The Training Institute for Prison and Probation Service (RSKK)
Founded in 1976, the Training Institute for Prison and Probation Service (RSKK) is Finland’s only provider of degree programmes in prison and probation services. It also offers training to maintain, supplement, and enhance professional competence. The institute is part of the Prison and Probation Service of Finland (RISE)
The Training Institute for Prison and Probation Service (RSKK) is home to Finland’s Criminological Library, which recently expanded the range and availability of its selection with a collection of e-books available via Ellibs’ e-book platform. The library’s e-collection is designed to serve the needs of the staff of the Prison and Probation Service of Finland (RISE), students in the field, and the smart prisons in Hämeenlinna, Pyhäselkä, and Kylmäkoski.
Materials for staff and students
The literature for RSKK degree students, whose education is at the post-upper secondary level, consists of mandatory course books, which Ellibs provides in cost-effective, multi-copy packages.
The library also serves RISE staff, and Ellibs’ e-collection has allowed the library to save on many costs, such as postage, as its users can instantly access the literature they need digitally instead of having to wait for physical copies in the mail.
“In some cases, it has been vital for RISE staff members, who work across Finland, to find the information they need in minutes,” explains Library Manager Hannu Kylkisalo from the Criminological Library.
Audiobooks offer access to literature in smart prisons
The Criminological Library’s e-collection is also available in three smart prisons: Hämeenlinna, Pyhäselkä, and Kylmäkoski. Prisoners can use their cell terminals to access Doris, the smart prison system, and request access to several public administration services – including the Ellibs materials offered by the Criminological Library.
The library’s recent additions have increasingly focused on audiobooks, as many prisoners have dyslexia- or ADHD-related symptoms, making it easier for them to learn through listening rather than reading.
Despite its relatively small size, the strength of the Criminological Library is its focused and user-oriented collection, which also takes the needs of prisoners into account.
One platform for several user groups
The Criminological Library’s different user groups require flexible and easy access to important literature, no matter the time or place. Ellibs’ e-book collection has met their needs: students can easily find the course books they need, staff can access vital information in minutes, and the collection also serves the needs of Finland’s smart prisons. The library’s curated digital collection has helped integrate literature as a natural part of RSKK’s degree programmes and daily life in smart prisons.
