Trimester Two

It’s cold, dark, and the Christmas lights are down, which means one thing. January is here. And January means the start of the second trimester two and honestly, we can’t wait.  For some, it means returning from a break, while for others, it means embarking on their journey at Edinburgh Napier. You might be starting at an international college or a postgraduate program.  In this blog post, we’ll have you cover, having a look at the library essentials to help you start at Edinburgh Napier. Or have a refresher course.

Library Essential

Each campus has a library, so you don’t have to travel far from class. That library reflects the schools based at that campus, for example, what books are available at each library. For example, business books will be located at Craiglockhart, while computing, engineering, and built environments are housed at Merchiston. And of course, nursing at Sighthill.

Merchiston Library is perhaps more central and will be open 24/7 as a study space from the end of the month.

Finding information: reading lists, subject guides and subject librarians

Each course has a reading list. You will find these items through LibrarySearch. Please log in at the top right corner as this will allow you to access E-resources.  We also have subject guides and research guides that have been created by your subject librarian. These guides are designed to help you find information and develop research skills.

Each subject area has a subject librarian. You can contact your subject librarian for more information or arrange a 1: 1 appointment for extra guidance. Your subject librarian can help with finding resources and information about your course. And help build library skills. You can find your subject librarian on our web pages.

Library Services: Books, Databases and more

We have an extensive catalogue, and it is all available through library search. Here, you will have access to all our online resources and be able to locate where our physical resources are. You will also find access to journals and databases. You can borrow up to 30 physical items. Books are 7-day loans, but they renew automatically up to 4 months unless requested.  If you are looking for something we don’t have, we have an inter-library loan service where you can request books from other libraries. This is available through the LibrarySearch tab.

Library Services: Physical and Online

At the library, you will find plenty of study spaces: we have silent areas and areas for talking if you have group work. There are study rooms, PCs and Macs, with printers and scanners. Each library has a relaxation space with games, colouring sheets and comfy sofas to relax. We have a well-being collection that focuses on shelf help. If you can’t make it to campus, most of these resources are now available online.

Our trusty LibGuides are tailored to effectively assist you with finding relevant information in a specific subject area. They feature information and advice on searching for relevant print and e-resources such as books and journal articles, and recommend websites and databases. And information about how to get in touch with your subject librarian for additional assistance with accessing any further resources you may require. You can also find our A-Z list of databases we are subscribed to for all your research needs, with trial access included. Our detailed subject guides also cover every school within the university. We also have guides for conducting a literature review, critical thinking skills, reference management systems and referencing styles such as APA 7th.

 

Training and Events Calendar

Throughout the year, library staff run a variety of workshops and training sessions. These are to assist you in developing and enhancing your academic skillset. The sessions are easily bookable through Libcal for students and staff. Like our Libguide, the sessions and workshops cover research skills such as conducting literature reviews, utilising reference management systems such as Endnote and Mendeley. Library help for your specific subject area and database searching skills. These are only a few examples of the training sessions we offer. Do not worry if one of the sessions you wish to attend is fully booked as well – our library staff often run several of the same workshops throughout the year to provide students and staff with the most opportunity possible to attend!

Find out more about our training and events calendar in our Home – Edinburgh Napier University webpage. You can also access our full and up-to-date calendar through here as well.

Have a look at more study support