Month: July 2026 (Page 1 of 2)

Library Summer Services

24/07/2026 / mayagreen / 0 Comments

Library Summer Services

We wanted to let you know that despite the fact that it’s summer and there are building works going on at both Merchiston and Craiglockhart campuses, all campus libraries are open and staffed to provide assistance throughout the summer. We can help with all library-related questions, connect you to Wi-Fi, do password changes, help with multi-factor authentication and more! Our webpages have lots of useful information so even if our helpdesks are not open you may still be able to find what you need there.

Opening hours

Information about our opening hours and how libraries are being affected by ongoing works can be found on our website.

Library Search

Our catalogue Library Search is available 24/7 to search for books and articles. Don’t forget to sign in to view articles and e-books and to view your loans or pay outstanding fines.

Book loans

Books can still be borrowed and returned. All loans are extended over the summer and will be due back to us by 18^th September 2026. Inter library loan requests can still be submitted and will be processed and supplied as normal.

Laptops

Laptops can be borrowed from and returned to lapsafes. The laptop loan period does not change over the summer so continues to be for 2 weeks and overdue laptops will still be locked. Long term loan laptops due for return can be returned to helpdesks during opening hours.

Printing

Printers are still available and can be used as long as the library is open, and you have sufficient print credit.

Study rooms and spaces

Although it’s summer and libraries are used much less, we recommend booking a study room if you want to use one. Group study rooms are still in demand, and some will be upgraded over the summer, making them unavailable at times. Remember that a booking has priority over a “drop in”. Use Resource Booker to make your booking. Booths and collaborative desks are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Study spaces are available for use as long as there aren’t any building works going on in the area. We have quiet rooms and silent study rooms for those who find noise a distraction.

Relaxation spaces

Our relaxation spaces can be used throughout the summer if you are on campus and need to take a break. Colouring sheets, books, jigsaws and origami paper are all available to use.

Subject librarians

Your subject librarians are still around to provide expert assistance with referencing, databases, and so much more. Use the contact below if you would like to get some help from them.

Email: library@napier.ac.uk

Outwith staffed hours you may be able to find the information you need in the Subject Guide for your area of study on LibGuides

Training

There are still some online training sessions running over the summer, which may be helpful. Courses, dates, times and booking information can be found on Libcal.

Whatever your course or study needs over the summer, we have a range of resources available to you, and don’t forget we are on campus to help during staffed hours. We wish you successful summer studies!

By Vivienne Hamilton

Top Video Games of All Time image of old video game consols

The Most Borrowed Books of the Year 2026

The stats are in! We library staff often get very curious about which of our physical books are going out on loan the most throughout each year. Recently, we have generated a list of our most borrowed titles of 2026 . So far using our library management system Alma. This list covers our most borrowed books from all three of our campus libraries at Edinburgh Napier University. This year, our most borrowed title reached a loan count of 21. Throughout the rest of this blog post, we are going to list our top four books with the most loans so far this year and tell you a little bit about them as well. All of the titles listed can be found and requested through our LibrarySearch catalogue (come on everyone, let’s get those loan counts even higher)!

Now, just to point out, yes, these seem like small numbers, especially for a University library, but the fact is that most students now access our books through e-books. Our physical collections are much smaller now, but we consider this a good thing, as e-books mean we can ensure that all of our students can access their course reading quickly and easily. Plus the added bonus that we can add an extra layer of accessibility with e-books.

MacQueen and Thomson on Contract Law in Scotland

This book can be found in our Law hub at Craiglockhart campus library. It gives a detailed account of the key principles of Scots law with regards to contracts and is written with a clear, comprehensive structure as well as diagrams which effectively portray complex scenarios. It covers various topics and relevant areas of contract law in Scotland such as assignation in conjunction with the Movable Transactions (Scotland) Act 2023, the effects that the Covid pandemic has had on Scottish contract, illegality and sections on good faith and relational contracts. All of this content is up-to-date and the book itself is very good reading for law students and legal practitioners working within the legal sector.

Authors/Editors: MacQueen, Hector L., author.; Thomson, J. M. (Joseph McGeachy), 1948-2018, founder of work.

Edition: Sixth edition.

Loans this Year: 21

PROMPT – Practical Obstetric Multi-Professional Training. Course manual.

