FAQ

Right of use and library card

Who may use Helsinki University Library?

Everyone has the right to use Helsinki University Library. Persons over the age of 15 who live in Finland have the right to borrow material, and those who have a user ID for the University of Helsinki information systems have a remote use right for electronic materials. 

Who can get a library card?
A card can be given to persons over the age of 15 who live in Finland and have a Finnish personal identity number. A post-office box, poste restante or address abroad is not accepted. Foreigners who live in Finland may apply for a personal identity number at the Local Register Office (Maistraatti). Exchange students or visiting scholars may get a library card even though they do not meet all of the above-mentioned requirements. 

How do I get a library card?
Take a picture ID with you and come to the library's customer service and you can get a HELKA card in a couple of minutes. At the same time, you can get guidance in using the library's collections and making requests in HELKA.

Alternatively: If you have a UniCard/Lyyra card with a barcode starting 210 (a student card issued by the Student Union of the University of Helsinki or a University of Helsinki staff card) it can be activated as a library card. Do as above.

How much does a library card cost? 
The first HELKA card is free of charge, but for a lost card there is a replacement fee of 5 euros.

Can I get a library card even though I do not study at the University of Helsinki?
Yes if you have turned 15, live in Finland, and have a Finnish personal identity number.

Can a Helsinki City Library/Aalto University Library card be used in Helsinki University Library?
No. Only a HELKA card or a University of Helsinki UniCard/Lyyra card can be used in Helsinki University Library.

My HELKA card got lost/was stolen. What do I do?
Call the service number of Helsinki University Library (09 191 23920, during library opening hours) or send an email to the address kirjasto@helsinki.fi, and we will block your library card. You can also report your card lost in the nearest Helsinki University campus library. If you find your card you must go to the library and show your ID and the library card, and the card will be reactivated. If you do not find the card, a new one costs 5 Euros. If you have reported your card stolen to the police you get a new card free of charge. You must present the police report when you come to collect your new card.

I found my lost HELKA card. How do I get it reactivated?
Go to the nearest Helka library and present your HELKA card and ID in the customer service, and we will unblock your card.

I got my HELKA card before I had my UniCard/Lyyra card. Will the UniCard/Lyyra card now work as a library card? Do I have to start using the UniCard/Lyyra card? 
You may continue using your HELKA card and don't have to do anything.

Your UniCard/Lyyra card will only work as library card if it's been activated in the library. In that case your loans and requests are transferred from your HELKA card. Present the UniCard/Lyyra card, some ID and your HELKA card at the library service desk. You must choose which card you want to use as your library card, you can only have one.

Do I have to notify the library, too, about a change of address even though I already  reported it to Oodi/the university?
Yes. You must always report a change of address also to one of the HELKA libraries even if you had informed the university about it. You can report your change of address through an electronic form on the HELKA customer information page, in the customer service of the nearest Helsinki University campus library or by telephone (09 191 23920, Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat 10am-4pm).

Circulation and loan periods 

Are all materials available for home loans? 
Most materials are available for home loans. Exceptions are reference collections, some journals and books published before 1900. The rules for circulation vary in different libraries.

Materials that are not available for home loans can be read in the library.

How long are the loan periods? 

Loan periods are different in different libraries and collections. Check the loan period in the Helka database or on the campus library web site.

The loan period for textbooks is 28 days (14 days for some textbooks). The loan period for short term loans is 2 days.

Can you see the loan period for a book in HELKA? 

Yes. The loan period in days can be seen after the name of the library on the Holdings screen. (Note that the same book may have several different loan periods within the same library depending on what collection it belongs to.)

When can short term loans be checked out and when do they have to be returned? 

Short term loans can be checked out anytime, and it must be returned on the due date before the library closes. Remember that there are exceptional opening hours for example on holiday eves.

How many books can I check out at a time? 

There are no limits.

Are loan periods longer during the summer?

No. The loan periods are normal during the summer.

Returns

May loans be returned in a different library than from where they were checked out?
Yes. Helsinki University Library books may be returned to any site regardless of where they were borrowed from. The Helsinki University Library sites are the Main Library in Kaisa House, Minerva, Kumpula Campus Library, Meilahti Campus Library Terkko and Viikki Campus Library.

May I return a book by post?

You may return a book at your own risk also by post to any Helsinki University Library site. The borrower is responsible for the book until it has been returned to the library.

Do you have a return box or may I return books to e.g. the caretaker?

