Much More than Books: Library Ser­vices in Oulu 

Libraries are the go-to place for bor­row­ing books, but did you know libraries in and around Oulu often have many more ser­vices avail­able for res­i­dents?

In 2023 alone, Oulu’s libraries loaned over 1.2 mil­lion adult books and near­ly 800,000 children’s and youth books…but that’s just the begin­ning. From dig­i­tal ser­vices and com­mu­ni­ty events to mobile libraries and equip­ment loans, the library sys­tem is a vibrant hub for learn­ing, cre­ativ­i­ty, and con­nec­tion. 

The City of Oulu oper­ates more than 20 local libraries, includ­ing 2 mobile libraries that bring ser­vices to neigh­bor­hoods across the region. You can find address­es and open­ing hours for all loca­tions on the City of Oulu web­site.

These libraries are part of the OUTI library net­work, which con­nects mul­ti­ple munic­i­pal­i­ties in North­ern Fin­land. This means a shared cat­a­log, cus­tomer data­base, and bor­row­ing sys­tem across the region. 

Join the Club 

Get­ting start­ed is easy. Just sign up for an OUTI library card, which gives you access to all libraries in the net­work. Each per­son needs their own card, and you can reg­is­ter at any library by fill­ing out a sim­ple form. 

More details about the library card are avail­able on the OUTI web­site.

End­less Pos­si­bil­i­ties 

Hav­ing a library card doesn’t just give you access to books…it opens the door to a wide vari­ety of items you might not expect.  

• Plan­ning a cozy movie night? You can bor­row DVDs and Blu-rays.  
• Host­ing a par­ty? Check out the library’s col­lec­tion of CDs, LPs, musi­cal instru­ments, and even sheet music to set the mood. 
• Feel­ing active? Oulu libraries also lend out sports equip­ment like disc golf sets, street bas­ket­balls, and ket­tle­bells, per­fect for try­ing some­thing new with­out the upfront cost. 

You can explore the full range of bor­row­able items on the City of Oulu Library Col­lec­tions page.

Libraries also pro­vide access to equip­ment and spaces you can reserve. Many libraries have com­put­ers and print­ers avail­able for pub­lic use, and some go even fur­ther by offer­ing 3D print­ers, sewing machines, and oth­er cre­ative tools that can be booked in advance. Need a place to meet or focus? Libraries also offer reserv­able spaces for meet­ings, group gath­er­ings, or sim­ply a qui­et spot to work or study. 

Find out more about reserv­ing equip­ment or spaces on the City of Oulu web­site.

Dig­i­tal Delights 

Your library card unlocks a world of dig­i­tal con­tent you can enjoy from any­where. With your mem­ber­ship, you can access a wide selec­tion of e‑books and e‑audiobooks — avail­able through your brows­er or a mobile app. Many audio­books are even offered in mul­ti­ple lan­guages. 

But that’s just the begin­ning. Your library mem­ber­ship also gives you access to: 

• Online mag­a­zines and news­pa­pers 
• A music stream­ing ser­vice 
• A plat­form for con­certs, operas, bal­lets, and doc­u­men­taries 
• A movie stream­ing ser­vice 
• And even an online video ser­vice for learn­ing musi­cal instru­ments 

You can explore all these dig­i­tal ser­vices through the OUTI web­site.

Events, Exhi­bi­tions & Com­mu­ni­ty Life 

Oulu’s libraries are also live­ly com­mu­ni­ty spaces that host hun­dreds of free events each year. Whether you’re into music, lit­er­a­ture, or fam­i­ly-friend­ly fun, there’s some­thing for every­one. 

The event cal­en­dar includes: 

• Live music per­for­mances 
• Children’s shows and sto­ry­times 
• Author vis­its and book talks 
• Top­i­cal dis­cus­sions and work­shops 

Many events are also avail­able online, either as live streams or record­ings on the Library’s YouTube chan­nel. 

Libraries also wel­come com­mu­ni­ty involve­ment. Res­i­dents can organ­ise their own events or exhi­bi­tions in library spaces, mak­ing them true hubs of local cul­ture and cre­ativ­i­ty. 

You can browse upcom­ing events on the City of Oulu libraries home page.

Your Library, Your Com­mu­ni­ty 

Whether you’re look­ing to bor­row a book, stream a con­cert, learn a new instru­ment, or sim­ply find a qui­et place to work, Oulu’s libraries are here for you. They’re more than just build­ings with books…they’re wel­com­ing spaces that sup­port learn­ing, cre­ativ­i­ty, and com­mu­ni­ty for every­one. 

So if you haven’t vis­it­ed your local library in a while, now’s the per­fect time to explore all it has to offer. With just one library card, a world of pos­si­bil­i­ties is at your fin­ger­tips. 

Re-Open­ing of Cen­tral Library Saari

The newest addi­tion to the Oulu Library ser­vices is the ren­o­vat­ed Cen­tral Library Saari (open­ing in Novem­ber 24, 2025). It is locat­ed near to the cen­ter of Oulu on Vän­man­nin­saari, close to Toripoli­isi and Oulu The­ater.

Address:
Kaar­len­väylä 3
90100 OULU
Oulu, Fin­land

The ren­o­vat­ed library has many of the ser­vices men­tioned above avail­able for pub­lic use — make sure to go and check it out.

The library is wait­ing for you!

Text by: Sophie Platt