Veronika Varik
The Estonian Pedagogical Archives-Museum (EPAM), a sub-unit of Tallinn University, represents a rare symbiosis of a museum, an archives and a library. The institution aims to systematically and consistently improve, preserve and popularize the collection of the history of Estonian education and schools, support education and research in the field, and promote academic, creative and development activities.
The archives comprises of the following collections: manuscripts and documents (44,066 items), printed publications (49,352 items), audiovisual material (44,299 items), artefacts (8,066 items); collections are catalogued using the reference management software ProCite5. The archival entries can be accessed online at epam.tlu.ee. This solution, however, does not permit presenting digital images of the materials.
In 2013, EPAM launched the project ‘Digital repository of the history of education’ (Digitaalarhiiv Hariduslooline e-varamu), supported by the Estonian Information System Authority. In the course of the project, the collection of audiovisual materials of EPAM will be digitized and a digital archives will be created to make the catalogue of the collections and digital images of the items available online. The digital archives will be interfaced to the Museum Information System (MUIS) and Eesti e-varamu, the joint web portal of repositories of memory institutions, universities and research institutions in Estonia.
The digital repository of the history of education is intended to be used by institutions, organizations and individuals in the sphere of education and culture for educational, education-historical, research and individual purposes.
