Alumnus Membership

 You said:

I just wanted to find out in regard of using University library. I am a graduate student from Bedford University am I still able to apply to use the library, I would be very grateful if you can advise me please.

We said:

Thank you for your enquiry. As an Alumnus you are eligible to apply to join after 25.4.22. Do not apply before 25.4.22 or your form will be returned to you.

All the details you need are on our website

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/membership/external-users/categories/f

Services to Alumni are open. Online application process

Always bring your membership card to swipe through the barriers.

As a graduate of the University of Bedfordshire you are welcome to apply for membership of Learning Resources and Service Excellence. This applies to UK based Alumni as our membership offer is based on physical access to the study space and print resources. This membership offer applies to Bedford Library and Luton Library only. There is no remote access to digital resources for UK or overseas alumni.

Keep your contact details up to date with the University

To be eligible for membership University of Bedfordshire graduates need to be in good standing with the library i.e. no outstanding loans/fines/bills/Written Warnings. Membership cards are valid for 3 years.

• Alumni Reference Membership is Free - no loans

• Alumni Associate Membership – which allows borrowing - is £35 per annum

• You may use the Guest WiFi network on your own laptop/tablet

• You may not use student PCs or MACs

• You will not have access to any of your old University IT accounts or to the Digital Library

• You will not be able to print

• By using our services you agree to us storing and processing your data

Apply via our online application form

Code of conduct - use of Learning Resources

The University has a code of conduct which applies equally to External Customers as it does to its own students and staff

Learning Resources has its own Code of Conduct and all External Customers are expected to be familiar with it and abide by it. Sanctions are at the bottom of this page.

Walk In Access arrangements for electronic resources

By registering as an external customer of the University of Bedfordshire's Learning Resources you may have walk-in access to a limited range of digital resources. This is available on Campus only. If you use Walk In access privileges you are agreeing to comply with the conditions set out below. If you have any further questions about copyright or the license conditions in place for specific digital resources, please consult a member of Learning Resources staff.    

All of the University's digital resources are protected by copyright law. You are responsible for complying with any restrictions on the available digitial resources that you access.

Please check this list for the digital materials that are available for Walk In access.

You agree to:

• Carry the UoB Library ID that has been issued to you at all times and swipe in with it to access Learning Resources facilities

• Show your ID to staff or Security if asked

• Take care at the edges of the atriums and light wells in our libraries. Do not balance any items of the ledges.

• Terms and conditions laid out here, as well as those detailed in the University's Network Acceptable Use Policy when using Guest WiFi, in other words will not:

o create, transmit or deliberately receive (other than for properly supervised and lawful research purposes) any offensive, obscene, extremist material or indecent images (including pseudo images), data or other material, or any data capable of being resolved into obscene, unlawful or indecent images or material;

o create or transmit material which causes, or is likely to cause annoyance, revulsion or needless anxiety to the University, its staff, students, visitors or any third party;

o creation or transmission of defamatory abusive or other unlawful material in respect of the University, its staff, students, visitors or any third party;

o transmit any material in such manner that it infringes the copyright of the University, another person or organisation or which discloses confidential or sensitive information or data relating to the University, its staff, students, visitors or any third party;

o transmit any unsolicited commercial or advertising material;

• Customers must be 18 or over

You can:

• Access a range of the University's digital resources from your own personal laptop/tablet/notebook.

• Use digital resources for educational purposes (e.g., personal study or research).

• Save articles, images or other content onto a portable storage device such as a USB stick, and email content to yourself - subject to copyright restrictions.

You cannot:

• Use any of the student PCs or MACs

• Use the room bookings or laptop loans

• Use Milton Keynes or Aylesbury campus's facilities

• Use any of the content retrieved from the University's digital resources for commercial activities.

• Share the usernames or passwords provided to you by the University with anyone else.

• Access any other parts of the University except the Library or Learning Resources Centre.

• Share any materials retrieved from the University's digital resources with anyone, whether in print or digital format

• Use the network for unauthorised purposes. For more detail, refer to the JANET Acceptable Use Policy.

• Access, transmit, store, print, promote or display offensive, obscene and indecent material, defamatory materials or materials likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Guidelines and policies are in place to help library users, but it does not confer any rights, since admission to libraries is always at the discretion of the University of Bedfordshire. Library users who abuse their membership privileges could lose all access to the scheme and SCONUL Access members would also be subject to sanctions in their home institution.

