Supporting your studies

Around £150 million will be spent on the construction and refurbishment of new and existing buildings over the three years from 2011 to 2014.

Add to this the continued investment in IT with the introduction of free Wi-Fi across the campus and city, as well as developments in e-learning, and you will have all the tools you need to achieve academic success at Bristol.

A world of information

There are ten University libraries, all situated in or near the relevant academic faculty or school. You will have access to thousands of electronic books, journals and databases, as well as over 1.4 million volumes of printed books and journals – the largest academic collection in the south west of England.

Subject librarians work with academic teaching staff to ensure that you have access to key course materials and can teach you how to identify and use print and online resources effectively. Material not held in University libraries can usually be borrowed from other libraries through our Inter-Library Loan service.

There are dedicated services and specialist equipment for users who have a disability, and we continue to improve the accessibility of University buildings. If you are a part-time or distance learner, or are on a placement year, you will still be able to access Library and IT services

The University also houses an array of archives and special collections, such as the Brunel Collection and Penguin Archive. The University of Bristol Theatre Collection is an accredited museum which holds one of the world’s largest theatre archives and displays photographs, film footage and other theatre artefacts.

The plant collections at the University’s Botanic Garden are used extensively for teaching in the School of Biological Sciences, while the Geology museum houses over 100,000 specimens, some of international importance. Many other departments hold their own archives and special collections.

Library

More than just books

With over 2,000 networked PCs available for student use, printing, photocopying and scanning facilities, and wireless access points across the University and city, you will have all the IT tools you need for your studies. Online services include 24-hour access, on and off campus, to the University portal ‘My Bristol’, our virtual learning environment Blackboard, remote desktop and your University filestore. Many tools are also accessible via a range of mobile devices.

IT advice and support is provided by our professionally staffed Service Desk and Student Laptop Clinic. IT training is also available.

IT services

Innovations in learning

Bristol is proud of its achievements in developing new learning techniques. These include:

• The Bristol ChemLabS Dynamic Laboratory Manual. This innovative e-learning tool earned Bristol ChemLabS the Times Higher Education Award 2010 for 'Outstanding ICT Initiative of the Year'.
• e-Biolabs resources, which enable first-year BSc students to access web-based resources to help them prepare for lab sessions. The facility also includes simulations that allow students to rehearse challenging procedures.

Investing in facilities

The University continues to make substantial investment in its academic and residential estate. A £30-million renovation project on the Students' Union building is well under way and a new £56-million Life Sciences building is scheduled to open in 2014. It will house the School of Biological Sciences and feature state-of-the-art labs and teaching rooms.

The large number of books, journals, and academic papers that you will have access to not only helps in developing your understanding, but also plays research that you are required to carry out on your course.

Abha Herur, Third year, BSc Economics