Republic of Estonia is a country on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered by Finland, Sweden, Latvia and Russia. The population is 1 328 976 people. Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, and Tartu are the largest cities and urban areas in the country. The official language is Estonian. The territory of Estonia has been inhabited 11 0000 years ago. From 13^th century Estonia is ruled by Germans, Danes, Swedes, Poles and Russians. The independent Estonian Republic was proclaimed in 1918. During World War II Estonia lost its de facto independence for the Soviet Union. Estonia restored its independence in 1991. The following text tries to give a short overview about the main aspects of development of Estonian librarianship. The text is running on two parallel lines –  from the beginning of the particular process and the level which it has reached to nowadays.  

There were thousands years' oral libraries in Estonian area. Book libraries became with Christianity in the 13^th century. The bigger collections were in the Dominican Monasteries. The Lutheran Reformation in the 16^th century ended the first monastery period. From the 19^th century there are some monasteries again in Estonia.   

First schools were established in the 13^th century. The number of books increased with the developing of printing. A certain finances got schools and also libraries in the 19^th century. From 1960s one part of library began to consist of the textbooks. Today every school is obliged by law to have a library. There are two types of school libraries – learning centres which support the teaching process and pupil's universal development, and study libraries which comprise mostly textbooks and other teaching materials. In many local governments the school and public libraries have been united. In that case the school only has to acquire educational literature.  

In 1552 was opened for all literates the town library at Tallinn St Olaf's Church. These library collections are nowadays part of the Academic Library of Tallinn University, including 46 incunabulums and thousands of volumes published between the 16^th and 19^th centuries. It's the best collection for earlier centuries Baltic studies but the rare books need also conservation and restoration which are on the high level.

In 1632 was founded Academia Gustaviana and betimes the library (currently the University of Tartu Library). Important role in collection building played donations and buying's from the members of Swedish king and Russian emperor court. In the 17^th century library became the first fixed principles of regulations in Estonian era. The head librarian, professor of the university, Karl Johan Morgenstern developed the university library according to the ideas of the Enlightenment and by the middle of the 19^th century it became one of the most important university libraries in the Russian empire. University library began to change books with the other academic institutions abroad.    

In the beginning of 19^th century was the university library building built in the ruins of the old Cathedral on Toome Hill. 1982 it moved to contemporary building near Toome Hill and in the old building became the hands of the University of Tartu Museum. In Tallinn the Academic Library of Tallinn University main building was built in 1960s and the current eight-storey building of National Library of Estonia was constructed between 1985 and 1993. Public libraries were at first usually situated at schools. Then they moved to parish houses or cultural centres. Also apartment buildings became the libraries working places. In 1990s and 2000s over 300 public libraries have moved to new or renovated various types of buildings.   

In the 18^th century started fee lending libraries and reading circles. In the lending libraries was contemporary German and French literature (predominantly travel letters, historical and geographical books and also Enlighteners volumes). When the number of public libraries increased the roll of fee lending libraries decreased. Presently there is also possibility to lend e-books for fee from bookshops or mobile operators. At first the reading circles members were estate owners, pastors, teachers, officers and others. During the next centuries the members' area expanded by students and pupils. Reading clubs exist also in our days.        

Estonians became active library friends in the 18^th century with the protestant movement Unity of Brethren of Herrnhut. There were lot of handwritten books in the libraries and they were divided into two parts: a part which was open to the public and a secret part. Also Christian church pastors established libraries. Congregation libraries aimed to disseminate religious ideas and mainly consisted religious and devotional books. When the number of unreligious books was growing – people wanted to read them and began to establish community libraries.

First countryside community libraries were founded in 1860s. The leading role in the founding process played the school teachers and the masters of farms. Later there was formed various kinds of societies: singing and dancing, library, agricultural, abstention, educational and others. Library and reading was one point of their activities. They gathered together for cultural acuities, lections, parties. These libraries got books that were donated by people or bought with collection money. The libraries grow up by the initiative of people. The role of local governments to organize libraries was not high. Presently the times are going back – communes organize the community centres where also is a library.    

In towns many societies had a library. Some scientific and other societies put up the aim to collect Estonian books. In 1909 was in Tartu founded the Estonian National Museum (Eesti Rahva Muuseum), which had, besides ethnographic objects and repertoires collecting, also focusing on book collection. At that time wasn't legal deposit copy system and the collecting books and periodicals was done on the enthusiasm. 1920s and 1930s the Archival Library of Estonian National Museum was in the status of national library. The head of Archival Library Richard Antik initiated and took part in the compiling of retrospective bibliographies. The Bibliographic Department of the Archival Library (established in 1921) compiles a general retrospective bibliography of the content of Estonian journalism. Nowadays the institution's name is Estonian Literature Museum (Eesti Kirjandusmuuseum) and its library is famous for the older Estonian books collection. There are also memorial collections of important Estonian cultural and scientific persons. The leading role in retrospective bibliography was taken by the Academic Library of Tallinn University, where leading by Endel Annus were compiled several bibliographies about books and periodicals until 1940.  

