Have you ever wondered what the Kohtaamispaikka (which means “Meeting Point”) in Lasipalatsi building at Mannerheimintie 22-24 is? I have, so I took a look around, and found that it offers a wide range of opportunities for free. It is free, as it is a part of the Helsinki Libraries – but it does not have books nor can you return or order books there. Instead it is more like digital workshop for everybody. In order to get there enter through the doors of Restaurant Lasipalatsi and climb up to the 2nd floor.
The services at Kohtaamispaikka: it is a place where you can borrow a video or digital camera, turn VHS-videos or slides into a digital form, there are 3d printers, one can make stickers, logos or print canvas (cloths) for 40c/print, and a desk for the ones who want to make graphics or cartoons etc.
One can also book a time (call (09)310 85900) to a media assistant if one needs help with using the services, and one can also book time to see a “laptop doctor” that helps out with problems on personal laptops. On Tuesdays and Thursdays 11am-2pm there are people present to help elderly people to use internet, e.g. do their online banking. There is some information of the place in English here but I found the more exact information only in Finnish.
I hope it is needless to say the services at the Meeting Point are only for private people and hobby use, not for businesses. However, included in the Meeting Point is also an Urban Office service where anyone can work at a desk or have a meeting around a table for a short period of time free of charge. A reservation can be made on 09-31085900.
The Meeting Point is open Monday – Friday 9am – 6pm.
Here you will find more free services, activities or sights in Helsinki.
Free But Fun 
[…] some lend sports equipment and Kohtaamispaikka in Lasipalatsi quite downtown offers even free digital services. Now they have also started to offer free language courses online for a number of language, […]
That’s an amazing service! Who staffs it? Staff from the library payroll, casuals, volunteers…?
I think they are a part of the library staff, the support people for elderly people using computers are volunteers (I think). My guess is they have additional assisting staff through “supported employment” where the state pays a part of the salary to the employer to hire a person who is not so desirable on the labour market due to e.g. mental or physical disabilities. See, we pay a lot of taxes so there is moeny to take of 😀