RIGHT TO USE AND LIBRARY CARD

Who is allowed to use the Lahti Science Library?
The Lahti Science Library is an open scientific library that all private persons and communities who follow the rules of the library are free to use .

What does it cost to use the library?
Borrowing material from the library and using it at the library is free. However, the library will charge charges for overdue loans as well as compensation for unreturned, lost or damaged materials.

How can I get a library card?
By filling in the application form in the library or on the Internet and returning it to the library. Please remember to bring with you an ID with a photo (a passport, an official ID card or a SII card with a photo).

What does the library card cost?
The first card is completely free of charge but if you misplace it, we will charge 3 euros for a new card.

Can I use the library card for the Lahti City Library or the Lahti Regional Educational Consortium information centers in the Science Library?
Yes you can, but you have to fill in the application form anyway.

Can I loan my library card to someone else?
The library card is personal and you are responsible for all materials loaned out with your card.

I have lost my library card. What should I do?
Call the library (tel. 03-8125420) or come to see us and we will issue your card a loan ban. A new card will cost 3 euros. Please bring an official ID with you when coming to get a new card to replace a lost one.

My contact information has changed. What should I do?
You can give your changed address at the library, on the Internet or call the library, tel. 03-8125420. You can give your changed name at the library - then you'll need an ID or an extract from the population register showing the new name.

LOANING AND RETURNING BOOKS

Are all materials available for loan?
Almost all materials are available for loan. The exception are items in the reference library that can be borrowed only as overnight or weekend loans. Also, journals and magazines are not loaned out but you can take photocopies of them (EUR 0.20 / sheet).

So I can loan the reading room books?
Yes. It is possible to loan out the reference library books overnight or for the weekend. There is a text "for overnight loan only" ("vain yölainaksi") in the library database for all reference library books that are available as overnight or weekend loans. The loans can be collected at the earliest one hour before the library closes, that is after 6 pm (on Saturdays after 2 pm). The loan must be returned on the due date by noon.

How long are the loan periods?
Loan period for books is 4 weeks. The library may, however, shorten the loan period at discretion.

How can I find out what the due dates for my loans are?
The due dates for all of your loans are shown in the due date receipt that you are given each time you loan something from the library. You can also check the due dates for your loans on the Internet by logging onto Your pages .

How many books can I borrow at a time?
The maximum number of material that can be on loan to one person at a time is 100 pieces.

Can I return books that I've borrowed from the Science Library to other libraries? Can I return loans from other libraries to the Science Library?
No, you can't. Books borrowed from the Science Library must always be returned back there and we don't accept books on loan from other libraries.

Can I return books from the Science Library somewhere when the library is not open?
You can return the books in the return box that is located next to the library's exit, in the corner of Vapaudenkatu and Saimaankatu.

Can I return my loans by post?
You can return you loans also by post. The loans will, however, be at your responsibility until they are returned to the library. Therefore, you should register the parcel. If an unregistered parcel does not arrive to the library, the sender/loaner will still be in charge of the loans returned by post. Books loaned from the Lahti Science Library can be returned to this address:

Lahti Science Library
Vapaudenkatu 23
FIN-15140 Lahti, Finland

RENEWAL OF LOANS

Can I renew my loans?
You can renew your loans 10 times if nobody else has reserved them and you are not in a loan ban. When loans have been renewed 10 times, you must return them to the library. You can loan the books again at the library if they have not been reserved.

Can I renew overdue loans?
Yes, unless you are in a loan ban (that is you don't have overdue payments amounting to EUR 10 or more and no volume on loan to you is more than 40 days overdue).

How can I renew my loans?
By clicking on the "Renewal of loans" button on the Database Lakki , you can access your customer data. You can also phone the library (tel. 03-8125420) or send us an e-mail (tiedekirjasto@lahti.fi, please include the number on your library card as well). Further, you can renew your loans by sending an SMS .

I tried to renew my loans but I can't log in because I've forgotten my password. What should I do?
Come to the library and you'll get a new password by showing an ID. Please replace the password given to you with a personal one (5 - 12 numbers) as soon as possible.

I tried to renew my loans on the web and at first I managed to do it, but I was unable to renew all of my loans. Is it really possible that all the rest of the books are reserved?
If your loans were overdue, the loan ban limit (EUR 10) could have been exceeded when you were renewing the loans. Please contact the library and we'll sort this problem out.