The number of public libraries grew fast. Estonian leaders told and write the importance of libraries. In 1870 was written in newspaper: “Two cupboards are required in the house: one for bread and the other for books”. Soon came out the first guidelines how to build up libraries. Spread out the point of view that a library is the higher level place to get an education of peoples' universities. From the world library development was taken the Universal Decimal Classification (UDK) with local changed variants. Presently all types of libraries used Universal Decimal Classification.  

The beginning was Estonian Republic was in 1918. Estonian language became the official language and it was possible to receive an education at all levels in Estonian. The publishing of Estonian books and periodicals increased greatly. From the beginning of Estonian Republic, the aim was built up homogenize public library system. The Public Library Act was adopted by the parliament and was put into force starting in January 1925. The law obliged municipalities to found public libraries and to support them by acquiring new books. The sum of money was bind up with the number of inhabitants of the municipality. Another possibility to get money for acquiring books was the state budget. The libraries that had been founded by different societies could also be registered as public libraries if they were open to all users. The last Public Libraries Act entry into force in 1998. According to this Act the purpose of public libraries is to ensure free and unrestricted access to information, knowledge, achievements of human thought and culture for inhabitants, to promote lifelong learning and individual development. Nowadays the working group is preparing a new act.  

Other important act was the Law of the Press from the year 1923, which gave for main libraries the legal deposit copies of all printed periodicals and nonperiodicals published in Estonia. The last act about on this topic is the Legal Deposit Copy Act from year 2016. The purpose of this Act is to ensure the creation, long-term preservation and consistent making accessible of the most comprehensive collection of the publications which are essential to the Estonian culture and their output-ready files if other copies of the publications are not available. In the scope of application of Act are printed publications, other publications on physical media, web publications and output-ready files of a printed publication, output-ready material of a film.  

From 1919 the coordinator of librarianship development was the Ministry of Education. It worked out the plans and followed their realization. Nowadays the Ministry of Culture coordinates the development of the library network as a whole in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Research and other ministries. The task of the state is to guarantee equal free access to information for everyone via the library service. Libraries are financed on the basis of their form of ownership – from state or local governments budgets. The state aids public libraries in acquiring items that are significant from the viewpoint of Estonian language and culture, and in paying salaries to four employees of central county libraries as each central library coordinates library services within a county. An extra possibility to finance training and innovative projects in libraries are open application stages of a grant programme “Development of libraries” by the Ministry of Culture.

Librarians gathering possibility was the Estonian Librarians' Association (ELA) which founding congress was held in 1923. The aims of the Association were then and are today to develop librarianship, organize the professional education of librarians and protest their interests. Nowadays the vision of the ELA is to bring together different types of libraries and librarians while acting as a policymaker, treasurer and moderator of information. The Association organizes events to introduce libraries for the wider public. The ELA is presided by a board of nine members. The only person on payroll is the office manager. The ELA hosts three sections for particular type of libraries (special, rural and school libraries), five committees solving problems in specific fields (collections, training, children's services, terminology, antiquarian book), two working groups (acquisitions for public libraries, new ideas), Ex-club (a senior club for former librarians) and Young Professionals Club. Yearly highlights for the Association are the Annual Meeting and the Forum in February and the Library Days in October. The Forum discusses subjects relevant to libraries and librarians. The Library Days in October bring librarians together from both small and bigger libraries in different locations in Estonia. Summer camps for rural and school libraries, seminars, information days, Congresses of Estonian and Baltic librarians are held periodically and regularly. Last Baltic librarians congress took place in October 2020. ELA is member of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) since year 1928. 

The first number of librarianship journal “The Library” (Raamatukogu) was published in 1923. Currently it is a professional journal of Estonian librarians that is published by the Estonian Librarians' Association and the National Library of Estonia. “The Library” introduces new trends in librarianship, addresses problems and mediates information on libraries and the Estonian Librarians' Association. The journal includes, in addition to professional articles, also articles on general cultural issues, literature, publishing, book design, book history, bibliophilism and other topics related to library science. “The Library” is issued six times a year and is provided with an English summary of articles. It is available in digital format.  

The Tallinn Central Library (established in 1907) became the centre for all public libraries. It has increased the number of branches and departments. First time was started youth library as a department of library (currently in privacy Estonian Children's Literate Centre). Also music department was established. The director of library Aleksander Sibul compiled very practical methodical handbook for librarians in 1926. Nowadays the Tallinn Central Library is playing the leading role in Estonian public libraries development. It has created e-book lending system ELLU. E-books in ELLU are predominantly in Estonian. Access to the ELLU system is available for registered users all over the world. More than 10 years is driving bookmobile named Katarina Jee, which capacity is to hold 3,800 volumes at one time and serves Tallinn areas where branch libraries are absent or temporarily unavailable. One of the library's aim is to integrate various nationalities and age groups by different activities. To improve children's communication and reading skills have been used reading dogs. The new activities are following up in makerlabs, lending (music instruments, sport resources, seeds and others), pop-up library.

