All Estonian libraries are welcome to use the databases compiled by the ELNET Consortium, and also avail of its guidelines for work processes.

Our aim is to improve the interoperability of library online catalogues that are in use in Estonia (ESTER, URRAM, RIKS) and to minimise the duplicating work of libraries.

Describing according to unified rules and using the Estonian Subject Thesaurus vocabulary ensures the quality of library catalogues and enables to use linked data.

Use of the data of online catalogue ESTER in public libraries

Both URRAM and RIKS Library systems enable to use records from the online catalogue ESTER which are of high quality and contain subject terms. It is easy to copy the records from ESTER and the data are freely available for all Estonian libraries for copy cataloguing.

As the online catalogue ESTER assembles the collections of all libraries acquiring the legal deposit copy, the catalogue contains practically all publications issued in Estonia. ESTER also offers a large selection of foreign scientific literature acquired by research libraries, and popular scientific foreign publications from the collections of two largest public libraries – the Tallinn Central Library and the Tartu Public Library.

Use of subject terms from the Estonian Subject Thesaurus (EMS)

Subject to the „Guidelines for work organisation in public libraries“, the use of the Estonian Subject Thesaurus EMS is obligatory and the subject terms from EMS are regularly integrated in the systems of URRAM and RIKS.

Database of Estonian Articles ISE, E-varamu Portal, EBSCO research databases

All Estonian libraries can avail of the Database of Estonian Articles ISE compiled by the ELNET Consortium, and the E-varamu Portal assembling the collections of Estonian memory institutions.

The ELNET Consortium is supplying access to the EBSCO database which can be used for free in all Estonian libraries.

Guidelines

All guidelines prepared by ELNET and international standards (cataloguing, classification, subject indexing, acquisition, lending, etc.) that do not contain confidential information are made available by ELNET on its website.

ELNET Guidelines (in estonian)