The last few days I’ve been ill, so I was bedridden most of the time. As it is raining almost everyday and it is getting darker and darker, the best way to kill time is by reading. I’ve been meaning to get a library pass for sometime now. I went across the National Library of Finland many times, but didn’t have the guts to go in. The time has come! I just went for it. The old entrance was closed,
The National Library of Finland ( old entrance )
meaning that the new entrance is the other way around, that is:
New Entrance Info
You just need to continue straight and take your right ( Unionkatu). Basically, that is the right side of the Helsinki Cathedral. And there you have it ,The National Library of Finland.
Mind you, IMMENSE!
The new location is behind the Helsinki Cathedral, the back end of the it.
You get in from that brown door, and you have to leave your personal belongings in the lockers in the locker room on your right. From there, you continue straight to the staff service. You need to take a ticket from the ticket mashine ( in Finland there is a queue ticket machine, almost in every public institution. You click on the button then receive your queue number and wait for your turn.)
In order to acquire the library card you need to give your personal information to the person behind the counter( Don’t forget your I.D and Finnish personal security number! )
After all the paperwork is done, you receive your HELKA card. You can use this card in the National Library as well as in Kaisa – Talo among others.
HELKA library card
The building is in an rotund shape consisted of few floors all full of books from different literary genres: from Archeology to Applied Science. Enough to satisfy everyone’s needs. Not mine 😀 😀
The interior of the National Library of Finland
I was browsing around, had a hard time to find what I wanted, so I used one of computers and searched through the database of the National Library:
https://helka.linneanet.fi/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?LANGUAGE=English&DB=local&PAGE=First&init=1
Personally, I advise you to use this. Because the library is humongous! You can’t possibly find what you want. After you have found your book, the page will give you more information about the location of the book.
The books I have been searching for were not available in the National Library. Instead, most of them were located in the newly opened branch of Helsinki University library, called Kaisa Talo ( talo = house )
It has been only recently that the Kaisa Talo had been revealed to the public eye. The Kaisa House is located on the so called ‘Hirvi’ block on Fabianinkatu in the heart and soul of Helsinki. The premises of Kaisa Talo were a project realized by World Capital Design Helsinki 2012.
Kaisa Talo
The entrance to the Kaisa talo is through a flight of stairs on the right of the main building.
Main Entrance
As you go inside, you are awe – stricken by the white marble like interior . Simplicity and practicality. The top assets of Finnish architecture and design.
The building was consisted by 7 floors and 3 basement floors ( K2 – K3 – K4 , supplementary collections.)
My field of interest was FLOOR 5 – Art Studies and Languages.
I was so stocked by the interior and the bookshelves that I forgot what I was looking for! For shame..
What else? The reading area, ah! It was a pure pleasure to be there. Just take a seat and relax, enjoy the rest of the day with some nice word porn.
Reading Area in Floor 5
As simple as that. It was really relaxing, and best of all QUIET. Racing through the staircases trying to find what I want, every now and then I would spot some colourful decoration right next to the bookshelves.
Reading can be fun!
Time was closing in, my feet hurt from pacing around the bookshelves. It was about the time for me to leave that place once and for all. JK 😀
From the exit, you could see the spiral – shape of all the floors of the Kaisa – Talo, ending in one big window. Geometric and alien, magic for the eyes!
view from the exit
One thing is certain, I will visit this place once again. This time, I will find what I am looking for ( hopefully .) I still feel shaky, because I cannot use the lending automates nor all those technological newbies. Tyhma poika!
Finland, thou technological marvel!
Do you have your library pass already? If not, make haste and join in! I strongly advise you to visit these libraries. Few of the many libraries in the Helsinki area.
Joining in is free, it only takes some of your time.
HYVÄÄ YÖTÄ!
finnishchronicles 