Availability

Currently the Walk in Access service is available at Luton Library and Bedford Library via guest wifi on your own personal portable device. Please check staffed opening hours before you visit.

Please contact your chosen Campus in advance of your visit to check the availability of the service and to ensure that we have the resources you require. 

Please note that access to the service may be restricted at busy times and is provided on a strict 'first come first served' basis during staffed hours.

Sanctions

Fines will be applied to the late return of any loan time

3 Strikes

If you are in breech of the Code of Conduct the 3 strikes sanction process is:

• 1st strike - one week entry ban

• 2 strikes - two weeks entry ban

• 3 strikes - three weeks entry ban and you will not be considered for future Visitor membership

• 4th strike - membership revoked and you will not be considered for future Visitor membership

Depending on the breech 1st, 2nd or 3rd strike may be applied depending on the severity of the offense. Where applicable your home institution may be notified and in the case of Sconul Access we will notify the scheme.

Link to online form

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/membership/external-users/

Opening hours

 You said:

What are the opening hours for Easter break ?

We said:

Thanks for your enquiry. As you didn’t specify which campus library you were referring to please follow the link below

 https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/opening/

Luton Campus Library - Temperatures

 You said:

I am currently using 6th floor of the library and room L607 and it is extremely cold in here. we have to wear our jackets to be working in this room which is not convenient. Please could this matter be looked into.

We said:

Thank you for taking the trouble to write regarding your concerns about the temperature in L607 in the Luton Campus Library.

The external temperatures on Wednesday 13th were between 15 – 18 degrees C. With sunshine on the windows – L607 does have 2 external walls of floor to ceiling glass – this would bring the internal temperature up more than the air temperature. The library’s building management system is set between 19 – 21 degrees C. The mild air and sun warmed room seem to have raised the internal temperatures above 21 degrees C which would trigger the cooling system.

Sitting on or near the forced air vents would make the room seem chilly – hence your discomfort. May I suggest that should this happen again you report it to staff on level 1 of the library so they can take a temperature reading and report it to our Facilities team for attention as required. This will give you a much quicker response to the problem. In addition, you may wish to move away from the circular floor forced air vents to avoid getting chilled.

Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. If we don’t know there’s a problem we cannot fix it.

Visitor Access

 You said:

I am a former member of the Luton campus Library, prior to pandemic I used the premises after work for studying my professional papers which are integral for my employment and progression in my career. 

Due to pandemic (understandably) we were not able to use the Library until further notice

However I am reaching out in complete desperation, in past 2 years I have not been able to make any academic progress, as working from home and family circumstances (wife and Kids) have made it almost impossible for me to differentiate between work life, family life and some study time. My academic progress has lapsed during the 2 years of pandemic and I really need complete my last 2 remaining papers, as required by my employment contract.   

So my sincere request,  if you can please reinstate my Library access (ID provided above) this will enable me to use the premises after work (6-9 pm) and I can focus on completing my remaining 2 papers by the end of this year.  I am already studying towards June sitting however studying from home is very difficult, separating from family (children) and finding a quiet place is almost impossible.

I look forward to your response, hoping you can action this request (I will really appreciate if this can be done sooner so I can start preparing for my June sitting)  

We said:

Thank you for your heartfelt plea. The University has decided to limit the number of Visitors accessing the campus libraries. I have to tell you that our service statement on the web applies to all Visitors (except Sconul Access and Alumni). I cannot make any exceptions.

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/membership/external-users/

SERVICE NOTICE: Easter applications: no new applications will be processed from 8.4.22 – 25.4.22

Due to the current circumstances the University of Bedfordshire is limiting the number of Library Visitors on campus.  Please check our website for updates. We only accept online applications.  University of Bedfordshire is only accepting applications from the Sconul Access scheme and Alumni. Please monitor this page for future up dates.

I regret having to let you down and I wish you well. Hopefully we can welcome you back in the autumn

Advice request

 You said:

I hope you will help me find a book or resource that contains the reviews or opinions of criminal patients in British prisons who suffer from antisocial personality disorder and also the reviews of professionals or carers who provide care about this disorder. Thank you

We said:

Staff would be happy to help you find learning materials at the Customer Service desk on campus. Please just ask.