PROMPT is a maternity foundation and charity organisation which provides professional and evidence-based training programmes for maternity units across the world, and particularly for incidents where obstetric emergencies occur. The programme ultimately consists of practical workshops and interactive lectures which facilitate hands-on experience of working in obstetric emergency incidents. From this, practical experience and transferrable skills can be easily and accessibly obtained by midwifery students and professionals within this sector. The third edition of the PROMPT (Practical Obstetric Multi-Professional Training) course manual and textbook covers the most recent evidence and up-to-date guidelines regarding effective clinical practice and research in the field of midwifery. It is also deemed to be mandatory reading for anyone undertaking a local PROMPT course as well.

Authors/Editors: Winter, Cathy (Midwife), editor.; Crofts, Jo (Joanna), editor.; Draycott, Timothy J., editor.; Muchatuta, Neil, editor.

Edition: Third

Loans this Year: 19

Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide.

This is a very popular title from our Research Collection and won the British Psychological Society Book Award (Textbook Category) in 2022. Thematic analysis has become a very widely used analytical technique for retrieving and interpreting qualitative data in sociological, health and psychological fields of study. This book gives comprehensive guidelines on how to effectively generate, gather, manage and categorise the key units of qualitative analysis and data. Thematic analysis itself can also be effectively applied to addressing a vast range of research questions and topics in many fields of study. This book can ultimately be deemed as an essential read for anyone conducting a study involving an extensive degree of qualitative research, so can be extremely relevant to students, professors, researchers and professionals in a wide range of areas and sectors.

Authors/Editors: Braun, Virginia, author.; Clarke, Victoria (Associate Professor in Sexuality Studies) author.

Loans this Year: 19

Business Research Methods (Sixth Edition).

This widely consulted book and guide gives a thorough introduction to conducting business research and extensively covers the most up-to-date methods of quantitative analysis and visual research. It also provides practical advice and guidelines regarding how to effectively implement these techniques when conducting business research or a specific research project. As well as this, it also features a range of case studies from across the globe, from countries such as Spain, Germany, China and India. The book itself provides comprehensive coverage of business research but in a concise, accessible manner which outlines key points and information without being overwhelming. It is focused and clear, and is highly recommended for students, researchers and professionals conducting a business research project.

Authors/Editors: Bell, Emma, 1968- author.; Bryman, Alan, author.; Harley, Bill, author.

Edition: Sixth edition / Emma Bell, Alan Bryman, Bill Harley; 2022.

Loans this Year: 19

By Rachel Downie

The Best Library Spaces for Different Types of Study

19/07/2026 / mayagreen / 0 Comments

The Best Library Spaces for Different Types of Study

There are several different study spaces available across our campus libraries to support your needs. From social study spaces that allow for collaborative work to individual spaces, silent study areas, and family study rooms, we have something to suit everyone.

Study rooms are available across all campus libraries and must be booked in advance via Resource Booker. You can book a maximum of one two-hour slot per day. During assessment periods, this is extended to five hours per day. Study rooms can be booked up to 14 days in advance.

Craiglockhart and Merchiston libraries have Family Study Rooms for students who have children with them. Please book rooms in advance of your visit.

Library opening hours vary across our campuses. We are currently operating our Summer Library timetable. Our standard opening hours will resume in September.

Please read on to find out more about the study spaces available at each of our campus libraries.

Craiglockhart Spaces

Social study spaces are available in the main area of the library, which also includes a relaxation space where you can take a break from your studies.

Five study rooms are available throughout the library. Each has a plasma screen, a whiteboard, and a webcam.

There is also a quiet study room and a silent study area for those who prefer a more peaceful environment for studying.

Merchiston Spaces

Please note: Zones 2 – 5 are currently closed due to essential maintenance works and are expected to re-open in September 2026.

Merchiston Library is available 24 hours a day during term time. You can use the library freely each day from 8am – 5pm. You will need your Student ID to access the library after 5pm.

Merchiston Library is divided into 5 separate zones allowing for different types of study spaces with 11 study rooms available.

Zone 1 is a social study area which allows for independent study and group work. There are round tables to allow for collaborative working and several computers available for use. There are also two study pods with large screens for independent or collaborative working. Here you will find Study Room 8 where you can connect your own personal device to a large screen.

Zone 2 is another social study area which allows for individual study and collaborative working. Computers are available for use in this area.

Study rooms 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7 are available where you can connect your own device to a screen. There are also two study pods in Zone 2.

There is also a relaxation space to help you unwind from your studies.

Zone 3 is a silent study area with individual study spaces over two floors.

Zone 4 allows for independent study and collaborative working. Noise should be kept to a minimum.

Zone 5 has independent study desks and desks for collaborative working. This is a quieter area where noise should be at a minimal level with low work-related conversation. Study rooms 3, 4, 9,10 and 11 are available in Zone 5. Please note that these study rooms will be closed from 9pm to 9am. 

