Siirry sisältöön

Library Guide in Easy English

Welcome to the Library!

The Library is a place where you can find many kinds of services and fun things to do.

In the Library you can

  • read newspapers, magazines and books
  • listen to music
  • play games
  • study and work
  • spend time alone or with your friends
  • organize events.

The Library has computers and a free wireless Internet network (Wi-Fi).

You can use the computers in various ways

  • You have access to the Internet
    for example to search for information or to fill out forms.
  • You can print and scan documents.

You can borrow

  • magazines, books
  • games, films
  • music, sheet music, musical instruments
  • sports equipment, maps and
  • season tickets.

Everything mentioned above is called library material.

In the Library you can take part in events that are organized for children and adults.

Information about the events is available in the Library, in the Library’s event brochures and on the Library’s website.

Information about the Library’s events is only available in Finnish.
Please ask the staff for more information about the events.

Library Card

If you want to borrow something from the Library, you need a library card.
You can get a free library card at the Library.
Take your passport or some other photo ID with you when you come to the Library to get the card.

PIN Code

Along with the library card you get a PIN code.
You need the PIN code when you

  • borrow books yourself, using the check-out stations
  • or visit self-service libraries.

Both the library card and the PIN code are personal to you.
Do not let others know your PIN code or use your library card. 

Inform the Library at once if you lose your library card.

You are responsible for everything that is borrowed on your card.
Being responsible also means that you must pay for material you have lost or damaged.

Children can also get a library card but they need the permission of a parent.
Come to the Library with the child to get the card.

You are responsible for everything that has been borrowed on your child’s card.

Borrowing

You can borrow different materials from the Library, for example:

  • magazines, books
  • games, films
  • music, sheet music, musical instruments
  • sports equipments, maps and 
  • season tickets.

Borrowing is free of charge. It does not cost anything.

You can borrow material at the Library’s Customer Service Desk (Info)
or by using the check-out stations.

Give the material you want to borrow and your library card to the staff at the Customer Service Desk.
They scan the library card and the material.
The loan data is automatically saved in your library account.

You can also borrow material  yourself by using the check-out stations.
Borrowing is not difficult.
You just need a library card and a PIN code.
The check-out stations guide you on what you should do.

If you are not able to borrow the material using a check-out station,
go to the Customer Service Desk.                                          

You will get a receipt for your loans.
The receipt has dates.  
The dates show the due date for the material you have borrowed.
The material must be returned to the Library by the due date.

Everything cannot be borrowed

The Library also has material that cannot be borrowed.

These reference collection books can be read in the Library,
but they cannot be borrowed and taken home.

The newspapers in the periodicals reading room cannot be borrowed either.
You can read them in the Library.

Returning

Return the material on time, either before the due date or no later than the due date.

You do not need your library card to return material.

You can return material at the return station or at the Customer Service Desk.
Try out the return station; it is not difficult to use!

You can get a receipt for the material returned.
If you return the material too late, after the due date,
you will have to pay overdue fines (40 cents/book/day).

If the amount of your fines is more than 10 euros, you cannot borrow material until you have paid the fines.

Renewing loans

You may renew your loans if you want to keep them longer.
When you renew the material, you get a new due date.

You may renew the material five times.
If another customer has reserved the material, you may not renew it.
You can renew your loans at the Library’s Customer Service Desk or by visiting the library’s website.

Renewing loans on the Web

  • Type lastu.finna.fi in the Internet address field.
    On the Library’s front page select the English option in the upper right corner of the screen.
  • In the upper right corner there is also a “Login” button.
  • Click the button.
  • A login page opens.
    Type your library card number in the first box
    (the numbers on the back of the library card)
    and your PIN code in the second box.
  • Click on the ”Login” button under the PIN code box.
  • You can view your loans. Select the loans you would like to renew.
  • You can renew all your loans or just some of them.
  • Next to the loans that you cannot renew you will see the words “Renewal is denied”.
  • The reason may be that the material has been reserved by another customer or that you have renewed it five times already.

Reserving material

The material that you would like to borrow may already be on loan.
In that case you can reserve it.
Reserving material is free of charge; it does not cost anything.
You can reserve material on the Library’s website at or at the Library’s Customer Service Desk.

When you can come to the Library to pick up the material, you will be notified.
You can receive the notice

  • by mail  
  • by text message 
  • or by email.