At the Main Library there is a night check-in unit to the left of the main entrance (Fabianinkatu 30). The books will be registered as returned on the following opening day.

In Minerva, it is not possible to return books outside of the library opening hours.

In the Meilahti - Ruskeasuo Campus, only the Dental Library has a return box. It is located in the entrance hall of the Institute of Dentistry. Materials may be returned in it within the opening hours of the Institute.

At the Kumpula Campus, it is not possible to return materials outside of the library opening hours.

Next to the main doors of the Viikki Campus Library (Info Centre), there is a joint return box for the Campus Library and the Helsinki City Library in which you may return materials at any time of the day.

Requests

There is a due date in the availability information of a book. Can I count on getting the book then?
It is recommended that you make a request for the book. Otherwise the current borrower may renew the loan. It is possible that the loan is returned before the due date but it may be returned after it as well. We inform you of the arrival of requested books by email or letter if you have not given us an email address.

When can I make a request for a book? 

You can request a book that is out on loan. Note that you may NOT request a book that you currently have on loan. Short term loans may not be reserved.

How do I make a request?
You can make a request yourself online. The library customer service will help you with making a request if needed. When making a request, you need the number of your HELKA card (always have your card with you when in the library).

How do I make a request for materials?

You can make a request for materials online for collections in the closed stacks of the National Library and Kaisa House, and the book you requested will be collected for you from the stacks.

How much does the request cost and when is the fee paid?
Requesting a textbook costs 1 Euro, and the fee is paid when you collect the requested book. There is no charge for making requests on other books. There is a 2 Euro fine for not picking up or cancelling your request by the last pick-up day.

Can I make a request online/through the service number/by email/by fax?
You can make a request yourself online in the Helka database. You can also make a request through the library service number. Requests cannot be made by email, post or fax.

Can I request a book that is available on the shelf by phone?
No you cannot. Requests cannot be made on books that are available on the shelf. Exception: You can phone Viikki Campus Library and request a book that is available for loan on the shelf.

According to HELKA, a book I need urgently is "In process". How can I get it? 
If you come in to the library and make a request at the service desk we will process the book as fast as possible. You must pay the request fee of 1 Euro when you pick up the book if it's a textbook.

HELKA tells me that a book has been ordered. What does that mean and can I make a request for the book? 
The library has ordered the book, but it hasn't arrived yet. Because it's difficult to assess when the book will be available, and because sometimes we are unable to get the books that we've ordered, it is not possible to make requests for ordered items. You can make a request when the book has arrived and its status is shown as "In process".

I received a pick-up notice for a book that I will not be able to pick up in time. Can I extend the time limit?

If you contact the library on the last pick-up date at the latest, the book can be already borrowed on your library card and you can pick it up later.

Can my husband/wife/parent/friend etc. pick up a book I requested on my behalf?
Yes if you give them your HELKA card. Do remember, however, that you are responsible for all material borrowed with your card.

Is there a faster way of finding out about the availability of a requested book than waiting for the pick-up notice?

Yes. You can take a real-time look at your requests by checking your request status in the Helka customer information.

Can I get notification of an item available for pick-up without waiting for the pick-up notice? 
Yes. You can check the current situation online through HELKA or by calling the library service phone.

I got a pick-up notice for a book that I no longer need. What do I do?
The request should be cancelled by calling the library's service line, by email or in the library. If the requested book is a textbook, you still have to pay the request fee as the book had already been returned to the library before the cancellation. It is still worth it to cancel the request as this way you avoid the two Euro fine that is collected if you do not pick up your request.

Can I pick up my request at some other library than the one the book belongs to? 
No. Requests must be picked up in the library the books belong to.

Renewal

Can I renew my loans?
Yes if there are no requests for the loans, you are not blocked, and the renewal limit (12 times for textbooks, 50 times for other material) has not been reached. A short-term loan cannot be renewed.

How many times can I renew a loan?
Short-term loans cannot be renewed. A textbook loan can be renewed 12 times and loans of other materials 50 times. After that the borrowed books must be returned. The books may be borrowed again in the library if there are no requests for them.

Can I renew a loan before the due date?
Yes.

Can I renew loans from other HELKA libraries in the library?
Yes. All loans may also be renewed in the HELKA database.

Exception: If you have used your HELKA card in e.g. the Aalto University Library you have to renew loans from there separately. 

Why can I not renew a short-term loan?
A short-term loan is meant to be a rapidly circulating item and, as for textbooks, an 'emergency aid' if all other textbooks are in circulation. That is why one customer may not keep the book without giving others the chance to borrow it, too (short-term loans cannot be requested).

