The Library Blog

Edinburgh Napier University

Month: November 2023

International Games Month is back header

International Games Month is back

26/11/2023 / / 0 Comments

International Games Month is back!

It’s that time of year again when, between Halloween and the anticipation of Christmas, libraries all over the world celebrate International Games Month!

This initiative, which arrived in the UK from the other side of the Atlantic, more than ten years ago, has been celebrated among public, academic, health, school, and specialist libraries.

Today libraries are using games to engage, entertain and educate their users across sectors. So we didn’t want to miss the opportunity to promote games, play, libraries and learning altogether.

To do that, we have brought back some of the most popular initiatives to engage you. Furthermore, there is a chance to win some Amazon vouchers, whether you want to participate on a paper version or are a distance learner.

You’ll find links to all our activities (and Terms & Conditions for the games) here: https://libcal.napier.ac.uk/

Win an Amazon voucher! 

As in previous years, we’re giving students multiple opportunities to win an Amazon voucher!

Play online, send your completed puzzle/quiz from your university email address to library@napier.ac.uk with the subject line ‘International Games Month’. Correct entries will be entered into the draw to win a voucher.

Complete the Logie the Lion Jigsaw  

Library Words Word Search 

Again, we encourage you to give a go to the 2023 edition of our Plot Keywords Quiz! Use the keywords provided to work out the title of the book which has been made into a film!  Click on the link https://libcal.napier.ac.uk/ to access the quiz sheet.

Paper copies of the Word Search and our Plot Keywords Quiz are available at each campus library if you prefer to hand in a paper copy.

Additional Games for you to play for fun! 

A great way to brain-train yourself and get a break after studying and focusing on assignments is to take your mind off the books and enjoy our additional games to play. You will find them with the rest of the resources.

Reading List

And finally, if you want to find more useful resources on the importance of gaming, video games and effective fun learning, please check our updated Reading List.

Feedback 

We’d love to have your feedback on our International Games Month events.  Complete the feedback form with short questions to help us out!

By Emi Pastor

Mickey Mouse

Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse

18/11/2023 / / 0 Comments

November 18, 2023

Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse

Who’d have thought the creation of a character with small stature and a plucky attitude would go on to become a household name and a global sensation symbolising hope, optimism, courage, resilience, positivity in the face of adversity, friendship and connection, creativity, imagination, perseverance, and leadership. The list of his attributes is endless.

The History of Mickey Mouse

Created by Walt Disney and Uniwerks at Walt Disney Studios, Micky Mouse made his debut appearance on November 18th, 1928, in the black and white feature film Steamboat Willie. It was the first animation synchronized to music and sound effects and premiered in New York.  Mickey’s first appearance and his unique characteristics and behaviour caught the audience’s imagination and connected him deeply in the hearts and minds of the American people during the great Depression.

The idea for Mickey Mouse came when Walt Disney lost creative control over his earlier creation, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, whilst working for Universal Studios. Similarities between the two characters can be seen in the early days.

Mickey Mouse Fandom

However, through the ages Mickey went on to become the most recognizable and loved mascots of Disney Characters and appeared on a range of merchandise, comic strips and inspiring the theme park, Disney Land. In fact, People became so absorbed in the character that they began to ask more in-depth questions, to understand what made Mickey Mouse who he was, and to understand his appeal to so many people from around the world. Questions included:

  • What’s Mickey’s middle name?
  • What’s Mickey’s favourite food?
  • What were his first words he spoke?
  • Is Minnie Mouse his girlfriend?
  • Is Mickey Mouse married?

Do you know the answer to any of those questions?

Legacy of Mickey Mouse

Did you also know he was the first cartoon character to speak, and the first cartoon character to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? Back during the time of single-cell animation, Mickey Mouse cartoons could take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to complete and a seven-and-a-half-minute animation could include more than 10,000 drawings.

In 1935 the film Bad Concert saw Mickey’s transition into the world of technicolour. In 1993, Mickey Mouse’s toon town opened in Disneyland. And in 2024 Mickey appeared in his CGI form, in Mickey’s Twice upon a Christmas.

