Helsinki City Library 150 years
The library belongs to everyone. It offers weighty matter, fascinating stories, inspiring ideas and provisions for experiences. The jubilee year is first of all the library users’ celebration.
History in a nutsell
In 1860 City Library was founded by the initiative of Helsingfors Fruntimmersföreningen (Helsinki Society for Married Women). In the beginning it was called Helsinki People’s Library. The activities were funded by fund-raising. in 1871 the city began supporting library activities and in 1876 the city took control over the library.
The property for the Rikhardinkatu Library, which opened in 1882, was donated to the city by Helsingin Anniskeluyhtiö (present Alko). The building was the first public building in Scandinavia specifically designed as a library. In 1910 the library’s name was changed to City Library.
Mobile library services began in 1966. In 1981 Helsinki City Library became the Central Library of Finnish public libraries and 5 years later the new main library was opened in Itä-Pasila.
The first library with Internet connection was the Cablebook Library in the former Nokia Cable Factory. The same year - 1994 - connections were provided at the Pasila and Töölö Libraries.
The loan record of all time, 10.2 million loans, dates to 2004.
More information
Helsinki City Library(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)