Why can I not request a short-term loan?

If short-term loans could be requested they would sit on the shelf waiting for being picked up for much of the time instead of being used by customers all the time.

Can I renew loans by phone? 
Yes. You can find the service numbers among contact information.

Can I renew books online? 

Yes. Go to http://helka.linneanet.fi and log in to HELKA by entering your library card number and your last name in the boxes. All HELKA library web sites have links to HELKA. There is a service break in HELKA every night between 10:00 and 10:30 PM. The library cannor guarantee that loans can be successfully renewed at any time; to avoid fines, please renew bofore the due date.

Can I renew loans by e-mail/letter/fax? 

No. Loans can be renewed in the library, by phone or online.

I tried renewing online, but HELKA is rejecting my library card number / my last name. What should I do? 

If you are using a UniCard/Lyyra card, the number you should use is the one on the back of the card that starts "21". If this does not help, contact the library and we'll sort it out.

I can see my loans online but see no way of renewing them. What's wrong? 

Most likely you are blocked. You may be blocked due to unpaid fines or inadequate customer information. Please contact the library.

I tried renewing online but was unable to, although I know I have no overdue loans or unpaid fines. I'm not trying to renew a short term loan. What's wrong? 

Your customer information needs to be updated regularly. If yours hasn't been updated, you may be blocked until the information's been checked. You may also have reached the renewal limit for a book. Contact the library immediately and we'll sort it out.

I've reached the renewal limit and can no longer renew my loan online. What should I do? 

If you are unable to return the books, call the library and the loans will be renewed one final time. After that they must be returned, but you can borrow them again if there are no requests.

Overdue loans

If I return a loan after the due date will there be a fine?

Yes. Overdue fines are accrued for a maximum of 14 days starting from the day after the due date. However, you can avoid the fines by returning the book to the library or by renewing the loan no later than on the due date.

What are the overdue fines?
The overdue fines for the different collections are as follows:

  • Textbooks, 14 day and 7 day loans: €0.70/day/book, maximum €9.80/book
  • Short-term loans: €2/day/book, maximum €28/book
  • Other collections: €0.30/day/book, maximum €4.20/book

The overdue fines are accrued for 14 days starting from the day after the due date, after which the borrower is blocked. The collection of material that is several months overdue is handed over to a collection agency. The minimum compensation for a book is €80.00/book. In addition, the customer must pay the accrued overdue fines and the collection agency fees.

When does the library send overdue notices?
The first overdue notice is sent after the due date, the second 14 days after the due date, and the third shortly before the loan is handed over to a collection agency.

When will a customer be blocked? 
When loans are more than 14 days overdue or there are more than 15 euros in unpaid fines.

How can I regain my borrowing privileges? 

By returning overdue loans and paying all fines. You have to pay all fines at a time; it is not possible to pay part of your fines.

When will overdue loans be handed over to a Collection Agency?

When they are a few months overdue. In that case the customer has to pay compensation for the lost material (minimum 80,00 euros), accrued overdue fines and Collection Agency fees. The compensations fee needn't be paid if the material is returned. Overdue fines and Collection Agency fees still have to be paid.

Are unreturned loans automatically transferred to a Collection Agency? 

Not if the customer has contacted the library and come to an agreement about compensation.

How can I pay my fees? 
You can pay online with the following cards: Visa, Visa Electron, MasterCard. Log onto your patron information in Helka, under "Fees" click "Online payment" and follow the instructions. 

In the library you can pay cash or with the following cards: bank card; Visa Electron, Visa or MasterCard. You cannot pay with UniCard/Lyyra, nor can fines be paid to a bank. No partial payments are possible.

Can I pay a part of the fines so that I would be unblocked?

Payments cannot be made in parts; all fines must be paid at once.

E-library services

Who is entitled to use the e-resources of the Helsinki University Library?

The e-resources of the Library are acquired primarily for the students and staff of the University of Helsinki. For full access you need a user account for the University information system. With the user account you can also access the e-resources via remote connection.

If you are an external customer, you can access the e-resources at the Library premises either by using the computers reserved for visitors or on your own laptop via a wireless HUPNet connection. The customer service desk can provide you with a temporary HUPNet account.

I study at the Open University. How can I use the Library’s e-resources?

All students of the Open University are given user accounts for the University network. For more information, visit the Open University webpage.

