The significance of the Library’s student activities are more apparent in circumstances where students as a rule study remotely. Some students who began their studies in the pandemic period were unfamiliar with the campuses and the libraries operating on them.
The new student representatives of the Library board and advisory boards began their terms for 2022–2024. In spring 2022 during a duty orientation event held at Viikki campus library, the campuses remained reasonably quiet.
During their term, the student representatives will take part in the meetings of the Library board and advisory boards. Viikki’s student representatives took over the Library’s Instagram account for a day and answered students’ questions regarding the Library while also posting pictures of their favourite nooks and corners of Viikki campus library.
In spring 2022 the Tutor Adventure returned to the University as a two-day on-site event. The Tutor Adventure is a compulsory part of the training of peer tutors. The Library arranged an activity checkpoint which tested future tutors’ quickness, smarts and group spirit. During the two days, approximately 50 student groups visited the checkpoint.
In the autumn new students also took part in an adventure around the University campus in Finland’s largest Fresher Adventure, where they got to test their reading and problem-solving skills at the Library’s playful checkpoint. During the event over 30 fresher groups dressed in imaginative fancy dress costumes visited the checkpoint.
Student orientation events returned on campuses at the start of the autumn term 2022. In August 2022, the Library welcomed the new international students at the check-in event on a dedicated stand at the Language Centre. The University-level orientation event is organised twice a year, before the start of each term.
In the beginning of September, the opening carnival organised by the Student Union of the University of Helsinki landed in Kaisa House, where people thronged to enjoy the great opening day festivities for the first time since the pandemic. The Library took part in the opening carnival by introducing its services on its own stand, along with a special programme designed to celebrate the Library’s anniversary.
The library escape room organised in the Kaisa House proved especially popular on the carnival day. The success surprised the Library staff who had participated in its planning and implementation. The escape room was completed by 175 students, who were each rewarded with a Library badge for their student overalls. The game and the badge received a great deal of immediate positive feedback.
The Library participated also in the Ask Me! campaign aimed at new students . The Library took over the University of Helsinki Instagram account for a day to disseminate library-related content and answer any questions students may have.
In 2022 the Library consolidated its cooperation with Guidance Corner operators. The Covid-19 epidemic burdened students in many ways. The University felt that it was important to invest in student welfare and offer services and events students would find easy to attend.
The Library provided thesis writers with advice on information retrieval both online and by appointment as well as in Guidance Corner at certain prearranged times. The Library also organised library t0urs in Kaisa House in Finnish and English, where students had a guided opportunity to familiarise themselves with the Library facilities and services.
The Library and Student Services collaborated in July to organise a Pride café session for interested students interested. The event organiser received praise for having organised such a nice joint meeting.
In the autumn the focus of student events organised by the Library was on events for international students. In November the Library organised Coffee and Games, an event in Guidance Corner providing international students with a chance to socialise and play Library- and Finland-themed games. In December the Library published online and on Instagram an English-language advent calendar presenting Library services and Finnish Christmas traditions.