Skip to Main Content

Library Guides

decorative image

Support for Students in Partner Institutions

FAQs

Partner institutions & programmes

Where can I find details of the university's collaborative partner institutions and the programmes currently approved by the University to be taught in these partner institutions?

A listing of the university's collaborative partners is available on the university's main Partner Institutions page whilst you can find the link to the listing of the programmes currently approved to be taught in these institutions on the Learning & Quality Unit's Collaborative provision web page. In addition the Partner College Handbook contains a listing of those programmes currently approved to be taught in Partner College Network institutions.

Partner library staff

Who is the university library contact for partner institution librarians?

Your contact is Irene Barranco Garcia, Collaborations, Compliance and Copyright Manager.

How does the university library communicate with partner institution librarians?

Email groups for library contacts in partner institutions are being established and these are used as the primary means of communicating with colleagues in partner libraries. In addition the Information Services blog is used to ensure partner users are kept up to date with library developments and news.

Partner librarians are also added as members of the ILS & partners portal group which is used as a repository for support materials, and other information, for partner librarians.

Where do I find reading lists for Greenwich-validated programmes?

Please speak to the staff who are teaching these programmes in the first instance if you have any queries. However, information, such as indicative reading, is included in Student Handbooks.

Does the university library organise meetings/training sessions for partner institution library staff?

Training in the use of university library resources is organised for partner library staff for, whilst ILS staff will provide training sessions for partner staff and students, for longer term effectiveness the emphasis is to train partner library staff to enable them to be able to continue the support of students and staff in their institution. 

As part of the training an annual training day for UK based partner library staff is held at the university, usually in the summer term. This provides an opportunity for university library staff to update colleagues on new developments as well as providing an opportunity to discuss issues and share good practice.

Partner library staff can also attend staff development sessions organised by the university which are advertised via the portal Professional & Educational Development channel on the Staff Development tab.

Partner staff

What's an Affiliate Account?

If you are working with the University of Greenwich (and are not a member of University of Greenwich staff) you can apply for a University of Greenwich Affiliate Account which will give you access to services such as the Portal, Moodle, BannerWeb, file storage and print and email based on the type of work you undertake for the university. For further information, and to access the online form, view the Affiliate Account page.

The IT Service Desk will help with any queries relating to your Affiliate Account.

Can I borrow resources from the university libraries?

Yes if you have an Affiliate Account. You will also need a Greenwich Gateway card to gain entry to the libraries and borrow material. To obtain your Greenwich Gateway card you will need to visit one of the university Student Centres. Your library account will be created once your Greenwich Gateway Card has been printed.

Will I be charged for overdue items?

No, fines are not charged for overdue items but an account will be blocked if reserved items are not returned on time. 

Do I have access to the library's electronic resources?

Yes you do, but product licenses may restrict the resources we can permit you to access. View the Electronic Resources Access Summary web page for further information. Please note that access to electronic resources is only permitted for the teaching/support of University of Greenwich students and may not be used for the teaching/ support of other students in the partner institution.

Do I have access to the Portal?

For access to the Portal you will need to apply for a University of Greenwich Affiliate Account. View the Affiliate Account web page for further information and to access the online form you need to complete to request an Account.

Can I bring my students for a tour of any of the University libraries?

Yes, please contact Irene Barranco Garcia, Collaborations, Compliance and Copyright Manager who will arrange a visit programme.

Partner students

Can I borrow books from the university libraries?

Yes, if you are studying at one of the Partner College Network institutions; or the Royal School of Military Engineering. You can borrow up to 20 items at any one time from any of our 3 libraries.

Borrowed items can be returned to any of our libraries - it does not have to be the library you borrowed it from. However, items borrowed from the University libraries cannot be returned to the library at the partner institution where you are studying.

Most items are issued for either a month or 7 days but anything is renewed automatically until it is reserved by another user. If an item is reserved you will not be able to renew it and you will need to return it to the library. All the University libraries use self issue/discharge machines but staff are on hand to help with any queries.

You search for the items you want to borrow by using LibrarySearch. You will find that the University libraries may have copies of the same books as the library at the partner institution where you are studying but may also have additional texts which are of relevance to the courses you are studying.

LibrarySearch can be accessed via the My Learning/Learning Support page in the portal. If you have library borrowing rights you can use the Place Reservation option on LibrarySearch which allows you to reserve books and select the site you want to collect them from.

The library will send you an email when the item(s) are ready to collect. This email will be sent to your university email account which you can access via the portal. If you do not look at your University email account regularly you may find it useful to forward your university emails to another email account so that you do not miss messages from the library; the FAQS on the Google Mail web page explain how to do this.

What are the library's opening hours?

You can check opening hours here. During term time the libraries are open 7 days a week until midnight. However, always check opening hours before visiting especially if you are traveling some distance.