Sighthill Spaces

Sighthill Learning Resource Centre offers students a range of comfortable study environments with up-to-date facilities spread over five floors.

Nine study rooms are available, and all are equipped with computers; most also have plasma screens. Study room 4.E.03 has an adjustable height desk.

Silent rooms (3.E.07 and 4.E.07) provide the opportunity for silent study with great views towards the Castle and Arthur’s Seat.

LRC Floor 1 is a social study space with a combination of study booths and collaborative desks. This can be a noisy area.

LRC Floor 2 is where you will find the helpdesk. There may be some noise, but it should be quieter than on Floor 1. Computers and desks are available in this area for independent or collaborative study.

LRC Floor 3 is a quiet study area but there may be some low-volume work-related conversations. Silent study room (3.E.07) contains individual study spaces and two dual screen PCs. Sighthill Library relaxation space can be found on the east side of LRC3, where you can rest and enjoy the natural light and views of the surrounding area.

LRC Floor 4 is also a quiet study area where low-volume work-related conversations may occur. Silent study room (4.E.07) contains individual study space, one large monitor and two dual screen PCs.

LRC 5 has group study spaces, laptop tables, four group study rooms and comfortable seating.

Please see Group Study Rooms for more details on what facilities are available across our campus libraries.

Relaxation Spaces

Each campus library also hosts relaxation spaces allowing for more informal study or a place to unwind from your studies for a while. Comfortable seating and indoor plants provide a pleasing environment to help you relax and a range of activities such as jigsaws, board games, Lego, colouring sheets and craft materials allow you to de-stress and take a break from studying.

As you can see, there are a wide variety of study spaces available across our campus libraries. ENU students can use any of our campus libraries regardless of which is your main campus.

If you require assistance while using our libraries, please contact staff at our library help desks, call us on 0131 455 3500 or email us at Library Enquiries.

By Sharon McMichael

Campus Guide

The Ultimate Dissertation Survival Guide

17/07/2026 / julietkinsey / 0 Comments

The Ultimate Dissertation Survival Guide

The mention of the word ‘dissertation’ alone is enough to drive fear and dread into the hearts of any final-year student studying at university level. With the depth of research required to effectively write a dissertation, as well as the often very high word count and number of references needed, it is understandable that many students will find this to be one of the most daunting assignments they will write and complete during their university career. It can essentially be defined and seen as an extended essay and detailed research project exploring a specific and often niche subject or area of research within academia. Fear not – we have compiled a short-but-sweet dissertation survival guide for all undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral students. This will include some brief advice and useful links to academic guidelines regarding how to structure, write and add references to your dissertation as well as tips on how to look after your own wellbeing and manage stress whilst working on such a significant and often challenging piece of work.

How to Structure, Write and Add References

The structure and references used in your dissertation hold just as much importance as the information, analysis and arguments written and included in it as well. The structure of any dissertation can often vary, but a standard structure usually consists of the following:

Table of Contents
Introduction
Literature Review
Methodology
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
Reference List
Appendices

Sections

Each section of your dissertation will normally be divided into chapters rather than short paragraphs. You can find recorded tutorials in our Workshops page on our My Napier webpages. These go into much more detail about what you should do and what is recommended to include in each chapter and section. Our LibGuide also has more information, useful tips, and guidelines on critical thinking, literature review, and APA 7th edition referencing. Effective referencing is also a fundamental part of writing a good dissertation. This is not just measured by the quantity of references but also the quality and variety used as well. Using a wide range of credible and varied sources and sources of evidence to back up your main arguments and points will definitely get you some bonus points later on!

References

For dissertations, the number of references and variety of material you will be expected to reference will far exceed what you are expected to in a standard essay. This can sometimes mean that managing and ensuring that you include all of those references can be a very overwhelming task when writing up and annotating your dissertation. Reference Management software such as EndNote and Mendeley can help you with this – these reference management systems allow you to import, organise and store references in a reference library for you to automatically extract and input references into your work as well as generate a bibliography or reference list as well. More information and guidelines can be found in our Reference Management LibGuide webpages as well as our Training and Events Calendar, where upcoming tutorials and workshops regarding how to use both reference management systems are advertised frequently. You can also sign up for these sessions through our Libcal as well.

