As you know I read a lot. Most of my reading is borrowed from libraries.
The Helmet Libraries of the Helsinki region function so smoothly:
I can reserve books to my nearest library, check online when they are ready to be picked,
I can reserve books to my nearest library, check online when they are ready to be picked,
the library even sends me an e-mail. All this service is for free.
Here are the customers' reservations ready to be picked.
A person’s alias distinguishes the own books and keeps privacy intact.
Under the Library Act, every Finnish municipality must provide library services
that meet certain standards. Public library services, as all other public services, must be equally accessible to everyone. All basic services are free of charge for all users.
Libraries are these days called ’citizens’ living rooms’
- or, along with the increased immigration to Finland, ‘multicultural living rooms’.
Some facts found online by Ministry of Education and Culture, year 2016:
Population 5,5 million
738 libraries
140 mobile libraries
2 million borrowers
50 million library visits
68 million book loans
45 000 eBooks
My photos are from an ordinary local library. It is a big functional building,
not extravagant as the brand new OODI Central Library - see my post HERE.
Nor has it ancient architectonic flair or decorations or charm like
But I was content: had a coffee and came home with seven new books!
De siempre he sabido, que Finlandia es el país más avanzado de Europa, es más, yo me atrevería a decir que del mundo, y estas cifras lo demuestran, porque ¿como se puede avanzar? si no le das al pueblo cultura y enseñanza gratis.
VastaaPoistaEn España no andamos del todo mal, en cuanto a bibliotecas, por supuesto, sin llegar a vuestro nivel, y en cuanto a la enseñanza, ahí, si hemos tenido un empeoramiento, mientras ha gobernado la derecha de Aznar y Rajoy, que se han dedicado a robar. Eso, si que lo han hecho bien.
Me ha gustado mucho, la biblioteca que has puesto de ejemplo, se ve, moderna, funcional, y con muy buena luz.
Un fuerte abrazo, amiga.
Hola Manuel,
PoistaTu comentario me dio mucha alegría. El estadística no dice cuál es el número de 'heavy users' / usuarios intensos. Yo misma soy definitivamente uno de ellos con casi 200 libros leídos el año pasado. (Hay que admitir que unos cincuenta eran poesía con menos páginas.) Aquí se han también cortado de enseñanza, de todo donde se puede - no son tiempos faciles.
Ahora estoy leyendo Los pacientes del doctor Garcia de Almudena Grandes - de biblioteca naturalmente. Muchas gracias por tu comentario, te espero un buen nueva semana.
...libraries are an important part of a progressive society.
VastaaPoistaIt would be hard without them Tom!
PoistaHello Dear Riitta!
VastaaPoistaI also use the Library very often.
Interesting topic of your post.
Happy week.
Hugs and greetings.
Lucja
Libraries are great - it's wonderful to get something back from your tax payments.
PoistaLibraries are so important.
VastaaPoistaWe have an excellent one quite close by, and it is well used … and free.
It also holds regular small events, for example story time for pre-school, and is well supported, which is wonderful.
All the best Jan
The same here Jan. In addition to the basic services libraries arrange fairytale hours for children, computer courses for elderly, writer meetings, language cafes for immigrants, reading challenges - you name it!
PoistaMe encantan los libros riitta y leerlos. Besitos.
VastaaPoistaI'm glad to hear that Teresa!
PoistaI also love libraries Riitta! Yours looks so bright and cheerful ...a living room where I would enjoy spending some time. .. I do most of my reading nowadays on my Kindle e-reader, but I check out library books for it as well.
VastaaPoistaI prefer still ordinary printed books :) I want to feel the touch...
PoistaOur city's library system is much like yours. I go online to choose books, and receive an email when they are ready to be picked up. Browsing through the stacks is also popular. Our libraries also offer a bank of computers and internet usage for those who don't have access at home, or for those who are homeless. I value our public libraries so much. When we lived in South America there were none and I greatly felt the lack. Libraries here also offer reading sessions for small children and activities for older children. It's a wonderful, wonderful place, and I'm happy to read that Finland and Canada have this in common.
VastaaPoistaHi Lorrie,
PoistaIt really seems that we have the same system and in my answer to Jan above I explained about the numerous other activities and events. I understand that having lived in a country where there were none of these services you do appreciate your library system! Wishing you a good week!
We Finns are so lucky, because we have public libraries.
VastaaPoistaThank you for reminding <3
So it is Kirsti! I know that you use the library bus. It is a bus that circulates a certain route and brings books nearer to readers. Another great library service!
PoistaBibliotecas um mundo que adoro, aproveito para desejar uma boa semana.
VastaaPoistaAndarilhar
Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
O prazer dos livros
Hello Ritta, I love libraries too. I have been borrowing and downloading my library ebooks onto my kindle reader. But, I also have two local libraries not far from my house. They come in handy for many reasons. Happy Monday, enjoy your day and have a great new week ahead.
VastaaPoistaHello dear Riitta, indeed it’s always a pleasure to read a good book.
VastaaPoistaA good book is a treasure, give you time to meet others thoughts...
...happy MosaicMonday!
Oh I loved reading this post and learning more about your libraries. They are very important to me and always have been since I was a girl! What a beautiful library you've featured too. I could spend all day there! I check out a lot of my books as ebooks now and that has been nice too. Enjoy your week! Happy reading!
VastaaPoistaThanks for this interesting post. We are also library users, for music as well...enjoy your books!
VastaaPoistaRiitta - I also love libraries. There is something about the quiet hush, with people ambling the stacks of books, looking for something to pique their interest. Sometimes I gaze at the stacks and just imagine the number of words that they represent. Amazing! Thanks for linking up to Mosaic Monday, as always, and enjoy your week ahead with your new books!
VastaaPoista@Francisco, Eileen, Erica, Lavender Dreamer, Luisella & Angie:
PoistaI'm so happy to find out that you are book lovers as well 💕
Hi, Riitta.
VastaaPoistaCongratulations on the taste of reading.
Since she likes reading so much, she advised her to read the book The Other Exile by the writer Abdul Rahman Azzam. It speaks of the misadventures of a Portuguese man from the time of the discoveries and the absurd deprivation of his religious freedom and of the tragic consequences for daring to change and to follow his thought. It is a fantastic account of that even in disgrace and despite its physical limitations the determination of the human being can lead you to do and as far as you can take it
Thank you for this reading tip. I checked our library but this book is not available there. It can be bought at Amazon and I also read about the plot. Must be a very interesting, yet tragic story. I'll think about it. Thank you so much.
PoistaLiebe Riitta,
VastaaPoistaich habe diesen Post mit sehr großem Interesse gelesen. Ich mag diesen Ort Bibliothek. Dort ist immer eine besondere Stimmung: Keiner ist in Eile, Jeder ist vertieft in seine eigene Welt. Jetzt haben wir bei uns zu Hause eine ziemlich große eigene Bibliothek. Da Wolfgang und ich sehr gerne Bücher lesen.
Liebe Grüße
Loretta
I prefer books, watch television very little. Books open new worlds!
PoistaAll the splendid wonder and adventure to be found at the library. :-)
VastaaPoistaSo true!
PoistaYour library is very lovely and functional! I also enjoy getting most of my books and DVD's from our local library as it saves me money and it a warm place to spend a few hours of the day.
VastaaPoistaHow great to have such interaction with the libraries.
VastaaPoista