Library Services
The University has three library services and each has its own area on this website:
You can get a quick overview of all the services we offer from our Introduction to Library Services leaflet (PDF).
Use our website to access our databases, eJournals and eBooks, and to find details of our printed collection. Library Search is a great place to start, because it allows you to search across our printed collection and a broad selection of our online databases. We recommend you search specific databases individually when you need to find more targeted content relevant to your particular subject. You can find Library Search on your library's homepage by clicking on one of the links above.
Borrowing items from our print collection is easy too. If you are on site you can just pop in to your Library and pick them from the shelves, and if you are a part-time student or remote learner, we can post items out to you. If an item is already on loan to someone else, we will ask them to return it and let you know as soon as it is available.
If we don't hold an item you need online or in print, we can try to get it for you from another library via our interlibrary loan service.
Please check your course timetable and make sure you come along to our sessions so that we can introduce you to our services and the resources you can access. You will also meet your Librarian who is familiar with your area of study and can help you with any in-depth searching or referencing questions you might have.
If you are a student in SATM or SWEE, we recommend that you complete our Discovering Quality Information eLearning before you come to the training session of the same name. It won’t take long but it will teach you about the different types of information you will need to use for your studies at Cranfield, and when they are useful.
School of Management students can also visit the SOM Library induction module on Canvas to become more familiar with the online resources we have and how to use them.
All students should complete our Referencing and Avoiding Plagiarism module via Canvas. It explains the role and importance of citing references and how to incorporate the work of other authors into your own work without plagiarising. Try to complete it before you hand in your first assignment to ensure your academic success. You can find the module tile on your main dashboard in Canvas.
We can support you in every stage of the research lifecycle, from providing the resources and training you need, to helping you manage your data, getting published, and increasing the visibility of your research. We have sections specifically for you on our website covering research support, open access and research data management.
During your induction week you will be invited to attend Library sessions where you will be introduced to our services and the resources you can access. You will also meet your Research Librarian who will teach you the skills you will need through your research journey.
If you are a student in SATM or SWEE, please complete our Discovering Quality Information eLearning before you come to the training session of the same name. It won't take long but it will teach you about the different types of information you will need to use for your studies at Cranfield, and when they are useful. You can find us in the DRCD programme, where you will again meet your Librarian who can help you with any in-depth searching or referencing questions you might have.
We also provide regular research support webinars, and a range of online courses in RDM, study skills and setting up an ORCID.
We recommend that you request a personalised induction session with your Librarian. At this session, we can find out more about your specific research needs, show you the most appropriate resources to use and explain more about how we can help you with publishing your research, research data management and skills training.
Here we highlight the five most recent posts for new students. You are welcome to read a wider range, but please be aware that posts from previous years may no longer be accurate. Also, each library has differences in services and procedures so check your library is tagged in a post to be sure that it is relevant to you.
All our Welcome Desks are staffed 9am-6pm Monday-Friday. You can also contact us using the details at the bottom of the page. We monitor our emails during our normal working hours and if we can’t answer your questions quickly by telephone or email, then we will arrange a time to video call you. The chat facility on this website is also available 24/7 as chats are picked up by academic librarians in other parts of the world when we aren't working.
You can also follow us to keep up to date with the latest service news and developments:
