Libraries

Seaborne is the University's central library and study space.

Centrally located on our Exton Park site, our recently extended Seaborne Library is the perfect study space. It houses an extensive collection of books, e-books and e-journals, bookable multi-media rooms, video conferencing space, 24-hour access computer labs and The Hub: a comfortable two floor study zone, suitable for independent and group study.

For students in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the library is also home to the School Resources collection where you can borrow teaching aids to support your placements in school. The collection includes useful teaching aids such as children’s books, wallcharts and over 700 teaching aids to support the whole curriculum such as an evacuee’s suitcase pack, 3D geometric shapes and a Viking shield.

Students are supported by subject-specific librarians and additional support is available through our Disability Support Officers. There is also a 24/7 refreshment area with cold food and drink vending machines and a Costa coffee machine.

Exton Park is supported by free Wi-Fi and a University App which helps students to access important information like timetables, campus maps and finding the nearest available computer.  The App is also used by students to ‘check-in’ to lectures and seminars. All students are provided with a University network account with an email address, unlimited cloud storage and a free copy of Microsoft Office. Your account gives you access to Portal, the University’s intranet, as well as Moodle, a virtual learning environment where you can access course resources, submit assignments, and receive your results.

Information about accessing our libraries including opening hours

At Queen’s Park Campus we have a dedicated business library in Bridge House which holds book and journal collections for the Faculty of Science, Business and Enterprise.

There are over 8,000 printed books, access to over 500 subject specific e-books and over 50 printed journals all managed by a dedicated library subject support team.

Our laptop loan facility is popular with students who don't have to carry their own equipment across town, as are the open-access computers.

There are also private and group study areas and a refreshment area with a coffee machine and chilled food and drink vending machines.

As a student at the Queen’s Park Campus, you can access all of the University’s IT services, including free Wi-Fi, the University App, and a network account.

University teaching centres for the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Society are located at: Wheeler Library (Chester), and the library at Mariss House (University Centre Birkenhead).

Students are entitled to use any of these libraries throughout their course of studies, and can also use the Seaborne Library at our Exton Park site. 

Key features of our LIS health libraries to help you through your course of studies:

• Access to staff who deal with library and IT enquiries
• Networked computers with Internet, Email and Microsoft Office
• Study areas throughout the libraries
• A wide range of print and electronic learning materials

The LIS health library team:

The health library team works closely with lecturers, providing specialist help and guidance for staff and students, to support teaching and learning at the University. The team:

• Manage the collection of resources for the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Society
• Produce guides for library resources
• Provide inductions and information skills training for students at all levels, including 1:1 student and Helpdesk enquiry support
• Liaise with lecturers to arrange support for students’ research skills at key times in the academic calendar
• Attend Faculty meetings with staff and students to liaise about library initiatives and Faculty developments to ensure the library service meets the needs of staff and students

For student’s convenience, the University also has agreements in place for students to access and utilise the facilities of various NHS Trust Libraries whilst on placement:

• Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - Library Service
• East Cheshire NHS Trust, Macclesfield Library - Staff Library Service
• Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - Knowledge and Library Services
• Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (Arrowe Park Hospital) - Library and Knowledge Services

Reference materials and more for our creative students.

The Learning Resources Centre at Creative Campus, Kingsway is a reference library which holds book collections for the Department of Performing Arts and the Department of Art and Design.

The book stock is largely reference only, but students can borrow books from any University of Chester library by requesting them to be sent to Kingsway for collection.

Students also have access to a wealth of virtual resources including: Naxos Music Library, Rock’s Backpages, Digital Theatre Plus, journal databases JSTOR and Project MUSE and many ebooks and journals.

The Learning Resources Centre has a computer and study area which includes social learning and quiet study spaces.

As a student at the Creative Campus, Kingsway, you can access all of the University’s IT services, including free Wi-Fi, the University App and a network account.

The Wheeler Library holds book collections for the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Society and the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (Law and Policing). Chester Law School provides students with access to the Oxford University Press Law Trove, which includes all core texts online. All students also have access to study spaces and print resources at Seaborne Library at Exton Park.

For students in the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Society, the Wheeler Library is also one of our specialist Medicine, Health and Social Care libraries.

As a student at Wheeler you can access all of the University’s IT services, including free Wi-Fi, the University App, and a network account.