It’s Welcome Week and we have lots of activities planned to help you get to know your Library. If you haven’t had a chance to visit the Library yet, this is your official invitation to wander over, take a tour of the building, and get to know the Library and Cultural Services Team! You can find more information about planning a visit on our website. You can also read more about updates to our services on our previous ‘Welcome Back to Your Library’ blog post.
Here’s an overview of Welcome activities being offered by the Library.
Self-Guided Tours (SGI)
Take a self-guided tour of the Albert Sloman Library in Colchester and Forum Library in Southend to learn more about the services we offer. By completing this ‘Self-Guided Induction,’ you’ll learn how to navigate the physical library, access your reading lists, and know where to find resources that will help in your studies.
In-Person Tours and Inductions
If you prefer an in-person introduction, we are offering informal ad hoc tours at Colchester and group tours at Southend. Come and wait at our tour “bus stop” in the Albert Sloman Library or go to the InfoPoint in the Learning Hub at The Forum to have your questions answered by our friendly staff.
At Loughton during Welcome week, there will be in-person induction sessions throughout the week to introduce new students to the Library. There will also be a short quiz at the end, which will enter everyone into a prize draw to win a few treats
Blind Date With A Book
We’re giving away sweets, pens and FREE BOOKS in Colchester! Choose a ‘blind date’ from our selection of mystery books – we’ve wrapped them, and added a brief description so no judging by appearances – it’s what’s inside that counts. Find us at the Welcome Village in Colchester.
‘Feel at Home’ Display – Colchester
Moving to a new town can be daunting, so we have put together some tips on a reading list to help you find out about Colchester, Loughton and Southend. From 1-18 October we also have a ‘Feel at Home’ display in the Albert Sloman Library featuring cookbooks and books about Colchester. If you’re struggling to think of meal ideas or trying to save money on food, come along and check it out!
Browse recipes for all diet types and budgets, and take photos or photocopies of your favourites. Cooking is a valuable skill, a proven stress-reliever, and with a bit of forward thinking can be a great way to help the environment. It’s also an excellent way to get to know new people over a shared meal. So bring a friend, and come gain some culinary inspiration!
Your Ideal Study Playlist
The library is a place to study together and we’re asking for your suggestions to add to a collective ideal study playlist. You can add your recommendations to our whiteboard in the Albert Sloman Library, or to our online Jamboard. Your contributions will be added to the most awesome playlist ever!
Library Fair – 9 November
From 11am to 3pm on 9 November, Albert Sloman Library is putting on a Library Fair on the Ground Floor. We’ll be giving away sweets and information about our services. This is a great opportunity to meet the teams behind Reading Lists, Inter-library Loans, Accessibility, Special Collections, and your Subject Librarians.
Black History Month
October is Black History Month, and there will be borrowable displays in the Libraries at all three of our campuses (Colchester, Loughton, and Southend), featuring some books chosen by students in the Black Students Network. The complete list of books and films can be viewed as a reading list. The book display in Loughton (pictured above) includes interesting plays and writings, as well as resources on Drama Online and from the newly expanded Black Drama collection in the Alexander Street Collection. You can find these resources on the Loughton Black History reading list.
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