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Mare Lott, Aile Möldre. Financial Support to Book Publishing in the Estonian Republic 1918–194 |
2007, nr. 12 |
The article concentrates on the development
of supportive measures used to foster book publishing in the newly
independent Republic of Estonia during the 1920s and 1930s. The
text is based mainly on archival documents as well as on research
of literature. The most important role in supporting the publication
of books in Estonia was played by the Cultural Endowment that
was found in 1925. It was subordinated to the Ministry of Education,
who had been promoting publishing already before the establishment
of the Endowment. The Endowment preferred to subsidise creative
and academic societies who published their research results. Publishers
also received some support, mostly in the form of long-term loans.
The Ministry of Education had to approve the lists of books to
be issued with their financial aid. Although the books had considerable
scientific or cultural value, they did not always sell very well.
Therefore publishers were not always able to pay back the loans.
The government, however, was quite favourably disposed towards
them and accepted books for redemption of the loans. As a result,
libraries were able to acquire more books of high quality.
Besides the Endowment subsidies publication was commissioned by
various ministries and cultural funds like, for example, the Fund
of Cultural Propaganda, established in 1928. This fund subsidised
translations of Estonian fiction and books on Estonian culture
issued in foreign languages. A special body for publishing textbooks
for universities was organised by the Estonian Academy of Sciences
in 1938. Thus a system of support had been formed by the end of
the 1930s, which could guarantee the publication of full-value
and diversified literature.
Keywords: book publishing, Estonian
Cultural Endowment, cultural funds, financial support to culture,
book history.
Mare Lott (b. 1943), PhD, Tallinn University,
emeritus professor
marlo@hot.ee
Aile Möldre (b. 1958), PhD, Tallinn University,
Department of Information Studies, Chair of Book Studies, associate
professor
aile@tlu.ee
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