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Equipment

​Self-service machines, customer computers, special workstations and other equipment are located in the customer areas on the library’s service floor and ground floor.

Self-service machines

You can use the library’s self-service machines to borrow and return materials. The machines are located near the library’s customer service desk.

Interlibrary loans and reading room loans are processed at the customer service desk.

​​Computers available to customers

Customer computers are intended for:
– searching for information and materials in the Library of Parliament’s Selma collection database as well as other databases and information sources
– accessing online materials
– doing research
– using online services
– reading emails
– word processing.

Customer computers can be used free of charge. No prior booking is required. The computers have Windows 10 operating systems, Firefox and Chrome browsers and the most common office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). The browsers have private browsing mode available. Customers are not allowed to install software on the computers. You can use USB flash drives, CDs and DVDs with the computers. You can borrow headphones from the library’s customer service. 

Files saved on customer computers are automatically deleted daily after the library’s closing time as well as every time the computer is restarted. You can, for example, save the files to your USB flash drive or send them to yourself as an email attachment. 

The library staff can advise you about using databases and information sources. In other respects, the computers are meant to be used independently.

Special workstations

​​Accessible workstation

The height of the accessible workstation’s desk can be adjusted electrically. You also have access to a text magnifier tool and an NVDA screen reader with headphones. Otherwise, the workstation has the same software and functionalities as our other customer computers. The workstation is located near the customer service desk.

Scanner workstations

At scanner workstations, you can, for example, scan pages of a book or periodical and save them as PDF files. Otherwise, the workstations have the same software and functionalities as our other customer computers.

There are two scanner workstations. You can contact the library’s customer service to book one of the workstations. The other workstation can be used without a booking.

Microfilm workstation

The collections of the Library and Archive of Parliament include materials that are available on microfilm. At this workstation, you can read microfilmed materials and convert them to PDF. The workstation is connected to a microfilm scanner. You can book a workstation at the library’s customer service desk, at which you can also order microfilmed materials. Otherwise, the workstation has the same software and functionalities as our other customer computers.

The workstation for Parliament and Finlex materials

At one workstation, you can only access the Parliament’s materials at www.eduskunta.fi​ and the Ministry of Justice’s Finlex service at finlex.fi. The workstation has its own printer. Using this printer will not reduce your printing quota. USB flash drives, CDs and DVDs cannot be used with this workstation.

National archives of digitally preserved cultural materials

The digital archives of the National ​Audiovisual Institute and of the National Library of Finland​ are available to you on a separate workstation. The materials include radio and television archives, a website archive and digitised newspapers and magazines. You can book the workstation from the library’s customer service. The workstation has its own printer. Using this printer will not reduce your printing quota. USB flash drives, CDs and DVDs cannot be used with this workstation.

Election advertisement collection

There is a separate workstation for accessing the Library of Parliament’s election advertisement collection, where you can browse parliamentary election advertisements for 1948–2015 scanned by the library. The workstation is not connected to the internet, and no peripheral devices can be plugged into it. The rules for using the election advertisement collection (in Finnish)​

​​Printing

The library’s ground floor has a multifunction device for printing files from customer computers and copying. The device can be used with a library card. At the customer service desk, your library card can be linked to a user account with a free monthly printing quota: 100 copies, 50 prints and 50 scans a month.

After you have sent a print command on a customer computer, enter your library card number in the multifunction device and the device will print the files immediately. You can also use secure printing, where you use a password to start the printing at the multifunction device.

If you order copies from the library, they are subject to a charge. Library service charges

Local area network

The library has an unsecured wireless network (Wi-Fi). The network is intended for research, studies and other information gathering purposes. You can log in to the network on your own laptop or mobile device.

By logging in to Parliament’s local area network, you can access the electronic information resources​ acquired by the library.

You can get a username and password (changed monthly) for the local area network as well as instructions for use from the library’s customer service. ​div>

​​User policy

No content filtering is applied for web browsing. Data traffic that contains viruses, malware or executables is blocked. When you close your browser, your browsing history will be deleted. Files saved on customer computers are automatically deleted daily after the library’s closing time as well as every time the computer is restarted.

The privacy policies of the Selma collection database and the Finna service
Privacy statements