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Collection policy of the Uniarts Helsinki library

High-quality collections provide the foundation for high-standard artistic and scientific work, studies, teaching and research at Uniarts Helsinki.

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Purpose and objectives

The Uniarts Helsinki library’s collection policy is based on the Uniarts Helsinki’s Strategy. In addition, other guidelines guiding Uniarts Helsinki’s operations have been considered where applicable. The current national and international policies and guidelines for the library sector also influence in the background.

High-quality collections provide the foundation for high-standard artistic and scientific work, studies, teaching and research at Uniarts Helsinki. The purpose of the collection policy is to make visible how and on what criteria the library carries out collections work (selects, procures, manages, evaluates).

The Uniarts Helsinki library collection policy is intended for all library clients. The library’s service promise specifies for whom the materials are procured:

Uniarts Helsinki library offers up-to-date and high-quality collections and sources of information, as well as related knowledge and guidance for students and staff of Uniarts Helsinki. With the library’s support, studying, teaching, research and artistic activities in Uniarts Helsinki can achieve their goals. The library also serves Finnish cultural life and its customers as far as possible.

The collections policy is valid until further notice, as of 10 October 2025, and it is reviewed at regular intervals.

General principles

The library selects, procures, manages, evaluates and develops its collections based on these basic principles:

User-centredness and user-orientation

We work in cooperation with teachers at Uniarts Helsinki, among others, to best meet the collections needs of our community.

Transparency and consistency

Our decision-making and operations are transparent and based on clear principles.

Transparency of data

In particular, we promote open access to our university’s publications, in accordance with the Open Science Principles.

Ecological sustainability

We strive to acquire and provide sustainable and environmentally friendly materials. We monitor the ecological sustainability objectives of Uniarts Helsinki’s strategy and consider the sustainable development guidelines and recommendations of the Finnish University Libraries Network (FUN). These are based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Inclusiveness and Code of conduct

In our collections work, we consider the principles of equality and non-discrimination, as well as the Code of conduct of Uniarts Helsinki.

Library user groups

Materials are provided to users in accordance with the library’s service promise. We primarily serve the needs of Uniarts Helsinki. The user groups of the library are:

  • Students of Uniarts Helsinki: bachelor’s and master’s students, doctoral students and open campus students
  • Uniarts Helsinki teaching and research personnel
  • Other Uniarts Helsinki personnel
  • Uniarts Helsinki alumni
  • Savonia University of Applied Sciences and Kuopio Conservatory
  • Art field in Finland
  • Other customers

Cooperation

The Uniarts Helsinki library engages in cooperation with various parties within Uniarts Helsinki. In addition, cooperation with parties outside the university is important in order to target material resources most appropriately.

FinELib consortium of Finnish higher education institutions, research institutes and public libraries

The library is a member of the FinELib consortium. The consortium promotes the availability of e-materials.

Publishers and service providers

The library also acquires access rights to e-materials directly through material suppliers.

Libraries in the metropolitan area and Kuopio region

The libraries of the metropolitan area and Kuopio region offer a wide range of materials that Uniarts Helsinki library cannot procure or cannot procure sustainably. In these cases, we will direct clients to use the services of other libraries in the area in question.

National library network

Materials can be ordered from other libraries through Interlibrary loans. It is not possible or sustainable for the Uniarts Helsinki library to acquire all materials. Helsinki campus libraries do not order interlibrary loans from other libraries in the metropolitan area nor does Kuopio Library from other libraries in the Kuopio region.

Foreign libraries

Interlibrary loans from abroad are also one way to provide clients with material that is not sustainable or possible to procure otherwise.

Access to collections

The library makes collections available to its clients in a legal, accessible and sustainable manner. The materials are acquired digitally whenever possible. Printed material is acquired as appropriate. Uniarts Helsinki’s strategy highlights continuous learning and graduation within the normative timeframe. This also requires the timely availability of library material to be considered.