Managing Stress and Wellbeing…

One of the most difficult parts of writing or working on any significant and lengthy piece of work is starting. It can be very easy to feel overwhelmed by the big word count or extensive volume of work required to write a dissertation. Nevertheless, here are some useful hints and tips below which may help you with managing stress and your wellbeing whilst conducting research for and writing your dissertation:

Start early: The earlier the better if possible! It will save you a lot of stress later – even if it means just starting to conduct all the research and planning in advance.
Do a little bit every day: Breaking it down into small, manageable tasks each day makes it feel a lot less daunting and, in this case, off-putting. For example, tell yourself you are going to write one chapter of your dissertation today and focus solely on finishing this chapter alone. You might find as well that once you get into the flow of writing this chapter, you may even end up finishing up another in the process! Psychologically, it often makes writing your dissertation feel a lot less overwhelming to do it this way too!
Choose a topic you are passionate about: The last thing you want when writing a huge research project about a specific subject area is to find it boring and a chore to write about. This can often end up reflecting in your work as well if it is a topic which you are not passionate about at all.
Take regular breaks and days off: Make time for fun, leisure and relaxation when you can. Go out with friends, spend an evening watching your favourite movie or series, go to the gym or for a run or walk every so often as well. Set some time aside to focus on your hobbies outside of education. Your brain will often still be thinking about and working on your dissertation in the background. You may even find inspiration and new ideas outside of a computer screen, pen and paper.

Dewey Decimal Classifications as Star Signs: Finding Your Cosmic Library Identity

16/07/2026 / mayagreen / 0 Comments

Dewey Decimal Classifications as Star Signs: Finding Your Cosmic Library Identity

Forget birth charts. The Dewey Decimal System not only organises books but also aligns with zodiac signs. So, which shelf matches your sign, and what does it say about you?

♈ Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Your Section: 790s — Sports, Games & Recreation

You don’t read the instructions; you are more of a figure-it-out-as-you-go kind of person. Your library books are full of ambitious hobbies that, of course, you’ll absolutely master. You’re always ready for new challenges. This month’s forecast: Say yes to a new challenge, but maybe finish one project before starting four more.

♉ Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Your Section: 640s — Home & Cooking

Comfort is an art form for you. You know the best reading chair, the best bakery, and exactly how many blankets are appropriate, which is always more. Hey, you just like to be comfy. This month’s forecast: Your ideal weekend involves snacks, soft lighting, and one really good book.

♊ Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

Your Section: 400s — Language

You collect interesting words so other people can keep the stamps. Your browser history contains things like “etymology,” “how to pronounce…,” and six unrelated Wikipedia rabbit holes. This month’s forecast: Someone fascinating is about to cross your path. Ask questions!

♋ Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Your Section: 800s — Literature

You don’t just choose books; they choose you like a true wizard. You develop attachments to fictional families and often end up crying over endings and maybe adverts. This month’s forecast: A comforting reread may be exactly what you need.

♌ Leo (July 23 – August 22)

Your Section: 700s — Arts

Life is a performance, and honestly, you’re giving an excellent one. Whether it’s painting or theatre, you’re drawn toward creativity that makes people stop and look. This month’s forecast: Your creativity deserves an audience.

And Happy Birthdays, Leos!!

♍ Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

Your Section: 005 — Computer Programming & Productivity

You appreciate systems that make sense. Colour-coded spreadsheets? Beautiful, why doesn’t everyone do this? The Dewey Decimal System itself is basically your comfort language (hello librarians). This month’s forecast: Remember: “good enough” is sometimes genuinely good enough.

♎ Libra (September 23 – October 22)

Your Section: 700s — Design & Decorative Arts

You have opinions about book covers and believe beauty matters, whether it’s architecture or typography. You’ve got style. This month’s forecast: Trust your aesthetic instincts—but don’t spend three hours choosing between two identical notebooks.

♏ Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

Your Section: 130s — Paranormal & Mysteries

Ghosts? Ancient conspiracies? Unsolved disappearances? Your light reading is often shrouded in secrets and hidden motives, so maybe not so light??. This month’s forecast: Curiosity may uncover something surprising.

♐ Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)

Your Section: 910s — Travel & Geography

You’re always mentally packing a suitcase. Whether you’re exploring a new country or diving into a culture through literature, adventure is your natural habitat. This month’s forecast: Follow the road that looks interesting.

♑ Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)

Your Section: 650s — Business & Management

Goals and checklists? You have them. You secretly enjoy productivity books and aren’t ashamed of it. This month’s forecast: Success is coming—but so is your reminder to take a lunch break.

♒ Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

Your Section: 001 — Ideas, Inventions & Future Thinking

You live three trends ahead of everyone else, get it. Your reading list follows a chaotic yet intriguing path from artificial intelligence to speculative architecture. This month’s forecast: Your weird idea might actually be brilliant.