The notice has a pick-up number and the last pick-up date.
Your pick-up number is always the same.
It has been attached to your library card.
When you come to the Library to get the reserved material, take your library card with you.

The reserved material must still be borrowed before you can take it home.
You can pick up the reserved material yourself from the Library’s reserve shelf.
The reserve shelves have been marked with signs saying ”Varaukset”.
The reservations on the reserve shelf have been arranged by the pick-up number.

Borrow the reserved material either at the check-out station or at the Customer Service Desk.
Pick up the reserved material no later than the last pick-up date.
If you do not pick up the reserved material within a week, you will have to pay 2 euros.

How do you find a book on the shelf?

Every book in the Library has its own place.
The books can be found on the shelves by their subject.
Every subject has its own number called a class number or classification number.
The class number has been marked on the shelves and on the back cover and spine of each book.

The class 88.207, for example, has books on how to learn the Finnish language for those learning Finnish as a foreign language.

Main Classes

  • General works. Books and publishing. Mass communication
  • Philosophy. Psychology. Paranormal phenomena
  • Religion
  • Society
  • Geography. Travel. Ethnology
  • Natural sciences. Mathematics. Medicine
  • Technology. Industry. Handicraft. Agriculture and forestry. Domestic science. Business. Economy. Traffic
  • Arts. Sports
  • Fiction. Literary studies. Linguistics
  • History

The spine label of each book has a code consisting of numbers and letters.

The numbers show the class of the book.
Under the numbers there are letters which usually indicate the first three letters of the writer’s name.

The books are arranged on the shelves by their class numbers and then within each class the books are arranged in alphabetical order.

The Finnish alphabet:

ABC  DEF  GHI  JKL  MNO  PQR  STU  VWX  YZÅ  ÄÖ.

You can search for books and other material in the Library yourself or you can ask for help from the library staff.
We are here for you and are happy to help you.

Lastu, the Library’s website shows you what books the Library owns, where to find the books and whether they can be borrowed.

Lastu libraries

The public libraries in the following municipalities
in the Päijät-Häme region belong to the Lastu libraries:

  • Asikkala
  • Hartola
  • Heinola
  • Hollola
  • Lahti
  • Kärkölä
  • Orimattila
  • Padasjoki and
  • Sysmä.

The Lastu libraries have the same library card,
the same rules of use and
share their collections.

All the library collections in the Lastu libraries are available to you.

  • You can use the same library card in all the Lastu libraries.
  • You may return material you have borrowed to a public library or mobile library in any of the municipalities mentioned above.
  • You may reserve material owned by any Lastu library and
    it will be sent to the Lastu library nearest to you.

The City of Lahti hasa Main Library, 8 branch libraries and 2 mobile libraries.

Library rules and fees

The Library has rules of use.
The rules apply to all library customers.

Read the library rules!
The rules also contain specific information about the fees charged by the Library,
for example such matters as paying for material you have damaged.
You can pick up the library rules from any Lastu library
or read them on the Library’s website at lastu.finna.fi/ .

The library rules are available in Finnish, English and Russian.

The Library is open to everyone

Library material is meant to be used by everyone:  

  • Don’t underline
    or cross out words in library books or write on the pages.
  • Don’t do the exercises in workbooks.
  • Don’t fold down (“dog ear”) pages.
  • Don’t scratch CD tai DVD discs.

Return library material in as neat condition as it was when you borrowed it.

If you lose or damage a book,
you will have to pay for it.
The same applies to CD and DVD discs.
If a library book gets damaged in some way, gets wet, for example,
do not return it at the return station.
Take it to the Customer Service Desk.

Remember that there are also other people in the Library.

Let others work in peace.
Talking with others is allowed in the Library but do not talk in a loud voice.

Computers and the Internet

The Library’s public computers have Internet access.

You can use the computers

  • to search for information,
  • to read or send email
  • and for various other purposes.

Some software programs have been installed on the computers, including

  • Word
  • Excel and
  • PowerPoint.

The computers may be used free of charge.
The Library also has a free Wi-Fi network.

On the library computers you can

  • print
  • copy
  • and scan documents.

There is a charge for printing and copying.
Ask the staff about the prices.

Scanning is free of charge.

Lahti Main Library

The Lahti Main Library has materials in many languages.

