Vanamo Libraries Membership

The Vanamo libraries include Hattula municipal library, Hämeenlinna city library, and Janakkala municipal library. All collections, services, and facilities may be used by anyone who adheres to the usage rules. Everyone is responsible for the appropriate use of the library’s collections, equipment, and facilities.

You are committed to following these usage rules and any changes made to them upon receiving a library card or agreeing to be a contact person.

Library Card and PIN

A personal library card, borrowing rights, and a PIN can be obtained from any Vanamo library or mobile library. The first library card is free of charge. The card is obtained by presenting a valid identification document accepted by the library, which includes a photo and personal identification number. If you do not have a Finnish personal identification number, the library card is valid for one year at a time.

A person under 15 years old may get a library card with the consent of a responsible person. In the case of a person under 15 years old and a community borrower, the responsible person is liable for the materials borrowed with the library card and for the use of other library services, equipment, and facilities.

The owner of the library card or the responsible person is responsible for the materials borrowed with the library card. Personal responsibility also applies to the library’s self-service usage. You are responsible for the materials borrowed with your library card. Borrowing at self-service kiosks is protected by the PIN.

Changes in name and contact information must be reported immediately to the library. The information does not update automatically from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency to the library system.

A PIN is linked to the library card. The PIN is required for using library kiosks, online services, and self-service libraries, for example.

The customer must immediately report the loss of their library card to the library. The customer is not responsible for materials borrowed with the lost card after the loss has been reported.

Borrowing, Returning, and Renewing

The library card must always be presented when borrowing materials. Without a library card, materials can only be borrowed from customer service by presenting a photo ID. Materials can only be borrowed from kiosks with the library card.

The library has the right to limit the number of loans.
Movies or games will not be lent to customers who do not meet the age limits set by the National Audiovisual Institute’s (KAVI) media education and audiovisual unit (MEKU).

The loan period for materials can be 1-28 days. Due dates are indicated on the loan receipt that the customer receives at the time of borrowing. It is possible to receive a due date reminder by email before the due date.

Materials must be returned or renewed no later than on the due date. A loan can be renewed six times if there are no reservations or if you have not lost your borrowing rights. There may be restrictions on renewing materials.

Some libraries have a return slot. Returning loans through the slot is the customer’s responsibility. Materials returned through the slot will be registered as returned on the next library service opening day.

Reserving and Interlibrary Loans

Materials can be reserved by visiting the library’s customer service or through the online library. You will receive a notification by email, text message, or letter when the reserved item is ready for pickup. There may be restrictions on reserving materials. Reserving is free of charge. Reservations must be collected within 7 days of the notification being sent. A fee will be charged for unpicked adult material reservations.

The library may limit the number of reservations.

If the desired material is not available in your library, it can be borrowed from elsewhere in Finland or abroad. This service is subject to a fee.

Fees

Library use is generally free of charge. A late fee accrues for each calendar day after the due date up to a maximum amount. For children’s and youth department materials, we only charge reminder and collection costs. A late fee will also be charged if the renewal of loans has failed due to a communication disruption or another technical issue.

A first reminder for overdue materials will be sent 14 days after the due date and a second reminder 28 days after the due date. A first reminder for reserved materials will be sent earlier. The first reminder can be received by email. The due date reminder is an additional service that does not exempt from late fees, even if the customer did not receive a notification.

A late fee and a compensation request fee will be charged for overdue loans. Failure to return loans despite reminders will result in loss of borrowing rights, and collection will be transferred to a collection agency.

A fee will be charged for unpicked adult material reservations delivered to the reservation shelf. A fee will also be charged if the reservation notification has not arrived due to a distribution disruption, communication issues, or another reason.

In some municipalities, libraries may also have other services for which fees are charged, such as copying and printing. More detailed fees can be found on the libraries’ own websites and the Vanamo online library.

Customers must compensate for damaged or lost materials with equivalent materials or by paying the price determined by the library. Due to copyright fees per item, some materials such as DVDs cannot be replaced with equivalent materials. (Library Act 12 §, Act on the Enforcement of Taxes and Charges 706/2007)

Payments can be made at all Vanamo libraries with a cash register. Paid fees are not refunded to the customer.

Loan Ban

You will lose your borrowing rights if

• your loans have been sent to collection or invoiced
• your debt balance exceeds €20

You will regain your borrowing rights when

• you return the overdue materials
• you pay the accrued fees

A customer who is under a loan ban may still visit the library and use the library’s premises, collections, e-materials, and equipment.

Self-Service Library

Self-service libraries are libraries that customers can use outside of regular service hours during self-service times. There is no staff in the library during self-service hours. Access to the library during self-service hours is granted with your own Vanamo library card and PIN. A signed agreement from a guardian is required for those under 15. Access with community cards is allowed with a separate agreement.

During self-service hours, only the cardholder can enter with the card and PIN. Those under 15 may visit the self-service library only with a guardian. It is the cardholder’s responsibility to ensure that everyone leaves at the same time.

The safety of the self-service library is monitored through access control and recorded video surveillance. Each access control and surveillance system forms its own customer register. The purpose of the monitoring systems is to ensure the legal protection and safety of customers, protect the property of the site, and prevent and investigate crimes.

Staff may restrict access to the self-service library when necessary.

More detailed information about different self-service libraries can be found on the libraries’ own websites.

Library Usage Ban

According to the Public Order Act, a public library is a public place. The Public Order Act applies to disrupting library operations and endangering safety. If a library user repeatedly and significantly disrupts library operations, behaves disturbingly or threateningly, endangers safety, or damages library property, they may be banned from the library for up to 30 days. Before imposing a ban, the municipality must hear the person concerned.

A decision on the usage ban will be made, which the person banned can contest according to the Local Government Act. The authority responsible for the imposition of the usage ban in each Vanamo library will decide on the library usage ban. A customer under a usage ban cannot visit the library to which they have been banned.

User Privacy

The Vanamo libraries share a common library system. According to the Personal Data Act, the library has the right to record the identification number of the customer, their guardian, and the responsible person of the community in its register. Personal data is used only for library service purposes.

Customers have the right to check the information stored in the library’s register and to request corrections to incorrect information. The rights of registrants and related instructions can be found on the libraries’ websites.

Personal data may only be disclosed to the parties mentioned in the privacy statement. The privacy statement for the register is available in libraries and on the Vanamo online library.

The usage rules of the Vanamo libraries are based on the Public Libraries Act (1492/2016) and comply with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679.

Application and Validity of Usage Rules

The usage rules are in effect in the Vanamo libraries. In addition to the Vanamo usage rules, libraries may have their own specific library rules and guidelines.

These usage rules apply to library buses and home service of libraries as applicable. These usage rules revoke the usage rules and fees approved by Hattula municipal library on 01.01.2013, Hämeenlinna city library on 14.02.2024 and 17.02.2024, and Janakkala municipal library on 01.10.2022. These usage rules will come into effect on 21.11.2024 and will remain in force indefinitely. The notice period is six months.