Oxfam Bookshop: Lancaster

Oxfam bookshop is not one that many would think to look first for a book they are searching for, or for when they are looking for a book for pleasure. This fantastic little shop is charity run with donations going directly to Oxfam. Not only is this a good cause but the selection of books the Oxfam shop has to offer is fantastic. The range of genre includes literature, cooking, classic, poetry and much more.

The Oxfam bookshop is perfect for students as the books sell at a much less price than what they may have retailed originally. It may not always have what you are looking for but regularly checking in to see what has come in new, you certainly can get some great finds! Another hidden gem in this bookshop is the collection of records that are also available for sale for the avid old school music lovers.

You can locate the Oxfam bookshops across the UK from the online website where you can also make a small donation to the Oxfam charity if you wish:
www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/local-shops

Address: 54 Penny Street, Lancaster, LA1 1XF
Phone: 01524 380478


"Oxfam is proud to be an authority on international development and humanitarian response. This website offers free access to over 3,300 publications - training manuals, research reports and policy briefs - based on our 70 years in the field, as well as programmer overviews, staff profiles and our practitioner blog,"  Oxfam, official website -  For full information on what Oxfam does: www.oxfam.org.uk

Student Services: Blackboard Mobile App

Blackboard is the main platform in which all the tutors use to provide students with ongoing week to week work and material for each individual module you are studying. We all have been in a situation where we may not have direct access to a computer or laptop to check your blackboard but luckily, there is a mobile app for those who have smartphones, androids, or iPhones that allows you direct access to your Blackboard account with the University of Cumbria.

"Going mobile is one of the most effective ways to instantly enrich teaching, learning and campus life - for everyone, wherever they are. You can put more power and opportunities in the hands of your students' faculty. Help keep alumni connected to campus and even show off your institution to prospective students and their parents. Everyone will have everything right on the mobile devices they already rely on. With blackboard solution you can implement easy mobile solution that have the power to take education father that you ever imagined," Blackboard Mobile, official website

The Blackboard app is a fantastic way to keep up-to-date with your work and your upcoming work and is accessible for anyone who has a smartphone. You can also customise your Blackboard so it suits your style and needs.

Downloads are available:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blackboard-mobile-learn/id376413870?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blackboard.android&hl=en

If neither of these link work for your specific smartphone, you can use the app store your smartphone provides and use the search option to download the Blackboard app.

Waterstones: Lancaster's Main Bookshop

As students studying at the University of Cumbria and for most of you living in Lancaster, you will be aware that Waterstones is the main available bookshop in Lancaster. We are very fortunate that we have two Waterstones, one located on King Street, and one in the Marketgate shopping centre.

"Waterstones' mission is to be the leading bookseller on the high street and online providing customers the widest choice, great value and expert advice from a team of passionate about bookselling. Waterstones aims to interest and excite its customers and continually inspire people to read and engage in books," Waterstones, official website, www.waterstones.com

First established, and opening in 1982, Waterstones is one of the largest bookshops across the UK. You are sure to find whatever book you need whether it is for a selected module or if you simply wish to purchase something for your enjoyment. If you are unsure of what genre you are looking for or where to look within the shop, the staff are extremely helpful and will locate a specific book for you. If you cannot get the book you wish from the bookshops, there is always the online shop that ships throughout the UK, and that will include Lancaster! There is also an option available that allows you to have the book you want delivered to your local Waterstones if you do not want, or cannot have the book delivered to your home. 

Locally, the Waterstones do stock most of the books that are on your set reading lists for each module which will make the books more accessible for each of you!

Address Details and Contact:

8 King Street

Lancaster

0843 290 8435

01524 61477

4-6 Cornmarket, 

Marketgate

Lancaster

0843 290 8433

Student Services: Health and Wellbeing

Being at university can be a stressful time, and your workload may feel like it is getting on top of you. Everyone certainly feels like this at some stage of their degree but there is help available and there is always someone for you to console in and express your problems and worries. This might not always be a psychological or mental health issue, this also could include if you are a student with a learning difficulty of disability. Luckily, the University of Cumbria provides a health and wellbeing service to insure that the students attending have the best experience and healthiest experience possible while studying with the university.