Ask the staff in which languages material can be found.
We can also order materials in different languages for you from the Multilingual Library.

The Library has plenty of space.

You can come to the Library to study, work, read or just spend time.

Main Library: First floor

The first floor of the Main Library has:

  • non-fiction and fiction for adults, an event area,
  • non-fiction and fiction for children and youth,
    story time room and youth space,
  • meeting rooms: Kaarna and Tuohi,
  • group study rooms: Puru and Pilke,
  • the auditorium.

You can reserve a group study room or a meeting room
from the customer service or via our web page.

In a group study room you can

  • study
  • work in a group
  • or read in peace.

Reserving a group study room does not cost anything.

Examples of different materials available on the 1st floor are

  • books
  • maps
  • CD discs
  • DVD discs
  • sports equipment
  • seasonal tickets for cultural services and sports events and
  • other material. 

In the adult area there are also
textbooks for learning Finnish.

In the adult area you can also borrow

  • sports equipment for example kettlebells and pedometers.

In the adult area it is even possible to borrow season tickets to Lahti City Theatre, cocerts of Lahti Sinfonia, Lahti museums and various sport events in Lahti.

Ask the staff at the Customer Service Desk about the season tickets.

Children’s material, including books,
films, CD discs, music, magazines
and games can be found in the
children’s area.

Main Library: Second floor

The second floor of the Main Library has:

  • 3D-printer
  • the music area
  • rooms for various activities:
    the listening room, piano rooms,
    editing room, studio
  • the periodicals reading room
  • a quiet space
  • study space
  • the Päijät-Häme room 
  • the multi-purpose room
  • rentable study rooms.

Music materials for adults:

  • CD discs
  • sheet music
  • music books and
  • musical instruments can be found in the music area on the second floor.

The music area also has other materials,
such as console games, board games
and films that can be borrowed.

The rooms for various activities have to be booked beforehand.  

You can book a room at the Customer Service Desk or via the internet.
Take the library card with you when you are reserving any of these rooms.

The periodicals reading space has newspapers and magazines.  
At the back of the area you can find a quiet space and a study space.

In these spaces you need to be quiet.

Older magazines may be borrowed
but the newest magazines and newspapers must be read in the Library.

Digital services enhance the collection of newspapers and magazines

The Library has numerous digital services. These include:

ePress service:

A digital service where you can read Finnish newspapers on library computers.

PressReader:
A digital service where you can read
international magazines and newspapers
on your own tablet or smartphone.

PressReader has magazines and newspapers in more than 65 languages.

Ask the staff for additional information.
The staff will also help you download the PressReader app on your own device.

Branch libraries

The City of Lahti has eight branch libraries.
They are located in the following parts of Lahti:

  • Ahtiala
  • Jalkaranta
  • Kärpänen
  • Laune
  • Liipola
  • Mukkula
  • Nastola and
  • Renkomäki.

The branches are smaller libraries.
Everything that the Main Library has to offer is not available in the branches.

But you can borrow material
from the branch libraries and you can go
to a branch library to study, read or work.

Ask the staff in the branches about events
organized in the branch libraries.

Self-service hours in the branch libraries

During self-service hours you can enter a library
with your library card and PIN code.

During the self-service hours there is no staff present
to provide service and help for you.

You are expected to search yourself
for what you would like to borrow.

You may also return material during the self-service hours.

To borrow and return material you must use
the library’s check-out and return stations.

During the self-service hours you can enter these libraries with your library card
and PIN code.
However, do not let anyone else enter the Library.

If you let other people in, you will be
responsible for what they do in the Library.

The following libraries have self-service hours:

  • Ahtiala
  • Jalkaranta
  • Kärpänen
  • Liipola
  • Mukkula
  • and Renkomäki.

The self-service libraries have their own rules.

Get acquainted with the rules.
You can pick up the rules from any Lastu library
or read them on our website.

Mobile library

The City of Lahti has two mobile libraries: Eepos and Pegasos.

The mobile library brings library services near you if you live a far distance from the Main Library or from the branch libraries.

The mobile library makes stops in locations all over Lahti.

You can find the mobile library timetable, routes and stops on the Library’s website.

Select the English language option,
click on “Libraries” and then select ”Lahti mobile libraries”
from the drop-down menu that provides the Library’s service points and opening hours.

Updated on May 2023