DNA, BusinessOulu and the City of Oulu’s education and culture services are piloting the utilisation of high-speed 5G technology by mobile library services. The mobile library pilot is a continuation of a previous 5G pilot by DNA, BusinessOulu and the City of Oulu.

The pilot will test applications such as online livestreaming and how 5G can streamline the library’s loan services. DNA’s network connections allow for improvements such as delay-free automated checkout and return systems.

“Digitalisation offers a wealth of possibilities to companies and communities. Fast 5G connections with good coverage are needed to develop user-friendly digital services. Mobile library services and the opportunities that come with them are part of this”, says BusinessOulu’s Smart City Communications Coordinator Ari Saine.

“Mobile libraries operate across a large area, which means effective connections are vital for both customer service and the IT equipment needed for library operations. This is what we were able to test with this pilot. We organised a 5G live-feed event that followed a mobile library for a day, giving viewers an insightthe mobile library’s routes and providing a number of interesting book recommendations. The event was very successful in terms of connectivity, and another one like it may be organised in the future”, says Minna Männikkö, District Manager of Library Services at the City of Oulu.

“Our 5G network has excellent coverage and can be used to produce services that support business activities and improve other services. Many functions, especially speed-critical applications such as ambulances, public transport vehicles and industrial vehicles, have been moved over to 5G networks. However, 5G still has plenty of untapped potential. This pilot has already gotten off to a good start testing new capabilities in library services”, says Tuukka Toivonen, who heads up DNA’s business strategy and corporate customer services.

A day in the mobile library – what did streaming tell us about how people in Oulu use library services?

The event provided all of Finland with an opportunity to learn about Oulu’s new mobile library. The mobile library, named Kauno, toured central Oulu in March, and its stops included activities that were livestreamed online using 5G technology. Viewers got insightquestions like what kinds of books Oulu residents are reading. Particularly popular were local authors and works that dealt with current affairs.

Minna Männikkö summarises Oulu residents’ library use as follows: "Oulu has a large network of libraries and good mobile library coverage. The mobile library reaches customers on the outskirts of the city where there are often no libraries nearby. Customers use libraries for much more than just borrowing books; they are used for computer access, studying, work, taking part in events and reading periodicals.

The way people in Oulu use libraries has shifted, and customers now often reserve items in advance before picking them up at the library. With the introduction of online services, users have become less likely to browse library collections on site. Customers also value self-service systems that let them use their library card to access library services at whatever time of day is most convenient for them, whether that be the early hours of the morning or late at night.

The mobile library pilot is a continuation of DNA, BusinessOulu and the City of Oulu’s collaboration around 5G technology. In the spring of 2021, a pilot programme that was part of this collaboration implemented an augmented reality learning environment at Hiukkavaara School in Oulu. Both students and teachers embraced the new way of learning, and the learning environment has been expanded following the pilot programme."

DNA provides the mobile library and its customers with fast and reliable 4G and 5G connections using an industrial-grade 5G router, exterior antenna and Wi-Fi base station. All connections used as part of the pilot are integrated securelythe City of Oulu’s private network.

DNA’s 5G network now covers more than 4.6 million people in Finland across more than 200 towns and cities.