Check out books using the self-service lending machine. You can use either a physical or digital library card. In addition to your library card, you will need a four-digit PIN code to use the machine. You can find your digital card in your customer information in Helka, where you can also set or change your PIN code.
You are personally responsible for all materials borrowed on your library card, so please remember to check the loan periods from your account.
Loan periods at Helsinki University Library are as follows:
The library also has other materials, such as theses, which you cannot borrow as home loans. Theses are borrowed from the reservation pick-up shelf for one-day use.
Renew your loans by logging into Helka. You can renew all your loans from Helka libraries at the same time.
A loan cannot be renewed if there are requests for the item or if your borrowing rights have been suspended.
The loan details show the longest permitted renewal period, i.e. the date until which the item can be renewed. When the renewal limit is reached, the books must be returned to the library.
Short-term loans of textbooks (2-day loan) cannot be renewed.
There is an overdue fine for loans returned late.
Use the check-in machine to return your borrowed materials.
You can return materials you have borrowed from Helsinki University Library to all the library sites. However, materials from other Helka libraries or the National Library of Finland cannot be returned to Helsinki University Library. Other Helka libraries are Institute for the Languages of Finland, Finnish Heritage Agency Library, Finnish Literature Society and Library of the Labour Movement
Some of the Helsinki University Library locations have drop boxes where you can return books outside opening hours. The books will be registered as returned on the following working day.
At the Main Library in Kaisa House (Fabianinkatu 30), there is an overnight return machine on the left side of the main entrance. The machine can be operated with a library card.
For Kumpula Campus Library, the overnight return box is located to the right of the Physicum (Gustaf Hällströmin katu 2) main entrance, next to the grey side door.
You can only return books during the opening hours of Terkko Health Hub. The return box is located inside the lobby of the building, close to the main entrance (Haartmaninkatu 4) on the left. Loans are marked as returned no later than the next working day. Please note that on the campus library's premises on the 2nd floor of Terkko, you can return your loans with a check-in machine, and the loans will be registered as returned immediately.
Viikki Campus Library does not have a drop box. You can only return books during the library's opening hours.
You may also return a book at your own risk by post. The borrower is responsible for the book until it has been received by the library.
Use the library's PO Box number when sending books by post.
Helsinki University Library
Kaisa House
PO Box 53 (Fabianinkatu 30)
00014 University of Helsinki
Phone number: +358 50 4150491
If you return or renew your loans late, you will be subject to overdue fines. Fines accrue for a maximum of 15 days, after which your borrowing rights will be suspended?
Overdue fines will start to accumulate on the day after the due date and can be seen in your account in Helka. You can pay the fines once you have renewed or returned the overdue books. Fines can be paid online at Helka or at the library's customer service desk.
The University of Helsinki staff are not charged overdue fines for research literature. However, the staff are still subject to overdue fines for textbooks.
Your borrowing rights will be suspended in all Helka libraries 15 days after the loan period has expired or if you have total unpaid fines of €15 or more.
Suspensions apply to all Helka libraries and prevent borrowing, reservation and renewal of loans.
Your borrowing rights will be reinstated once you have returned the material leading to the suspension and paid the fines.
Overdue loans will be handed over to a collection agency, when they are one month overdue. In that case the customer must pay
compensation for the lost material (minimum €80 per item)
the fines incurred and
the collection fees
You do not have to pay compensation if you return the book to the library. However, overdue fines and collection fees must be paid.
The library sends out a reminder (second overdue notice) and notifies about the collection before the matter is forwarded to a collection agency.