It’s true to say that Mickey Mouse means a lot to many different people. And his character has been analysed for its mass appeal and its symbolism. With so much information out there for you to peruse through and an incredible legacy of his own, all that remains to be said is……

Happy 95th birthday, Mickey Mouse

Why not head on over to Box of Broadcast and see the documentary about Walt Disney.

by Mo Almas

From one pop culture to another, read about Barbie

Photo source by Brian McGowan

Merchiston book stock

International Student Day 2023

17/11/2023 / / 0 Comments

International Student Day 2023

International Student Day is celebrated on the 17th of November. A day to celebrate our diverse student community. Student life can be difficult to navigate for anyone, but international students face challenges. We want to raise awareness and offer support.

Origins of International Student Day

This is a day of commemoration. On this day in 1939, Nazis stormed the University of Prague. The students who stood up and resisted were rounded up and arrested,9 student leaders were killed and more than 1200 students were sent to concentration camps. In 1941, the Council of International Students in London chose this day to celebrate international students. (Studyinternational.com)

It has now become a ‘’nonpolitical celebration of the multiculturalism of their international students’’ (Wikipedia). Therefore, it has become an occasion to ‘celebrate all students, especially those who have gone to great lengths to attain further education’ (daysoftheyear).

International Students and Edinburgh Napier University

We’ve welcomed students from more than 180 countries.

If you are looking to move to Edinburgh and study at Napier University, you can find out more information here on how we can support you as an international student.  And we have more information on starting the processing. And if you are already studying here, you can find out the support Napier offers.

International Students and the Library

For any student, libraries can be daunting. We’ve created a little guide filled with information on using our libraries. You can find on the library webpages. This covers both using the library online or in-person. And remember, if you need any help, library staff are here to help, you can email (library@napier.ac.uk) or call (0131 455 3500) or visit the help desk.

We have a training and events calendar that highlights useful sessions, and you can always for a personalised library tour.

And you can read more on library information on the blog.

Book Week Scotland 2023

13/11/2023 / / 0 Comments

Book Week Scotland 2023

Book Week Scotland

Book Week Scotland 2023 is here.

An annual celebration of books and reading, organised by the Scottish Book Trust to promote the joy of reading throughout Scotland. Between 13-19 November, a packed programme of in-person and online events and activities will take place in venues across the country. See the Scottish Book Trust website for more information about events taking place near you.

Every year, the Scottish Book Trust invite people from all over Scotland to write about their experiences and share their true stories as part of the Scotland’s Stories project. The theme for 2023 was Adventure. As part of Book Week Scotland, a collection of these stories has been published in a book which will be freely distributed in venues throughout Scotland. You can also read all the stories submitted on the Scottish Book Trust website.

Book Week Scotland at Edinburgh Napier

Edinburgh Napier University are pleased to be able to offer copies of Scotland’s Stories to students and staff. Pick up your copy in one of the campus libraries or student residences between 13-19 November before they’re all gone!

You can follow Book Week Scotland using all these social media platforms:

Facebook: facebook.com/BookWeekScotland

X

Instagram

Don’t forget, you can browse the thousands of books and journal articles. All available to students and staff at Edinburgh Napier University by using LibrarySearch

Or you can read about their past themes on our blog 

Siegfried Sassoon

Craiglockhart’s War Poets and the Legacy of Remembrance

11/11/2023 / / 0 Comments

Hertiage collections blog

Craiglockhart’s War Poets and the Legacy of Remembrance

The War Poets were a group of writers who emerged during and after World War I, capturing the horrors and emotional turmoil of the battlefield in their poetry. This group, which included iconic figures like Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, and Rupert Brooke, played a pivotal role in reshaping the public’s perception of war and its consequences. Craiglockhart War Hospital, (now home to The Business School), served as a crucial sanctuary for many of these poets, offering them a place to heal both physically and mentally, and ultimately influencing the way Remembrance Day is observed.

The poetry of the War Poets is characterized by its poignant and often bleak portrayal of war. These poets, who had experienced the horrors of trench warfare firsthand, sought to convey the grim reality of battle. Wilfred Owen, for example, wrote “Dulce et Decorum Est,” a searing condemnation of the glorification of war. In this powerful poem, he dispels the notion that it is sweet and proper to die for one’s country, instead revealing the agonizing truth of a gas attack on the front lines.

Craiglockhart’s War Poets

Siegfried Sassoon, another prominent War Poet, criticized the war and its leaders in his poetry. His poem “The General” is a scathing indictment of the military leadership responsible for the needless sacrifice of young soldiers. These poets gave voice to the trauma and disillusionment experienced by countless soldiers and conveyed it to the world through their verses.

