Library fees are divided into public and private fees, only public charges lead to loss of borrowing privileges

By law, only public charges may lead to borrowing privileges being suspended. For this reason, a distinction will be made between public and private library fees. Public fees include late fees, return fees and fees for uncollected reservations. All other library fees are private, such as new library card fees, interlibrary loan fees, material replacement fees and print and copy fees.

All fees must be paid in one instalment, i.e. the balance cannot be reduced.

Use of preferred name in library user records

You can now add a preferred name to your library user information if your preferred name is something other than your official first name. The preferred name can be, for example, a middle name or any other name by which you prefer to be called. The preferred name is used, for example, in e-mails sent from the library system. The full legal name should continue to be recorded in the library’s user records. 

You can add your name to your user information in person at the library customer service.

Emails sent from the library system will now be more secure

There will be a change regarding the emails sent to library users from the library system, specifically related to the due date reminders and return notifications. From now on these emails will no longer display the entire library card number; only the last three digits will be visible. The reason for this change is security: emails sent from the system are not encrypted.

Cineast, the new streaming service of the Northern eLibrary, opens 21.2.

Cineast includes Finnish and international films, both classics and newer productions. The selection is updated regularly. The selection currently includes movies such as Everything Everywhere All at Once, Beau Is Afraid, Eraserhead and Triangle of Sadness.

Films can be borrowed for 48 hours and a maximum of six films can be borrowed per month with one library card. The service can be used via a web browser or the mobile app.

Instructions on how to use Cineast will be added to the eLibrary user guide.

Cineast replaces Viddla which has served our customers until now.

Libraries as polling places for the presidential election and changes to their services and opening hours

Many libraries will serve as polling places for the presidential elections, both during the early voting period and on the official election day. This may affect their opening hours and services during the voting period.

There will be no self-service at the Liminka Library during the first round of voting from 17.1.–28.1. If a second round of voting is required for the election, the self-service closure will continue until Sunday 11.2.

The Lumijoki Library will be the polling place on the official election day, Sunday 28.1., and therefore self-use of the library will not be possible on that day. If the election continue to the second round, there will also be no self-service on Sunday 11.2.

In Oulu, the Myllyoja and Oulunsalo libraries will serve as advance polling stations from 17.–23.1. In Myllyoja Library, the customer service hours are the same as the advance voting hours. The Oulunsalo Library will have normal opening hours and will not extend its opening hours for voting purposes. Kaukovainio Library will be the polling place on the official election day, Sunday 28.1., and therefore self-use of the library will not be possible. If the elections continue to the second round, there will also be no self-service on Sunday 11.2.

The Raahe Library will be the official polling place and there will be no self-service from Friday evening to Sunday 26.–28.1.

In Taivalkoski Library, self-service is not available during the early voting period from 17.1.–23.1.

Utajärvi Library will be the advance polling place 17.23.1. The library’s customer service hours are the same as the advance voting hours 17.–19.1. Self-service hours will be available as usual.

You can check your library’s opening hours on the OUTI online library or on the library’s own website.

Library opening hours on Independence Day

Independence Day affects library opening hours. There are already exceptions in opening hours on Tuesday, 5.12. On Independence Day, 6.12. there will be no customer service at libraries.

You can visit the self-service libraries during their opening hours. During self-service hours, you can access the library with a library card and PIN.

Library opening hours are listed on the OUTI Web Library and on the libraries’ websites.

Kaijonharju Library will have self-service opening hours starting 28.8.2023

Kaijonharju Library will be the sixteenth self-service library in Oulu.

Customers can use self-service libraries outside of the regular opening hours. A valid OUTI library card and PIN are required to enter the library when there are no library staff members on the premises.

Customers can use the self-service stations to borrow and return material, read books and magazines, and use the library computers. Computers cannot be reserved via Varaamo for use during self-service hours. Printing and photocopying can only be done when library staff members are present during regular opening hours.

Reserved items can be picked up from the reservation shelf and borrowed using the self-service stations.

Kaijonharju Library is open for self-service use Mon–Thu 7–20 and Fri–Sun 7–16, including public holidays. Customer service hours are Mon–Tue 12–19, Wed–Thu 10–17, and Fri 9–15.

Exceptions in library opening hours around Midsummer

Midsummer affects the library opening hours. On the day before Midsummer’s Eve, Thursday 22.6., most libraries will close earlier than normal. The libraries are closed on Midsummer’s Eve, Friday, 24.6., Midsummer Day, Saturday, 25.6., and Sunday 26.6., apart from self-service libraries, which are open for self-service use throughout the Midsummer weekend.

Library opening hours are listed on the OUTI Web Library and on the libraries’ websites.
 

OUTI Libraries’ summer opening hours

Many of the libraries have different summer opening hours, which are in use until August. Some libraries are open only for self-service use or closed during the summer. Midsummer also affects the opening hours of libraries.

You can see the opening hours of your local library on the library website or the OUTI Web Library.