The Finnish public services are one topic on our classes about Finnish language and society. One of the most beneficial service for language learners is for sure the public library system, of which we learned while visiting the Kauniainen library.

We learned a lot of the library system and its services. One of the main perks is that the same library system, Helmet, works in Helsinki, Espoo Kaunianen and Vantaa. That means that one may borrow books and other items form various libraries as well as order them from other libararies with the same library card.

Besides books, the libraries have tools, games, computers and even musical instruments along with different kinds of rooms that can be used, not to mention the various event that the libraries host. One particularly interesting are the language cafés where one can speak different languages. There are also Finnish language cafés organized in the libraries and they are complitly free of charge.

An excellent thing is also the number of books and other items in different languages. One can find and order books in almost all the languages of the world from the Helmet-system.

Link to Helmet-system: https://helmet.finna.fi/

Kauniainen library: https://www.kauniainen.fi/kulttuuri-ja-vapaa-aika/kirjasto/