Structural development

University libraries have emphasised in many contexts that the possible effects of organisational and regulatory changes on the operations of university libraries and on equal acquisition of information materials should be examined before making permanent decisions on organisational changes. The Council for Finnish University Libraries submitted a plan for the structural development of university libraries at the end of 2007.

In the spring of 2008, the Ministry of Education initiated a structural development project for higher education institutions with a broader outline and slightly different focus. The outline focuses especially on the organisation and more effective service production of university and polytechnic libraries, as well as the National Repository Library and the Finnish National Library, which provide centralised services for the former.

The final report will be finished on 30 June 2009. The report will provide clarification of the reduction of university and other higher education libraries and the needs for securing services as the Universities Act changes, as well as the possibilities for reducing the libraries' costs by enhancing centralised service production in the National Library and closer cooperation between the National Library and the National Repository Library.