Ideas Forum

Welcome to the Ideas Forum! This is a place where you can submit any idea for change about your university experience or vote and comment on existing ideas.

If you can get at least 25 other students to vote for your idea, the Union officers are then able to consider it. Don't stop at 25 though - the more votes and comments an idea gets, the more power it gives us to try to action it!

Once an Idea has reached at least 25 up-votes, it will be sent to Executive Committee and/or Student Summit which are meetings where Union staff and students discuss, vote on and potentially action your idea. So don't hold back, let us know what you want us to do! (You can even post anonymously if you prefer to)

The Ideas Forum is such a direct and effective way to get your voice heard and you can use it as many times as you like during your studies - we know that your needs and wants change year on year, so use the Ideas Forum to reflect the current issues you are facing and let us know what it is you care about.

Before you post please consider the following

  • Make sure your idea clearly states what you want to change and why – things like how it would be funded, who it would apply to – give as much detail as possible. If you don’t, we may have to delete your idea or it could be rejected by students for being too vague.
  • Check to see if the idea has already been passed under the ‘ view passed ideas’ tab – we might already be working on your idea!
  • Check to see if your idea has already been posted by someone else – if so, don’t post the idea again, but vote and comment on the existing idea
  • Check to see if your idea has been rejected and why under the ‘view rejected ideas’ tab – it might mean slight changes to your post, or it might give you an insight in to how students felt about this topic.
View current Ideas View passed Ideas View Rejected Ideas View Expired Ideas

Please Note: You will need to log in to submit a new idea, or comment on an existing idea, below.

Back to list
  • 61 score
    61 votes

    Reinstate the Librarian and expand Nursing library resources at Chesterfield Campus

