Library card – your key to reading, watching and listening, for the online eKirjasto library service too
Borrowing, reserving and payments
The Joki libraries include the Alavieska, Haapajärvi, Haapavesi, Kalajoki, Kärsämäki, Merijärvi, Nivala, Oulainen, Pyhäjärvi, Pyhäntä, Reisjärvi, Sievi, Siikalatva and Ylivieska libraries.
Customers agree to observe these user rules and any amendments to them when using the library services, receiving a library card or agreeing to be a responsible person. The use of devices at the library are subject to separate instructions and rules which can be found on the libraries’ own websites. The opening hours of the library service points as well as the schedules for the Haapajärvi, Haapavesi, Kalajoki, Nivala, Pyhäjärvi, Sievi and Ylivieska mobile libraries are available at the libraries’ service points and websites as well as at the online Joki library service at joki.finna.fi.
The municipality’s right to prepare user rules for the library is based on the Public Libraries Act (1492/216). The user rules are valid from 24/05/2021 onwards. The fees, loan times and borrowing limitations can be found at the end of the user rules.
The library is open to all
The collections, services and customer facilities of Joki libraries are available to anyone who observes these user rules. The use, borrowing and reserving of library materials as well as guidance and advice is free of charge. Some of the libraries have various premises which municipal residents, organisations and associations may book for their private use. The library has customer terminals and an open (WLAN) information network. The library shall not be liable for any problems or damages caused to the customer as a result of equipment used at the library or the use of the open network.
Library card and PIN code
Library card
A personal library card is needed to borrow library materials. A customer can obtain a library card after filling in an application form. The details of the form are stored in the library’s customer register. To obtain a customer account, the customer or responsible person must present a photo identification document and provide their social security number and contact details. Under 15-year-olds can get a library card with their guardian’s written consent. A daycare centre, school, company or other community can apply for a community card. The community’s contact details and a responsible person’s signature are needed for a community card.
The first library card is free of charge. The same library card can be used at all Joki libraries.
The customer is responsible for any borrowed materials. If materials are borrowed with an under 15-year-old’s library card, the guardian is responsible for the materials. The community using the card is responsible for the use of a community card.
Lost library cards and any name or contact detail changes must immediately be notified to one of the Joki libraries. This also applies to the responsible person. A library card, which has been reported as lost, cannot be used to borrow.
PIN-koodi
The use of some library services, such as renewing a library item in the online library service or using self-service libraries, requires a PIN code in addition to a library card. A customer can request a PIN code by presenting their library card or providing proof of identity. The PIN code is not provided by email or over the phone.
User data protection
Joki libraries have a shared customer register. The library has the right to use social security numbers in their customer register (Data Protection Act 1050/2018, Sections 4 and 29). The customer has the right to review what personal details are held in the library’s databases (Data Protection Regulation 2016/679, Articles 13-18). The library’s identifying borrower and borrowing details are not disclosed to third parties. The privacy policy and data protection policy concerning the libraries’ management of customer details can be found on the Joki libraries’ website.
Borrowing and returns
A library card is required to borrow library materials. A library card may also be in the form of a mobile card on a phone. There are physical materials and electronic materials available at the library to use or borrow. The library shall not be liable for the contents of borrowed materials or the accuracy of information, or any damages caused to the customers by them. The libraries observe the statutory age limits of movies and games.
Loan time and due date
- Books and audio books have a loan time of 28 days.
- The loan time of popular books is 14 days (quick circulation).
- Magazines, recordings (music recordings,
DVDs and Blu-rays) and games (board games and console games)
have a loan time of 14 days. - Short-term loans are 7 days.
You can check the due date of loans from the loan receipt or in the online library service. The loan time ends on the due date at the closing time of the library.
You can request due date reminders for loans and they are sent to your email 1-5 days before the due date. A borrowed library item must be returned or renewed on the due date even if no pre-warning for the end of loan time has been issued. The library is not responsible for the receipt of due date reminders.
Returning borrowed library items
Borrowed library items can be returned to any Joki library. Exceptions include interlibrary loans and items. They must be returned to the library they were borrowed from. A receipt for the return is provided upon request. Some libraries have a return box which you can use to return library items when the library is closed. Ylivieska’s main library has a return box. Returning materials to the return box is at the customer’s own risk. Materials returned via the return box shall be registered as returned the following day during the library’s opening hours.
Renewing library items
Library items can be renewed up to five times if there are no reservations for the material and the library card has borrowing rights. Short-term loans cannot be renewed. You can renew library items in the online Joki library service, at the library, mobile library, by email or by phone.
Reservations
Joki libraries’ items can be reserved at the library, mobile library or the online library service. Reservations can be made free of charge. The library may also have materials which cannot be reserved, such as short-term loan items. When a reserved material is available for collection at the library, you will receive a notification in your selected manner by email, SMS or post. The reservation must be collected within 7 days after receiving the arrival notification. Please notify the library if you are unable to collect a reservation by the last collection date. If a reservation is not collected or cancelled in time, the customer will be charged a fee of one euro.
Interlibrary loans
If a necessary material cannot be found within Joki libraries’ collections, an interlibrary loan can be made from elsewhere in Finland or abroad. Interlibrary loans are subject to the lending library’s loan times and fees.
Payments and debt collection
Reminder payments
The library shall send the first reminder for a non-returned library item within 7 days after the due date of the loan, a second reminder 21 days after the due date of the loan and a third one after 35 days. In case of reserved library items and short-term loans, a reminder is sent immediately after the due date. Reminders are subject to a fee, excluding the first reminder sent for reserved materials.
Invoice
If a borrowed library item is 49 days late, the customer shall be sent an invoice. Unreturned loans of under 15-year-olds shall be invoiced to the guardian. If the library item exists, it must be returned to the library and the outstanding fees must be paid. If the library item is lost or damaged, it must be replaced. The library item can be replaced by acquiring a similar item for the library or paying the library’s invoice. For copyrights reasons, movies cannot be replaced with similar recordings but, instead, they are compensated to the library by paying the replacement charge which is based on the library’s purchase price.
Debt collection
Any unpaid invoice, which has been transferred to debt collection, shall be subject to debt collection fees in addition to the replacement charge of the library item. The debt collection methods vary between municipalities.
Loss of user rights
When using the library services, a library user must not cause disturbance to the library’s other users or staff, or compromise the library’s comfort or safety. The library staff has the right to ask a customer causing disturbance to leave the library and the request must be fulfilled immediately. The library premises are public premises and they may only be used in accordance with the library services’ intended purpose. Other use of the premises must be requested from the chief librarian/director of the library. The chief librarian/director of the library or their substitute may issue a customer with a temporary, library-specific user ban (up to 30 days) if, despite warnings, the customer repeatedly and significantly causes disturbance to the library operations or compromises its safety or damages the library’s property. Before issuing a ban, the customer must be heard and an office-holder’s decision on the user ban shall be made, which the customer can appeal in accordance with the Local Government Act.
Online Library 24/7
eLibrary24/7
Libary card application
Application in English (pdf)
Terms of use and fees
Keep the library up to date
If you lose your library card, notify the library immediately. This is how you avoid misuse of the card. Renewing the card costs 1 euro.
If your name, address or phone number changes, please update your information. It can also be done in the online library.