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Wild Animals of Scotland Update. Image of an Osprey

Wild Animals of Scotland Update

06/04/2023 / / 0 Comments

Wild Animals of Scotland Update

Ospreys in 2023

Here is a wee wild animals of Scotland update. For those of you who have followed Scotland’s osprey visitors in previous years, we have some great news! NC0 and her mate LM12 have returned to Loch of the Lowes and have been getting the nest ready and it looks like there’s one egg so far. The webcam is live so you can follow the birds and hopefully their young over the summer months.

 

Not to be outdone by his Perthshire cousins Louis has returned to the Loch Arkaig nest in record time and is busy fishing and looking out for his mate Dorcha.

Hopefully, there will be plenty to see on the webcams over the summer!

Wildcats

Furthermore, in very exciting news the first-ever Scottish wildcat release has been approved. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) will oversee the trial release of these endangered wildcats into the Cairngorms National Park. These beautiful creatures have become almost extinct. Years of habitat loss, persecution and hybridisation with domestic cats have brought the Scottish wildcat population to the brink of extinction. (source). Hopefully, this plan will help to save these “Highland Tigers”.

Beavers

In addition, another animal that was successfully introduced was the Scottish beaver back in 2009 and things are going well with a growing population. Similarily to the Wildcats this began as a trial and has now seen the beaver population reach over one thousand.

Managing Ecosystems

The reintroduction and conservation of Wildlife, however, is a complicated matter, with many factors involved. You can read more on these subjects using Librarysearch.co.uk 

Read more on the Ospreys in earlier articles on them like this one: The Ospreys have returned

By Vivienne Hamilton

 

Photo by Jongsun Lee on Unsplash

Stress Awareness Month promotional image

Stress Awareness Month

04/04/2023 / / 0 Comments

  Stress awareness month

April is stress awareness month, its aim is to remind us of the importance of taking time to pause and understand what the purpose of stress is, our triggers, how it affects us physically and mentally, and the impact it has in our day-to-day lives. 

It began in April 1992 in response to the rising crisis that stress has caused in our society. It is designed to open up conversations about stress in our lives and remove some of the stigmas around talking about stress.

This Year

The month also allows us to look at the methods that can be applied to help us deal with stress and become more resilient. Furthermore, it asks us to take a holistic approach to stress looking at not only our minds but the health of our bodies also.

The 30 Day Challenge

This year Stress.org.uk is challenging people to pick one action each for their Physical, Mental and Emotional Well-being to carry out every day. This is based on the idea that it takes 30 days to create a new habit. For instance, Why not try taking the stairs instead of the lift, eat one extra vegetable with Dinner or make a little time each day to meditate. Check out their website for more ideas.

University Resources

Look out for various activities and events that may be happening in your workplace or online. You can visit your staff Internet’s Health & Wellbeing page to see what services are available.

For students, visit your University’s Wellbeing page, and see what they offer. This may include signposting you to other organizations.

Additionally, Students at Edinburgh Napier University can access the Student Wellbeing, Support and Inclusion page using the following link: Wellbeing Support and Inclusion

Or perhaps you would like to look at the various resources our library offers, by visiting the Libguide’s Wellbeing Collection page.

Why not check out our Virtual Relaxation Space for a wide range of activities to relax with.

 

Above all, The most important thing to take away is, you are not alone and there is help available.

Information related to stress can also be found on the NHS website and there is support available from many sources through the University Webpages.

 

Sharing ideas:

What do you do to relieve stress, let us know in the comments? 

 

How to reduce stress:

Meditation

Breathing Exercises

Go for walks in nature

Spend time with loved ones

Exercise

Playing games

 

By Mo Almas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clocks going forward 2023 blog post banner of analogue alarm clock

Clocks going forward 2023

24/03/2023 / / 0 Comments

Clocks going forward 2023

It’s now springtime. Days and nights are getting longer and it will soon be time to put the clocks forward as daylight saving time or British Summer Time (BST) begins. Don’t be late for work or that important meet-up with friends. Remember that the clocks go forward in the UK at 01:00 on Sunday, March 26 2023. If you would like to learn more about daylight saving time, click on the link below:

https://www.timeanddate.com/time/dst/

Make the most of the longer summer nights by getting out and about in the fresh air. Exercise is good for both physical and mental health. Read how extra daylight is good for our health by following the link below:

https://www.southwales.ac.uk/news/news-2022/daylight-savings-how-an-hour-of-extra-sunlight-can-benefit-your-mental-health/

By Vivienne Hamilton

Image by Photo by Abdul A on Unsplash

World poetry day blog post image of a notepad with the word poetry written on it

World Poetry Day

21/03/2023 / / 0 Comments

World Poetry Day

21st March 2023

World Poetry Day celebrates a style of literature as old as language itself, spanning all cultures and continents. With stylistic forms and sub genre’s developing and evolving from generation to generation. Poetry has been used to highlight and express issues of the time, evoke an emotional response and inspire calls to action. To demonstrate the potency of words nonsensical poems such as the Jabberwocky have also been used in a light-hearted manner to portray humour.

