distance learners, new students, UWS Library

Distance learners

Electronic access

If you are unable to come into the library because you live a long way from any of our campus libraries it is important to make full use of our electronic resources and online support, here and on My UWS Library on Blackboard.

To use all our electronic resources, you will need to know your Athens username and password. This is created for you automatically when you enroll. Log onto My UWS Library on Blackboard to see the first announcement displayed there. This tells you exactly how your Athens username and password is made up (we are not allowed to publish this information on a public site). To log into Blackboard, your username is your banner number, and your password is your 6 digit date of birth.

We have hundreds of electronic books available on many different subjects and the number is growing all the time. There are over 600 titles available in Healthcare, Nursing and Midwifery and related subjects. These are exactly the same as the printed books you would find on the shelf. Use the Library Catalogue to search for these: limit the collection pull-down menu to "Electronic books". View the short video, Accessing electronic books for more information.

Access in person

In addition to the electronic resources and support, there are other ways we can try to help you access either our library or an alternative library nearer your own home.

Register as a "distance user". If you live in the UK, but are too far from any of our campus libraries to visit them, you can register as a distance user with the library. When you first enroll at UWS, contact Sheila MacPherson (tel. 0141-848-3753) to see whether or not you qualify. This will enable books and articles available on the Library Catalogue to be sent to you. This does not apply to books and articles that we have available electronically and you will be required to cover the postage for sending the book back.
Become a member of the SCONUL scheme. This allows library users working or studying at participating higher education libraries in the United Kingdom and Ireland to use the libraries of other participating organisations. This means you have the chance to access other University libraries nearer to your home or place of work.
Use one of our Partner Libraries.
If you work in the NHS, make use of your local, or placement, hospital library and, as well as making use of UWS electronic library, join the NHS's eLibrary (Knowledge Network in Scotland, NHS Evidence in England).
Use your local public library and reference libraries.

My UWS Library on Blackboard

Blackboard is the UWS Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) where your lecturers will put your modules and course materials. The Library has a Blackboard space called My UWS Library that everyone in the University has access to. You will find it below your list of modules. New students are added to My UWS Library on a weekly basis, so if you do not have a link to us when you first go onto to Blackboard, you can self-enrol on the left hand side of the Blackboard screen. Log on to Blackboard with your banner number. Your password is your 6 digit date of birth.

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