www.essex.ac.uk | Student services
Library The Albert Sloman Library (ASL) overlooks the lakes and parkland and is just a few minutes’ walk from the teaching buildings and student residences at our Colchester Campus. It is light, airy and spacious, providing ideal conditions for quiet study. A total of 1,115 reader places are provided, so a study place should always be available when required. In addition, 110 networked PCs provide access to a wide range of services and to the library catalogues at:
libwww.essex.ac.uk. Our library has long opening hours during term time and vacations.
If you are studying at our Southend Campus, you can visit the ASL to borrow books directly and make use of resources, or you can borrow books via a daily dispatch service which runs between our Colchester and Southend campuses. In addition, you will have access to the library at South Essex College, located directly opposite our Southend Campus. You will receive a library card from the College; this gives you borrowing rights for books and other materials in support of courses offered in Southend.
Our library holds more than one million books, pamphlets, e-publications and microforms, chosen mainly to support the teaching and research of the University, but also including some of general or leisure interest. Extra copies of books in heavy demand are available in a short loan collection and you can check the location and availability of books by accessing the online catalogue, either in Colchester or Southend.
Computing, IT and
online services We recognise that the IT facilities and online services are an important part of your experience as a student. You will need to use IT and online resources as part of your work, whether to write essays, run specialist software, access information on the web or exchange e-mails with staff and fellow students. We are committed to providing first class IT facilities and an online learning environment to complement the work of lectures, seminars, workshops, and tutorials.
When you arrive you will be provided with an individual computer account, giving access to the University’s computing facilities including e-mail, the web, learning materials, and personal online file storage. You can access most online services and information anytime, anywhere through the student web portal: myEssex. Arrangements about your course, together with a range of learning materials and supporting information, will typically be available.
A key area of myEssex is the e-portfolio, myLife, which is your own personal online space. You are encouraged to use this to record and reflect on your many experiences and achievements, not only academic but also those relating to your personal development and career planning during your time at Essex. You can share parts of your e-portfolio with tutors, friends and future employers to gain valuable feedback and to showcase your skills and achievements.
Our central open access PC laboratories on the Colchester Campus provide more than 500 modern Windows PCs and at the Southend Campus provide more than 100. Assistive technology and specialist support software is available in all open access labs. At our Colchester Campus, laboratories are available seven days a week with over 100 PCs accessible for 24 hours a day; the IT pods for group work in the Orangery are also available for extended hours. At our Southend Campus, laboratories are available during The Gateway Building’s long opening hours.
You can connect your own laptop or PC directly to the University network via the connection point in every University-managed student accommodation and by using the extensive wireless (wi-fi) service available at both campuses. At our Colchester Campus this includes the Library, teaching centre, cafés, Students’ Union facilities, and even in some areas of Wivenhoe Park. At our Southend Campus this includes the majority of teaching rooms, the open study area, social spaces and Students’ Union facilities within The Gateway Building.
The printed IT guide given to you on arrival, along with web pages, will provide you with comprehensive information
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about using the IT facilities but if you need more help, our IT Help Desk staff will provide you with documentation and personal assistance with your computing needs. The Colchester Help Desk also sells popular IT consumables as well as PC and printer accessories. Outside working hours, student IT assistants at the Colchester Campus are in the open access PC labs to offer you help or advice.
We provide online training to teach the basics of Windows and Office up to the level required for the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) computer qualification. The University is a registered ECDL test centre and you may decide to take the tests to gain this internationally recognised qualification.
Language study Many of our courses include modern language modules as integral components (see page 179). You will have the opportunity to follow language modules at up to six different proficiency levels, in French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic and Chinese, even when they are not part of your course.
You will be taught in small groups which greatly enhances your learning experience. The modern language classes integrate lab work in the Multimedia Centre, where a wide range of state-of-the-art technology is at hand. Some modules focus on such varied skills as filmmaking, audio visual editing, translating and interpreting. You can access online material 24 hours a day from any terminal connected to the University’s network.
We seek to create a positive environment for living and learning.
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