Starting a new CPD course can feel overwhelming, especially if you're fitting it around work or other commitments. Whether you're here for a week or several months, this guide is designed to help you make the most of the Library’s resources and support.
In this guide, we’ll introduce you to the key services, tools, and skills that will help you succeed in your studies. You’ll find tips on accessing resources, developing your research skills, and accessing further support.
To access the Library’s digital services, you’ll need your University of Sussex IT username and password. With these, you can:
The Library is committed to making its services accessible to everyone.
For information on building access, using online resources, and available support, see our Accessibility guide.
The Library homepage is the best place to access all the resources and support the Library offers.
Here you’ll find information on:
You can also start searching the Library's collection straight from the search bar at the top of the homepage.
Watch the video below for a quick overview of the homepage and tips on carrying out your first search. For more help using the basic functions of Library Search -- like using filters, signing in to your library account, and saving results -- have a look at our Library Search Help Guide.
In this short video we'll take a look at the library homepage,flag up the useful resources you'll find there, and demonstrate how to carry out your first simple library search.
To get to our home page, go to www.sussex.ac.uk/library, or simply search for Sussex University Library on a search engine like Google.
Once you get to the home page, this is what you'll see. So, as we scroll down the page, I'd like to first show you some of the useful things you'll find here on the home page.
Underneath the search bar, you'll find these options in the middle.
Here you'll find information about and be able to sign up to our library events, including workshops that our Teaching and Learning Team deliver on various different research skills throughout the year.
You'll also find a link to your reading lists, which will be essential for your studies.
And finally, we have our Online Resources A-Z, where you will find an easily searchable list of all of the resources and databases the library subscribes to and a link to our guides, including both Subject Guides which contain the most relevant databases and resources for your subject, and our general Skills Guides, which provide in-depth help and guidance for various research skills like advanced searching and referencing that you will want to use during your time here.
We all now scroll back up the page and finish the video by carrying out our first simple search on the library catalogue.
To do this, we simply enter our keywords into the search bar and hit 'Search'.
For this example, let's imagine we're interested in the concept of gentrification. So, we will enter this term and then run the search.
You will then be taken through to your search results, where you can click on the titles to access the various items.
To learn more about improving your searches, filtering your results, and using the Advanced Search feature, see our Search Skills Guide found within the Skills Guide pages.
You can also access a handy how to search Help Guide using this link just below the search bar.
And if you need assistance, you can use the Library Chat option on the right-hand side of the page to chat with a member of the library about your issue.
That's all for this video, happy searching.
For your modules you will have an online reading list, which you can access directly through Canvas (the University’s online study platform).
For guidance on accessing Canvas, see Using Canvas page.
Discovering resources is an essential part of your studies. The next section introduces the key tools and techniques to help you achieve the best results.