Terms of use

These terms of use apply to all library users who utilise the UEF Library’s services, appliances and facilities either on site or online.

• UEF Library users are entitled to use the library’s services and facilities during opening hours. Information about the library’s services can be found on the library’s website or by consulting the staff at the service desk, via the chat service or by sending e-mail to kirjasto@uef.fi.
• All library users have the right to borrow and use materials from the library. Different loan periods and regulations apply to different types of borrowable materials. In addition, library users can make reservations for items that are out on loan and place interlibrary loan requests on material that is unavailable in the UEF Library.
• All library users may use the library’s online materials within the facilities of campus libraries. Remote access to electronic resources is restricted to licenced user groups, i.e. university students and staff as well as Kuopio University Hospital staff.
• In accordance with the Act on Collecting and Preserving Cultural Materials (1433/2007), materials belonging to the Legal Deposit Collection may be accessed on the library premises by all library users.
• As decreed by the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU-GDPR 2016/679, Article 15; ”Right of access by the data subject”), the library users have the right to review their personal data in the library’s loan register. In addition, the library users are, upon request, entitled to review the library’s description of privacy policy.

• When acquiring a personal library card, a library user enters into an agreement with the library which gives the library user certain rights of use for a limited period of time.
• When applying for a library card, a valid form of ID has to be presented. In addition, all personal data requested by the library has to be supplied. Library users under the age of 15 shall receive rights of use only with a guardian’s written approval. When applying for a customership and library card, the customer undertakes to follow the library’s terms of use and instructions. Should a library card be misplaced, it is important, in order to prevent potential misuse, to inform the library without delay. The personal library card must be presented when borrowing and reserving materials.
• The customers are responsible for the accuracy of the information in the customer register concerning them.
• As decreed by the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU-GDPR 2016/679, Article 6; “Lawfulness of processing”), a person’s social security number must be given when applying for a library card.
• All library users are responsible for all the material borrowed with their library card and, in addition, they have to comply with all the regulations relating to loan periods and use of the library’s materials.
• The library user shall pay service fees according to the list of fees provided by the library. The fees vary according to user group. (Universities Act 558/2009; Government Decree on Fees Charged for Services Provided by Finnish Universities 1082/2009.)
• Unreturned materials shall be compensated by the library user according to the library’s list of fees. The library has the right to recover all unpaid fees by invoicing and legal collection. If overdue loans are returned after an invoice has been sent and received, the library user will have to pay the processing costs described in the library’s list of fees.
• In the event that the library user returns overdue loans after having paid the invoiced fees, the library is not obliged to repay the sum to the user.
• Borrowing rights will be suspended for library users who have unpaid fees that exceed the restoration of borrowing rights fee stated in the list of service fees. The borrowing rights will be restored when all the fees and costs have been paid. For well-grounded reasons, a library user’s borrowing rights can be temporarily suspended for two years.
• When using the library’s materials, the library user acknowledges the Copyright Act (404/1961). In addition, when using the library’s electronic resources, the library user acknowledges the terms of use stated in the licence agreements and library regulations relating to the materials in question. More information on Terms of use for e-resources can be found from library's website. The Collection-specific terms can be found on web page of the National Finnish Electronic Library FinELib (choose a collection and scroll down the page to see the terms in English).
• The library user assumes all responsibility for the storage of personal computer files. Installing computer software on the library’s computers is prohibited. The library assumes no responsibility for damage caused by system malfunctions or computer viruses. The library user is obliged to comply with the university’s data protection rules and safety regulations.
• The library user is required to use the library’s materials and appliances appropriately. In case of any damage caused by the library user, the library user is responsible for compensation.
• The library user is fully responsible for personal items left behind at the library. The library user should behave in an orderly fashion within the library premises and refrain from disturbing other library users. The library user may be removed from the library premises for inappropriate conduct towards other library users or the library staff.
• When using the library’s services, the library user must comply with the library’s terms of use and pay attention to instructions given by the library staff. Failure to comply with the library’s rules and regulations will result in a suspension for a fixed period of time. The suspension of borrowing or other rights is decided and enforced by the service desk staff.

• The library reserves the right to determine and change the opening hours. The library has the right to determine loan periods.
• The library has the right to determine a list of fees and collect payments accordingly (Universities Act 558/2009; Government Decree on Fees Charged for Services Provided by Finnish Universities 1082/2009).
• The library has the right to temporarily suspend a library user’s borrowing rights if the library user has not returned overdue books or paid overdue fees.
• The library has the right to ask a library user to leave from the library premises in case of inappropriate conduct or for causing disturbance. The Director of Administration decides based on the library’s proposal on the limitations to the library user’s rights of use concerning the premises.
• The library reserves the right to change the terms of use.

• All library users shall have access to the library’s collections, services, facilities and appliances.
• The library provides adequate information and instructions regarding its services. Information is found at the campus libraries, on the library’s website, via e-mail and via online chat service.
• The library shall use the loan register only for supervising the circulation of materials. The library shall also ensure that all information relating to a loan will be removed from the register when the loaned item is returned to the library, provided that the item is not overdue or otherwise marked for processing. Loan register data shall not be delivered to any third party other than the collection agency to which all such collection cases will be assigned. All data given for national statistical use shall be impersonal in nature. See the data protection information online.
• The library staff is bound to professional discretion.
• The library shall acknowledge the feedback given by library users and take it into account when developing the library’s operations.

The library staff shall resolve all cases where the library’s terms of use give rise to disagreements. The library user has the right to make a complaint about the library’s resolutions to the university administration within two weeks of the decision. Should a disagreement result in civil action, the trial shall be held before the Northern Savo District Court. Terms of use are in effect from September 1st 2018. They are found on the library’s website. Terms of use have been accepted by the UEF library management group August 22nd 2018.

Kuopio August 22nd 2018 Jarmo Saarti, Library Director.

Accepted amendments (“universal borrowing”(=UB) with the National Repository Library and customer commitment to compliance with the library’s terms of use and instructions)

Kuopio June 17th2020 Jarmo Saarti, Library Director.

Accepted amendments in the customers' responsibility to ensure that the information concerning them is correct in the customer register.

Kuopio October 15th2020 Jarmo Saarti, Library Director.