Campus cards and IT accounts

Owing to the times of classes, many Continuing Education students find it difficult to obtain UEA computer usernames and passwords. These are really essential and here are some quick links.
You should receive your UEA computer username and password in a Datamailer slip from your department. BEFORE YOU CAN USE IT, YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THE PASSWORD. Here's how to change your password.
If you are still having problems, contact the IT Helpdesk, who deal with accounts, click here  
To access your UEA email (webmail), click here
Find out how to forward your UEA email, click here

Accessing Blackboard (VLE) via the UEA portal

Many Conted courses are now available via UEA's Blackboard VLE (Virtual Learning Environment). This is accessed from the 'Academic' tab in the UEA Portal. On campus, this is the portal is the web page you will see when opening Internet Explorer. Off campus you will need to add this link to your 'Favourites' in your Internet browser (e.g. Internet Explorer).

Library opening hours

The Library is currently open 24hrs per day for a trial period until 31 October 2012. See Opening Hours for further information about what services are available at different times.

Continuing Education books

In addition to book boxes provided for some Continuing Education units, there is an extensive collection of Continuing Education books and resources at UEA Library for your to borrow.
Continuing Education books are interfiled with the Main Library Collections but have green spine labels. As a Continuing Education student you can borrow Continuing Education and Main Library books. Details of your borrowing rights are given here.

Using Primo OneSearch and Library Catalogue

In such a large library, you must use Primo OneSearch or the Library Catalogue to find the books you need. Each book has a shelf number which is essential for locating the book. The main thing to remember once you have searched for a book on its Location link. This then gives you the all-important Location of the book, for example PR4034.E53 DIP. This alphanumberic classmark is found on the spine label of the book.

To find out more about how to search for the items you need see our online information skills pages for students.

Requesting a book which is on loan

To request a book which another user has borrowed,
1. Look for the book using the Library catalogue. If using Primo OneSearch click on live holdings to be taken to the Library Catalogue information about individual copies.
2. Click 'Location/Availability' to see whether the book is currently on loan.
3. Click the 'Request' button next to the book you want to reserve and type your library card number from below the barcode. You will also need to enter your date of birth – e.g. 251249 for 25 December 1949.
4. You will receive an e-mail to your UEA address when the book is ready for collection from the Library Helpdesk. If a book is not due back within the next 2 weeks, you will need to contact the Library Helpdesk to ask staff to recall the book. They will contact the user and ask him/her to return the book sooner. Unfortunately it is not possible to reserve books which are not on loan.

Using UEA E-Resources (on and off-campus)

Access to all the UEA-subscribed electronic resources is available via Primo OneSearch and the e-resources gateway called MetaLib

Finding journals

UEA has journal articles in print and electronic form.

For finding articles in print journals, you need to know the title of the journal and then  use Primo OneSearch or the Library Catalogue

For finding electronic journals, you need to know the title of the journal and then search this E-journals A to Z list. Click to see which years we have in stock and click to link to the e-journal.

Finding journal articles

The Library Catalogue only indexes journals by title, not by the articles contained within them. To find journal articles you need to use online databases. MetaLib is UEA's gateway to a vast number of online databases relevant to your studies. In particular, it is very helpful for finding journal articles.

Using MetaLib

What you need to know about using MetaLib is given here.

If you are not very confident about accessing electronic resources, I would recommend just learning the basics of how to find and link to a database relevant to your subject area.
Click the SUBJECT CATEGORY: drop-down menu to choose the category and/or sub-category of resources you require (e.g. ARTS & HUMANITIES and then History). Then click on the title of the database you want to use. Your chosen database will then open in a new window. This will happen automatically on campus but off-campus you may be asked for an Athens username and password (see below).

Recommended databases

Continuing Education covers a wide range of subjects so it is difficult to provide a definitive list for you so the best advice is to look at the databases under your subject on MetaLib. However, the following general databases may be useful to you:

1. Intute Subject Gateway  (a site containing links to pre-selected web sites relevant to your studies)
2. Web of Science / Web of Knowledge - the most important major general database of journal articles
IMPORTANT: Please note this is primarily a bibliographic database - that means UEA does not  have all the articles in full text. To see whether we hold the full text, you need to use the SFX  button which is a more advanced feature of UEA's e-resources.
3. Academic Search Elite (general full-text e-journals)
4. Dictionary of National Biography
5. JSTOR (archive of e-journals)
6. Newspapers UK Proquest (major UK newspaper articles online since c. 1995)
7. Times Digital Archive (1st January 1785 - 31st December 1985)
For other recommended databases and web sites, see the Subject Guides

Athens usernames and passwords for electronic resources (off-campus)

If you are off-campus you may be asked for an Athens username and password when accessing many of our databases. Your Athens username and password is identical to your UEA computer username and password. However, you must pick up a 'cookie' for your computer first or it will not work. Step by step details of how to do this are given here.

How to get further help (Library Helpdesk and Faculty Librarians).

Continuing Education covers a range of subjects and so for specialist advice, do the following:
1. Check the subject guides pages
2. Ask for help at the Library Helpdesk
3. Contact your subject specialist librarian. For details of the Librarian relevant to your subject, click here.
4. Contact Andrew Barker, Head of Library Academic Services, if you are unable to get help from the above.

Other Libraries and Archives:

Norwich Cathedral Library
Norfolk & Norwich Millennium Library (at The Forum)
Norfolk Heritage Centre (Local History)
Findit! Guide to UK Library Collections

Contact:

Library Helpdesk: extension 2993 (external callers: 01603 592993) Contact Helpdesk