Libraries

The oldest library of the National Archives of Estonia is located in Tartu. It was established one year after the establishment of Estonian State Central Archives in 1922. The basis of the collection became the Estonian Knighthood library with 2661 titles and ca 7500 volumes. By today the collections have grown to over 200 000 units, including books, periodicals, maps, manuscripts, prints, etc. 60% of these were published before the year 1900, the oldest date back to the 16th century (38 specimens), the oldest is from the year 1537. Alongside publications in Estonian and Russian (30% and 25%), there is also 45% of literature in other languages, most of which are German publications. Many publications are historical (chronicles, church, educational, cultural, art and architectural history, the history of Baltic provinces), genealogical and heraldry-related and reference books. A separate category is Tartu University publications (dissertations, study plans, statutes and rules, university history and student-related publications). The trade guild publications preserved in the library are highly valuable, also random publications, especially the ones printed in Tallinn printing houses in the 17th and 18th centuries, among which many rarities can be found. The items of the library can be used only on spot in the reading room.

The archives' library in Tallinn was established based on the reference literature department started in 1944. Later the former party archive library was joined, where the remaining part of the KGB library was added in 1993. At the moment, the library contains about 90 000 items: books, periodicals and short publications since the end of the 19th century from the fields of history, archive management, law, military science, statistics, economy and so on. Many trade guild publications, including rarities, can be found here. The reading room situates at Madara Street in Tallinn.