Craiglockhart War Hospital became a refuge for Officers suffering from “shell shock,” now recognized as a form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many experiencing psychological trauma, including Owen and Sassoon, found themselves at Craiglockhart for treatment and convalescence. The hospital provided a supportive environment where they could share their experiences, reflect on the brutality of war, and use writing as a form of therapy. The camaraderie and shared suffering among the patients at Craiglockhart fostered a creative atmosphere that encouraged them to express their anguish through poetry.

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day, originally known as Armistice Day, was established to commemorate the end of World War I and honour the soldiers who had fallen in battle. However, it wasn’t until the work of the War Poets that the day took on a deeper meaning. The poets’ verses, with their unflinching portrayal of the war’s toll, influenced the way people viewed the sacrifices made by soldiers. Their poetry moved Remembrance Day beyond a mere commemoration of the armistice to a day of reflection on the human cost of war.

The most famous War Poem, “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae, contains the iconic lines: “In Flanders fields the poppies blow / Between the crosses, row on row.” The image of poppies growing amidst the graves of fallen soldiers became a symbol of Remembrance Day. This poem, along with the works of Owen, Sassoon, and others, helped create a more profound and empathetic understanding of the impact of war on soldiers and society.

Today, Remembrance Day is a time to not only remember the fallen but also to reflect on the experiences of those who served in times of conflict. The War Poets and the atmosphere of healing and creativity at Craiglockhart War Hospital played a crucial role in reshaping this commemorative day, making it a solemn occasion that acknowledges the emotional and psychological scars carried by veterans.

The War Poets, Craiglockhart War Hospital, and Remembrance Day are intrinsically linked through their shared influence on how we perceive and honour the legacy of war. The poignant poetry of the War Poets, the healing environment of Craiglockhart, and the solemnity of Remembrance Day have collectively deepened our understanding of the human cost of conflict, ensuring that the sacrifices of soldiers are never forgotten.

By Ian Sudlow McKay

Read more about the Hertiage Collections

And you can read about previous posts about the WarPoets

Lego figure with moustache

Movember: Supporting Men’s Health

06/11/2023 / / 0 Comments

Movember: Supporting Men’s Health

Calling all our Mo Bros! It’s that time of year again. We want you to embrace your facial hair and grow a moustache for a month. Movember is the global phenomenon that has put men’s health firmly on the agenda and hair firmly on their faces.

History

It’s a movement that started 20 years ago in Australia when two mates met up for a beer and joked about reviving the out-of-fashion moustache. Why not combine their challenge with raising money for charity, they asked themselves. And why not make it a men’s health charity? After all, men are notoriously reticent in talking about their health – mental or physical.

The movement was born, and since then campaigns across the world have been fund-raised for prostate and testicular cancer research and treatment, poor mental health and physical inactivity. Perhaps more importantly, it has created a fundamental shift in the way we talk about men’s health and asks the questions that were previously unuttered. Why, for example, do Black men have twice the risk of prostate cancer diagnosis than other men? Why are first responders (emergency service workers and military veterans) at increased risk of poor mental health and suicide? Why do men find it more difficult than women to make social connections and how have the COVID-19 lockdowns affected that?

Get Involved this Movember in Supporting Men’s Health

There are all sorts of ways you can support Movember. You can grow a moustache, of course, but you can also host a mo-ment – an event that raises awareness. You can fundraise at work or among classmates and friends. Or maybe you’d like to buy some Mo merch.

However you do it, we’re sure you’ll mo your own way.

See here for details on this year’s happenings:

Movember – Changing the face of men’s health – Movember

By Lesley McRobb

Image Source: Photo by Alan Hardman on Unsplash

Read more articles on Mental Health such as World Mental Health Day.

Header image for Preserving the Past: My Journey Volunteering with the University Heritage Collections

Preserving the Past: My Journey Volunteering with the University Heritage Collections

03/11/2023 / / 0 Comments

Preserving the Past: My Journey Volunteering with the University Heritage Collections

Forewords

Delve into the captivating world of heritage preservation through the eyes of one talented high school volunteer. Join Charlie as he unveils his unique experiences and insights gained during his enriching half-term adventure with the Edinburgh Napier University Heritage Collections team. If you would like to consult our Collections please contact us via email

heritage@napier.ac.uk

Introduction

My name is Charlie and I am a student currently studying in my last year at Berwickshire High School. I aim to pursue history as a subject at university. Since an early age when I first began studying in high school, I have been fascinated with history and any surviving items and relics from the past. This passion was only heightened more as I studied History throughout school. This is why when I got the great opportunity to volunteer at the University Heritage Collections, I took it with no hesitation. I found many parts of my experience amazing and fascinating especially when I was working with real preserved books from as far back as the Middle Ages. This really struck my passion for history and made the whole experience worth it as the thought of holding the very same book as someone from the Middle Ages felt so strange and fascinating.

