They can: On January 1, 2007, the collection of the National Library of Estonia included 3,4 million items including: Since 1919 the National Library is entitled to receive legal deposit copies of all publications printed in Estonia.

On December 21, 1918, the Provisional Government of the Estonian Republic took the decision to establish the State Library.

The primary collection of the library was about 2,000 titles necessary for lawmaking and government, and the first users were the members of Parliament (Riigikogu).

In 1919, the library began to receive a legal deposit copy of all printed matter published in Estonia.

In 1935 the State Library established an Archival Collection of all publications in the Estonian language and about Estonia.

The liberation movement that began in the Baltic countries in the 1980s and the restoration of the independent Republic of Estonia on August 20, 1991, considerably changed the role of the library.

Its collegial decision-making body is the National Library Board with members appointed by the Riigikogu.

The eight-storey building with two floors below ground level is until now the largest library in the Baltic countries.