♓ Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

Your Section: 200s — Mythology, Spirituality & Religion

Reality is optional for you. You love stories that ask impossible questions and leave readers saying, “Wait… what just happened?” **This month’s forecast: Pay attention to your imagination. It’s trying to tell you something.

No matter your sign, your next great adventure is waiting somewhere between 000 and 999. The stars may influence your personality, but your library card is what determines your destiny. So go on, explore your shelf and see where your cosmic and literary paths converge!

Photo by New York Public Library Unsplash

Have a read over some fun posts

From Genes to LOLcats: The History of Memes

14/07/2026 / julietkinsey / 0 Comments

From Genes to LOLcats: The History of Memes

Memes feel like a pure product of the internet, born somewhere between dial-up modems and group chats. But the idea is older than the web itself, and its journey from a scientific term to a cat photo with bad grammar is one of the stranger stories in modern culture.

The biological beginnings of the Meme

Before any image or GIF, there was just a word, and it didn’t come from the internet at all. In 1976, evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins introduced the term meme in his book The Selfish Gene. He shortened the Greek word mimema, meaning imitated thing, so it would rhyme with gene. Dawkins used meme to describe any idea, tune, fashion, or behaviour that spreads from person to person through imitation, much like a gene spreads through a population. He wasn’t thinking about cats in sunglasses. He was thinking about how culture itself evolves, with ideas competing to survive and replicate inside human minds. For nearly two decades, the word mostly stayed in academic circles. Then the internet arrived, and it found a much stranger home.

The Dancing Baby: The Internet’s First Viral Hit

The first true internet meme wasn’t a joke at all. In 1996, a 3D animated GIF of a baby dancing to a snippet of music started life as a software demo, meant to show off new animation tools. Office workers found it funny anyway and began emailing it to each other. It spread slowly across early newsgroups and personal homepages, picking up remixes along the way, including a kung fu version and a samurai version. By 1998, the Dancing Baby had become so well known that it appeared as a recurring hallucination on the TV show Ally McBeal. It proved something new: a joke could travel from someone’s inbox all the way to a primetime television script.

The Hampster Dance: Going Viral Before “Viral” Was a Word

If the (Creepy) Dancing Baby proved memes could spread, the Hampster Dance proved they could explode. In 1998, Canadian art student Deidre LaCarte built a single page on GeoCities filled with dozens of looping cartoon hamster GIFs, set to a sped-up sample of a Disney song. For months, almost nobody visited it. Then, in early 1999, word spread through email chains and early blogs, and the site went from a few hundred visits to millions within weeks. People used the link to prank colleagues and friends, an early ancestor of the modern rickroll. It even spawned a chart-topping novelty single. The Hampster Dance showed that a meme didn’t need to be clever to take over the internet. It just needed to be impossible to stop sharing.

LOLcats: When Memes Found Their Format

By the mid 2000s, anonymous forums gave memes room to mutate into something more structured. Around 2005, users on the imageboard 4chan began posting captioned cat photos as part of a weekly tradition called Caturday, reportedly started as a joke pushback against another recurring thread. The captions, written in deliberately broken English known as lolspeak, gave the format real personality. In January 2007, the blog I Can Has Cheezburger turned this into a movement, launching with its now iconic image of a grey cat looking up hopefully, captioned “I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER?” The site went on to post hundreds of cat photos a day, helping LOLcats become one of the first true mainstream internet memes. This is where I first encountered memes. I used to go to the blog on my break for a pick me up giggle…sorry LoL. This was the moment the image macro was born: a picture, bold text up top, a punchline below. That simple template became the blueprint nearly every meme afterwards would follow.

The Harlem Shake: Memes You Could Join In With

For years, memes were things you looked at. The Harlem Shake, which took over the internet in early 2013, turned that around. The format was simple: one person danced alone while everyone around them ignored it, then the beat dropped, and the whole room erupted into chaos. Thousands of people filmed their own versions, in offices, classrooms, and locker rooms, and uploaded them within days of each other. It marked a shift toward participatory memes, ones that spread not because people shared a single image, but because people recreated it themselves. This pattern, take a format and make your own version, would go on to define meme culture for the next decade.

Moo Deng: The Internet Still Loves an Animal

Fast forward to 2024, and one of the biggest memes of the year wasn’t a song, a dance, or even a person. It was a baby pygmy hippo.

