A new organisation for library services

As a result of the change negotiations in the autumn, the teams producing Aalto University's library services have been reorganised into the new Library Services team as part of Research Services (RES) as of 1 January 2026. The Starting Point that supports students and the tasks related to open learning will remain in the Learning Services (LES). The support provided by Research Services to open science and the ACRIS system will remain unchanged. 

The most important elements of a library's operations are users, collections and space. In library operations, digitalisation began in the 1990s, and today the collections mainly consist of electronic resources. Approximately 98% of the annual acquisition budget for library resources (EUR 3.8 million) is spent on electronic resources. Aalto University Library is Finland's leading university library in the fields of technology, business, art and design, so the library's printed collection is still relevant, even though it is no longer developing as fast. In addition, many students are still dependent on printed textbooks, as licensing agreements, terms of use, and high prices make it impossible to offer all textbooks electronically. The unique atmosphere and interior design of the Harald Herlin Learning Centre still attract people to fill the building every day, even though numerous new study environments have been created around the Otaniemi campus since the building was completed in 1970 and completely renovated in 2016. 

In recent years, library services have operated in two different service areas (LES and RES) under different vice presidents. By combining library services, Aalto University enables the development of the library as a whole, as well as the profiling and flexible adaptation of operations according to future needs. No personnel were reduced in the change negotiations. 

The library users – students, teachers and researchers – come from different parts of the Aalto University organisation. Therefore, close and fruitful cooperation is needed with learning services, schools, departments  and real estate services, as well as internally in research services. As a university library that is open to everyone, our services should also be easily accessible to the public. Continuous monitoring of the operating environment gives impetus to the development of library operations and infrastructures both at Aalto and more broadly in cooperation with external stakeholders, such as national networks. 

"The library staff is grateful for the new opportunities and sees that the combined and broader expertise creates better conditions for success in the next era of digitalisation," says Tua Hindersson-Söderholm, Head of Library Services. 

You can find out more about the Learning Centre's services on our website and all available materials, both electronic and printed, through the Aalto-Primo search portal. For help, contact us at oppimiskeskus@aalto.fi.