Using the online library
The online library can be used without logging in. Many of the services, however, such as renewing your loans, placing holds, and editing your profile need logging in with your library card number and a 4-digit PIN code.
You can find help and tips for searching the online library here: Search tips
Logging in to the online library
The login button is located on the upper right-hand corner of every page in the online library. The button is displayed both as a symbol and as text when using large screens. When accessing the online library on a smartphone and other narrow screen devices, the login button is displayed only as a symbol.
After logging in, the login button changes into a symbol of a person. Depending on the size of the screen, you can also see your own name next to the symbol.
Log in to the online library with your library card number and your 4-digit PIN code. If you don’t know your PIN code, you can get a new one by visiting your library. Bring you library card or a photo ID. PIN codes cannot be given by email or by phone.
Renewing your loans, placing holds and other services that require logging in can be found under their respective tabs by clicking your name in the upper right-hand corner.
Logging out
When you wish to log out of the online library, click your name on the upper section of the page and then click Log Out.
Loan history
If you wish to save your loan history, you can activate it under Your account > Profile. Click first Loan history retention and then choose Forever. Your loan history will be saved starting from your next borrowed item on.
To turn the loan history retention off, choose Never in the Loan history retention. Please note that choosing Never will permanently delete the loan history saved so far.
Once you have set your loan history to be saved, you can find all the items you’ve borrowed on the Loan History subsection of Your Account.
You can arrange your loan history by the checkout or return date, either the oldest or the newest first. You can also arrange it by author or by title.
Renewing loans
You can see the due date of your loans on the loan receipt or on the online library's Your Checked Out Items tab. Borrowed items must be renewed or returned on due date at the latest. Borrowed items can be renewed five times unless other customers have placed holds on them.
You can view everything you've borrowed on the Your Checked Out Items tab. You can renew your loans by either choosing individual items on the list or by checking the box /Select all/. After doing so, choose Renew Selected Items and make sure that the renewal of the desired items was successful. Renewing all loans at once is also possible by choosing the option Renew All Items.
Editing your personal contact information
You can edit your personal contact information on the Profile tab. To change your telephone number or email address, enter the new information into the respective fields and click Save personal information. You will receive a confirming notification on the top of the tab.
To change your address, fill out the form that opens by clicking the Change address link. You will see your current address information on the form that opens after clicking the link. Update your information on the text fields and save the changes by selecting Send. You will receive a confirming notification on the screen shortly.
Names cannot be changed in the online library. You can change your name by visiting the library. Bring a photo ID with you.
Favorites
You can create multiple favorite lists in the online library. You can list, for example, your favorite books, materials for courses or create a wish-to-read list. You can view and edit all your lists and create new ones by logging in to the online library and choosing Favoritesin the drop-down menu. If the lists are hidden, you can make them visible by clicking the small arrow in the navigation, next to the word “Favorites”. On a mobile screen the lists can be found through the menu on the bottom of the screen.
Give a name for your favorite list. You can also add a longer description for it. Under every item there is also space for your own notes. The lists are private by default and can be seen only by logging into your account, but, if you wish, you can also set a list’s visibility to public and share the link on social media.
It’s easy to add books and other items on your favorite lists. Log in to the online library and do a search. Press the pin icon next to the name of an item and choose the list you want to place it in from the drop-down menu.
Saved searches and e-mail alerts
You can save your searches by clicking the Save search button on the bottom of the search results page. You find your saved searches on Your Account -> Saved searches. You can set a daily or weekly e-mail alert for your saved searches, which notifies you when new materials that fit your search are added to the online library.
Adding other library cards to your account
Multiple library cards can be linked to your online library account. This allows you to manage all of these cards and, for example, renew all their loans with one login. You also can use this, for example, to supervise the due dates of your children's loans on your account.
In order to use this feature, you are required to know the library card numbers and the PIN codes of the cards you want to add to your account. All library cards linked to your account can be given identifying nicknames.
Linking a library card
Log in to the online library with your library card number and your PIN code.
Select Your Account and choose the Library Cards tab. Here you can add a new card by clicking Connect library/parallel card.
Type in the information for the new card: library card name, library card number and PIN code. Accept by clicking Save.
Selecting the card you want to use
After adding the library cards on your account, your family members' loans and information are shown on respective tabs, when you select the name of the card on the drop-down menu.
You can also quickly switch the card, for example, when placing holds. Switch the card by clicking your name on the upper right-hand corner and choose the card you want to use.
Editing card information
You can change the names of the cards, usernames, and PIN codes on the Library Cards tab. Click the link Update card name/username/PIN code. You can remove a card from your account by clicking Disconnect Library Card on the Library Cards tab.
Please remember that a guardian is required to disconnect the library cards of over 15-year-old card holders.
If the child’s PIN code is changed, it must also be updated to the account the child’s card has been added to.
Placing holds in the online library
You can place holds on materials by using the online library. First, find the material you want to place on hold using the search bar. You can narrow down the search results according to, for example, language and material type by using the filters on the left-hand side of the page. You can place a hold on an item on the search results page or by opening the item's information page by clicking its title.
If you are not logged in, choose the Login to place a hold button and log in with your library card number and PIN code. If you are already logged in, choose Place a hold on this title.
Choose from the Type of reservation drop-down menu to make a Reservation or a Regional reservation. Reservation applies to the material of your own municipality and the Regional Reservation applies to the materials of all Ratamo libraries.
Reserved materials from your own municipality are free of charge. If you do not pick up the reserved material by the last pickup date, you will be charged an uncollected reservation fee of of 1 EUR (does not apply to children’s and youth materials). Regional reservations from other Ratamo-libraries are always 2 EUR regardless of whether the item is picked up or not.
Select a pickup location where you want to have the material transported for you to pick up. Finish the hold by choosing Submit Request.
You can set a preferred pick-up location on Your Account page. By default it's Riihimäki main library for everybody until you change it to something else.
Editing holds
You can change the pickup location of your holds or cancel your hold requests in the online library, if they have not yet been processed or if the requested item is not yet in transport or available to be collected. If your hold request has already been processed, please contact the library that you selected as your pickup location.
You can change the pickup location in the Your Holds and Recalls section of Your Account. Each hold has an Edit link, which opens a window where you can change the pickup location and other hold information. You can temporarily suspend the hold, for example if you’re going out of town on a vacation. You can choose a date the hold is frozen through, for example the last day of vacation. The hold is active again after the frozen through date. You can also activate a hold by changing the frozen status to Release. You can set a date for when you no longer want the hold in the No longer required after section.
Editing the notification settings
You can change your notifications settings on the Profile tab. Current settings are shown on the top of the page. To edit them, click Change Notification Settings.
A due date reminder can be sent to your email from 1 to 5 days before due date. A late fee is collected even if you don't receive a due date reminder. Please note that if you choose "0 days before due date", no reminder will be sent.
Pickup notices can be sent via email, an SMS message or regular post. Overdue warnings can be sent via email and post. Click Send to save the changes. It will take a moment before the updated changes are visible in the online library.
Online payment
Currently it is not possible to pay fees online in this service.