Logging in to the university computer network & using the digital library Lesley EnglishLiSS

By the end of this session you will be able to: Log on to the computer network. Access your account. Access your Blackboard account. Know where to find the e-version of Cite them Right. Use your ‘Subject Resources’ page to access key resources. Find books on your subject area using the library catalogue. Find an electronic book (ebook). Use Quest to find an electronic journal article. Know where to get help with accessing LiSS resources.

Logging on to the University computer network To generate your own unique username and password you will need to follow the steps below. On a computer with an internet connection, type in the url: Enter your student number from your registration information e.g Enter your date of birth in this format dd/mm/yyyy e.g. 01/01/1980 Click proceed, then click continue. Make a note of the username and password given, as well as your address. The password is case sensitive. N.B. Make sure you write the password exactly as it appears on screen. If you have problems generating your username & password you may need to ring the IT service desk on

Changing your network password Your username will always be your University student number. You are not able to change this. However, you must change your password from the original password you have been given. Your new password must not contain any part of your name, your username or an old UoC password. It should be a minimum of 8 characters. It must contain at least: One capital letter One lower case letter One number

Changing your network password off campus To change your network password you should go to the University homepage at Click on current students in the top right of the screen, then select Passwords (including resets) from the section headed Technical.current studentsPasswords (including resets) Click to Register for the student password reset service.Register for the student password reset service After 15 minutes you will be able to use the automated service to reset your password (on the same page). Please allow a further 15 minutes for this to take effect.

Username & password quick view grid

Accessing your University account The student system at the University is called To access it, go to the home page of the University website, click on the Current Students tab in the top right hand corner, and choose from the list of links.University website Current Students Please login with your University address: For example: along with your new password N.B. You will need to have changed your university network password from the automated one you were given prior to logging into for the first time.

Useful feature of 10 GB Mailbox Capacity Familiar Outlook Web Access Interface Mobile Access Access to 25 GB Storage through the SkyDriveSkyDrive Office Live workspace Office Live workspace – Edit Microsoft Office documents directly in the browser and share with your university colleagues.

Blackboard Blackboard is our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) used to enhance teaching and learning across the university. Content on the pages depends on your course but it should provide access to course information, course materials, relevant web links and an online discussion board. You can access Blackboard from the following areas: On the Home page of the University website, go to the Current Students tab in the top right of the screen and choose Blackboard from the list of links.Home page Current Students You can also bookmark the actual url Log in to Blackboard using your University network username & password. Once you are in the site a list of the Blackboard modules that you have access to is displayed.

Referencing at the University of Cumbria The University of Cumbria uses the Harvard system of referencing contained in Cite them right. This book is your key to referencing whilst you are studying at the University and copies can be found in the library or it can be accessed electronically from the tab in It can also be purchased from Amazon (used copies can be bought for just over £4). Amazon There’s a really useful online tutorial available to help you get started on the online tutorials page. online tutorials Remember, you can also access support from a Learning Adviser in LiSS if you are unsure about referencing.access support

Which resources should you be using? LiSS gives you access to lots of resources you will need to use for your assignments. Some of them can be found in the library and others can be accessed electronically from wherever you have an internet connection. Books & electronic books (ebooks) are the obvious starting point for all kinds of secondary information. Use books to get an overview of your subject. Journals and electronic journals (ejournals) are extremely useful for up-to- date and scholarly information. They are the first to report on current research. Newspapers are useful for up-to-date and popular information. Websites can provide all kinds of information including government websites and standards agencies, but generally information quality on the internet is a big issue and you must make sure that you evaluate fully anything you find on the internet.

Using the library If you are able to visit one of our University Libraries you will need your Cumbria card along with your library PIN number to be able to use the self service kiosks. Your PIN number will be ed to your University address. Use the library catalogue to search for books on your reading list, or to see what’s available on a particular subject. It will tell you which library the book is at, and give you the shelf-mark so you can find it easily on the shelf.library catalogue If an item is on loan or is only available at another campus you can request it to be sent to your nearest campus library. You will need your student number and your PIN number to do this. Alternatively, as you are studying on a distance learning course you can select the postal loans option, and the book will be posted out to your home address.

My Account You can check your library account at any time using the My Account link on the library catalogue. You will need your Cumbria card number and your PIN number. You can:  Check what items you have on loan and when they are due back  Renew your loans – but only if no-one else has requested the book  Check if you have any fines or charges to pay  Change your PIN number  Save your catalogue searches  Check what you have borrowed over the last six months  Request items  Check progress on your requests

Your subject resources page A great place to start looking for resources to help you with assignments is your subject resources page.subject resources Each subject area has it’s own page, for example Medical Imaging. Midwifery, Community Health etc. Click on the relevant subject area and find useful websites, news feeds, key journal titles, new books and eresources tailored to each course, plus who to ask for help. There’s also a section on referencing and using Turnitin, the University’s anti- plagiarism software. Just use the tabs along the top to move from one area to another.

Using the digital library You can access our electronic resources (eresources) using your University network username & password through the LiSS webpages. These include: ebooksebooks - either through the catalogue or through the Dawsonera collection ejournals –you can use Quest to search all the university’s journal collections using carefully selected keywords.Quest newspapers image libraries - including Anatomy.TV for 3D anatomical imagesAnatomy.TV For more information on using the eresources have a look at our guide.guide

Help & support Library & information skills support: For help with finding information for your subject or using the eresources available, for support or to make an appointment with a library skills adviser. Academic skills support: For help relating to your academic writing or referencing, for support or to make an appointment with an academic skills Digital skills support: For help using Pebblepad, Blackboard or Turnitin, for support or to make an appointment with an academic skills adviser. General Library enquiries: Phone Lancaster or IT problems: Tel or