Library of Parliament and Archive of Parliament regulations
1 § General rules and instructions
The customer undertakes to comply with these regulations when signing the library card application.
The customer is responsible for the loaned material.
The customer uses the library services without disturbing other customers or causing damage to the library material.
When using the library services, the customer complies with the instructions of the personnel.
The library reports any amendments to the services on the library’s website.
2 § Using and loaning the library material
A library card can be issued to everyone who fills in the library card application and proves their identity. Minors under the age of 15 must have written consent from their guardian to get a library card.
The library card is personal.
The library card or a photo ID must be presented when loaning material. The customer must report any changes to their address information and lost library cards without undue delay to the customer service of the library.
The customer undertakes to return or renew their loans on the due date, at the latest. The customer will be subject to a loan prohibition if the customer has not renewed or returned the loaned material within 28 days after the due date, at the latest. The customer is obliged to compensate for lost or damaged material in a manner agreed separately on a case-by-case basis.
The loan right of the customer will be restored when the customer returns or compensates the material as agreed.
Material that is in poor condition, rare or historically valuable and reference library material are only loaned to be used in the library’s customer facilities.
If the loaned material is required for parliamentary work, the material is requested to be returned to the library during the loan period.
3 § Using archival material
Printed parliamentary session documents are available to customers similarly as the other library material. Customers must use copied archival materials always when available. Original archival materials may only be used in the Library of Parliament’s customer facilities. Original materials must always be returned to the customer service point after the use. It is prohibited to take photographs of the material. If necessary, the library employees may copy the original archival material.
When loaning archival material, the customer undertakes to comply with the regulations and instructions on the handling and publicity of the documents.
Archival materials are mostly public. Access rights to confidential documents are applied for in writing from the Secretary-General of the Parliament. For some archival material, access right is granted by the Director of the Library of Parliament.
4 § Information service
The Information Service of the Library of Parliament carries out information retrieval assignments in the library’s fields of expertise.
The retrieval results are delivered to the customer within three weekdays or as agreed.
The library has the right to decide on the assignment limits.
The Information Service does not provide legal guidance.
5 § Interlibrary Loans Service
Interlibrary loan materials required by the Members of Parliament and officials working in the Parliamentary Office or agencies in connection with the Parliament can be obtained.
Interlibrary loans in the Library of Parliament’s fields of expertise can be obtained for researchers who are at least in their postgraduate degree phase.
The library also sends interlibrary loans and copies from its own collections to other libraries. Microfilmed and digital archival material is interlibrary loaned to other libraries and regional archives. Original archival materials are not loaned between libraries.
The Interlibrary Loans Service complies with the library’s general regulations and the instructions issued by the sending library.
6 § Facilities and equipment
The customer uses the library facilities and equipment without disturbing other customers or causing damage to the library material.
A break room is at the customers’ disposal.
Drinking and eating is only allowed in the break room.
The library has lockers for storing personal items while visiting the library.
Bringing animals other than guide dogs to the library is prohibited.
7 § Copying
The customer can take copies of the publications included in the Library of Parliament’s collections and order copies subject to a charge within the limits laid down in the Copyright Act (404/1961). Parliament material and Finlex material can be printed free of charge using the designated printers.
8 § Payment and compensation principles
The library services are mainly free of charge.
The free basic services of the Library of Parliament, service fees and compensation principles are presented on the library’s website.
9 § Confidentiality of the customer information
The Library of Parliament does not disclose personal details and loan data of its customers to third parties. An exception to this are the assignments concerning the recovery of unreturned materials. In these cases, the library discloses customer and unreturned loan information to the collection agency. The Privacy Policy covering the library customer register is available on the library’s website. The customer has the right to access their data stored in the register.
10 § Prohibition of use
The Director of the Library of Parliament and their replacement have the right to temporarily prohibit a person who is not following these regulations from using the library.
11 § Regulations’ entry into force
These Library of Parliament regulations, confirmed by the Board of Directors of the Library of Parliament on 17 February 2021, enter into force on 1 April 2021 and remain valid until further notice.
These regulations replace the Library of Parliament regulations confirmed by the Board of Directors of the Library of Parliament on 27 March 2014 which entered into force on 15 May 2014.