This model offers publishing professionals a case study in how libraries can function as incubators for creative talent and democratic access to storytelling tools.
The Evolution from Archive to Creative Hub
While libraries have safeguarded knowledge for 5,000 years, Finland has reimagined their purpose for the twenty-first century. Helsinki Central Library Oodi, which opened in December 2018, exemplifies this transformation: a publicly funded €93 million facility where citizens borrow not only books but also sewing machines, 3D printers, and recording studios.
This model offers publishing professionals a case study in how libraries can function as incubators for creative talent and democratic access to storytelling tools.
Participatory Design and Public Investment
Oodi’s development demonstrates unprecedented community engagement. Over 3,000 citizens contributed through the “Tree of Dreams” crowdsourcing initiative, participatory budgeting (allocating €100,000 of municipal funds), and voting on architectural designs. Service design agencies mapped customer journeys to ensure seamless omnichannel experiences.
The result? 3.1 million visits in its first year – surpassing projections by 24% – and 7,000 events attracting 300,000 participants.
Funding came primarily from Helsinki City Council (69%) with national government support (31%), reflecting libraries’ constitutional role in Finnish democracy and education.
The HelMet Network: Scale and Accessibility
Oodi operates within the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Libraries (HelMet) network, serving one million residents across 66 locations. In 2023, HelMet recorded 16.1 million loans and 27 million visits.
Nationally, Finnish libraries lent 85.4 million items (15.3 per capita) and hosted 50.7 million physical visits in 2024. The HelMet web library, built on the Finna platform (used by 90% of Finnish public libraries), received 46.2 million digital visits, demonstrating robust hybrid service delivery.
Implications for the Publishing Ecosystem
For publishers, this model reveals shifting content consumption and creation patterns. Libraries now provide media workstations with professional software for digital drawing, video editing, and layout design – effectively democratising production. This creates new pathways for discoverability: self-published authors, zine makers, and independent musicians can produce, record, and distribute work through publicly funded infrastructure.
The inclusion of over 100,000 books in 20+ languages, plus extensive comic and sheet music collections, indicates demand for diverse, multilingual content.
The View From The Beach
The Finnish model positions libraries as partners in the creative economy rather than mere distribution points. With 780 professional staff across HelMet, they offer curated guidance, digital literacy training, and direct feedback loops to users – functions publishers could leverage for market research and author development.
For an industry grappling with questions of access, sustainability, and community engagement, Finland’s approach suggests that the future library is a collaborative studio, not just a repository.
This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.
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