The biggest domestic search service continues to grow. Finna was used a staggering 59.3 million times in 2023. Its use increased by 15% compared to 2022.

The number consists of visitors to the nationwide Finna.fi website, which brings together the materials of 453 museums, libraries, archives and research institutes. Finna.fi was used over 4.8 million times, which is more than ever before. In addition, some of the organisations covered by Finna maintain their own Finna website, such as online libraries or websites presenting the museum’s own collections.

What was the most interesting content in Finna in 2023?

During Finna’s ten-year history, books and images have held the top positions as the most popular content in the service. Last year, images, such as photos, objects and art, were viewed more than 11 million times. During the year, Finna received new materials from Helsinki Art Museum HAM and the Sámi Museum Siida, for example.

Finna’s materials offer the user an endless source of inspiration. Among others, Finna’s social media channels highlight Finna’s content through phenomena that have already been forgotten or evoke nostalgic feelings, such as old festival traditions or fashion from past years.

“Every time you go through Finna’s materials, you are amazed at how short human memory is. Some phenomena are completely forgotten, while others come back only slightly changed. However, the most important thing for us is to inspire people to use Finna themselves, because even the best content producer cannot offer the personal touch that is available through Finna by investigating one’s own or the home region’s past, for example”, says Hanna-Leena Saarenmaa, Finna’s marketing specialist.

The films of the National Audiovisual Institute Kavi were also watched extensively in Finna, more than 3.2 million times. The most watched long film was Winter War, directed by Pekka Parikka.

The use of open study materials showing a vast increase

For an increasing number of users, Finna is a path to research data and learning. Among others, the use of open study materials found through Finna and Finna Classroom’s ready-made material packages increased by about 40% compared to the previous year.

The value of Finna is also recognised at the Ministry of Education and Culture, which finances the service.

“Finna and its contents also support the resilience and crisis tolerance of society. Ensuring access to cultural heritage and research data, as well as securing digital competence and media literacy, build digital education and are a key part of our mental security of supply”, said Minister Sari Multala at Finna’s 10th anniversary celebration on 14 December 2023.

Top 10 most popular material providers in 2023:

1. National Board of Antiquities
2. National Library of Finland
3. National Audiovisual Institute (KAVI)
4. Helsinki City Museum
5. National Museum of Finland
6. University of Jyväskylä
7. Finnish Forest Museum Lusto
8. Museum Centre Vapriikki
9. 3AMK (library materials of Haaga-Helia, Laurea and Metropolia universities of applied sciences)
10. Helmet (Espoo, Helsinki, Kauniainen and Vantaa city libraries)

Key figures of the Finna.fi service from 2023:

  • Home to cultural and scientific material in Finland.
  • A total of 122 organisations have their own Finna websites.
  • The number of visits to various Finna sites was 59.3 million.
  • 4.8 million visits to Finna.fi.
  • Finna already contains 17.8 million material items of which 3.2 million are available online.
 

Tags: , , , , , ,