Finnish library restricts opening hours due to repeated disturbances by minors

A library in Kaarina, southwest Finland, has been forced to limit its opening hours after persistent disruptions by groups of underage youths, including alcohol hidden on shelves and vandalism, Yle reports.

Staff at Piikkiö Library have discovered frozen meatballs, empty alcohol bottles, nicotine pouches, and trash left behind by the groups. Furniture and shelves have also been smeared with toothpaste, while some youths have been caught vaping in areas without camera surveillance.

Library director Arja Pesonen said the disturbances—ranging from loud noise to deliberate mess-making—have escalated since autumn 2023, prompting multiple child welfare reports and police notifications. “We often have to remove the entire group,” she said.

The issue extends beyond Piikkiö. Juha Manninen, executive director of the Finnish Library Association, noted that security services have become more common in larger libraries nationwide in recent years. Similar problems have been reported in Vantaa and Kajaani, where intoxicated individuals and mental health struggles post-pandemic were cited as contributing factors.

While self-service libraries have grown in popularity, Piikkiö has temporarily scaled back unsupervised access. Manninen defended the model but acknowledged the strain on staff: “Work hours aren’t allocated for handling child welfare reports.”

Finnish library law requires spaces for civic activities, but disruptive behavior remains subject to public order regulations. Local teens told Yle the troublemakers—primarily younger middle-schoolers—act out “to seem tough in front of friends,” though older students condemned the behavior. “They should go somewhere else,” one said. “A library isn’t for that.”