Moo Deng was born in July 2024 at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand. Zookeepers began posting photos of her on social media, and by September 2024, she had taken over the internet. She was filmed nipping at her keepers, splashing in her pool, and generally looking unimpressed with the world, and people couldn’t get enough. Fan art, merchandise, a theme song, and even a Saturday Night Live sketch followed within weeks. Visitor numbers at the zoo shot up so dramatically that staff had to limit how long people could spend near her enclosure.

From a biology textbook to a worldwide inside joke, memes are now as wired into the internet as genes are wired into us. Every new platform seems to invent its own meme dialect, and the cycle keeps evolving, with trends now rising and fading within days instead of years. Maybe in years to come this will become a subject you can study here at Edinburgh Napier University!

Library resources

Want to learn more about memes? Check out LibrarySearch for books and articles.

By Juliet Kinsey

Read more on the Blog with our article on Emojiis

World Emoji Day

Share & Discover: The ENU Research Repository Explained

12/07/2026 / mayagreen / 0 Comments

Share & Discover: The ENU Research Repository Explained

An institutional repository is an online platform where a university collects and shares its research. Think of it as a digital home for the work created by staff and students. It helps make research more visible, keeps it safe in the long term, and allows others to discover and use it. At Edinburgh Napier, the repository is a public-facing side of Worktribe, the system used to record research activity.

Whether you’re a student starting your first research project or an academic sharing your latest publication, the ENU research repository is a valuable service provided by the library to help you showcase your work.

Why Use the Repository?

There are plenty of benefits to using the repository, both for researchers and the wider community.

It increases visibility. When you upload your work, it can be found through search engines such as CORE, Google, or our LibrarySearch. This means your research can reach a much wider audience, not just those with access to academic journals.

It helps preserve your work. The repository provides a stable, long-term archive, so your research remains available even if journal access changes or websites disappear.

Your repository page acts as your academic staff profile. By keeping your outputs up to date in Worktribe, you can easily present your research and keep a complete record of your work.

Keeping an up-to-date record of your research is necessary for upcoming REF2029. All outputs to be submitted to REF must be recorded in the repository.

It’s worth noting that the repository isn’t just for journal articles or books. It supports a wide range of research output types, including datasets, reports, podcasts, exhibitions, teaching resources, and many others. This reflects the diversity of research at ENU and helps promote work from across all disciplines.

Supporting Open Access

One of the repository’s most important roles is helping researchers make their work openly accessible.

Under the university’s Open Access Policy and rights-retention approach, ENU academics retain the right to share copies of their accepted manuscripts in the repository. This is known as green open access. It allows journal articles and conference papers to be freely available, even if they are published in journals behind a paywall.

As an author, all you need to remember is to upload your accepted manuscript to Worktribe. Once it’s in the system, it can be shared in the repository with a Creative Commons licence, helping more people access and use your research.

Did you know?

The ENU repository is an ideal place to share research data. In this short video, we explain how to make your data available using Worktribe.

You can also easily request a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) for your outputs hosted in our repository, such as datasets or reports. A DOI gives your work a permanent, citable link, making it easier for others to find and reference it. When creating an output record, simply click ‘Request DOI’, and the repository team will assign it.

Getting Started

Using the repository is straightforward and brings real benefits to your research visibility. The library repository team manages the outputs section of Worktribe and is happy to help with any questions you might have. Please send your queries to repository@napier.ac.uk.

For more information about the repository and open access publishing, see the Publishing and Open Access LibGuide. You can find guidance on using Worktribe on the staff intranet.

And we have another bloghttps://blogs.napier.ac.uk/library/?s=open+access posts

By Patrycja Respondek

Stars and wishes for green libraries

10/07/2026 / mayagreen / 0 Comments

Stars and wishes for green libraries

In the face of consumerism and the throwaway society, libraries have become community oases with the potential to embody all three principles of sustainability (as described in the Guiding principles for sustainable development document published by the UK government). Their role will certainly become pivotal in the green future of societies.

Libraries as environmental guardians

At Edinburgh Napier University, Craiglockhart Library quite literally evokes the idea of a green library. The campus is nestled in what we would describe in French as “un écrin de verdure” (essentially, a metaphorical green jewellery box), as the buildings sit atop a small hill, surrounded by trees and green spaces. From the library office, large bay windows face the slope of Craiglockhart Hill West, covered in a tangle of trees and ferns. Slowly coming out of winter this year, we have been eyewitnesses to the re-greening, budding and blossoming of trees, hedges, and shrubs, which have now left a palette of lovely green hues among plants and leaves.

