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Public libraries have a special significance for the Finnish people and the favourable public opinion of libraries is also widely shared by the Finnish decision makers. The paper looks at Helsinki's new city library, the Helsinki Central Library Oodi, which was launched by the Finnish Ministry of Culture in 1998 and has opened its doors in December 2018. Located in the heart of the city opposite Parliament House, the Library has become one of the flagship projects celebrating the centenary of Finland's independence. This paper focuses on the practices of citizen participation which have been key in the planning of the library since its very beginnings, and considers how including the citizens and library users in planning the library's new services and functions has promoted grass roots democracy, openness, and a feeling of ownership of the new library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public libraries have a special significance for the Finnish people and the favourable public opinion of libraries is also widely shared by the Finnish decision makers. The paper looks at Helsinki's new city library, the Helsinki Central Library Oodi, which was launched by the Finnish Ministry of Culture in 1998 and has opened its doors in December 2018. Located in the heart of the city opposite Parliament House, the Library has become one of the flagship projects celebrating the centenary of Finland's independence. This paper focuses on the practices of citizen participation which have been key in the planning of the library since its very beginnings, and considers how including the citizens and library users in planning the library's new services and functions has promoted grass roots democracy, openness, and a feeling of ownership of the new library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]