What should I do when I'm unable to renew my loans on the web because the renewal times have been used up?
You must return the books to the library, but you can loan them again immediately if nobody has reserved them.

OVERDUE LOANS

If I return a loan late, will you charge any overdue charge?
Yes. The overdue charge will begin to accumulate the day after the due date. However, you can avoid the overdue charges by returning the book in time to the library or by renewing the loan at the latest on the due date.

What are your overdue charges?
- Loan/day (max EUR 8 / loan) EUR 0.20
- Overdue overnight loan EUR 10
- Loan ban limit EUR 10

When does the charge begin to accumulate?
There is one so-called mercy day after the due date when you should renew or return your loans unless you want to pay the charge. If you act on the second day after the due date, it is too late. At that time, the charges are collected starting from the due date.

When will the library send an overdue notice ?
The first overdue notice will be sent two days after the due date, the second a week after the due date and the third two weeks after the due date.

When will a customer be placed in a loan ban?
When a loan or loans are overdue by more than 40 days or when there is a total of EUR 10 or more of unpaid charges.

How do I get the loan ban revoked?
By returning the overdue material and paying all accumulated overdue charges. The overdue charges can't be paid by instalments.

Can I pay the charges via a bank?
No, you can't.

Can I pay the charges with a cash card, a credit card or a Visa Electron card?
Yes you can.

Why do you charge the overdue fine also for those days when the library is closed and the books can't be returned?
These days are also included in the loan period given to the customer when loaning a book from the library. After the due date, the loan period has expired for all of the following days and the charges will be collected for each overdue day until the loan is renewed or returned.

LOST AND DAMAGED LOANS

I've misplaced the book I've loaned or it has been damaged. How much will this cost me?
A lost or damaged book must be repaid by paying the acquisition price

RESERVING BOOKS

The book I'd like to borrow on loan to somebody else and its due date appears to be xx. xx.2007. Can I count on that the book will be returned on that date?
You should reserve the book, because the current loaner can also renew the loan. In addition, they may return the book before or after the due date.

When can I make a reservation for a book?
You can reserve a book that is already on loan to somebody else. It is not possible to make a reservation if you have already reserved the book in question or if you have been issued a loan ban.

What does it cost to reserve a book?
The reservation charge is EUR 1 and it will be collected when you come to get the book you have reserved. The reservation charge will also be collected for a reservation you have cancelled if you cancel the reservation when the book has already been returned to the library.

How do I make a reservation?
You can make a reservation in the library by yourself at a customer terminal or ask for a clerk to make it for you. You can also make a reservation on any computer connected to the internet (instruction). You must have your library card with you at the library, otherwise you only need the number on it and your personal Internet password.

Can I make a reservation for a book that is on the shelf at the library?
Yes, you can. If the volume is at the library, call us, tel (03) 812 5420 or send us an e-mail to tiedekirjasto@lahti.fi and we'll reserve the book for you.

I saw on database Lakki that a book has been ordered for the library. Can I already reserve the book?
Yes, you can.

How do I know when a volume I've reserved has arrived?
We will send you a notification based on your choice by post or by e-mail. You can also receive a notification of arrival of a reserved book as an SMS .

I've received a reservation notification for a book that I can't pick up in time. Can I be granted some more time?
You can be granted a couple of days extra time by calling the library, tel. (03) 812 5420 at the latest on the last pick-up day.

Can someone else pick up books I've reserved for me?
Yes, if you give him or her your library card. However, remember that you are in charge of all materials loaned with your card. You can also give the library the name of the person who is coming to pick up the book you've reserved and issue a permit that the person may borrow the book with his or her card. Of course, if you do this, the other person will be in charge of the loan.

How soon can I get a book that I've reserved today?
It is difficult to answer this question. It depends not only on the number of books and their due dates but also on whether the loans will be returned in time or whether they are kept after the due dates.

Will I receive a book I've reserved by a certain date?
See the answer above. You can define when making a reservation how long you wish to wait for the book. If the book has not been returned by the date you have given, the reservation will be automatically deleted from your account.

