From 29 September to 3 October 2025, representatives of the University Library of UPJŠ in Košice visited several institutions in Helsinki, Finland. The aim of the visit was to establish cooperation, gain experience from local libraries, and share knowledge and information. The delegation consisted of PhDr. Eva Medviďová, Director of the UPJŠ University Library, Ing. Juraj Majcher, Head of the Library Systems and Technologies Department, and PaedDr. Darina Obušeková, PhD., Head of the Science Support Department.
During their visit to the Aalto University Learning Centre, UPJŠ University Library staff took part in expert discussions focused on library services, library collection management, consulting and training in information literacy, citation tools, database use, and support for scientific communication. Other important topics included the implementation of the Open Access and Open Science concepts, the transition to the ALMA system, and the application of AI in library services.
The meetings at the University of Helsinki focused on the use of advanced library and information systems, the digitization of library collections, and the integration of printed books with digital services. Self-service lending terminals, effective metadata management, and the ALMA system are key elements of the university infrastructure. Discussions were also held with library management representatives on acquisition processes, the creation of access mechanisms, and differences in the accessibility of Open Access resources between the Finnish and Slovak academic and research environments.
The work programme also included a tour of the Oodi Central Library, awarded the title of Public Library of the Year 2019, which represents a modern concept of public space with multifunctional use, as well as a visit to the National Library of Finland, where attention was focused on traditional aspects of librarianship and an environment suitable for studying manuscripts and famous titles, as well as the use of the universal decimal classification (UDC) system.
The visit provided an important opportunity for the mutual exchange of knowledge, opened possibilities for new cooperation, and provided valuable inspiration for the development of library services at the UPJŠ University Library in the context of digital transformation and technological innovation.
The visit was carried out as part of the project Audit of the level of internationalisation and implementation of internationalisation projects of higher education institutions and research institutions, Activity 25.2 – Support of international trips aiming to establish and develop international cooperation.