I am a docent at the University of Helsinki. How can I use the University’s e-journals and databases?

To access the e-resources you need a user account for the University information systems. Docents can apply for an account from the IT contact person of their department/discipline.

I am a visiting lecturer at the University of Helsinki. How can I use the University’s e-journals and databases?

You can access the e-resources at the Library premises either by using the computers reserved for visitors or on your own laptop via a wireless HUPNet connection. The customer service desk can provide you with a temporary HUPNet account.

For remote access to the e-resources you need a user account for the University information systems. Visiting lecturers can apply for a temporary account from the IT contact person of their department/discipline.

I don’t study or work at the University of Helsinki, but I do have a Helka library card. Can I use the e-resources of the Library?

You can access the e-resources at the premises of the Library either by using the computers reserved for visitors, or on your own laptop via a wireless HUPNet connection. The customer service desk can provide you with a temporary HUPNet account.

Remote use of the e-resources is possible only with a user account for the University information systems. The e-books of the Ellibs Library are an exception: you can borrow them with your Helka library card on the Helka database. For more information visit the Ellibs questions and answers page.

Is it possible to purchase the rights to use the University’s e-materials?

User rights cannot be bought. Should you not have a user account for the University of Helsinki network, you still can use the e-resources locally on the premises of the Helsinki University Library.

How can I access the e-materials from home?

If you have a user account for the University information systems, you can access the Library’s e-resources on any computer via remote connection. There are different alternatives for remote use.

The remote connection can be activated by following the links of the Nelli-portal as well as the SFX-links found elsewhere. When you choose an e-resource on Nelli you will be redirected to a registration form. Giving your user account details will activate the remote connection. The same applies to the SFX links of articles you may find, e.g. via Google Scholar. You will be able to activate remote access to the article if the Library has a license for the material.

This remote access is provided by the Library, and it is not tied to a certain web browser or place. You do not need to change the settings of the computer or browser, but you may have to accept the use of cookiesr. For more information, see the remote access page of the Nelli portal.

An alternative way is to access the University network via a VPN connection. The University of Helsinki IT Services is in charge of VPN connections. For more information, see the IT Services webpage on home and remote connections.

Other topics

I live far away. How can I borrow a book?
If you cannot come to us, go to your local library to make an interlibrary loan request. There is a fee for the service determined by the local library. 

Why can I not find a book on the shelf even though it is listed in HELKA as being available?
There are many possibilities. First check the location of the book on a library terminal and make sure that you have the right shelf and are looking according to the correct main word. Most often a book is alphabetised according to the author but if if the book is edited or has more than three authors it is placed according to the title of the book. Some libraries have shelves for 'books returned today' where material is placed until there is time to put it in its own place. The material may also be in the shelf for new arrivals. If you still cannot find the book ask at the service desk: the book might have been just returned. Also, another customer in the library who has not yet borrowed the book might have it.

Why is HELKA unavailable at times?
The library system is maintained at times and you cannot access it then. We try to schedule maintenance runs for times when they cause least inconvenience for customers, mornings, weekends and holidays, but it is not always possible. There are short breaks due to maintenance runs in HELKA every evening and night. There are also breaks in the university network sometimes, due to which the network connections have also been down in the library. You should renew your loans some time before the due date.

Where do I get a user ID for the RefWorks reference management program?
Everyone who has a university user ID can create a RefWorks user ID themselves. When creating the ID you must be in the university network. Go to https://www.refworks.com/Refworks/, click on Login and on the login page click on Sign Up for a New Account.

What do I do if I cannot find the material I need in the library?

You should check if the material is found in some other library near you (Helmet - Helsinki Metropolitan Area Libraries, MELINDA - Union Catalog of Finnish Libraries). If you still cannot find it (or it is only found far away) you can make a request for an interlibrary loan of the book (there is a fee for the service, check the interlibrary loan service site of your own campus) or propose to the library that the material is acquired.

Facilities and equipment

I forgot an important piece of paper/mittens that my mum knitted for me in the reading room. What should I do?

Contact the customer service. The library keeps lost articles for three months.

How can I take copies in the library?

All libraries have Unigrafia provided photocopiers that work with copy cards. You can purchase copy cards from the library.

The prices of copy cards are the same for all customer groups.

Can I scan documents in the library?

With the photocopiers provided by Unigrafia it is also possible to scan and send the created PDF document to an email address of your choice. Scanning is free of charge.

Are the libraries equal access?

All Helsinki University Library sites are equal access. See further details on the Equal Access page.