It was for these reasons UNESCO (United Nations Education, Science, Cultural Organisation) decided at its 30th General Conference in Paris in 1999 to dedicate a day to all forms of poetry. Its purpose is to support

“….linguistic diversity through poetic expression and increasing the opportunity for endangered languages to be heard….  occasion to honour poets, revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote the reading, writing and teaching of poetry, foster the convergence between poetry and other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting, and raise the visibility of poetry in the media. As poetry continues to bring people together across continents, all are invited to join in”.

If you think poetry is not for you then think again, because lyrics in songs use the same/similar techniques and styles as those used in poetry. Adding catchy rhythms, tempos, & melodies to enhance the impact and emotional states of the listener.

So, will you be doing something for World Poetry Day?

  • Perhaps visit your library and browse their poetry collection and see what appeals to you, or visit Literature Online to see what poetry works are available to listen to or read.

Just for Fun:

  • Who is your favourite Poet and why?
  • Do you have a favourite poem?
  • Do you have a favourite style of poem writing?

I’ll go first:

  • No
  • Tom Tantol’s version of John Clare’s poem I am, left a lasting impression on me. I still very much enjoy listening to the piece and the depth of meaning that is hidden within its words and delivery.  Check it out on YouTube here.
  • No

References

World Poetry Day | UNESCO

History of poetry – Wikipedia

By Mo Almas

Interested in The Poetry of the WW1 War Poets? Here at Edinburgh Napier University, we have a stunning collection of their works. Check out the webpage here: War Poets Collection, or read some of the amazing posts on our blog:

National Poetry Day 6th October

The War Poets Collection: Siegfried Sassoon and Dr Brock

Image by Image by cromaconceptovisual from Pixabay

dog in st patricks day hat for blog post St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick’s Day

17/03/2023 / / 2 Comments

St. Patrick’s Day

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all our Irish students and staff.

St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on 17th March. St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, but there are parades and parties worldwide due to the large numbers of people with Irish heritage spread across the world.

Source

History of St.Patrick’s Day

Although there are no exact dates of his birth, it is believed that Patrick was born in the Roman-occupied north of England. and that he died on 17th March. His autobiographical work “Confessio” claims that when he was around 16, Patrick was taken from his home in Britain by Irish pirates who took him to Ireland as a slave. There he looked after animals for around six years and converted to Christianity. He fled captivity after hearing a voice telling him he would soon go home. He found passage on a ship and after several days walking he returned home. Following his return, Patrick studied Christianity in Europe-mostly in Auxerre, France and was ordained into the priesthood there. He later returned to Ireland as a missionary, and by the 7th century was already revered as the patron saint of Ireland.

The Irish Potato Famine

There are many people throughout the world with Irish ancestors due to the large numbers who emigrated because of the Irish Potato Famine. It started in 1845 when a fungus ruined around 75% of the annual potato crop, which most of the population relied on for food. Around one million Irish died before the end of the famine in 1852. Another million emigrated to countries such as Great Britain or the United States, and therefore you will find St. Patrick’s Day celebrated in many countries worldwide.

Celebrations

Today descendants of the immigrants celebrate their Irish heritage by dressing up in colourful clothing in green and gold (the colours of the Irish flag), joining parades of pipe bands, cheerleaders, and floats. One of the biggest parades outside Ireland is in New York which held its first parade in 1762. This was a time when the wearing of green was a sign of Irish pride but was banned in Ireland. The parade gave participants the freedom to speak Irish, wear green, sing Irish songs and play the pipes to Irish tunes that were meaningful to the Irish immigrants of that time.

Aside from parades, many pubs and restaurants host events with live music and singing, and you shouldn’t have to look too hard to find one in Edinburgh!

By Vivienne Hamilton

Read more on world festivals and traditions with our articles:

Chinese New Year

Scottish Traditions: Burn’s Night

The Ethiopia Timkat Festival,

New Year Traditions from Around the World

Also, don’t forget you can find out more about everything mentioned in this article at Librarysearch.napier.ac.uk

 

 

World Contact Day 👽 blog post image of alien spaceship

World Contact Day 👽

15/03/2023 / / 1 Comment

World Contact Day 👽

March 15th

Do you believe in E.T.?

World Contact Day brings together E.T. enthusiasts from all over the world with one mission in mind. To contact life forms beyond our planet and to celebrate the possibility of such entities existing.