The University of Tartu Library got back collections from Russia where they were deposited during World War I. The removing gave possibility to reorganize the systems of collection building and cataloging. Library was opened for the needs of state and town intellectuals. From 1924 library started to compiling current national bibliography “The General Catalogue of Estonian Books” (Eesti raamatute üldnimestik), which register books, pamphlets, maps, sheet music in Estonian or printed in Estonia. Library became the Estonian centre of international interlibrary lending. Currently it has the biggest collections in Estonia – ca 3.9 million items. The objectives of the library are: accumulating, preserving and making accessible of information necessary for research and study purposes of the University of Tartu; offering of public information services; creation, preservation and making accessible for research purposes of a complete collection of Estonian-language publications, materials published in Estonia or containing information about Estonia; research and development activities on librarianship and information sciences. Library has a lot of branches in various institutes and departments. During the examination sessions come to the fore a nighttime library for the studiers.  

In 1927 courses on librarianship and bibliography were included in the curricula of Tartu University. The lecturer was the head of the University of Tartu Library Friedrich Puksoo. The point became to prepare workers for scientific libraries. From 1965 there was a possibility to study librarianship and bibliography in the Tallinn Pedagogical Institute (presently the Tallinn University). Today in Tartu (Institute of Social Studies) and Tallinn (School of Digital Technologies) is possibility to get specialty education on all three levels (Bachelor, Master, PhD). One main part of teaching was the book and librarianship history, which were also Friedrich Puksoo's researching areas. Afterward Kaljo-Olev Veskimägi, Tiiu Reimo, Aile Möldre and Piret Lotman had written studies on librarianship history, which are also used in writing this overview.

“Vocabulary in the Field of Librarianship and Bibliography in Estonian, Russian and German” (Oskussõnastik raamatukogunduse ja bibliograafia alalt eesti, saksa ja vene keeles) was published in 1931. Today you can use the online Dictionary of Library Terms (Raamatukogusõnastik), which comprises over 5010 terms (in Estonian, English, French, German, Russian and Finnish) in library and information science. The development and maintenance terms are within the competence of the National Library of Estonia and the Terminology Committee of the Estonian Librarians Association.

In 1934 it became obligatory to pass a professional examination to get a job as a head librarian. The first professional examination was organized in 1935. The examination took place once a year and it consisted of theoretical and practical sections. The applicants must have minimum a secondary education and one year of experience in library work. Nowadays the occupational qualifications system is an interface between the labour market and the lifelong learning system enhancing the development, assessment and recognition of person's occupational competence. Librarian on level 6 is a library work specialist, on level 7 leading specialist and on level 8 top specialist. According to Acts to get some working position is necessary compatible level. The possibilities to get certifications are from Estonian Librarians' Association and University of Tartu. To get certification is needful a university level education, pass through the specialized courses and have minimum practice in a one year. Vocational courses are organized by the National Library of Estonia. Popular are Summer Academies for Children's Librarians and Public Librarians by University of Tartu. Public librarians gathered together once in a month to central library to hear lectures, get information and discuss exigent problems. More than 40% of librarians have certifications.

The major of librarians (73%) worked in 1930s without salary. In the next decade all the librarians which work in state public libraries began to get salaries. Currently, those librarians who get salaries from state budget, is the sum equal to the average monthly wages of the Estonian employers. Today is coming more and more popular to do library work as a volunteer.

During the Soviet period in 1940s, libraries were turned into ideological centres whose main task was the propaganda of the politics of the Communist Party. Fulfilling the task of propaganda institutions also meant that the collections had to be in accordance with the political doctrine: books which mirrored different views had to be removed. Result of these actions in 1956 90% of the book titles and all periodicals which had been published in Estonia in 1918–1940 were removed from public and school libraries. In next years the number of these books decreased. The censorship stopped in 1988. Only state has the right to establish libraries. The number of public libraries doubled in 1945–1950. The new libraries were organized in the rural villages, on collective farms, in factories, but were mostly small, random collections, with no professional librarians to manage them. During next decades the number of public libraries began to decrease and in 1975 was in the same level as in 1939. The Estonian Library for the Blind was established in 1947. It is the largest library to serve blind and other print disabled people in Estonia.

From 1950s libraries began actively to organize events. From one part they were political propaganda spectacles but on the other hand attractive cultural events. Many actions were targeted for children. Very popular are among the readers became meetings with the authors of books. Open shelves appeared in the second part of 1950s. Today there is a possibility to lend books with contact-free pickup. One variant is smart lockers in or near library but for the whole country is the second variant with the using of parcel machines.