You could also contact your Academic Liaison librarian please check the subject list here for your course area

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/studyhub-library/what-is-study-hub/study-hub-teams/alls/Subjects

Sconul Access

 You said:

I am a student with the Open University and have been approved for SCONUL Access. I just wanted to check it was possible to visit your Bedford campus library to study and what you may need from me to attend? Please see attached email with SCONUL access approval.

We said:

Thank you for your enquiry. Please check our web site specifying our local arrangements. You may apply using the online form link in the Sconul Access paragraph on this web page

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/membership/external-users/categories/

You will notice from our advice to new applicants that

Please note that due to volume of demand processing may take up to 15 working days. Please be patient. Visitor enquiries will only be dealt with in person at ground floor Customer Service desk/reception 10.00 - 14.00 weekdays. We do not give status reports on application progress by phone or email. Please check staffed hours before visiting one of our libraries. No membership card means no access.

Conditions of Membership are here

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/membership/external-users/

Document Supply

 You said:

I am just beginning by PhD and was having difficulty accessing a couple of journal articles. 

Is there a named person,with who I can make an appointment please.

In the meantime, I have managed to copy and paste the articles I was trying to access below. Thank you for your help

We said:

Many thanks for your email and congratulations on starting your PhD

May I ask did you check the University library holdings via DISCOVER for the articles you require? If the items are not in stock you are eligible to use the Document Supply service to get access to the material you need.

Information about Document Supply is here:

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/using-the-library/docsupply/

Request forms

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/using-the-library/docsupply/forms/

Set up a Secure Electronic Delivery account to receive your articles by email – details here

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/using-the-library/docsupply/document-supply-q-and-a/

May I advise you to contact the Sociology librarian Keith Daniels for any advice you need on finding the materials for your research

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/studyhub-library/what-is-study-hub/study-hub-teams/alls/Keith_Daniels

Past exam papers

 You said:

Please, can you advise where electronic copies of MSc Taught dissertations can be found/accessed at the University?

We said:

Thank you for your email. To find past exam paper please search the library catalogue, using the Advanced Search tab (its yellow)

https://brum.beds.ac.uk/search/X

In the Limit To field drop down the list of options and selection Exam Papers

In the Material Type field drop down the list of options and selection Exam Papers

Using the drop down arrows complete as much of the form as you need. If you select Note enter your Unit code

If you have any problems or cannot find the papers you want please contact your Academic Liaison librarian for advice https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/studyhub-library/what-is-study-hub/study-hub-teams/alls/claire-carter

Or ask at the Customer Information desk in the library next time you are on Campus

The Business subject Guide may also be of use to you

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/business-studies/

Nvivo

 You said:

I am trying to find on the website where I can download the Nvivo software onto my own laptop. Would someone be able to point me in the right direction please?

We said:

Thank you for your email. Please search for Nvivo on the Library Catalogue then follow the on screen instructions

https://brum.beds.ac.uk/search~S20?/Ynvivo&searchscope=20&SORT=D/Ynvivo&searchscope=20&SORT=D&SUBKEY=nvivo/1%2C12%2C12%2CB/frameset&FF=Ynvivo&searchscope=20&SORT=D&1%2C1%2C

Visitor Access

 You said:

Is it possible to visit the Luton library to study as a visitor and if so, what hours would I be able to visit on a weekend?

We said:

Thank you for your enquiry. The University of Bedfordshire is not allowing Visitor access to their libraries. Please monitor our web page to see when that may change

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/membership/external-users/

Sconul Access

 You said:

I’m an undergraduate student at Durham University, and I am currently in Bedford for a few weeks. I was wondering if it would be possible for me to use the university of Bedfordshire library (Bedford site) while I am in Bedford?

If so, would I need to go through SCONUL access? Or is there another way? I have sent off an application through SCONUL a few days ago but haven’t heard back. 

We said:

Thank you for your enquiry. You may access University of Bedfordshire’s Bedford Campus Library or Luton Campus library via the Sconul Access scheme

Once you have your email of authorisation from Sconul Access please apply using the online form link in the Sconul Access paragraph on this web page

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/membership/external-users/categories/

You will notice from our advice to new applicants that

Please note that due to volume of demand processing may take up to 15 working days. Please be patient. Visitor enquiries will only be dealt with in person at ground floor Customer Service desk/reception 10.00 - 14.00 weekdays. We do not give status reports on application progress by phone or email. Please check staffed hours before visiting one of our libraries. No membership card means no access.

