Literature and literary research collections

Finnish literature

Finnish-language literature is in the library’s open access collection in the General Department (shelf marks Ea and Ea.f), as is literature in the Sami language (shelf mark Eal). Literature published before 1920 is held in closed stacks (shelf mark Ea.v). The literature collection also contains literary comics (shelf mark Ea.s). Anthologies are kept in closed stacks (shelf mark Eb). Ephemera are classified as Ea.p. Library staff will help in locating ephemera.

Catalogues: the Helka database

Using the collection: Literature published after 1920 is kept in the open access collection. Older titles must be ordered in advance from the library archive, see archive requests. Material published before 1900 may only be used in the reading room.

Children’s and youth literature

Children’s and youth literature is held in closed stacks (shelf mark Re). The collection includes mostly Finnish children’s literature excluding picture books for small children.

Catalogues:

• The Helka database (all literature acquired in or after 1992 together with some older titles)
• The library’s main card index in the lending office (material acquired before 1992)

Using the collection: Material must be ordered in advance, see archive requests. Material published before 1900 can only be used in the reading room.

Translated literature

There is an extensive collection of translations of Finnish literature in the open access collection (shelf mark Eu). However, Finnish translations of Swedish-language and Sami literature have been placed in the collection of literature translated into Finnish that is held in closed stacks.

There are around two thousand volumes in the collection of literature translated into Finnish (shelf marks Ed and Ec). The expertise of the translator is one of the key criteria in acquiring literature translated into Finnish.

Cataloges:

• The Helka database (translations of domestic literature and other translations acquired in or after 1992)
• The library’s main card index in the lending office

Using the collection:: Translations of Finnish-language literature into foreign languages are in the open access collection. Other translated literature must be ordered in advance from the library archive, see archive requests. Material published before 1900 can only be used in the reading room.

Literary research

The open access collection in the library contains the literary research collection (shelf marks F and Fi), which has around 5,000 volumes. The collection primarily contains Finnish literary research and foreign research focusing on Finnish literature, and there are also some Finnish and international volumes on the theory of literature. Foreign research literature in the field published before 1970 is held in closed stack under the classification F.v. Biographies of writers are in both the open access collection classified under F and in the archive collection under Kd.B1. Most of the material on literary research published in serials is kept in closed stack under the classification Bi.

Catalogues:

• The Helka database (all the material classified as F and Kd.B1, and some of F.v and Bi)
• The library’s main card index in the lending office (material acquired before 1992)

Using the collection: Most of the material is in the open access collection. Material classified as Bi and F.v together with biographies classified as Kd.B1 must be ordered in advance (see archive requests). Material published before 1900 can only be used in the reading room.

Other non-fiction

The library acquires works of non-fiction written by Finnish literary authors, because researchers can use them to examine a writer’s entire output in greater depth. The material is classified according to subject.

Catalogues::

• The Helka database (all material acquired in or after 1992 and some older material) The library’s main card index in the lending office (material acquired before 1992)
• The library’s main card index in the lending office (material acquired before 1992)

Using the collection: Material must be ordered in advance (see archive requests). Material published before 1900 can only be used in the reading room.

Collection of valuable literature

The collection of valuable literature primarily contains works of Finnish literature that are particularly valuable because of their age or uniqueness.

Catalogues: : the Helka database

Using the collection: Material must be ordered in advance (see archive requests) and may only be used in the reading room. The material cannot be copied.

Journals

The open access collection in the General Department contains literary and cultural journals and some general journals. Some of the journals can be borrowed; some are located in the reference collection.

Catalogues:

• the Helka database
• The periodicals catalogue in the General Department (printed journals that have come in this year)
• Catalogue of electronic journals on comparative literature

Use of the collection:The latest issues are put out in the racks on the front of the cabinets for storing the journals. These are not available for loan. Back issues are lent out, except journals the SKS considers to be of key importance, which are placed in the reference library under the classifications Be.kä and Fi.kä. The cabinets usually contain the current volume of the journal and a few back volumes. Older volumes are kept in closed stacks.

Reference books

Reference books included in the collections in the General Department are divided into sub-categories by subject. Encyclopaedias can be found on separate shelves.

Catalogues: the Helka database

Using the collection: Reference books can be used in the reading room. Reference books are not available for home loan.