Believe it or not, according to a survey conducted in 24 different countries, nearly half of the people believed an intelligent alien civilisation exists. With more than 60% believing there is some form of life on other planets.

This is not surprising with reports of UFO sightings, alien abductions, and retired government officials claiming to have had contact with E.T.’s and their technology. There’s Declassified government documents exposing the possibility of crashed UFO craft. As well as speculation of governments working with and using alien technology to enhance human life. The unexplained existence of Crop circles, unusual signals from space, fossils & meteorites show the possibility of life beyond earth and even ancient structures and civilisations claiming to have had first contact. Baring all this in mind it can be seen why the survey results were as high as they were. So how did World Contact Day first come into existence? Continue reading

Image of mathematical symbols for post on Pi Anyone? International Pi Day

Pi Anyone? International Pi Day

14/03/2023 / / 0 Comments

Pi Anyone? International Pi Day

The 14th of March is International Day of Mathematics and International Pi Day.

What is International Mathematics Day?

On the 26th of November 2019 UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation) decided March the 14th should be declared the International Day of Mathematics.

The main purpose of the day was to celebrate and highlight the importance of Mathematics. Making people aware mathematics is everywhere and used in everyday life, as well as in specialist industries.

Prior to the birth of International Mathematics Day, the 14th of March was International Pi Day. Continue reading

Neurodiversity Celebration Week banner

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

13/03/2023 / / 0 Comments

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

Neurodiversity Celebration Week is on the 13th – 19th of March this year and is a wonderful chance to embrace and learn about neurodiversity.

The term Neurodiversity encompasses a wide variety of neurological differences. The brain can be wired in a multitude of ways. This leads to many variable and complex possibilities for processing and understanding information. Although the use of labels is not always important, many in the community use the term “neurodiverse” to refer to people who may identify as having Dyslexia, DCD (Dyspraxia), Dyscalculia, Autism and ADHD.

Although often the focus is on the challenges associated with being Neurodiverse, there are also many strengths. Therefore, Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a chance for us to focus on the fantastic talents and special gifts that Neurodiversity can also give individuals.

Did you know people with ADHD are often highly creative and great at thinking outside the box? Autistic individuals can be incredible at spotting patterns and details often missed. Oh and we can be funny. Check out comedian Hannah Gatsby and her incredible standup. Not to mention fantastic actors, The renowned Anthony Hopkins is Autistic. Oh and don’t forget the incredible Chris Packham who not only has a brilliant career working with animals but does amazing work helping others in the community. This week join us outside of the box and learn about how great being neurodiverse can be!

Continue reading

Celebrating International Women's Day in Scotland Banner picture

Celebrating International Women’s Day

08/03/2023 / / 1 Comment

 Celebrating International Women’s Day

Inspiring women of Scotland

Celebrating International Women’s Day in Scotland,  we thought it might be nice to pay homage to some incredible Scottish women both alive and sadly gone. We can only fit in a few here so if you are interested in learning more, why not look up some more information at librarysearch.napier.ac.uk

Christina Miller

Photo of Christina Miller

Source: Heriot Watt University

One little know Scottish woman whose story deserves to be better remembered is Christina Miller. Despite being born female and hearing impaired in 1899, and later losing her sight in one eye, she battled against the norms of the time to become a respected analytical chemist. In addition, she was an inspirational teacher and mentor to generations of students.

Miller was awarded the Keith Prize by the Royal Society of Edinburgh for her scientific paper on phosphorus trioxide. She became one of the first 5 women to be elected to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. There is even a building at the University of Edinburgh named after her.

Photo of Mukami McCrum

Source: British Library

Mukami McCrum

An all-round amazing person, Mukami McCrum has lived in Scotland most of her life. Mukami fights for women’s rights, in particular BAME and LGBT women who need support from domestic abuse. Furthermore, she is one of the founders of Shakti Women’s Aid and campaigns to end Female Genital Mutilation.

She was the chief executive of Central Scotland Racial Equality Council and has brought her deep commitment to race and gender justice to many organisations, including Akina Mama wa Afrika, World Council of Churches, and Responding to Conflict Trust. She has an MBE for her community and human rights work.

Continue reading

International cat day cat Bon Bon

Pets of the Library Part 2

20/02/2023 / / 1 Comment

Pets of the Library Part 2

After the last few years of remote working and with staff working more from home now, meeting their feline companions during online meetings has been so much fun. Little furry faces and tails have often popped up mid-way through a very important discussion. Many of our staff have loved being able to spend more time with their creatures of choice; I know I love having a friendly work buddy to hang out with at home during the workday.

So to celebrate this year’s International Love your pet day we think it would be nice to introduce you all to some of our furry friends.

Continue reading

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