It feels like a privilege to take your eyes off the computer for a few moments and spot and follow the wanderings of a rabbit, a squirrel, or even a fox. You can leave the library building at lunchtime and take a walk around campus while listening to the song of various birds in the trees and you may be rewarded with the sight of a robin performing its lovely song from a high-up branch, its tiny throat quivering as it warbles.

Therefore, Craiglockhart Library is an example of a library which can offer what could be described as “green wellbeing” to people. Library staff there have taken this idea even further by bringing the greenery indoors, with plants lining the office bay windows and dotted throughout the library. Of note from last year – a cherry tomato plant in our office kept producing tomatoes well into the beginning of winter, and this was a source of joy for many of us.

Libraries as inclusive spaces which foster social interactions

Few places offer a stronger sense of community than libraries do. Libraries strive to bring people together in inclusive spaces which can become a lifeline and offer relief from isolation and loneliness. Reading is an excellent way to learn new things, reflect, develop new skills, and broaden one’s horizons. Picking up a book can also open a door onto adventure and feelings of joy, suspense but also tears, and it comes at no additional cost for library users.

At Edinburgh Napier University, our three campus libraries located at Craiglockhart, Merchiston and Sighthill are welcoming and safe places for everybody and offer a wide range of spaces and services to meet the varying needs of our library users.

Need to focus on your studies or revise for exams? Feel free to use our quiet and silent study rooms.
Preparing for a group presentation? Why not book one of our group study rooms or use one of our open-space study booths?
Looking for resources for your assessment? Browse our shelves and use Library Search to access both print and digital items.
Looking for books to support your wellbeing? Our wellbeing collections of self-help books are available for you at our three campuses.
Want to take a break after a busy day? Make your way to our relaxation area. If you need quiet time to yourself, why not sit at one of our jigsaw tables and build a puzzle for a while, to take your mind off things? We also have colouring books and board games available.
Need help accessing our services or any questions? Our friendly staff are here to help at the library desk, Monday to Friday, 8.45am-4.45pm.

Libraries as advocates for a circular economy

The usual “green gestures” for the environment are of course as important as ever to reduce energy and resource waste in libraries, such as (but not limited to): switching lights off after hours, switching electronic devices (such as PCs and laptops) off after use, printing less and using the appropriate bins for the suitable type of waste.

However, libraries go further than just reducing waste and energy consumption – they promote the re-generation of resources, which underpins the circular economy model (as described by the UK Green Building Council). The lifecycle of library’s printed and digital resources and physical equipment (such as desks, chairs, PCs, laptops) shows that items and furniture are constantly being re-used and borrowed by many different users, and this demonstrates how efficient these spaces can be.

At Edinburgh Napier Libraries, physical books at the end of their lifecycle with us are withdrawn from our collections and enter a new life with Better World Books (further details can be found in our “Green and Sustainability Libraries” 2025 blog post).

Merchiston Library also offers a community library space which works as a book exchange corner where people can leave their own books and take new ones. These books are not part of the catalogue and can be taken freely. This supports the community in circulating and reusing books even further.

Libraries are also learning hubs for DIY skills, which are becoming critical in turning our society greener. At Merchiston Library, you can browse our collection of gardening books and learn how to grow your own food, even in reduced spaces in the middle of the city. At Craiglockhart Library, you will find origami guides and origami paper in our relaxation area – why not try and learn to make origami to embellish your flat or house, instead of buying (often industrially-made) decorations from shops?

Re-thinking and recycling library spaces

Libraries are already doing an incredible job as green spaces. Depending on their location, they may promote access to surrounding green spaces or bring plants to the library. They also provide solid support for the community’s wellbeing and inclusion, and they encourage the efficient use and cycling of resources.

Many library spaces are not limited to promoting reading and studying; they also bring people together through reading groups, various clubs, and workshops. This demonstrates how versatile library spaces already are and how reusing the premises themselves for various activities reinforces the circular-economy model of regeneration and recycling.

Why not keep diversifying and re-inventing the use of library spaces? In her book The Green Ages: Medieval Innovations in Sustainability, Annette Kehnel explains how we can learn from the past for our future sustainable endeavours. In particular, she describes how our economy can become more sustainable if we focus efforts on repairing things rather than replacing them with new objects produced from scratch, as was customary in the past.

To do so, we need to learn some repair and DIY skills, and libraries seem to be the perfect spaces to teach them. Providing books to learn these skills is a start, but the idea could be further developed and a whole range of workshops organised. For example, why not organise hands-on sewing, bike or furniture repair workshops so people can learn the basics of mending their clothes, bikes and household items? Gardening books were mentioned earlier – why not try to integrate mini greenhouse projects in sunny spaces of libraries or along windows, with users tending to plants and workshops getting people started on growing their own vegetables at home or in allotments?

