Guide for new students

There are 2 libraries on campus in Turku: 

You can find the library's opening hours in Alma-Finna search portal. There is also a link to Alma in the Tuudo app. Remember to choose the right service unit!

The libraries are also open at certain times without staff (self-service). You can then study in the library, borrow books with the machines, return loans and pick up reservations. You enter with your own key.

The ASA library and the Arken library are open without staff: 

Monday - Friday at 6-24

Saturday - Sunday at 10-18

• There is a group study room in the ASA library. The room accommodates 3-5 people and are equipped with a computer and/or external screen.
• You book the room in the ASA library in Peppi. The room can be booked for three hours at a time. 
• In addition, there is a co-working space in the Arken library. 
• Quiet reading areas are available in the Arken and in the ASA library.  
• Some reading areas have computers and others have a screen and keyboard that you can connect to your own computer.
• Due to the library collections moving out and preparations for the closing down of the library in 2026, the ASA library's study areas may at times be quite noisy. We apologise for the inconvenience. 
• The course books will be moving to Astra in early 2026.

To be able to borrow, request and reserve, you need a library card. To borrow using a self-service machine, you also need a PIN code. 

• You get a digital library card by downloading the Tuudo app. 
• Go to the library tab and select "I don't have a library card." Fill in your details and a PIN code. 
• You will have immediate access to Tuudo's electronic library card, and you don't need to visit the library.

If you are unable to use a digital library card, you can apply for a physical card using this form. 

Also remember to read the library user rules. 

Alma-Finna  is a search portal where you can find all our material, both printed and digital. There you will also find all your loans and reservations. Log in to Alma through Haka with your ÅAU username. 

• To use the library's e-resources, you must be logged in to Alma-Finna with your ÅA username or be on the ÅA network on campus.

Get to know Alma-Finna in our Video guides. 

Note! If you study at Novia, you must use  Novia's Alma-Finna.

In the ASA library and Arken library, the books are on open shelves. Books that are not there must be requested in the Alma-Finna search portal. 

Open shelves in the ASA library                                                                                        Open shelves in Arken library

• The course books in ASA library are often on loan, but it is always worth reserving them in Alma. They circulate quickly because there are several copies. Also check the short loan of the course books (due next weekday by noon!). 
• The loan period for printed course books is 2 weeks and for other books 4 weeks. The loan period for electronic books varies. 
• With the exception of short loans, your loans are automatically renewed for up to 6 months (coursebooks) or 12 months (other books) as long as the book is not reserved . If the book is reserved or the automatic loan period has expired, you will receive a message to your e-mail or phone.  
• You can find all information about your loans in the Tuudo app and in Alma-Finna under My Account. 
• Overdue fees for course books are €1/day  and for short loans 10€.  Other books have a overdue fee of  0.30€/day. Please note that your borrowing rights are suspended when fees amount to 10€ or more.

The return door in the courtyard of the ASA building       The return box inside the Arken library

You can return your loans at any service unit, regardless of where you borrowed them.

• When the library is closed, you can return loans in the wall-mounted drop box in the ASA library (next to the A door), as well as in the return box inside Arken library during self-service hours. 
• Loans returned through drop boxes will be registered as returned on the next day that the service unit is open.

As a student, you receive a certain number of credits each academic year that can be used for printing. Students at Åbo Akademi can also buy more credits via ÅA's webshop  (requires login).

• All library service points have multifunction printers that you can use for printing, copying and scanning. You can print in A4 and A3, both in colour and greyscale.
• You do not need to log in to an ÅA computer to print! Go to print.abo.fi from your own computer or mobile phone and upload a PDF file for printing. Read more about printing, print queues, etc. on the intranet.

Don’t let any reading disabilities be an obstacle to your studies! You can borrow course books with an extended loan period of four weeks (28 days) by contacting the library and presenting a certificate showing that you have a reading disability.

Celia, a national centre for accessible literature and publishing, provides literature and textbooks for those who have difficulties reading a printed book.  Books are available as audiobooks, e-books and in Braille. For more information, go to the Celia website. The library can register you as a customer, but please contact us in advance so that we know you are coming (via email to library@abo.fi or call 02 215 4180). Registration can also, in some cases, be done remotely via Zoom.

Use the talk-back function

You can have e-books read aloud by using a suitable app on your smartphone. Unfortunately, the talk-back function does not work the same on all resources; for example, it does not work at all in the Biblio service. Note also that other e-resource providers may have their own solutions for accessible functions.

Accessibility at ÅAU

On the intranet, you can find information for students with disabilities or needs for special arrangements for studies and participation. 

More information about various smart tools can be found here:

1. About listening to printed and digital texts
2. University of Applied Sciences Laurea Library’s guide on accessible functions