When Andy Johansen first visited Helsinki’s Oodi Library in early 2020 he was struck with amazement by the elegant three-story mass of wood, steel and glass, and the labyrinth of wonders within it. “I ...

‘I think it’s quite unique to build a library in a city today,’ says Jan Vapaavuori, mayor of Helsinki. The city has just opened Oodi, a new central library designed by Finnish architecture firm ALA ...

I initially went Helsinki’s Oodi Library on a whim. My friend’s son needed another Harry Potter book. And because I find visiting a location in any city I don’t live in inherently interesting, I ...

A land of 100,000 lakes? More aptly and accurately, Finland is a nation of 100 percent literacy, a land of libraries. The country celebrated its 101st year of independence on December 6 by dedicating ...

Imagine having two dresses to iron and some family photos to print. For many, it will seem odd to choose a public library to do both for free. But in Helsinki, Finland’s capital, it’s a reality. The ...

VISITORS TO Oodi (meaning “ode”), Helsinki’s new central library, will find few books on its shelves: since it opened in December, a staggering 70% of the 100,000-odd collection has been borrowed.

Helsinki has entered a “new era of libraries” with the completion of Oodi, the Helsinki Central Library that not only serves as a new central point for the city’s public library network but also an ...

Who may use Helsinki University Library? How can I get a library card and what should I do if I lose it? Who may use Helsinki University Library? Everyone has the right to use Helsinki University ...

HELSINKI, Finland — Two days before the opening on Dec. 5 of Oodi, Helsinki’s new central library, its director, Anna-Maria Soininvaara, stood before some of the high-tech equipment that would soon be ...

There’s nothing like getting lost in a good book, but one reader in Finland seems to have taken that to an extreme. Staff at a public library in Helsinki were rather surprised when a copy of Arthur ...

The Helsinki University Library facilities are a public space where photographing and filming are permitted. Kaisa House, the campus libraries and learning centres are designed to be primarily ...

In terms of both the cityscape and its symbolic significance, the proposal by WEAVA Architects + SWAN Architectes for the Helsinki Central Library will represent a modern and dynamic image of an urban ...