Lapland University Consortium Library (LUC Library) provides library services for the University of Lapland and Lapland University of Applied Sciences (Lapland UAS).

We are responsible for ensuring that comprehensive and up-to-date resources are available in all fields of research and teaching for both institutions.

The metadata of the information resources acquired for the library collections is stored in the library information system according to the international RDA standard and national instructions and recommendations.

General principles

The library collections are developed in collaboration with the scientific community.

We develop the library collections taking into account the research, teaching and study needs of each campus and unit.

University of Lapland and Lapland UAS students and staff members can also access the e-resources off campus.

E-materials are available to all customers in the library premises.

Availability of collections

The library is an open scientific library, and its printed collections are available to everyone, either on the library premises or as home loans.

The e-resource license agreements are organization-specific, which is why the provision of e-resources is not identical between the University of Lapland and Lapland UAS.

We use the LUC-Finna search service as the customer interface for our library information system. The usability of LUC-Finna is being developed constantly.

Selection and acquisition

We acquire new material by purchasing both titles and access rights to online materials.

Acquisition of new material is primarily based on the acquisition suggestions made by the staff and students of our scientific community. Our information specialists also actively monitor newly published information resources and make selection.

We apply an electronic first principle to material purchases (preferring an e-book or -journal when possible), depending on availability, price and terms of use.

The library only accepts donations if they are useful for the researchers, teachers and students of the University of Lapland or Lapland UAS. The library decides whether to accept donations or not.

Purchasing of textbooks

The library acquires course textbooks and study material included in the degree requirements. The use of textbooks and the reservation situation are monitored and, if necessary, additional copies are purchased.

The number of textbooks we acquire for a course is about 30% of the number of students taking the exam simultaneously, estimated by the teacher, however no more than 30 copies will be obtained.

The emphasis is on e-textbooks, if one is available under terms of use suitable for library use. If necessary, we supplement the purchase of e-books with printed books.

Development of the collections

The collections undergo quantitative and qualitative evaluation (for example with the help of the usage statistics of our e-resources and borrowing statistics of the printed material) to ensure that they fulfil their purpose and the needs of the customers.

Our collections are active collections of use, and the removal of material is a key part of maintaining the collections. Outdated, degraded and little-used material is removed from the collections.

Deleted material is sent to the National Repository Library if it is considered worth storing and the material does not already exist there. The collections of the National Repository Library are an important part of the library's information resources.