The collections are made available in the following ways:

  • Paid access rights to the material. The library acquires licensed material that is not appropriate to purchase.
  • Purchased for own use, if practical.
  • Through interlibrary loans. Material that cannot be acquired can be ordered by clients as interlibrary loans. In accordance with the sustainable development guidelines and recommendations of the Finnish University Libraries Network (FUN), we minimise overlapping acquisitions with other libraries.
  • The materials are openly available to all clients whenever possible.
  • Printed materials are available to all clients in the library facilities or as home loans.
  • E-materials are made available in accordance with the terms and conditions of use.
  • Uniarts Helsinki’s Uniarts ID holders are offered remote access to e-materials.
  • The materials are described in the Arsca Search Service and in the Institutional Repository Taju, making the collections’ data easily available.
  • Databases and e-materials acquired under the library licence can be accessed through the library’s A-Z database list and Arsca. E-material licensing agreements are organisation-specific.
  • The Uniarts Helsinki library is a client of the Accessibility Library Celia. Celia produces and distributes audio and Braille books and other specialised books and learning materials to clients experiencing reading difficulties.

Collections

The needs of teaching, studies, research and artistic activities of all art forms represented by Uniarts Helsinki are equally considered in the collections. The aim is curated collections, focusing on Uniarts Helsinki’s art forms, which are both up-to-date and historically significant.

The collections of the library take into consideration the historical continuum of art and the uses characteristic of art material. The special features of the art forms represented by Uniarts Helsinki are considered in the material and content description data.

The expertise of the library’s personnel in the assessment of the materials is essential, especially in order to ensure the historical continuity and quality of the collections.

The collections of the Uniarts Helsinki library include:

  • Uniarts Helsinki’s theses and other own publications, as well as self-archived articles in the Institutional Repository Taju
  • Printed books and e-books
  • Course materials
  • Sheet music
  • Plays
  • Databases / e-materials
  • AV materials
  • Newspapers and magazines
  • Uniarts Helsinki special collections

Donations

The library accepts larger donations only in rare cases. Only materials that are considered to benefit the university’s research and teaching or that are considered unique in terms of preserving cultural heritage are accepted as donations. All contacts related to donations are made through the library director. Donations are linked to existing collections and do not form independent separate collections except on extremely weighty grounds.

Principles of materials selection and acquisition

The library monitors performance and publishing activities in different fields of the arts and draws on the expertise of Uniarts Helsinki’s teaching and research personnel.

The library has limited resources for acquiring materials. For this reason, the procurements are made with careful consideration. The library acquires materials based on the following principles:

  • In material selections, the aim is to ensure equality between all art forms, considering the teaching of arts.
  • The teachers’ and students’ material preferences are important.
  • The library acquires e-materials that can be made available to university students, teaching and research through IP identification and remote login.
  • The library acquires materials sustainably, considering the possibility of interlibrary loans.
  • Course books are primarily acquired as e-books if they are available for library use.
  • The library does not acquire materials with no library access rights.
  • The language guidelines of Uniarts Helsinki are considered. Materials in other languages are obtained as necessary.
  • Purchases of magazines and printed books are primarily made via a selected intermediary through competitive tendering.
  • Scientifically high-standard collections from prestigious publishers in the field.
  • The before-mentioned principles of inclusion at Uniarts Helsinki are considered in the selection process.

Collections weeding principles

Uniarts Helsinki’s changing needs for the materials required, as well as the limited space resources of the library also require the regular evaluation and removing of library materials. Printed material in good condition is also delivered to the National Repository Library, where clients can order it for use. Collections weeding principles:

  • If the materials are not useful for Uniarts Helsinki’s teaching, research or artistic activities.
  • Damaged, incorrect or outdated materials.
  • It is not possible or appropriate to repair the material.
  • A newer edition of the publication is available.
  • Availability of the material in an alternative, more usable format.
  • Low use. The library monitors the loan numbers of the materials and the statistics on the use of e-materials.