Information & Learning Services News for Week Commencing 29th October 2012
Welcome to Information & Learning Services
‘ILS’ provides you with Library, ICT, E-Learning, social learning spaces & print services across all University sites.
Peirson Update – Phase 2
Phase 1 of the Peirson redevelopment project opened Monday 15th October, phase 2 is now almost complete
Phase 2 will open week commencing 12th November and will provide the following:
First Floor
- Mac Suite with 40 iMacs (open access 24/7 when not booked for teaching)
- PC Lab with 50 PCs (open access 24/7 when not booked for teaching)
- Silent Study area with 50 PCs, 62 spaces in total in this area
- Lobby area with 40 study spaces, PCs and laptop points
- Printers and copiers
Ground floor
- Lobby area with 34 study spaces and PCs
- Flexible teaching room
- Printers and copiers
The following facilities were installed in phase 1 in Peirson:
- The ICT help desk
- 85 PCs
- 52 Laptop points, (already increased from 40 laptop points last week)
- Print and copy facilities
- 6 Individual study rooms
- 2 Group study areas with large screens
- 1 Meeting room (capacity 12 people)
- Wi-Fi access
- Media equipment loans
Opening Hours and PCs available for out of hours use
For safety reasons, the building’s opening hours are 9am until 5pm Monday to Friday until Phase 2 opens in November.
Outside of these hours PC rooms around campus are available for student use. Information on room availability can be found on the main screen in reception, SOLE, ILS website and ILS Facebook www.facebook.com/UniversityofWorcesterILS ‘ LIKE’ us on Facebook and you’ll receive regular updates.
Quiet Study Space
The staff common room continues to be open for use as a ‘quiet study space’ for students until Phase 2 of the Peirson project is complete in November.
Access to Peirson
Initially access is via the ‘out of hours entrance’ (the entrance by the Conference Centre) rather than the newly formed doors. The new doors will be commissioned in phase 2.
Building Work & Heating
Please remember that building work is continuing in the rest of the Peirson so there may be some noise disturbance and limited temporary heating is in place.
Phase Three will incorporate the Firstpoint Student Advice Desk, facilities for 1-1 advisory sessions with staff in Student and Registry Services, and a resource centre for students on careers, Earn as you Learn and learner development. Phase 3 will be fully operational in January.
ICT support 24/7
You now have access to ICT support 24/7. The ICT help desk is staffed in Peirson 9-5 Monday to Friday, outside of these hours simply call the normal ICT Helpdesk phone number: 01905 857500 at any time. This phone service now runs out of hours as well as during the normal working day.
STAFF – New Blackboard Workshops and Drop-in sessions
Further to the popularity of the Blackboard workshops held earlier this semester, we have now arranged some further workshops for those who would like further training or who were unable to attend.
| Workshop Name | Date | Time | Room |
| Getting Started with Blackboard 9.1 | 31/10/12 | 14.15-15.45 | EEG031 |
| “ | 08/11/12 | 9.15-10.45 | EEG023 |
| “ | 13/11/12 | 14.15-15.45 | EE1101 |
| Communication Tools in Blackboard | 19/11/12 | 10.15-11.45 | EEG031 |
| Using Uniview for Video Streaming | 28/11/12 | 10.15-11.45 | CJ1001 (City Campus) |
We would also like to offer a further set of drop in sessions for users with more specific enquiries or training requirements. These will be held as follows;
| Date | Time | Room | |
| Blackboard Drop-in Surgery | 1/11/12 | 10.15-12.15 | EE1101 |
| “ | 6/11/12 | 14.15-16.15 | EEG031 |
| “ | 14/11/12 | 10.15-12.15 | PN1002 |
| “ | 23/11/12 | 10.15-12.15 | EE1101 |
| “ | 26/11/12 | 14.15-16.15 | PN1002 |
Please book for any of these events via the staff development workshop booking form on the staff portal.
STAFF – Moodle is shutting down
Moodle is due to be switched off on 11th January 2013.
Please move any material you have stored on Moodle to Blackboard or an alternative storage space. For further information contact the E-Learning Support team via email eos@worc.ac.uk
The Hive (the new University and Public Library)
If you need help or advice about University services at The Hive or would like to arrange a tour contact details are as follows:
- Staff at The Hive (black tops, gold lanyards)
- Email askalibrarian@worc.ac.uk
- Look at the ‘Quick start pocket guide to The Hive for University students’, available from Reception points or online:
http://www.worc.ac.uk/documents/quick-guide-the-hive-university-worcester.pdf
- Visit The Hive webpage for more information about your new Library and History Centre: www.thehiveworcester.org
Getting to The Hive
Walking – The Hive is a 3 minute walk from City Campus, a 20 minute walk from St Johns Campus and 6 minute walk from Riverside. The walking route is detailed here www.worcester.ac.uk/hive
Parking – University parking permits cover parking at St Johns, Riverside and Coppertops Car Parks. Riverside is a 6-minute walk from The Hive. Parking tickets can be transferred to other campuses (e.g. you can park for a lecture at St John’s and use the same ticket at Riverside later).
Details of County Council car park charges can be found here – http://www.worcester.gov.uk/index.php?id=1801 they often run ‘special deals’
Car park outside The Hive – 90p an hour. Croft Road – 60p an hour
Buses – Two different bus services run every half hour from St Johns Campus passing Riverside on the way
(4 services per hour)
31B Uni Shuttle and the 31 (last bus 23:48)
Bus timetable: http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/chym/FileHandlers/BusServiceTimetable.pdf?ID=1444
Bike loan scheme (20 bikes) – Drop off/pick up at City & St John’s. More details here: www.worcester.ac.uk/bike
University of Worcester Staff News 