There are lots of great resources on campus, but what if you can’t access them for one reason or another? If you're unable to make use of your campus's resources at the moment, here are some alternatives you can use to create your own mini campus library at home.

De-clutter

Notice how campus libraries are organised in such a way that everything you need is on hand? Well, let that inspire you to create a space in your room where you have no clutter- just the things you need available. You can even make a list of the stuff you use most often (eg. stationary, laptop charger) and have them on hand and easy to find.

Access online libraries

Did you know that you can use your student login information to access many online libraries while you’re still studying? Online academic libraries you can log into with your student credentials such as JSTOR or Google Scholar. You can also browse through thousands of open source books on a variety of different topics using these websites.

Phone apps and features

If you have a smartphone, there are many apps that can help you scan and format documents. If you need to scan a document, take a photo of it with your phone in "Document" mode and edit it with a free photo editor. You can also link your student e-mail to your phone to make sending documents easier.

Use free software

As a student, you can get a lot of freebies- that includes free access to software you need to complete your assignments.

If you’re a Mac user and don’t have access to your usual features, you can actually use Pages, Numbers, Keynote and other helpful software for free from anywhere by logging into icloud.com.

If you need to get access to Microsoft Office for free, check out their student access portal here. If this doesn’t work, contact your varsity and ask how you can access these resources as a student.

Varsity website

Your varsity website isn’t just there to build campus pride- it’s also a helpful portal to lots of resources and important updates you can make use of. Head over to your varsity's website and social pages for links to resources such as timetables, online libraries and more.

Even if you can’t head to the campus library at the moment, you can still make your home space study-friendly. How have you turned your room into a mini-library? Share your transformation with us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.