Library Essentials: Home

CU Group recognises that students have a range of additional support requirements. As such, we offer a variety of services to support students who have disabilities, mental health conditions, long-term health conditions or additional needs. These include:

• Additional Support – e.g. accessing resources or using the computer
• Book Fetch – Students can request books in advance from the Library and Learning Services Desk. Please allow three hours before collection.
• Laptop Loans – Borrow a laptop for up to 6 hours at a time while on campus. Lower access specific laptops are also available.
• Coloured paper – Yellow, pink, blue or white
• Photocopying and Printing – Support with copying documents, enlarging files and accessing evidence of printing costs for DSA
• Apps Anywhere – Access to a wide-range of additional computer software including Read and Write Gold, Inspiration and Screencast O Matic
• Academic Writing Support – By appointment for all students with our Academic Writing Tutor
• Online Library – Access a wide-range of e-books, journals and articles using Locate and Libguides with your username and password.
• Workshops – Our Library and Learning Services team run a variety of workshops including referencing, Locate and academic writing.

If there are other support services that you feel that you require in order to assist you with your studies then please contact our Disability and Welfare team. Portal link**

As a core support to your studies as CU Group, you have access to a dedicated Academic Writing Service. AWS is available to students of all levels.

We can:

• help you become a more confident and independent writer
• teach you about academic integrity in your writing
• help you develop good academic writing practices

Our Academic Writing Developers can support you at any stage of your writing process, and on any type of writing assignment. All our support takes place through 1-to-1 individual appointments and workshops.

The AWS can help you in a number of ways. These include:

• Analysing and understanding assignment briefs
• Writing critically
• Writing different assignment types successfully
• Using and integrating sources
• Organising and structuring assignments

Library staff can help with digital literacy and IT skills to improve your confidence with a range of software.

The IT Skills Guide provides you with tips specific to the types of assignments required of CU Group students.

LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning is an online skills development service with a library of over 7,500+ video courses and tutorials in a range of subject areas. You can use LinkedIn Learning to learn digital, technology, creative and business skills. Coventry University offers access to this resource free of charge to all students.

The use of LinkedIn Learning can support you during your time at university. You can use it to increase your knowledge base around your core degree subject, or widen your skillset in other areas. This will better prepare you for life after university and help land you that dream job!

Sigma provides free mathematics and statistics support for all Coventry University students and staff.

We provide a wide range of resources online. Throughout the year we run various workshops and training courses to improve your skills in areas such as statistics, mathematical software packages, PGCE numeracy tests, and employer's numerical reasoning tests.

All CU Group students are able to attend the online workshops as well as book 1-1 appointments.

The Flying Start scheme provides core eBooks via the BibliU platform to courses across the Coventry University Group. 

Introduced and integrated in 2019, Flying Start's eBook scheme provides a collection of key resources on the BibliU platform accessible to all staff and students.

Flying Start is designed to get you up and running on your course by providing you with materials and experiences to help you succeed during your degree and in your career. You can build a customised bookshelf by adding more content from hundreds of additional titles on the platform.

CU Coventry Library is located on the ground floor of the Mile Lane building, just past the café.

CU London Dagenham Library is located on the second floor in the north wing.

CU London Greenwich Library is located on the first floor.

CU Scarborough Library is located on the ground floor towards the back of the building.

  Borrowing

• All you need is your student ID card. If you're unsure how to find a book, a member of staff will be able to help you.
• Books are issued for 1 week or 3 weeks depending on the book.
• Book renewals are automatic unless a reservation has been made or there is a block on your library account.
• Laptops are issued for 4 hours and cannot be renewed.
• Borrowing is free, but for the late return of books that cannot be renewed there is a charge.  There is also a charge of £1 per hour for late laptops.

Automatic Renewals

The library operates an automatic renewal system.  To avoid incurring fines, please check your university email regularly for notices from the  library.  Items will automatically be renewed, as long as:

• Another user has not requested them.
• They have not reached their maximum loan period of fifteen weeks.
• Your account does not exceed the £10 fine limit.
• The account is not blocked as a result of overdue items or financial blocks.
• Your account has not expired or will expire before the renewal date.

Late returns incur £1 fine per item, per day.