Psychological Services:

• Counselling
• Therapy
• Mental health mentoring

Counselling and therapy may seem like a scary concept and, actually telling someone how you feel can also be intimidating. If you are feeling that you can no longer cope quite seriously or if you are simply just feeling about down, like missing home for example the mental health team are their to support you and help you through this difficult time. It's important to remember that no problem is too small or large and every single problem matters. 

You can make an appointment with the trained and qualified members of staff that are available on campus by a number of ways:

Online referral form: www.survey.bris.ac.uk/cumbria/ref_form

Email: need2talklancaster@cumbria.ac.uk

Or there are a range of self-help books available: http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/StudentLife/Support/HealthWellbeing/SelfHelp.aspx

If you would feel more comfortable talking to someone in the local GP surgeries in Lancaster you can register or find information from the two practices:

Dalton Square Surgery Practice: www.daltonsquare.co.uk/contact1.aspx

King Street and University Medical Practice: www.kingstandunipractice.co.uk/

Disability and Learning Difficulty Services:

The university does its best to ensure that anyone with a disability of any form who is on campus will have a pleasurable and problem free experience while being there. A disability questionnaire is available (www.cumbria.ac.uk/Public/LISS/Documents/Equality/DisabilityQuestionnaire.docx) that you can return to LiSS, which is located in the library building on Lancaster campus, so the university can assess you needs and do their best to ensure you have the necessary quality care you may requite.

Learning difficulties are something many students struggle with such as dyslexia. If you are concerned that you have a learning difficulty then you must get in contact with your LiSS team immediately so necessary actions can be taken to ensure that you have the best quality of teaching and learning for your specific degree. This may mean that you will have to undergo a serious of tests and examinations so the team can understand better the extent of your learning difficulty, but this is only to ensure that the university can then put in place ways and means for learning to become easier for you personally, as these effect everyone differently. 

For more information on learning difficulties: www.cumbria.ac.uk/StudentLife/Support/Disability/SpecificLearningDifficulties.aspx

The most important thing for you to remember as a student is that there is a range of help and services available for you to ensure that you are staying physically and mentally well while studying. 

The Old Pier Bookshop: Morecambe

Our next posts for the coming Monday's will follow some of the local bookshops in the Lancaster area.

The Old Pier Bookshop in Morecambe has a certain charm about it and book lover would love. From ceiling to floor the shops is lined with books from ever genre imaginable. When you step into the bookshop you are sure to lose all track of time and reality of the outside world. There is something very romantic and old style film-like about this bookshop, and it truly is worth a visit if you are unfamiliar to the area, or if you just simply enjoy the pleasures of wandering around such a gem located on the promenade front in Morecambe.

Tom Vettesse is the proud owner of The Old Pier Bookshop, and is more than happy to help you find whatever book you are looking for, and he is more than likely to have it. What amazes one most, although the shelves are like a maze of books to search through, Tom can locate the exact book you are looking for without having to think twice! It is like another world, and for a £3 train fare to Morecambe it is well and truly worth the visit, not to mention that the promenade itself is a beautiful escape from a long day in the classroom.

Address: 287 Marine Road Central, Morecambe, LA4 5BY
Phone: 01524 409360

Happy New Year

We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Happy New Year! 2014 will see our current third year students graduating and the up and coming second and thirds years moving into the more complex years of their English and/or Creative Writing degrees.

We hope everyone has had an enjoyable break but with classes recommencing this week it is time to put the holiday period behind us and move forward with our work. We apologise for the lack of posts of the Christmas and New Year period but posts will be back on track and published as usual on Monday's, Wednesday's and Friday's. We hope that the student and creative writing content will be as exciting as it has been since this blog began.

If you wish to contribute feel free to email Shauna or Abbie:

s1111369@uni.cumbria.ac.uk
s1100097@uni.cumbria.ac.uk