I'm anxiously expecting a book I've reserved. Can I get a notice of its arrival faster than by waiting for the reservation notification that comes by post?
Yes, you can. You can get real-time information about your reservations by either calling the library or by checking the status of your reservations in database Lakki . You can also order a notification of arrival of a reservation as an SMS .

I already got a book I reserved from somewhere else / I no longer need a book I've reserved. What should I do?
If the book has not arrived at the library yet, you can cancel your reservation by notifying the library or by logging onto your account in database Lakki and removing the reservation. The reservation charge will be charged if the book has already been returned to the library.

INFORMATION RETRIEVAL

Is the availability information in Lakki up-to-date?
Yes, the information is real-time. For example, a book will be logged in Lakki as NOT CHARGED or ON HOLD as soon as it is returned to the library.

Why can't I find a book on the shelf in the library even though it is marked as NOT CHARGED in Lakki?
There are several possibilities. First, check on the database that the location and the call number are correct. New books can also be placed in the new book shelf . If you are still unable to find the book, please ask the check-out desk: the book might have been returned to the library a short while ago. Some other customer in the library may also have the book but they have not loaned it out yet.

I can't find a book / journal I'm looking for in your collections. What should I do?
First, double-check availability of the volume in the collections of the Lahti Region Educational Consortium Information Centers and the City Library . If you can't find the volume, you can make an acquisition suggestion to the library or order it as an interlibrary loan . An interlibrary loan order costs EUR 6 if the volume is available in Finland. Interlibrary loans from abroad cost EUR 15 and article copies as much as the sending library charges, however at least EUR 6.

Can I search for articles in database Lakki?
There is no data for articles in database Lakki. You must search for articles in separate article databases, there are several available on the homepage of the library . Finnish and foreign articles are listed in separate databases.

I would like to use database X. Do you have it and how much does it cost to use it?
The Lahti Science Library offers several databases to the use of its customers, including FinELib materials and databases that the library has acquired. The databases are available free of charge in the facilities of the Lahti Science Library. You can print the results to your queries (EUR 0.20 / page), save them on a diskette or e-mail them to yourself.

Who should I contact if I have a question connected with information retrieval?
You are always welcome to ask the library's information service about all issues connected with use of the library and information retrieval.

Can I use the databases offered by the library at home?
Yes, if you are a student in some educational establishment that offers remote connections to the network of the educational establishment and web materials to which the educational establishment has a license.

Why is it that an article I'm looking for is not available in a full text database?
In some databases, access to articles has been limited to certain years (e.g., Elsevier Science Direct: articles published after 1995 available only). In addition, the databases may include journals that are not included in the agreement made by the University of Helsinki.

What should I do in such a situation?
You can try to get copies of articles not included in the full text databases from Finnish and foreign libraries via the library's interlibrary loan service. You can also ask for instructions at the library information service. Before making an interlibrary loan request, you should always check if the journal you need is subscribed in print by some other library in Lahti.

LIBRARY SERVICES

I live far away. How can I borrow a book from the Science Library?
If you are unable to visit the library, please go to your local library and make an interlibrary loan request. An interlibrary loan is subject to a charge. The charge will be defined by your local library.

Can I ask for the library to order a certain book to your collection?
Yes, you can. Fill in the acquisition suggestion form where you must write your contact information (name and address as well as library card number) and as complete information about the book that you would like the library to acquire as possible. The librarian in charge of acquisitions will process your suggestion and if we decide to acquire the book for the library, you'll have the possibility to be the first person to loan it.

When will a book arrive in the library and when can I borrow it when I see that the book has been ordered by the library?
It is very difficult to say. Sometimes, the road of a book from order to arrival to the library collection can be very long. It depends mostly on where it was ordered from. As comes to books ordered from abroad, sometimes we have to wait several months for them. It is not said that we will get the book at all. Also, cataloguing and processing of the book so that it is ready for borrowing takes some time too.

What kind of equipment and software do you have available for customers?
We have nine workstations that can be reserved. There are three workstations available without need to reserve a time (max 15 min). In addition to these, we have two group workstations and private study rooms. All the customer workstations include various databases and software . Further, a scanner and a microfiche reader have been connected to one of the workstations. The library card is needed for logging in to the workstations.

Can I print material at the library?
You can print either black and white (EUR 0.20 / page) or colour printouts (EUR 0.50 / page) from all of the workstations at the library.