The library has a comprehensive collection of books related to Paramedic Science for you to find and read. You can use LibrarySearch to search for the books you need. To search for a specific book just type a few words from the title plus the surname of the author(s) into the search box. You can also search for a topic then filter to Books (or Ebooks) under Format in the left-hand column. If you get stuck – please ask!

We use the Dewey Decimal System to classify the books so it’s easier to find them. Each classmark number refers to a different subject, and can be found in a different location:

• In the Drill Hall Library (Medway), all books are in one continuous order on the ground floor, with 7-day and 4-week loans shelved together. The lowest numbers are immediately next to the library entrance.
• In Augustine House (Canterbury), the lowest numbers are on the first floor and the highest numbers are on the third floor. Remember to check the different areas housing the 7-day loan (open shelves) and 4-week loans (moving shelves).

You will find the majority of the books for Paramedic Science at classmark (number) 616.025 in the library. However, there will be useful books elsewhere. Some other useful classmarks include:

• 362.188 - Ambulance services.
• 612 - Anatomy and Physiology.
• 616.07 - Pathology.
• 616.1 - Cardiology.
• 808 - Academic writing.

The majority of books for your course will be found in the Drill Hall Library at Medway. However, there are relevant books at all campus libraries. You can request for books to be sent between the campus libraries for collection as intersite loans. To do this, click the Place Reservation button next to a book on LibrarySearch and specify where you would like to collect it.

Ebooks

Wherever possible we also obtain all our books as ebooks, which can be accessed on or off campus, 24 hours. Just click on Link to CCCU ebook in the record on LibrarySearch and you will usually have the option to read online or download a copy.

You can also find a collection of ebooks and audiobooks in Overdrive (find via LibrarySearch/Find databases A-Z). 

In addition to our academic textbooks, you may wish to explore the Experts by Experience (EbE) and the Professional Reflection collection of e-books and e-audiobooks. The Experts by Experience collection includes texts written by patients/clients/carers which shed light on their illness/condition/situation from their own perspective. The Professional Reflection collection includes texts by healthcare professions which reflect on life in the sector. Visit the Learning Skills Hub module on EbE to explore the collection further and see how to access the texts on the Libby app.

Journals are an important source of scholarly information – think of them as academic magazines that contain articles written by researchers. CCCU library subscribes to journals covering all the subjects taught here.

Online journals
Use LibrarySearch.to see which journals are available to read online. Make sure you Log In first with your CCCU username and password. You can search for journal articles across all the journals simultaneously using the main search bar to search for a topic, then limiting your search results to "Academic journals" under Source Type in the right-hand column.

To find a specific journal try entering the title of a journal into the search box, or use the “Find e-journals by title” link. You can also browse e-journals by subject, using Browzine. This software allows you to read a journal like an e-book, so you can look through the whole journal rather than just individual articles. There is an app so you can use it easily on your phone or other mobile device.

There are many journals relevant for Paramedic Science. A few suggested journal titles are:

British Paramedic Journal, Emergency Medicine Journal (EMJ), International Paramedic Practice, Journal of Paramedic Practice, The Lancet, Visual Journal of Emergency Medicine.

Open Access Journals
The Directory of Open Access Journals includes journals such as BMC Emergency Medicine. Open access journals are usually scholarly, but the difference is, the publishers of these journals believe in making their research freely accessible to anyone with an internet connection. This means that you (or your institution) do not have to have a subscription to the journal to be able to read the articles they publish.

CCCU library provides research databases which contain articles about the medical sciences. These are all available via LibrarySearch – just click on the “Find databases” link in the left-hand menu and you will see an alphabetical list. Browse the list until you find the one you want. Many of the key databases have guides available, which often include a video demo.

Some databases which are particularly useful for Medical Sciences include:

• CINAHL - a database covering journals in nursing and allied health, with information for almost every possible health, medical and social care profession, including paramedicine. 
• MEDLINE, also available via Pubmed - one of the biggest biomedical databases in the world, searching the contents of medical journals. 
• EMBASE - a large medical database with particular strengths in pharmacology and medical technology. 

Additional databases you may wish to explore:

• ASSIA - a social sciences database which is useful for finding information on topics such as public health and health promotion. 
• Business Source Premier: Although primarily seen as a resource for the Business School, this database covers areas including professional development and leadership, so can be extremely useful for research relating to health and medical leadership.
• The Cochrane Library - this includes databases of systematic reviews and clinical trials. Cochrane are viewed as world leaders on evidence-based information.
• Maternity and Infant Care - a key database for midwifery and neonatal care. Useful for topics relating to pregnancy and childbirth.
• PsycInfo - large database with a focus on peer-reviewed information in mental health and behavioural science. Often the best starting place for mental health, psychiatry and psychology topics. 
• PTSDpubs (formerly known as PILOTS - Published International Literature On Traumatic Stress) - focussed on PTSD and other mental health issues relating to traumatic events.
• Scopus covers the sciences and the social sciences, including health and medicine, and has useful citation tracking features. Probably searches the greatest number of different journals.
• SportDiscus - useful for topics relating to exercise and fitness, rehabilitation from sports injuries, and orthopaedics.
• TRIP database - a tool for discovering clinical evidence, including systematic reviews, guidance, primary research and much more. Based in South Wales.
• Web of Science - an interdisciplinary database, this can be particularly useful for in-depth literature reviews or for topics which cross boundaries between different disciplines. 

See also our Anatomy and Physiology guide for information about useful tools for learning A&P.

Although we often advise students and staff to use resources from the university library, there are many useful websites which can provide high-quality information for your study. When using information from the web, be careful to check who wrote it and how up-to-date it is.

Free online databases:

• DORIS - Database of Research Into Stroke - for guidelines, systematic reviews, clinical trials and related evidence concerning treatments for stroke.
• The EPPI Centre provides access to two databases for health promotion - the Database of Promoting Health Effectiveness Reviews and the Trials Register of Promoting Health Interventions. 
• International Health Technology Assessment Database - searchable information about completed and ongoing assessments of technologies used in health.

Paramedic-specific sites

• Amber - a repository for research carried out by people from UK ambulance services.
• College of Paramedics

The library generally does not provide access to legislation or to statistics, as these are maintained on freely-available sites. A few of the most useful are:

• Acts of Parliament and other legislation
• Publications and records of parliamentary business, classified by staff of the House of Commons Library.

• NHS England: Statistics
• Public Health Profiles - useful health-related stats
• Office for National Statistics: UK’s largest independent producer of official statistics.

In addition to reading texts, you can find a wide range of visual and audio sources and media to learn more about education.

• Box of Broadcasts (BoB) is an on-demand TV and radio service and includes most major UK channels, including BBC, Channel 4 and Sky channels. Record programmes to watch back and create your own playlist. Find via LibrarySearch/Find Databases. Sign In with your CCCU log in details to register.
• Kanopy is a large, curated catalogue of over 30,000 educational documentaries and classic films. Find via LibrarySearch/Find Databases.