    Submitted 3 months ago by Tracey Taylor Expires on 11 Mar
    Current
    • Facilities
    • Education
    • Resources
    • Assignments and Exams
    • Accessibility
    • University Sites and Campuses
    21comments
    In recent weeks the library have announced that library resources at Chesterfield will be significantly reduced. Recent announcements from the university have stated that there will no longer be "a fixed library space" and "there will not be a permanent library staff presence". Nursing students at Chesterfield are left feeling isolated and unsupported. The students want their resources reinstated at the Chesterfield campus, they heavily rely on the face-to-face support of the librarian.
Tracey Taylor
2:04pm on 12 Sep 24 I have raised this issue after speaking to Nursing Students at the Chesterfield Campus including Ked Road students who also rely on the services at Chesterfield. These students rely heavily on the support that was previously offered by their permanent on-site librarian and the resources at the site. Library services at the Chesterfield campus have been severely reduced leaving many Chesterfield and Derby students feeling unsupported, anxious and isolated especially if they can't make the lengthy trip to visit the extensive resources being offered at the Ked road campus. The library is no longer manned by permanent staff and the amount of resources has been reduced to a sparse collection of "reference only" books which cannot be checked out of the library. The changes proposed by the University include online only resources and reserving books online to be delivered and collected to a locker service at the Chesterfield campus. I would like the students of Ked Road and Chesterfield campuses to stand together as a community to show the University of Derby that the resources they have removed from Chesterfield are vital for the success of the students and should be reinstated and the changes that have been proposed are insufficient. If we receive a minimum of 25 votes this issue will be picked up by the executive officers, receiving more votes will show the university how vital this service is for the success of it's students.
James Eames
3:27pm on 12 Sep 24 The loss of library resources at Chesterfield would not only put their students at a significant disadvantage, but as nursing and nursing associate students, the quality of their education directly impacts the quality of care they can provide for patients.
Zoe Flowers
3:29pm on 12 Sep 24 The library at Chesterfield was only small to start with so if the students loose this library resource it can further impact their education. Not everyone has the time to travel to Ked Rd especially with busy family lives and jobs so this service is vital. Please keep it open for all students
Gary Helliwell
3:37pm on 12 Sep 24 This is an integral part of our education and experience and will negatively impact both if it is not reinstated.
Aneta Sawicka
4:03pm on 12 Sep 24 As a Chesterfield Campus student nurse i thought i will receive exactly the same training and support as Derby Uni student. The lack of access to the basics like library and support from their staff will significantly impact this and personally think it’s unfair for us.
Kirsty Williams
4:09pm on 12 Sep 24 The librarians have been incredibly supportive during my first year of study, I feel it will have a detrimental effect on my experience at chesterfield campus without them for my next 2 years.
Laura Radford
4:47pm on 12 Sep 24 As a student at the chesterfield campus we lack at of the usual university experience. So to have the library taken away is a vital part of everyone’s learning and due to other commands we do not have the time to be driving to ked road just for support with ongoing issues.
Gemma Rowan
7:56pm on 12 Sep 24 Compared to the derby University the chesterfield campus is miles behind. Chesterfield students have to fight for the basics a univeristy should provide. The library has been a massive help to students learning, the library staff were amazing. They would also help with I.T issues. As the chesterfield campus is also lacking an I.T technician on the campus. So If students are having I.T issues, the students are having to wait 3 working days for any help. Without the library and its amazing staff going forward this will have a massive effect on the learning for current and the new students coming onto the course.
Yelizaveta Kamendrovskaya
8:58pm on 12 Sep 24 Studying at Chesterfield campus feels being almost forgotten by everyone. Unfortunately we haven’t got a privilege of having representatives of Placement team at our site, international students from Chesterfield campus don’t have an easy access to International Students office, and students had to do several round trips to be seen by occupational therapists for an immunisation. However, losing library resources directly impacts on our education, it is no longer admin tasks we all are travelling for, we no longer have neither books, nor staff we could approach in order to improve our marks towards a better degree. Whilst we were missing out on support accessibility from different departments, it is unfair to take away an opportunity for an equity in education we receive.
Adriana Ebrahim
9:08pm on 12 Sep 24 The failure to meet minimum requirements for students at the Chesterfield campus reflects poorly on the University of Derby. The inadequacy of the resources and support provided at the campus has negatively affected students' education and overall experience. Losing the library resources will worsen these challenges, making it essential for the university to address this situation promptly. Until the Chesterfield campus is brought up to par with its counterparts, students will continue to face difficulties in accessing essential services and support, hindering their academic success and limiting their potential.
Holly Goodall
9:26pm on 12 Sep 24 The library at chesterfield campus is extremely helpful, It is unfair to expect us to travel all the way to kr if we have chosen not to study there.
Marie Barker
11:05pm on 12 Sep 24 This has put real dampers on our cohort and especially for all the new year 1s that have just started . Who are they going to go to when they need help like I did and many others when we were all new , now in second year and feel that this could potentially hold us back . Without the support of our librarian we are lost , we didn’t expect this when we applied to come to chesterfield campus , we need our support system back to support our learning and grow our knowledge through guidance and support in a library that shouldn’t be empty.
Jessica Adu
8:44am on 13 Sep 24 The Staff in the library in chesterfield have been more than helpful in the last academic year with our assignments and been helpful in finding the right books for us. We can’t afford to lose them for this academic year too. Please reinstate the staff for us as we are also important as the Kedleston Road students and need the necessary guidance and support too.
Karlie Johnson
11:52am on 13 Sep 24 Our university experience is a stark contrast to those studying at Kedleston road. Though we were told that if we needed any books that chesterfield did not have that the library staff could order them in for us from derby. So not only will this not be possible, you’re taking away one of the few resources we do have.
Richard Peace
12:12pm on 13 Sep 24 Full access to library services, including the staff that work there, are an essential resource for students to use during the course of their studies. Im fortunate that I chose Ked Road as the base to undertake my studies and that turned out to be a wise decision, as I often utilise the library when undertaking assignments etc. and there have been times I needed to assistance of staff. Those that chose Chesterfield as a base have definitely being given a "lesser" student experience that the Ked Road counterparts, and further reduction in already minimal library services is further evidence of that.
Tracey Taylor
12:50pm on 13 Sep 24 I am overwhelmed with the amount of responses that have been received within the first 24 hours of this idea being posted. If you know a student who has or will be effected by these changes then please encourage them to vote and leave their feedback within the comments. This feedback will be so valuable when the idea for reinstating the services is being considered. It is also worth considering that these changes have been implemented at the Britannia Mills campus. I'm not sure which subject disciplines are based at that campus but I'm sure the students will be feeling detrimental impacts of having services reduced at their site.
Shannon Underhay
10:18am on 14 Sep 24 Great point, students at Chesterfield are paying the same tuition fees, so should have the same student experience without feeling disadvantaged due to access to the library!
Sebastian Lopes
8:54pm on 15 Sep 24 I completely agree that students based at the Chesterfield campus should be entitled to the same resources and student experience to that what students based at Derby get.
Ellie Dennison
7:52am on 25 Sep 24 As a 3rd year student, and with a dissertation pending for submission in 6 months, it is vital that our cohort get the correct support just as much as the Derby students to support with our dissertation and other essays. Our cohort already feels at a disadvantage to those at Ked Road and seems incredibly unfair that this has happened. Not all of the students drive and those that do we just simply cannot afford to travel there each time we need a particular book or have the time to do so. This would be so helpful and support each and every student at St Helena’s across all stages. We are all paying a lot each year but do not seem to be getting the basic resources as other universities. Plus, it is always a pleasure to see the friendly staff at our library. Please reinstate this!!!
Donna Thomson
10:46pm on 25 Sep 24 As someone who is just about to submit their dissertation, I think removing the library support at this time was utterly cruel and has put a lot of us at a severe disadvantage. Chesterfield is miles behind the Derby Campus in regards to the facilities that we have and I feel if you want to strip everything away then you should close the campus. I feel it’s very unfair to enrol students who pay the same who do not have access locally to the support they need, it’s even worse that ours has been taken away so close to the end of our degree.
Ellis Morgan
7:59am on 11 Oct 24 Thanks for posting this - you motivated us to post a similar plea for Brittania Mill library, which has also been recently closed. Voted In support - best of luck with your campaign!