Accessibility

All the facilities of the National Library of Finland have disabled access. There is a separate access route for individuals with reduced mobility to the facilities in our main building. We also offer aids for using our materials and collections to those requiring them.

Index

Customers can have a mention of special services required in their National Library card. In this case, we will fetch books for the customer and make reservations by phone. Reserved books can be picked up with the customer’s library card and mailed to the customer’s home address.

Disabled access

Unfortunately, the main entrance of our library at Unioninkatu 36 is not suited for wheelchair access or for people with reduced mobility; we kindly ask customers to use the entrance in the inner courtyard at Yliopistokatu 1. The inner courtyard also has disabled parking.

Cloakroom, lifts and toilets for the disabled

From the inner courtyard entrance you will get to the foyer with toilets and storage compartments.

The foyer is connected with Rotunda in the first floor of our main building with a lift. The lift opens directly behind the customer service point in Rotunda. The customer service personnel will provide assistance in the use of materials as well as borrowing and returning materials.

The use of the lift requires that a custodian is present, which means that at the end of the visit you return to the customer service point in Rotunda. A custodian will assist in moving back to the exit in Yliopistokatu 1.

Lifts to other floors are located along the sides of Rotunda. There is enough room for a wheelchair on the Rotunda galleries. Unfortunately, galleries surrounding the Cupola Hall as well as South and North Halls are too narrow for wheelchairs.

Main building reading rooms

The main building reading rooms, South and North Hall, are located in the first floor on both sides of the Cupola Hall.  They are accessed from Rotunda through the Cupola Hall.  The reading room have electronic doors that open with a push of a button. Upon request, the custodian will help you with settling by the tables in the reading rooms by, for example, moving the reading room chairs aside.

The reading rooms are quiet spaces. If you need instructions or materials to be read aloud, we kindly ask you to contact the customer service in advance. We reserve the music listening room on the Fabiania side also for this kind of use.

Fabiania customer facilities and reading rooms

Access to the library wing on the Fabianinkatu takes place via the connection tunnel.  Fabiania side houses the Music Library, music listening room, Special Collections Reading Room and the Slavonic Library.

The connecting tunnel starts from the ground floor of the main building where the Café Rotunda is located. There is a lift with disabled access that will take you down to the connection corridor. The doors at the end of the corridor are not automated and have a low threshold. After the doors, there is a lift on the left, which will take you to the floors in the Fabiania wing.

Customer facilities in the Fabiania side are well-suited for moving around with a wheelchair. Disabled toilets are located on 1. floor.

Exhibition facilities

Various cultural events, such as lectures and concerts, are organised in the Cupola Hall located in the first floor of the main building of our library. Disabled access to the Cupola Hall has been organised through Rotunda.

The ground floor of the library main building houses exhibition facilities Gallery and the Agricola room. There is disabled access to the facilities either directly through the foyer of disabled access or after visiting the library by the disabled lift in Rotunda.

The conference facilities at Yliopistonkatu 1

The conference facilities are located on the 2nd floor of Fabiania. Barrier-free access can be arranged if necessary: contact the custodians by phone 0504487050 or by e-mail kk-vahti@helsinki.fi.

Aids

We offer aids for using our services and materials. You must arrange using the reading TV in advance with the doormen. The music listening room can also be booked for situations when a sighted guide reads materials aloud to the customer.

We are happy to provide assistance

Our personnel are happy to assist in the use of library services and practical arrangements. It is recommended that the visit is arranged in advance, so that we can provide information for the customer and reserve members of the personnel to assist the customer in moving and other practical matters.

We kindly ask you to contact our customer service or doormen in advance during weekends to ensure a successful visit to the library.

Guide and assisting dogs are naturally welcome to visit the library.