I can't do any research!!!

elisebutt65

My college library has been closed since 31st May - OK so they have to do refurb sometime, but It's still not open and I have to get going on my dissertation!!!!! I can't even get a UKL card to work at another Uni library as can't get access to the librarians in the library!!! The work was supposed to be finished in time for new year but now tutors just shrug when I ask how long!!!

Also due to not being able to get to library, I can't get the new passwords for the non-Athens sources!!!

And now the college website is down so I can't even accesss Athens for the journals!!!!

I also have an essay and presentation to be completed in a fortnight - just given out today!!!

Surely this is unacceptable??? OK I'm not paying straightaway but the fee are on my loan. I am really peed off - Over a Grand a year for what??? The inability to do any research?????

melancholly

sounds like a ridiculous situation for the library - send emails to everyone you can think of to get access to another one.

you should be able to use your athens password on any of the journal sites yourself, whether or not you go through your uni site if you're 'off campus'. try going through something like web of knowledge or google scholar.

while the library thing is just unacceptable, i don't think a fortnight is short enough to complain about too much. as long as everyone is in the same boat it's probably not too bad. i know as an undergrad i had essays due in a week after being set - not fun at all, but probably not worth making too much of a fuss over (stick to the fights you're more likely to win, like the library access issue!)

elisebutt65

melancholly wrote:

you should be able to use your athens password on any of the journal sites yourself, whether or not you go through your uni site if you're 'off campus'. try going through something like web of knowledge or google scholar.

while the library thing is just unacceptable, i don't think a fortnight is short enough to complain about too much. as long as everyone is in the same boat it's probably not too bad. i know as an undergrad i had essays due in a week after being set - not fun at all, but probably not worth making too much of a fuss over (stick to the fights you're more likely to win, like the library access issue!)

I don't care about the time frame for the essay - I can do it IF I have the resources available!!!

I can't access Athens with a password as we access it via our college portla(Blackboard) so no passwords given out

Finally got on now - 11 at night - not too good!!

welf_man

Four months for a library refurb is ridiculous. Have you been to the Students' Union about it? I would have thought they'd be putting pressure on, and if not, they should be!

You should be able to gain access to another library with your university ID card - most will let you in as a visitor. You wouldn't be able to take out books as you would with a UKL card, but it's a start.

Mel.

melancholly

elisebutt65 wrote:

I don't care about the time frame for the essay - I can do it IF I have the resources available!!!

sorry - with you! hadn't really appreciated that at all!!!
d'oh!

if there are any articles that you desperately need, in the past people have posted the journal details and asked people to PM them if they could email them a pdf.

flossy_splodge

I note where you are located and that has simply GOT to be Warwick UNi!!! It was the same last year. I do support work for a blind student there and library facilities are imperative . What I CAN say is 99% of the library staff have been superb. Woyuld strongly suggest you go to the vice chancellor to 'discuss' this issue. Mind you I am 'mature' (to say the least in age terms) so always go straight to the horses mouth. That's what they're paid to do! And paid one hell of a lot of money. Be brave and stand up for yourself. Noone else will if you don't! Best of luck and if it IS Warwick, thanks for the warning as I am continuing to work with same student this year as they start their PhD and was going to come to campus tomorrow to access library. I'll check first !!:eek:

elisebutt65

Nooo - It's the Birmingham College of Food, Tourism and Creative Studies A nice long trek in - lol but it actually takes longer to get to Warwick Uni using public transport - lol

They're always getting work done here so it is nice to see the money being spent on nice surroundings etc but NOT if we can't use the flipping facilities!!!!:mad:

Got a couple of books from my local library but not the ones I need on Dark Tourism, just some on the Holocaust and Cambodia so I can do some background detail.

Never done a student led seminar before and stuck my hand up so I could do the first one - leave the rest of the semester free for Dissertation work - lol

WYBMADIITY_2

Hi Elise

I've just started at BCFTCS last week, and apparently the library reopens tomorrow.

Hope I get to do a dissertation one day - finding it hard going at the moment!

Good luck

Wyb

Savvy_Sue

flossy_splodge wrote:

I note where you are located and that has simply GOT to be Warwick UNi!!! It was the same last year.

DS1 is at Warwick, not long taken him back for his second year, and do you know what? He's never mentioned ANY library problems! (And yes, he must be doing some work because he passed his first year with good results!)

lellie

Local Library certainly is worth a try - I often manage to get course books through Manchester Libraries Service when they're all out of the uni library. Doesn't your uni library have an online site with the catalogue and stuff with links to the journals/ebooks?

If it does stay closed although by the post above says it's due to open tomorrow - make sure you get the union on board - I'm surprised a motion hasn't gone though.

elisebutt65

Sigh - it's still not open!!!

I've been campaigning to get made class rep this year as previous ones have been worse than useless - more concerned with organising !!!!-ups, than dealing with issues!!:mad: So far have nearly half the class on board so should be able to swingit - lol

I can access journals online but there are some books that are vital and really hard to get hold of, so I've reserved them to get as soon as library is open. I tried local library and there isn't a copy in the whole county and I need to get this essay done by next Friday if possible so can't order from British Library - like I did with some really hard to get books. I've managed to get the seminar work done with just journals and newspapers. It's just this one poxy book I really, really need. Every single journal quotes it and the author is the 'definitive' one. Even tried orderingit from Waterstones( I could then sell on Ebay after) but they quoted 7-10 days.

If library ain't opening tomorrow I'm stomping down to the Union