University Centre Colchester | The Library and Technical Learning Resources (TLR)

The Library offers a range of services. There are over 100,000 resources which include books, academic journals, DVDs, CDs, music scores and online information sources designed to support you with your studies. We also have a range of equipment for you to borrow to enhance your work, such as cameras, digital audio recorders, video cameras, microphones and CD players.

Help and Support

Learning Resources staff will give you friendly, helpful advice to enable you to make the best use of the services here. To find out more, visit the Library’s portal pages; you can also search the Library Catalogue for resources. To join the Library, bring your student ID card to one of the staffed desks in the Library; once you have signed up you can begin borrowing immediately. You must always have your ID card with you to borrow anything.

As part of your course induction you will meet a Learning Resources Adviser, the information specialist for your course, who will show you how to make best use of the facilities and resources available to you. The Advisers offer sessions to help you find information, to improve your search skills and understand your search results, and to use Harvard referencing. If you need help with finding resources for an assignment you can get in touch with the Adviser for your subject area for one-to-one help throughout the year.

Online Resources

The Library subscribes to online databases and web resources covering an extensive range of subject areas and has full-text access to over 10,000 electronic journals as well as a range of e-books; these are accessible both on and off-campus.

Facilities

There are a variety of study spaces available in the Library, including a seminar room that be used for group work or to practice presentations. You may also book a computer in the Library from over thirty open-access PCs that are available.

Library Opening Hours

You can contact us in person, by email or by phone:
Email: library.helpdesk@colchester.ac.uk
Telephone: (01206) 712642

Technical Learning Resources (TLR) offers a wide range of facilities, services, support and advice, regardless of academic level and with the minimum of formality. It is an open resource for all learners and the friendly and approachable TLR team offer technical advice, one-to-one support and group workshops to help you use the TLR resources and facilities. The main TLR Helpdesk is located at Colchester in the Resources Zone, above Eat Central; some services are available from the Library at Colchester.

Resources and Studios

Loan equipment is available (via the Libraries and Resources Zone) for you to borrow, including point-and-shoot digital cameras, SLR cameras, video cameras, audio recorders, laptops and a wide variety of accessories. TLR offer inductions on all equipment and can help you to understand how best to use the resources in your work.

In addition to the loan equipment that is available, TLR offers a range of specialist facilities for student use on the Colchester campus. These include a television studio, video editing suites, an audio studio and digital imaging facilities along with Adobe Creative Suite. If you are studying media, drama or graphic design, you will soon get to know these facilities but many other students benefit from using them too and they are available to all.  Sophisticated equipment may be borrowed with no more formality than borrowing a book from a library. The latest technology is always under development for the benefit of students and staff.

Most courses call for written assignments, but there will also be opportunities to work with sound and vision. A short video sequence, prepared using our camcorders and post-production suites, is often an acceptable alternative to a written essay or report. University Centre Colchester is dedicated to helping you lay a firm foundation for a successful career. Alongside a sound training in your chosen vocation, an ability to communicate is essential for success. Technical Learning Resources can provide direct experience in the latest communication media.

Help and Support

TLR staff are available to explain to you how to use the equipment and to provide advice on techniques and shortcuts to get the most from the equipment and studios. TLR also offers services such as dubbing, duplicating, DVD printing and file conversions as well as laminating and binding services. In the Library and the TLR Centre there are machines for copying, scanning and printing available for student use.

Opening Hours

Contact TLR

You can contact us in person, by email or by phone:

• Email: tlr.helpdesk@colchester.ac.uk
• Telephone: (01206) 712288