which has helped to significantly increase the scope for negotiation in licensing agreements with important scientific publishers and to achieve better conditions.

Joint subscriptions for research databases started more than 20 years ago. The number of databases and the volume of subscriptions have increased over the years but have remained stable in recent years. The procedure for financing research information is regulated by the Minister of Education and Science’s 2012 regulation.

Since 2014, around 62 % of the total funds available in the state budget for research libraries to acquire research information have been allocated to finance the joint acquisition of electronic research information through the ELNET Consortium. In 2019, a total of 3.5 million euros was allocated to ELNET for the acquisition of research databases.

Joint contract negotiations will be initiated if several libraries have expressed interest and a joint acquisition promises to save resources compared to an individual procurement. Research libraries have the right to apply for funding for joint procurement of electronic research information via ELNET.

In 2022, a Ministry and Consortium pilot project began to examine procuring research databases for universities of applied sciences and research institutions (13 institutions in all). Now all publicly funded and evaluated research institutions and universities of applied sciences have access to major research databases.

15 International Co-operation: Regaining Membership of International Organisations, Librarians’ Training, and Library Visits

Estonia’s efforts to democratise and transition to a free-market economy were aided by different projects implemented by individuals, institutions, organisations, and governments. These were meant for acquisitions, information technology development and staff training. Thanks to the support of many colleagues abroad, Estonian libraries actively engaged in international partnerships. After the regaining of independence, international library co-operation develops from the exchange of publications, bibliographic information, and interlibrary lending to real co-operation. Estonian libraries started participating in international programmes and projects and in the work of library associations and organisations.

Before joining international organisations, librarians had to become organized at home at first, so in 1988, the Estonian Librarians’ Association was restored (founded in 1923 but prohibited during the Soviet era).

In 1992, Tartu University Library joined the LIBER (the Association of European Research Libraries), and in 1994, the library became a founding member of “Bibliotheca Baltica”, the association for the Baltic Sea countries. At the same time, the library also joined the European Association of Medical Libraries (EAHIL) and the International Association of Music Libraries (IAML).

By the end of the 2000s, Estonian research libraries belonged to 21 international organisations. There were particularly good relations with many libraries and colleagues. We are grateful to the library directors, who enabled Estonian librarians to visit libraries abroad and organised book donations to our libraries. To mention some good friends, both previous Presidents of LIBER, Esko Häkli, Director of Helsinki University Library (now the National Library of Finland), and Elmar Mittler, Director of Göttingen University Library, who organised free training visits for many colleagues, paying all expenses. We have long historical connections with the University of Finland since many Estonians have studied and worked in Finland, and many Finnish researchers have worked in Tartu University. Helsinki University and its Library have always been well known as an institution of high quality. Göttingen University Library, which was – and still is – considered one of the best university libraries in Germany and Europe, the so-called “Musterbibliothek”, was a place always worth visiting as well. They both organised valuable book donations, too. Professor Paul Kaegbein^[22] was like “a window to Europe” for us during Soviet times: he also contributed to the expansion of our professional horizons in the early 1990s and introduced Germany to Estonian libraries. There was active communication with many Nordic libraries, for instance, the Library of the University of Jyväskyla (Director: Oili Kokkonen) and the Library of the University of Aarhus, etc.

16 Conclusion

Over the course of 30 years, several groundbreaking changes have taken place: the Internet has become a natural part of library services (and everyday life) and library processes have become Internet-based. At the same time, the original book has not disappeared and there have been changes in this regard as well: the transition to open collections and lending 24/7. With so much now happening virtually, it is more important than ever for people to meet in person. Libraries have always been ideal places for meetings, discussions, and socialising.

Estonia is an exceptional example of how important decisions taken in a remarkably short period of time in the 1990s regarding the development of the information society, including librarianship, have proven decades later to be a solid foundation for Estonian libraries and ensure that we can look to the future with confidence.