NATIONAL PROGRESS REPORT OF ESTONIA 1994-1996
Eve Tang, National Library of Estonia, Tallinn

Activities of the national map curator's association
Since Estonia is so small, we don't have a special map curator's group, but map curators participate in the work of the Estonian Chamber of Mapping, which joins map producers and map users. The chamber holds regular meetings and publishes a newsletter called Kaardikoja Teataja.

The most important map-related event took place on Feb. 14th 1996 - Map Friends Day, on which we celebrated the production of the first globe in the estonian language since 1941.

Education in Mapcuratorship
There are no special educational programs yet for mapcurators in Estonia.

On Nov. 3, 1994, a seminar was held at the NL (National Library of Estonia), entitled "The 9th conference of the Groupes des Cartothécaires de LIBER and development perspectives on digital cartography in Estonian libraries". Representatives from all major Estonian libraries and archives were invited. At the meeting it was decided to set up one digital cartography workstation which would be made available to the public in the Cartography Section of the Fine Arts Department of the NL.

Thanks to Finnish colleagues, in the summer of 1995 a representative from the NL participated in a one-month practicum in map cataloging in the FINMARC format using VTLS in the Helsinki University Library Bibliographic Department. Now we have the skills to start map cataloging in the MARC format as soon as our libraries get the new automated cataloging system. At the moment we still use card files.

Digital maps in Estonian libraries
Since the summer of 1995 the first digital cartography workstation has been available to the public at the NL. The workstation is a good example of the cooperation with Estonian map producers, who made a gift to the NL of software and digital maps. The NL has employed a part-time librarian whose responsibility it is to maintain the workstation and be on hand to answer all digital cartography questions. Users can aquaint themselves with digital cartography under the assistance of the librarian using ArcView 1 and ArcView 2. There is also a possibility to use CD-ROMs.

Cataloguing
Due to a lack of funds, users in Estonian libraries still have to use a card catalogue. The NL and other Estonian research libraries have chosen the INNOPAC system for the automation of library processes, so we hope in the future we can catalogue maps using a computer. The NL also has 2 map databases in ProCite - created for publishing bibliographies of Estonian maps 1918-1944, and Estonian maps after 1990. These databases enable map searches by all important parameters, as well as by subject.

The Map Archive of the Estonian Land Board has recently started cataloging their collection (ca 63,000 items) in an electronic format. The database uses FOXPRO, and cataloging is being done according to ISBD(CM) standards.

Conservation and restoration
In it's new building the NL has good technical equipment for restoration and has currently started to treat it's map collection. A number of maps have also been restored in the Tartu University library and in the Historical Museum of Estonia.

Mapping in Estonia
During the Soviet occupation in Estonia the production and distribution of large-scale maps was associated with delicate security questions. All activities were concentrated in Moscow and national mapping in Estonia was not allowed.

Today the Estonian Map Center, a state enterprise, is working on two major mapping programmes: a base map of 1:50,000 on 112 sheets and a basic map of 1:10,000 (1:20,000 in printed format) on appr. 470 sheets. The satellite information was delivered by the Swedish Space Corporation "Satellitbild".

26 sheets of the basic map (1:20,000) have been printed so far. The Estonian Mapping Center is expected to complete the compilation of the digital base map series (1:50,000) by the end of 1996. The National Maritime Board and Regio Ltd. have issued 9 charts on the scale 1:100,000 covering virtually all Estonian territorial waters. Various other town or county maps have been issued by private companies, such as a 1:150,000 series of county maps by E.O. Map Ltd.

Future perspectives
The main problem now facing Estonian map archives is the creation of automated databases for their collections. They are still searching for better solutions.

Maps are asseccible to the public in three research libraries in Estonia: the Tartu University Library, the NL and the library of the Estonian Academy of Sciences. Only the NL maintains a section of cartography. In other libraries maps are spread among several departments. They also lack specialists for map services. It seems that for the foreseeing future the main center for map services in Estonian will remain in the NL, where the Cartography Section of the Fine Arts Department is expected to evolve into a separate Map Department.

Conferences
The exhibition-conference "GIS - Baltic Sea States' 95" ran in the National Library of Estonia December 13-15, 1995. A catalogue with abstracts was published.

Exhibitions
1995, spring, Tabula geographica Livoniae, the Tartu University Library.

1995, spring, The Chechenia problem on maps through the years, The History Museum of Estonia.

1995, summer (July 27 - September 3), Karl von Löwis of Menar (1855 - 1930), the famous Balto-German historian and cartographer, the National Library.

1995, winter (Dec. 13 - 15), Estonian maps which have been kept hidden through Soviet occupation, the National Library.

1996, autumn, Rare maps and plans of Kadriorg castle and park, the National Library.

1996, winter, The originals and reprints of Mellini's Atlas von Liefland, oder von den beyden Gouvernementen u. Herzogthümern Lief- und Ehstland und der Provinz Oezel,Riga-Leipzig, 1791 - 1809, the National Library.

Publications
Maplists;
Eesti kaardid : 1918 - 1944. Bibliograafia = Estonian maps : 1918 - 1944. Bibliography. Tallinn : Eesti Rahvusraamatukogu, 1996.ISBN 9985-803-53-1

Digitaalkartograafia arenguperspektiividest Eesti raamatukogudes [=About the perspectives on using digital cartography in Estonian libraries], Raamatukogu, 1995, nr.2

Eesti Rahvusraamatukogu kaardikollektsioon [=The map collection of the National Library of Estonia], Eesti Elu, 1995, 17. apr.

Eesti ja Läti vanemad kaardid Tartu Ülikooli raamatukogus [=The oldest maps of Estonia and Latvia in the Tartu University Library], Eesti Geograafia Seltsi Aastaraamat. 28. Tallinn, 1994

Interesting Estonian map related WWW sites
Estonian Chamber of Mapping: >http://www.ibs.ee/kkoda<

Regio Ltd.: >http://www.regio.ee<