Conditions of Membership are here

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/membership/external-users/

Laptop loans

 You said:

How do I receive a laptop for loan?

We said:

Thank you for your enquiry

Please write to Studentmoney@beds.ac.uk for an application to borrow a laptop

Children in the Library

 You said:

I need to visit the library over the weekend. I am on placement during the week so it's tricky for me to get there during the week. The only thing is, my husband is working so I would have my children. Would it be ok to bring them along too? I wouldn't be staying for long and I'd keep them under very, very close and constant supervision!

We said:

It is against University regulations to take under 18s into the library (unless they are on an organised tour) 

Bedford campus library has a sofa just inside the main entrance which you could sit on with your children and staff could help you retrieve books from around the library

Luton campus library ground floor is open for member of the public including children so you could work there (there are PCs and a printer too) with your children. If you need help retrieving books ask security to ring the Customer Service desk staff and you can chat to them

Digital Access

 You said:

I am unsure where to go for this enquiry, I am a year three student currently doing my dissertation in Law with Psychology and I would like to access a journal on JSTOR; https://doi.org/10.2307/1409832. 

However, it said to contact my library on how I can gain access to this particular journal.

We said:

I am sorry you are having issues with access. I have just tried the link and it works OK

Please can you re-try and if you still get a problem please screen shot the message you get and send it to me

Milton Keynes Library

 You said:

I was wondering whether I can use the Milton Keynes Campus Library for reference purposes. I have a SCONUL access approved email for Band R and I'm a full time undergraduate student. Thank you very much. 

We said:

Thank you for your email. University of Bedfordshire’s Sconul Access off er is for Bedford and Luton campuses only. 

Bedford Campus Library Q Block only - you may not go into any other University building

Luton Campus Library L Block only

• Access from ground floor Vicarage Street ONLY 

• You may not use the IT Suite (F Block)

• You may not go into any other University building

If you wish to use the Bedford or Luton campus library please apply online in the first instance

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/membership/external-users/categories/

Visitor Membership

 You said:

Wondering if you can help? so I’m a student at Queen Mary University in London.

Luton being my local hometown, I was hoping and wondering if I can access the library on your campus as a student of a different university (I know some universities does) as travelling into london to access the library doesn’t make much sense for the daytime

We said:

Thank you for your email - please ask Queen Mary's about using the Sconul Access scheme. If you are eligible please apply once you have authorisation please check our website for how to apply to use University of Bedfordshire.

Our service offer to Visitors is on our website here:

https://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/membership/external-users/

Bedford - Bookable Rooms

 You said:

I see from the link you have attached that there is a group study room at Bedford, would it be possible to book this from 2pm to 2.30pm on Friday 18th March? I will be having a meeting with my academic tutor online and that is why I need to book a room.  In a different climate I am sure this would have been face to face meeting. I will be using the library for the whole day before this meeting as I am working on my PGCE research project. 

We said:

Please check with Bedford campus Library staff – they have access to the manual booking.

Sarah.duffy@beds.ac.uk and kathryn.gray@beds.ac.uk

Bedford Capus Library PCs working slow

 You said:

Today I have been sat in Bedford’s university library. The PCs that they have in the library are so old and slow! Considering I had drove all the way here to get some work done, I haven’t got a lot done due to the PCs being so slow! I spoke to a lovely lady who was on the front desk about this, she helped me with everything I needed and showed me lots of new things that I didn’t already know. Someone needs to invest in some new technology for this university! I can’t be relying on a person rather than a computer.

We said:

Thank you for your feedback on the PCs at Bedford campus library. I completely understand your frustration in having to log on to several PCs to achieve the work you planned to do. I am glad you were supported by staff on the day.

The PCs will be checked to see if anything can be done to improve performance and ensure they are connected to the print network. May I advise you that the PCs on level 3 were replaced last summer and are the newest machines in the building. You may wish to consider using those for the rest of this semester.

In addition I am happy to be able to tell you that the PCs on levels 1 & 2 and the ground floor in Bedford campus library will be replaced by 31.7.22