Eesti trükise punane raamat 1535-1850
The Red Book of the Estonian Publications of 1535-1850

Summary/Abstract: The project ”Red Book of Estonian Publications 1535-1850” is the third subproject of THULE. The aim of the project was to create a theoretical basis for elaborating criteria which would enable to determine the preservation priorities of the Estonian book heritage. According to those criteria a preliminary list of highly valued and endangered Estonian publications was to be compiled, which could be taken as a rem- edy for working out preservation policies for memory institutions and a basis for further digitalisation projects. The practical result of the project is precisely such a list of rare Estonian books of historical, cultural and scientific value, together with recorded data about the availability of their original items and reserve copies, a description of the physical condition of one original item, and digitized images of the title page and binding of one original item preserved in Estonia. As a result of such revision the exact data about the need of reserve and user copies as well as the amount of conservation and restoration work needed has been determined. The list consists of 398 books and 5 periodicals in Estonian and 23 books and 3 periodicals in foreign languages. By each item there are data about the availability of the book (the number of known survived copies, notes about defective, reserve and user copies), followed by a short characterisa- tion of the item’s cultural value and an assessment of the physical condition of one copy. It is hard to overestimate the value of the result as a precise knowledge of the situation, optimal allocation of resources and right strategic decisions are the only methods that can ensure the preservation of cultural heritage.

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