Season's Greetings!

Don't forget Bedford Campus Library and Luton LRC are open 24/7 365 days a year.

Digital resources are also available off-campus.

Catalogue Maintenance Update

Tonight (Wednesday 16th December 2015) between 11pm and 2.00am the Library Catalogue will be upgraded.

During this time for approx. 1 hour there will be no access to:

• Library Catalogue
• Self-issue
• Self-returns
• Reservations
• Renewals
• Electronic resources via the Library Catalogue

We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Reminder About Ebooks on Demand

Ebooks on demand is back, and this year £100k is available for spending on the ebooks of your choice.

All you have to do is choose your ebook from the Library Catalogue or DISCOVER and request access to it for a one week rental (Don't worry you don't have to pay to rent it - the Library does!) When 2 people request access to an ebook it is automatically bought for the Library.

This is a great service for students because...

• You can choose the ebooks the Library buys
• These ebooks are available immediately
• You can always find a book for your topic
• You can read an ebook anywhere with an Internet connection
• Any number of students can read an ebook at once
• A lot of extra money is being spent on ensuring that you get the books you need

you can choose the books the library buys

these ebooks are available immediately

you can always find a book for your topic

you can read an ebook anywhere with an internet connection

any number of students can read an ebook at once

a lot of extra money is being spent on making sure you get the books you need.

- See more at: http://lrweb.beds.ac.uk/libraryservices/news/ebooks-on-demand#sthash.tYNVDT21.dpuf

New Report Says Thousands of Child Sex Abuse Cases Are Missed

A new report by the Children's Commissioner says that the majority of child sexual abuse is carried out by family and friends and up to 85% goes unreported.

Around 50,000 cases were recorded between April 2012 to March 2014 but the report suggests that the actual number is nearer to 450,000.

Much attention has been focused on child abuse in institutions but most happens within families or their trusted circles, the report said.

The government said it was looking at how authorities dealt with abuse.

The report found:

• Two-thirds of child sexual abuse took place within the family environment or the close circle around it
• 75% of victims were girls
• Abuse was most likely to have occurred at about the age of nine
• Victims often did not speak out until adolescence or later, when they recognised what had happened
• Even if a child did tell someone, often the abuse did not stop

 Children's commissioner Anne Longfield said recent attention and investigations had focused on the abuse children suffered in institutions or by groups of perpetrators.

"We must now wake up to and urgently address the most common form of child sexual abuse - that which takes place behind the front door within families or their trusted circles," she said.

She called for urgent action from government to prevent abuse, and for more training to help teachers, social services, police and other professionals identify abuse early on.

"There are always signs. Mental health problems, children can become withdrawn or show overly sexualised behaviour. If you know the child it will be obvious to see changes in their behaviour," she said.

Library Tours 2015