Keski Libraries (Central Finland Library Network) offer a wide range of collections, web content, information services, customer workstations and library facilities. Customers may reserve materials and propose new purchases. Keski Libraries also offer interlibrary loans from other libraries in addition to regional loans from within the library network. The libraries and their services may be used by all who accept the terms of use. A library card is required for borrowing books and accessing some of the services. The library staff will be happy to answer any questions related to the library operations.

Library card, customer register and personal data protection

A library card can be obtained from any Keski library. The card is issued to all who provide the information requested by the library, have an address in Finland and prove their identity with a photo ID showing their personal identity number. The library is authorised to register the customer's identity number (Decisions 46/1993 and 27/1994 of the Data Protection Board and section 13 of Personal Data Act 523/99). Customers under 15 years of age need a guardian as a guarantor who assumes responsibility for the material borrowed on the library card.

Each card-holder is entitled to view the information stored on him or her in the customer register. The personal data file as defined in the Personal Data Act is posted on all library websites and on display in all the libraries.

The library card is personal

• The card-holder undertakes to compensate for any materials damaged, lost or not returned.
• In libraries with a workstation reservation system, only the card-holder may use the card to log into the system.
• The customer is required to report any change of name or address.
• Any loss of card must be reported immediately.
• The customer is not liable for materials borrowed on the card after reporting the loss of card.
• The library card-holder, and the guarantor of an under 15-year-old card-holder, undertakes to comply with the rules for using the library.

Lending and the right to use the library

The Keski Library card is good for all the libraries in the network. The lending times and limitations may vary from one library to another. A customer who fails to return materials or pay the charges will lose his or her right to borrow.

When borrowing materials, please note that:

• Loan periods range from one to four weeks (7 to 28 days). The loan period ends on the due date at the end of the library opening hours and in the online library at midnight.
• Loans can be renewed five times if there are no reservations.
• You can have a maximum of 100 loans at the same time, of which a maximum of 10 console games (addition 10/23).

In lending audio-visual materials, the libraries apply the age limits set by the Finnish Centre for Media Education and Audiovisual Media. The libraries accept no liability for any damage caused by any recordings to the customer's equipment.
The library staff have the right to remove from the premises any person who disturbs others, disrupts the work of the library or causes damage to library property. A person guilty of disruptive behaviour will lose his or her right to use the library for a specified period of time.

Using the online library

The online library is available at keski.finna.fi. The online library gives access to the joint database of all Keski Libraries. The library card can be provided with a password to allow the card-holder to view his or her user information and current loans, renew loans, make and cancel reservations and to activate and edit user information. To obtain a password you have to visit the library in person.
If the customer notifies the library of his or her e-mail address or stores it in their user information page in the online library, the library will send reminders of upcoming due dates. The library does not accept responsibility for any failure to deliver reminders if the failure is due to a disruption in data communications.

Fees and Charges

Fees and charges vary from one municipality to another. Up-to-date information on fees, the dispatch of overdue reminders and compensation payable for damaged materials is provided on the websites of the libraries or in library brochures.
At all the Keski Libraries:

• A debt balance of EUR 10 will result in temporary cancellation of borrowing rights.
• Any debt balance lower than this must be paid once a year.
• The annual check of debt balances starts 1 March every year.

© Keski-kirjastot 2017