History of the University of Tartu Library
The Library of Imperial University of Tartu 1802–1918
The University of Tartu Library’s birthday is considered to be June 23 (June 11 in the old calendar), 1802, when the first entry was made in the lending journal. By that time, the collection consisted of 4,000 volumes, to which the foundation had been laid by a donation of books from Maria Aurora von Lestocq in 1800. In 1806, the library moved to the chancel of the former cathedral, which had been remodeled based on a design by Johann Wilhelm Krause.
The library's first director was Professor Johann Karl Simon Morgenstern (1770–1852). In collaboration with other professors, he established principles for expanding the collection, which remain important today: the library should meet the needs of teaching and research; books should be evaluated based on their scientific, not bibliophilic, value; original works should be preferred over translations; and entire libraries should not be purchased, but only the necessary works selected. Morgenstern also established long-standing relationships with specific booksellers. Valuable older works, maps, and manuscripts were acquired through auction purchases or donations from private libraries (such as those of J. G. Herder, D. H. L. von Ompteda, I. J. von Essen, J. Fr. von Recke, F. Giese, G. von Bergmann, among others).
In 1818, the library became a member of the exchange association Tauschverein der deutschen Universitätsschriften, founded by German universities. By the end of the century, exchange partnerships were established with other universities in Western Europe, Japan, and the USA. Book exchanges became especially intense starting in 1893, when the University of Tartu began publishing its own proceedings.
The Library of the University of Tartu in the Republic of Estonia 1919–1940
In 1919, the University of Tartu continued as the national university. Under the peace treaty signed in Tartu on February 2, 1920, between the Republic of Estonia and Soviet Russia, the library recovered assets evacuated to Russia during World War I (more than 400,000 volumes).
As the largest and most important library in the country, the collection was expanded not only to meet the needs of the university but also to serve the entire nation's scientific information requirements. Efforts began to systematically collect publications in Estonian and those related to Estonia. Several key national initiatives originated from the university library, including the founding of the professional association for librarians, the development of library terminology, and cataloging rules. In 1927, higher education in librarianship was introduced at the University of Tartu. The university library became a national information center, and from 1924 to 1939, it compiled the national bibliography, "General Index of Estonian Books," based on legal deposit copies.
The Library of Tartu State University 1940–1990
The first year of Soviet occupation left the library's assets untouched. However, the library was required to accept books from scientific institutions, societies, and student organizations dissolved by Soviet power, as well as from public and school libraries. The most significant change was the forced orientation toward Soviet literature.
The post-war years saw the library's transition to a teaching library and the mass removal of ideologically “incorrect” literature into restricted access. The collections and cataloging system were reorganized according to Soviet library standards, with priority given to Russian-language scientific literature. With the resumption of the university's publications, international exchange of publications was restored, which remained the primary source of acquiring foreign literature until the early 1990s. In 1956, a study library with a 110-seat reading room was opened in the former university church to support academic work.
In 1958, the university library was given the designation of a scientific library. In the 1960s, extensive work began on rare books, manuscripts, and the art collection, and by the end of the decade, information work became the focus. Series of publications were produced to showcase work results and experiences.
In February 1982, the library's new building on W. Struve Street was opened, bringing collections previously scattered throughout the city under one roof. In 1987, the university’s first public computer lab was opened in the library.
The University of Tartu Library from 1991 onwards
The 1990s saw rapid developments in information technology. In 1991, the first databases were made accessible to readers, and in 1994, Estonia’s first electronic catalog, INGRID, was developed at the library. In 1996, the library joined the Estonian Library Network Consortium (ELNET Consortium) to implement a unified information system and create databases.
In the past two decades, the collections have grown significantly, particularly with electronic materials. To make scientific and cultural-historical collections freely available online, digital collections are being developed. Various electronic environments have been created to publish and archive the results of the university’s research: the University of Tartu digital archive ADA, Open Journal System (OJS) for open-access scientific journals, and DataCite Estonia for data collected during research. The library also offers web-based information literacy courses to improve the use of e-resources.
Since 2003, a tradition of a night library, launched in collaboration with the university's student council, allows the library to stay open until midnight for several weeks during the winter and spring exam sessions. In developing the learning environment, comfortable group study rooms, an open repository with self-service options, and expanded open collections have been created.
Since 2009, the university library has been a leader in implementing the principles of Open Science. It advises researchers on managing, preserving, and publishing scientific data and manages the DataDOI data repository.
The library is a member of several international organizations and participates in various European Union projects.
Even more than 200 years after its founding, the library continues to be a place where wisdom and youth meet!