SLS Customer Service

SLS Customer Service answers questions you may have about our operations and assists you in finding material from the archival collections.

Changes to our opening hours due to the coronavirus

The Customer Service in Helsinki is open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Wednesdays the Customer Service is open until 6 p.m.  The Customer Service in Vaasa is open Tuesday–Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

You can reach our Customer Service via chat and by e-mail arkivet@sls.fi   Monday – Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Our reading rooms in Helsinki and Vaasa are open by appointment for archive customers. We accommodate a limited  number of customers. Book your appointment via e-mail   arkivet@sls.fi  , via chat or by phone +358 9 618 77 230 (Helsinki) or +358 6 319 56 00 (Vaasa).

Please include information about what materials you would like to browse in your booking.

 

Phone: + 358 9 618 777
E-mail: info@sls.fi
Enquiries regarding archival material: arkivet@sls.fi  
Enquiries regarding grants and funding: forskning@sls.fi  
Chat with an archivist at sls.finna.fi

Changes to opening hours

  • 13 June, the Archive Customer Service is closed due to staff excursion.

SLS Customer Service closes at 2 p.m. on:      

  • 30 April, Walpurgis Night (if a weekday)
  • The day before Midsummer Eve
  • 23 December (if a weekday)
  • 31 December (if a weekday)
  • Maundy Thursday

Locations

Helsinki

Ritarikatu 5. The main entrance is at street level on the Kirkkokatu side. There is an accessible entrance with a lift on Ritarikatu.

Here you can

  • find out information about archival material or books in our specialist areas, which include Swedish traditions and customs, history, literature, naming conventions, dialects, folk dance and folk music in Finland                                                       
  • search databases, lists and card indexes
  • listen to recordings
  • order copies of archive material (see price list)
  • eat food that you have brought with you in our café space (note that we do not sell food or beverages)
  • work in our reading room
  • visit our current exhibition.

Vaasa

Kauppapuistikko 23, entrance at street level. There is an accessible entrance with a lift at door A. If you need assistance, please phone us on + 358 6 319 56 00 or e-mail arkivet@sls.fi .

Here you can

  • find out information about archival material or books in our specialist areas, which include Swedish history, folk culture, ethnology and folk music in Finland                              
  • study sheet music and song books
  • search databases, lists and card indexes
  • view photos in databases and records
  • listen to recordings and music
  • order copies, see price list
  • eat food that you have brought with you in our café space (note that we do not sell food or beverages)
  • work in our reading room

Archive Services

At sls.finna.fi you can see the physical location of our collections and find information about SLS’ archive material. The site also includes digitised material.

Most of the collections in the archive can be freely ordered and studied, but permission is required for some collections. Staff will help you in such cases.

Please read our archive rules regarding permission to publish, copy, photograph etc.

To order archival materials or books in Helsinki

The collections are stored in different repositories. Please note that the time for retrieving material can vary. You can find the location for each collection at sls.finna.fi.

Repository (magasin) R; material is retrieved between 9 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. and available at the readingroom at Ritarikatu 5.

Repository (magasin) S; please contact us at least 24 hours in advance. The material will be available at Ritarikatu 5.

Repository (magasin) P; please contact us in advance. The material is retrieved by agreement and studied at Ritarikatu 5.

Some of our collections in Helsinki are located at the National Library of Finland. In those cases please contact the National Library of Finland’s customer services at kk-erik@helsinki.fi .

Looking for a book? Please contact us at least 24 hours in advance. Books can be studied at Ritarikatu 5.

To order archival materials or books in Vaasa

Materials are retrieved from the archives between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. and between 1 p.m. and 3.30 p.m.