My Experience

My work while volunteering involved working with books from the Edward Clark Collection which illustrates the development of the book from the 15th century, concentrating on the development of typography, the techniques of printing illustrations, and fine bindings. My first task was to check out some of the book’s conditions and how they could be preserved better along with researching them and their origin. I also got the opportunity to spend a day of my volunteering experience doing work at the War poets’ collection which involved me getting to look at and organise real poems from soldiers who had suffered in the war. This really fascinated me as I felt like I was getting a unique chance to investigate the soldiers’ mental struggles and thoughts after their experiences on the front line. As part of my experience, I also got to complete a piece on the history of the poppy that we use for remembrance, which will support the development of a temporary exhibition. This involved looking at each type of poppy and what they mean along with the origins of the remembrance item and how it changed to become a symbol of the First World War. This really excited me as I have always found WWI to be insanely interesting and it was nice being able to research topics directly related to the war. I also got to complete tasks which involved looking at the Mehew collection, this collection is about Robert Louis Stevenson and his works which you may have heard of who’s works including books such as Treasure Island. This involved looking into the History of his works and checking up on the condition and safety of the valuable collection and implementing basic conservation measures to support delicate bindings. I also gained the chance to work with Napier’s expensive new collection scanner which I used to digitise fragile books from hundreds of years ago. Another one of my duties included Installing an exhibition about the history of Merchiston Tower and John Napier himself. Finally, my last task Included processing documentation for collection records. This taught me how to process documents and preserve important collection information for future curators and researchers to learn from.

Photo of Charlie volunteering at the special collections

Summary

I overall gained a lot from this experience which covered a wide range, this spanned from learning how to correctly handle historical records and valuable scanning equipment all the way to learning new information about historical time periods I had less knowledge on such as the Middle Ages and much more. I also was able to see just how fascinating it was to investigate the lives of those who came before us and how they lived their lives.

My experience in this volunteer position has further inspired me to study history at university and reinforced my love of the subject. It has also made me find a new interest in books and how they can be used to study the past.

As a whole, I loved my time volunteering, and it has given me tons of new experiences that will help me as I move forward to university next year.

By Charlie

Check out our Special Collection pages here.

Read more work experiences from other wonderful volunteers on the blog:

Part one Uncovering Hidden Histories: Provenance research internships in the Edward Clark Collection

Part two Uncovering Hidden Histories: Provenance research internships in the Edward Clark Collection

Dyslexia Awareness Week

Dyslexia Awareness Week

02/11/2023 / / 0 Comments

Dyslexia Awareness Week

 

1-7 November 2023

 

This week marks Dyslexia Awareness Week in Scotland, raising awareness and understanding. Dyslexia and how people experience or deal with it are unique to them. And Dyslexia Awareness Week is shinning light on the diversity of experiences.

Dyslexia is extremely common, NHS.uk estimates that 1 in 10 people living in the UK experience some form of dyslexia but it can often go without diagnosis.  With how common it can be and the varied experiences, it is important, we raise awareness.

What is Dyslexia?

According to NHS.UK, Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty which causes problems with reading, writing and spelling. It has nothing to do with intelligence. And it is lifelong. People with dyslexia might confuse letters, have trouble understanding written information, and read slower. These are just a small amount of people with Dyslexia can struggle with.

Support with Dyslexia

Dyslexia Scotland is a fairly new organisation but they have plenty of resources to help, support and guide. They are currently carrying out a survey this week for people living with dyslexia in Scotland and the impact it has. You can find out more about it here

If you are struggling with Dyslexia at University, we have helpful books as part of our wellbeing collection. Or you can contact the Wellbeing, Support and Inclusion team to see what support is available at the university.

You can read previous posts for guidance on our blog

If you have any suggestions on what the library can do to help, let us know by emailing library@napier.ac.uk

Contact Us

Email: library@napier.ac.uk

Telephone: 0131 455 3500

Twitter: @EdNapLib

Instagram: @ENU_Library​

 

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