Accessing library resources in practice

Supporting you during practice

While on placement or practice — whether in a ward, residential home, GP surgery, council office, or community setting — you can still access CCCU library resources online if you have internet access.

Using LibrarySearch for Online Resources

LibrarySearch provides access to e-books, journal articles, databases, and tools like British National Formulary (BNF), Visible Body, and Cite Them Right. Your subject guide highlights key resources.

Tips:

You may need to select OpenAthens, Shibboleth, or search for "Canterbury Christ Church University" to access resources.

If you have difficulty accessing CCCU resources on a placement PC, try a different browser or check with local IT for firewall restrictions.

A laptop and a book — Go to Library Search and start to discover more

CCCU Libraries

Your placement may be far from your usual CCCU library, but you can visit any of our three locations—Canterbury, Medway, and Tunbridge Wells—using your CCCU Smartcard. Each library offers study spaces, computers, printers, and helpful staff, though book collections vary. For example, Medway holds the main Speech & Language collection.

Tips:

Check library opening hours, services, and facilities before visiting.
Use LibrarySearch to find book availability and locations by searching for the author or title.

Accessing library resources provided by the placement site

Library resources vary by placement site, from none to comprehensive services. Ask your colleagues if a library is available to help you access literature not available via the university libraries, such as Trust guidelines, keep up with reading for your current modules or simply offer a quiet space in which to study.

Many NHS hospitals have libraries with physical resources. Additionally, they offer a suite of online resources, including journals and BMJ Best Practice, which can be accessed with an NHS Open Athens account. For those on NHS commissioned courses and going on placement in the NHS, the university librarians will issue you with an NHS HEI OpenAthens account during your course. For those already employed by the NHS, see if you are eligible to sign up directly on the NHS OpenAthens eligibility page.

As well as books and journal articles you can access the e-Learning for Healthcare platform which delivers e-learning programmes for healthcare staff. Register to use the platform with your Canterbury Christ Church University email address or an NHS OpenAthens account.

Find out about some of the local NHS library services using the following links:

Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust library	https://www.dgt.nhs.uk/working-for-us/professional-library
KHUFT library and knowledge services	https://www.ekhuft.nhs.uk/health-professionals/library-services/
Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust	https://www.kmpt.nhs.uk/home/
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust library and knowledge services	https://www.mtw.nhs.uk/education/library-knowledge-services/
Medway NHS Foundation Trust library and knowledge services	https://knowledgeandlibraryservices.medway.nhs.uk/
Medway Community Healthcare	https://www.medwaycommunityhealthcare.nhs.uk/