Organising more events, activities and workshops in libraries will bring people together more, encourage knowledge exchange and help build trust. This is why libraries have the potential to strengthen and make communities more resilient, enabling people to rely on one another for support.

A wealth of different ways and projects can be imagined that put library spaces at the helm of a more sustainable and nurturing society.

Bibliography

“Guiding principles for sustainable development”, UK government: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7dcc1640f0b65d8863478d/Guiding_principles_for_SD.pdf

The Green Ages: Medieval Innovations in Sustainability, Annette Kehnel, Publisher: Profile Books, 2024, ISBN: 9781800816251.

“What is the Circular Economy?”, UK Green Building Council (UKGBC): https://ukgbc.org/our-work/topics/circular-economy/

By Adeline Tournier

Feeling a bit green, we have plenty of posts for you

Class of 2026

07/07/2026 / mayagreen / 0 Comments

Class of 2026

Your Journey Begins! Congratulations, Class of 2026! Your years of dedication and hard work have finally culminated in this significant milestone, and we couldn’t be prouder of you. As we reflect on the countless study sessions, the frustrations of wrangling with printers, and the turning of pages filled with knowledge, we recognise just how much you deserve this moment. A heartfelt congratulations from the entire library team—we are cheering you on as you take your next steps! As you embark on this new chapter, we have a little reminder: Stay curious. Keep that thirst for knowledge alive, and never stop researching. You never know where your curiosity might lead you, and remember, our libraries will always be a welcoming space for you.

Join the ENU Alumni Network

Exciting things await you beyond graduation! The Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) alumni community is a vibrant network that spans the globe. The best part? You don’t need to worry about signing up; you’ll be automatically enrolled on your graduation day. Our Alumni Team is dedicated to helping graduates stay connected with each other and with the University. They create a wealth of opportunities for personal and professional development, allowing you to forge valuable connections.

Benefits of Being Part of the Alumni Community:

As a member of the alumni community, you’ll have access to numerous opportunities worldwide. Whether you want to expand your professional network, advance your career, support your business endeavours, reconnect with old friends, or simply relive your university experience, the Alumni Network has your back.

Engaging Events Programme Throughout the year:

The Alumni Team organises a wide array of international events. From business networking gatherings to program reunion celebrations and alumni receptions, there’s something for everyone. These events offer a fantastic chance to make connections and continue fostering those important relationships.

Career Support at Your Fingertips.

Don’t forget, even after you toss your cap in the air, you still have access to Student Futures’ career support for up to two years post-graduation. If entrepreneurship has caught your interest, you’ll benefit from lifelong access to Bright Red Triangle, the University’s enterprise hub. Plus, the Alumni Team offers digital networking groups to support you throughout your career journey.

Exploring Further Study Opportunities:

If you’re considering postgraduate study at Edinburgh Napier, we have good news! As an alumnus, you’re eligible for a 20% discount on tuition fees for the first year of a full-time course (terms and conditions apply). Additionally, alumni can apply for free library access during the 12 months following graduation. After that, you can maintain access to our library resources at a 50% discount, allowing you full use of library books and study spaces for just £20. Please keep in mind that electronic resources aren’t included in this offer.

Stay Connected Class of 2026

These perks are just a glimpse into the many ways the Alumni Team supports the Edinburgh Napier alumni community. To stay in the loop about opportunities and benefits, we encourage you to keep your contact information up to date and follow our alumni social media channels. This way, you’ll be the first to know about the latest news, events, and exciting opportunities. And remember, education doesn’t have to end here. If you are interested in furthering your studies, why not consider pursuing a postgraduate degree at Napier? The journey of learning never truly stops! Here’s to your bright future ahead. Congratulations again, Class of 2026!

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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

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Edinburgh Napier University and the Future of Gaming

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The Most Borrowed Books of the Year 2026

MacQueen and Thomson on Contract Law in Scotland

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Business Research Methods (Sixth Edition).

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Dewey Decimal Classifications as Star Signs: Finding Your Cosmic Library Identity

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♏ Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)

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♑ Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)

♒ Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

♓ Pisces (February 19 – March 20)

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Share & Discover: The ENU Research Repository Explained

Why Use the Repository?

Supporting Open Access

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Getting Started

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Stars and wishes for green libraries

Libraries as environmental guardians

Libraries as inclusive spaces which foster social interactions

Libraries as advocates for a circular economy

Re-thinking and recycling library spaces