In 1960s the libraries began very activity with local history. They gated local history materials and information about them to a card catalogues. Presently digital database “Local history” (Kodulugu) is a common system of Estonian public libraries for storing regional information. From the system one can search for articles and other items related to a specific area, and to read longer texts and encyclopedic materials. At the beginning of the 1960s there were 35% of the inhabitants of Estonia users of public libraries. Today the whole per cent is 37%, but the book readers number is twice higher.

The centralization of public libraries was initiated in Estonia in 1971, with the aim of uniting separate libraries into a system of central and branch libraries. The centralization was aimed at better organization of acquisition – the central library ordered books for branch libraries, taking into account their special features. It is also widened the choice for readers, who obtained access to the whole centralized collection. The library system paid more attention to the professional level of librarians employed in the branch libraries. The central libraries became methodological, bibliographical and information centres, providing consultancy and advice to all the public libraries in the region. The centralization also introduced library buses and established phonographic collections. The system has been preserved, with alterations, up to the present day.   

In 1988 the State Library (founded in 1918 in Tallinn) was renamed the National Library of Estonia. In 1990 was passed by Parliament the National Library of Estonia Act. According to last Act from year 2011 library has functions as a national library, a parliamentary library, a library of humanities and social sciences, a research and development institution. As a national library they are collecting, storing and making publicly accessible documents published in Estonia and about Estonia, recording the Estonian national bibliography and publication statistics and assigning international standard numbers. As a parliamentary library it is providing information services to the Estonian Parliament and other constitutional institutions and state authorities. As a library of humanities and social sciences the aim is the collection, preservation, processing, analyzing and making accessible of information related to humanities and social sciences. As a research and development institution the aims are coordinating standardization, organizing professional training, contributing to terminology issues. National Library of Estonia has also aims as a cultural centre, where various exhibitions are held, along with performances and other activities. In a nutshell the National Library of Estonia is the development center of Estonian librarianship. The National Library is one of the central institutions for digitalizing, storing and making available Estonian cultural heritage. Here one example: DIGAR (The National Library's Digital Archive) collects web publications, pre-print files of publishers and digitized copies of publications. It contains books, newspapers, magazines, maps, music sheets, photos, postcards, posters, illustrations, audio books, and music files.

Estonian Libraries Network Consortium (ELNET Consortium) started in 1996. It is a non-profit association that was established in order to represent the common public interests of libraries. It develops and manages many branches. Online Catalogue ESTER is the shared catalogue of the largest libraries in Estonia. The catalogue comprises books, periodicals, manuscripts, maps, sheet music, audio-visual materials, photos, cultural items, e-publications, etc. Digital collections are linked to the e-catalogue. ESTER is freely accessible to all libraries for copy cataloguing. Index Scriptorum Estoniae (ISE) is a public and freely accessible Internet database of articles published in Estonian newspapers, magazines, collections of articles, and other serial publications. The Estonian Subject Thesaurus (EMS) is a universal controlled vocabulary in Estonian for indexing and searching various library materials. EMS includes about 61000 preferred and non-preferred terms. E-Repository is a collective search portal for Estonian libraries, museums and archives. ELNET acquires cooperatively databases, e-journals, and e-books for Estonian scientists. Other libraries are using library systems URRAM or RIKS, developed in Estonia. In Estonian libraries the Estonian ID-card and mobile-ID can be used for user identification.  

Strategic plan “The general principles of cultural policy until 2020” were adopted by the parliament in 2014. It contains the principles of how the cultural policy is formed and carried out and what the priorities are by each field. Some main points from library field: 1) The Estonian library network, based on the needs and interests of all its users, comprises public, school, science and specialized libraries and the Estonian National Library. The public library service ensures free access to information and is equally available free of charge to all users. All public libraries in Estonia will have broadband internet. 2) Public libraries have an important role in ensuring that all people living in Estonia have an equal opportunity for self-education and participation in culture. 3) Books in Estonian are available for all regardless of their format. 4) The state recognizes the value of the cultural and literary programmes of public libraries, the realization of initiatives related to lifelong learning, programmes targeted at encouraging reading and shaping the reading habits of children and youth, get-togethers involving writers and other creative individuals with readers, initiatives involving several public libraries in different municipalities, and activities targeted at people whose native language is not Estonian, and also acknowledging the interests of readers with special needs. The new principles up to 2030 are in work.

At last some general numbers. Currently our library network includes 875 libraries: 521 public libraries, 39 science and specialized libraries and 315 school libraries. Loaning books and using internet is free of charge in the libraries. Estonia is covered with a comprehensive network of libraries, which operate on the basis of library standards and regulations. The Estonian library system has the long traditions and it is developed on with new ideas.