NB Remember to bring your Greenwich Gateway card with you as you will not be able to gain access to the libraries without this.

Can I use the computer labs/WiFi in the libraries?

Yes, all students, except for those Partner College Network students with a Greenwich Gateway card with the title QA Partner Student, can login with their University of Greenwich username and password and use the computer labs or WiFi in the libraries. They are also able to borrow laptops for use in the libraries - just ask at the library or computing helpdesks. There is no booking system for the PCs or laptops.

NB Remember to bring your Greenwich Gateway card with you as you are required to show this when you enter the libraries and will not gain entry without it.

Do I have access to the university library's electronic resources?

Yes you do, apart from Partner College Network students with a Greenwich Gateway card with the title QA Partner Student. However, please be aware that product licenses may restrict the resources we can permit partner students to access. View the Electronic Resources Access Summary web page for further information as to which resources you have access to.

Electronic resources include ebooks, journals, datasets as well as databases which will give you access to journal and conference literature. For access to the University library's electronic resources:

  • Login to the portal
  • Go to the Online databases and academic journals link in the Search the Library portlet 
  • Ebooks can also be accessed via the LibrarySearch  in the Search the Library portlet but off campus users may be redirected via the UK Access Management Federation page where you will need to select the University of Greenwich from a list of institutions first.

If you have any problems, or queries, when you are using the electronic resources you can get help by completing the support request form. There are links to the form via the Help icon on the portal screen, the Need Help? link on the portal login page and on the library's web pages.

What type of study spaces are there in the libraries?

We provide a range of study spaces from silent study rooms, where you can work on your own in silence, through to group study areas where you can talk and discuss your work with your friends. All the different types of study spaces are clearly signed. There are also bookable group presentation practice rooms so that you can prepare for group presentations - ask at the library counter to book these rooms. 

NB Remember to bring your Greenwich Gateway card with you as you are required to show this when you enter the libraries and will not gain entry without it.

Do I have access to the Portal?

Yes you do. You will be issued with your University of Greenwich username and password when you register with the university. Your username is also printed on your Greenwich Gateway card.

For any queries logging into the Portal select the Need Help link on the Portal login page; if the online help on this page doesn't answer your query scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will see the link to the support request form - complete this and staff will reply to you with advice.

You may want to change your University of Greenwich password to something more memorable for you. You do this by selecting the Password icon at the top right of the portal page and setting answers to the security questions. If you do this then you will be able to use the Forgotten Password function on the portal login page to reset your password.

Please note that Partner College Network students with a Greenwich Gateway card with the title QA Partner Student will only see a restricted portal view.

Can I join SCONUL Access?

Yes, if you are studying at one of the Partner College Network* institutions; Lifelong Learning Sector (LLS) College Network institutions or the Royal School of Military Engineering you are entitled to use the SCONUL Access scheme which allows you to use other university libraries in the UK and Ireland who are members of the scheme. You apply online via the SCONUL Access web site. You can download an information leaflet (PDF) here.We are not permitted to offer membership of SCONUL Access to students studying at any other partner institutions.

* Partner College Network students with a Greenwich Gateway card with the title QA Partner Student are not permitted to register for SCONUL Access.

If I need an item which you do not have in stock in the university library, can you borrow it from another library for me?

No but the library at the institution you are studying at may be able to. You may also be able to obtain the item you need yourself from another library such as a public library or through the SCONUL Access scheme; view Use of Other Libraries for further information.

Can I use the university libraries after I graduate?

You will need to register with the University of Greenwich Alumni Office. Further information is available on the Alumni web pages.

I haven't got a Greenwich Gateway card

UK based students who have fully registered are eligible for a Greenwich Gateway card. These cards are not issued to students in overseas collaborative partner institutions.

Greenwich Gateway cards contain your photograph, computer username and 9 digit student (Banner) number with an extra check digit which is required for library borrowing as your Greenwich Gateway card is also your library card. The title down the side will say:

  • Student Partner College or QA Partner Student if you are studying at a Partner College Network institution
  • Collaborative Student if you are studying at a UK Linked institution
  • Student Affiliate if you are studying at the University of Kent or Canterbury Christ Church on a programme associated with the University of Greenwich
  • Network Student if you are studying at a Lifelong Learning Sector Network College institution

You must carry your Greenwich Gateway card with you at all times when you are on a university site.You are required to show your Greenwich Gateway card when you enter the libraries and will not be able to gain entry without it..

Further information about Greenwich Gateway cards can be viewed here. For card queries contact the Student Helpline, or call into one of the campus Student Centres.

 

Library policies | Library Code of Conduct | IT Service Status | Portal
© University of Greenwich | FOI | Privacy and cookies | Legal | Terms & conditions