The collections and services of Oulu University Library are available to everyone.

Library users are required to have a library card to borrow and request library material. To obtain a library card, customers must present proof of identity. The card must be presented when checking out material from the library. The library card is personal, and the card holder is responsible for all items borrowed with it. Customers are obliged to notify the library of name and address changes. It is also advisable to inform the library as soon as possible if you lose your card.

Library card holders are required to comply with the library borrowing- and library rules (pdf-file).

Collections for loan

Loan period

• The loan period is either 14 or 28 days, depending on the collection.

Renewal of loans

• Borrowers can renew their loans if there are no requests for the items in question and their borrowing rights have not been suspended.
• Only a limited number of renewals can be made for items in some collections.

Making a request

• You can only make requests for items which are unavailable at the time.
• Requested items ready for pickup will be held for you in the library until the date given in the hold availability notice.
• Customers will receive an e-mail notification when an item they have requested is available for pickup at the library.

You can renew your loans and place requests on the library website, in all the libraries, by phone or by e-mail.

Returns

• Loans must be returned or renewed by their due date at the latest. On the due date the items must be returned to the library during the opening hours.
• You will be reminded by e-mail that your loans are about to become overdue 3 days before their due date. Pre-overdue notices will not be sent by postal mail. After the due date you will be notified by e-mail or by postal mail that your borrowing rights have been suspended.

In addition to the above, more detailed instructions may apply for different collections in different libraries.

Suspension of borrowing rights and fees for late items

• If the borrower fails to return or renew his loans by their due date, his borrowing rights will be suspended until he pays a fee of 8-17 €, depending on the number of items not returned by their due date. 
• If the borrower fails completely to return his loans, on the 38th day after the due date he will incur a minimum replacement fee of 45 € for each unreturned item + handling expenses 25 €. If the borrower returns a loan after he has been charged for it, the above handling expenses will nevertheless be charged. Unpaid handling expenses will be collected by debt recovery proceedings.
• For more detailed information see the library service price list.

Lost or damaged publications

• The borrower can also compensate for a lost or damaged item by purchasing a new copy for the library or by paying the price of the item (minimum 45 €).

Other collections

Material kept in the reference library can be borrowed for overnight and weekend reading. Some collections in the reference library are only for use in the reading rooms. All materials borrowed from the reference library must be returned by their due time. Failure to do this will result in immediate suspension of borrowing rights.

Material kept in the legal deposit archives: Staff of the University of Oulu who need material for teaching and research purposes can borrow books from the legal deposit archives for workroom loan. Other material from the legal deposit archives is only available for reading room use in the Pegasus Library.

Other customers can get material from the legal deposit archives only for reading room use.