The culture of cooperation is strong in Oulu, and we are pioneers in literacy work with a long tradition of working with different partners. 

The National Literacy Strategy discusses literacy with the concept of multiliteracy. Reading and producing texts require multiliteracy, the skill to read, understand and interpret as well as write and produce varied texts in different environments and with different tools. The concept of multiliteracy includes the idea that all literacy skills from traditional reading and writing skills to media literacy, visual literacy and data literacy are equally valuable and necessary. National Literacy Strategy 2030. 

Literacy, promoting it and the joy of reading are included in the city’s activities in the following documents: 

• Oulu City Strategy 
• Oulu oivaltaa – City of Oulu’s Education Programme 2024–2027 
• City of Oulu’s Wellbeing Plan 

Cooperation in Oulu 

Oulu believes in cooperation. Literacy services are also developed and implemented together with other organizations. We are also committed to common goals. 

Structures of library work of the Educational and Cultural Services 

• Oulu School Library (in Finnish) and the position of the Oulu School Library information specialist were founded in the Educational and Cultural Services in 2002. 
• The Library Route for basic education was launched in 2008, and upper secondary schools followed in 2013. In 2024, the Library Route materials for special schools, small groups, preparatory classes and second-language groups (in Finnish) were also produced. The Library Route is also a part of cultural education and the pupils’ culture path (in Finnish). 
• School cooperation information specialists at the City Library: An information specialist at the Ritaharju Community Centre in 2010, and in the Kastelli Community Centre in 2014. An information specialist responsible for school and education cooperation was hired at the City Library in 2012. They formed the work group developing the Library Route activities, including one information specialist for basic education and one for upper secondary education in 2017. Regional librarians started in 2021 and they work on the Library Route together with other library staff. 
• Library cooperation is included in the early childhood education curriculum, preschool curriculum, basic education curriculum and upper secondary education curriculum. All curriculums can be found on the City of Oulu’s website here. 
• Reading and Library Cooperation steering group was founded in 2017, which also serves as the city of Oulu’s literacy steering group. 
• Joy of Reading activities of libraries, early childhood education and child health clinics began in 2020. 
• The Digital Makerspace was founded, and the City Library joined the STEAM in Oulu network in 2020: STEAM in the Oulu City Library 
• The LUNA literacy working model for young adults (in Finnish) was launched in 2022.
• A Development Teacher specializing in literacy promotion was hired in the Educational and Cultural Services (60 %) in 2024. 
• Literacy tutors for basic education and upper secondary education were hired in 2024. 
• Oulu City Library invests in children’s literature work and more books have been procured. Some libraries and the mobile library Onneli specialize in children’s literature. 12 out of the 23 libraries operate in the same facilities as a school or daycare centre. The new City Library Saari, which will open in 2026, will include more space for children and the Culture Center for Children and Youth Kotilo’s facilities will be located there as well. The goal of OUTI libraries is to procure one book for each child under 15 years old by 2026. 
• The PISA results of Oulu’s schools in 2022 were good. The average result of schools in the Oulu region in the PISA study was 527 points. Finland’s average was 490 points, and the average of OECD states was 476 points. 

Shared activities and materials 

• The city of Oulu’s reading diplomas (in Finnish) were launched in the 1990s.
• A page listing northern literature (in Finnish) was published in 2013. 
• The Library Route and Joy of Reading page was published in 2014. The page offers materials to support literacy work in daycare centres and schools. 
• Oulu City Library’s reading and music tip activities (in Finnish) began in 2015. The reading guides have recommended reading for over 840 readers already
• Library Route online materials for students. The materials are found on the Qridi learning environment and in the Moodle for upper secondary schools. 
• Comics Library Sarjasto (in Finnish), operates in cooperation with the Oulu Comics Centre. 
• The Northern eLibrary began its activities and wide regional cooperation in 2019. 
• The Eväitä opiskeluun online guide to information gathering (in Finnish) for middle schools and upper secondary schools. 
• The Northern Reading Challenge (in Finnish) was launched in 2019. Also, see the Reading Challenge for the Tired (in Finnish). 
• Libraries have offered recommendations online since 2020 (in Finnish). The recommendation week of 2024 saw over 13 000 attendants. 
• Online storytimes for early childhood education since 2020 see over 10 000 participants annually. 
• Oulu’s Digital Paths (in Finnish) for preschool and basic education. STEAM book recommendations on the Library Route page. 
• In 2023, the third most group visits supporting multiliteracy in the Oulu City Library were organized (storytimes, book tips, library tours and information search training) after Helsinki and Espoo. The group visits saw the second most attendants right behind Helsinki. Most of the visits were organized for children and youth, i.e. Joy of Reading and Library Route activities. The most information search training and its attendants in Finland were in Oulu. 
• Mobile Library Kauno (in Finnish) visits 29 schools in the mornings and 54 stops in the evenings. Children’s Mobile Library Onneli’s (in Finnish) schedule includes 97 daycare centres and 8 schools. Virtual tours of the mobile libraries can be seen through the links. 

Culture Centre for Children and Youth – word art and film 

Oulu’s Culture Centre for Children and Youth was founded under Culture Centre Valve in 2003. The Centre is a diverse developer and specialist of word art education. The Oulu Film School serves under the Children’s Culture Centre, which organizes film and animation clubs, courses, workshops and training for children, youth and adults. 

Oulu Museum and Science Centre 

Oulu Museum and Science Centre is the heritage museum of Northern Ostrobothnia which produces, records and presents northern science, art and history. 

• Art Museum’s Book Club (in Finnish), in cooperation with the Oulu City Library.