Previous library rules

Library rules

Turku University Library is an open academic library that provides facilities and materials for all those seeking information. However, its services to customers from outside the University community may be subject to restrictions.

The Library offers library services at its different units and online. These rules are common to the whole Library. The Library customer agrees to comply with the Library rules and the service guidelines.

Use of the basic services and materials provided by the Library is free of charge. Services ordered by the customer, such as interlibrary loan services, are charged according to the Library's price list of services. The fees charged by the Library are based on the Universities Act (558/2009) (in Finnish), the Government Decree on Fees Collected for University Services (1082/2009) (in Finnish), and Turku University Library's price list of services.

Access rights and library card

Anyone over the age of 15 can register as a Library customer. If the registered customer is under 18, the guardian must also be a Library customer. A parent or guardian is responsible for the material borrowed by a customer under 18. An adult registering as a customer must have an address in Finland and present a photo ID.

When registering, the customer will receive a personal library card needed for borrowing materials. The customer is responsible for the materials borrowed with the Library card and for keeping customer information up to date. The customer must inform the Library if the library card is lost in order to prevent misuse.

Customer register and data protection

The Library maintains a customer register intended for use only in connection with the Library's activities. According to the EU General Data Protection Regulation, the customer has the right to check the data stored in the register. The privacy notice for the customer register is available on the Library's website and at the Library's units.

The customer must keep their customer and contact details up to date. The customer is responsible for any charges incurred as a result of incomplete or inaccurate email or other address information in the customer register.

Library facilities and equipment

The Library offers a variety of study, teaching and storage facilities and equipment. The computers in the Library are intended for the use of Library services, such as e-resources acquired by the Library, and for study and research purposes.

You can borrow lockers and book trolleys from the Library to store borrowed library materials. The customer is responsible for the materials in the locker and the book trolley and for property brought into the Library premises. The Library is not responsible for any telecommunication problems or damage caused to the user's computer by viruses.

Using the Library during self-service hours may require the use of an access tag issued to members of the University community at the University of Turku. Customers are not allowed to let other people enter the premises with their personal access tag.

Customers must be considerate of others in the Library. If a customer is disturbing the work of others, they may be asked to leave. A disruptive or intoxicated customer may also lose their access rights to the Library for a limited period (1 week–6 months). The ban is imposed either by the Library Director or the Head of Library Services. The parties involved will be given an opportunity to be heard before the ban is issued.

Use of printed materials

Borrowing

Customers may borrow and renew loans and use items from the Library's collections in accordance with the loan periods and rules set for each item.

All Library customers have access to legal deposit materials in accordance with the Act on Collecting and Preserving Cultural Materials (1433/2007) (in Finnish). University personnel may, at the discretion of the Library, receive legal deposit materials intended for use in the Library premises as personal loans for use in the office.

Library materials must be handled with care and no markings are allowed to be made on them. Copies may be made of materials within the limits set by the Finnish Copyright Act (404/1961) (in Finnish), the copying agreement (www.kopiosto.fi/en), and the Decree on Criteria for Charges Payable to the State (211/1992) (in Finnish) without damaging the material.

Materials must be returned or renewed by the due date. The Library charges a fee for overdue, lost, or damaged material and for sending an invoice in accordance with the Library's price list and invoicing rules.

If a customer fails to return or renew the loan by the due date or if the late payments exceed the loan limit, the borrowing rights of the customer may be suspended. Unpaid Library service fees, such as interlibrary loan fees, may also result in the suspension of borrowing rights. The borrowing rights are restored when the fees are paid and the loans are returned.

Interlibrary loans

The Library arranges interlibrary loans from other libraries. The interlibrary loan services follow the national guidelines for interlibrary loan services and the rules of the sending library.

Services are charged according to the price list of services.

Use of e-resources

The customer must comply with the Rules of IT Service Use of the University of Turku and the licence conditions for the use of e-resources which are defined in the e-resource licence agreements. There are restrictions on the use of e-resources purchased by the Library for different customer groups.

The customer is responsible for ensuring that the use complies with the license agreements and copyright law. If a customer does not follow the instructions for using e-resources, they may be liable for damages and/or lose their access rights to the Library and e-resources.

More information

Further information on the use of Library services and resources is available on the Library website at www.utu.fi/library and at the Library's units.

The Library rules are available on the website of Turku University Library at https://www.utu.fi/en/university/library/library-rules.