Edinburgh Napier University

Author: mayagreen (Page 1 of 18)

Shakespeare’s Birthday

If all the world’s a stage, then today its centre is occupied by the world’s greatest ever playwright. Take a bow, William Shakespeare, on this, your 461st birthday.

We know very little about Shakespeare. We know he was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in the heart of England, that he was the son of a well-to-do glovemaker and that he attended school. We know that he married and had three children, one of whom died in childhood. We know that he moved to London, became an actor and writer and made a good amount of money.

But that’s about it. What remains a mystery is how this ordinary man from an ordinary background was able to write 38 plays, 2 narrative poems and 154 sonnets of such enduring scope, skill, depth and insight that they live on in our imaginations nearly half a millennium on.

Think of the many terms and phrases Shakespeare invented that are still current:

There’s “method in the madness,” “all of a sudden”, the “green-eyed monster”, “heart of gold”, a “wild goose chase”, “wear your heart on your sleeve”, and “the world’s my oyster”.

Think of the many cinematic re-interpretations of his works. 10 Things I hate about You was based on The Taming of the Shrew. Then there’s sci-fi classic Forbidden Planet (The Tempest), West Side Story and zombie romcom Warm Bodies (Romeo & Juliet), A Thousand Acres (King Lear), L.A. Story and Get Over It (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), And, of course, The Lion King (Hamlet).  OK, that last one’s a stretch.

His works are so ingrained in our consciousness that we refer to tragic-comic situations as Shakespearean. There’s a whole theatre company dedicated to his works. We have a British Shakespeare Association, local Shakespeare societies all over the world, and the world-renowned theatre where he first plied his trade is still going strong.

You may be lucky enough to visit Shakespeare’s birthplace. This year, the Trust celebrates the complexity of Shakespeare’s female characters.

We at Edinburgh Napier do Shakespeare in a big way. To read his plays, poetry, and the abundant commentary on his ever-intriguing work, log into LibrarySearch.

By Lesley McRobb

Photo by Mana5280 unsplash

 

Read another literature great, Charles Dickens

Study Skills 2025

Study Skills 2025

The Easter Holidays can’t last forever, and once they’re done, the university will be getting stuck into the assessment period. To give you an extra hand, we’ll be taking a quick look at how our university library can provide you with some support in developing the skills you need for your essays, exams, and other assignments.

Library and Study Skills

Firstly, the library provides you with LibGuides, which are specialised guides teaching you the skills you need to navigate the library and how to best use the resources the university provides to you. These include guides to referencing using APA 7th style, more general guides to universally useful skills such as Critical Thinking, and specialised guides for each of our schools. These guides for our schools are written by the Subject Librarian for that school, providing you with detailed help from an experienced professional who specialises in that field. For example, if you’re a student at our business school, you can check out the guide to the business school library written by Keith Walker, who has been with the university for years and knows exactly what a business student needs to know for their studies.

If you think it would help, you can also get in touch with your school’s subject librarian if you have any specific enquiries relating to research in your subject, or if you’ve had a read of your school’s libguide and still feel you need further instructions. You can find details on how to speak to your subject librarian on MyNapier.  Also, check out the Training and Events calendar to see if there are any upcoming workshops covering skills you may need help with, or if there are any academic skills drop-in sessions you could attend. You can also check out the academic skills page on MyNapier to learn more about these drop-in sessions and how to contact the academic skills team.

The other handy thing about the LibGuides is that they can provide you with a full list of the databases the university has access to. Through your student account, you can access 184 research databases that provide you access to research articles, e-books, and other publications covering a range of different subject areas. These databases are a great way to expand your research and find a wide range of sources to help you when studying specialised topics. Additionally, you can use our interlibrary loan service to request access to sources that we do not have here at the university, but which another university might have access to.

Of course, in addition to all these helpful services, you can also always come to one of our library helpdesks and ask one of our team members directly. We’ll be happy to help in any way we can!

by Matthew Ferrie

We have a catalogue of study skills posts

World Art Day 2025

World Art Day 2025

Art is all around us, and comes in many different shapes and forms. It consists of many forms and practices, including painting, geometric abstraction, conceptual, sculptural, baroque, photography, surrealism, and abstract expressionism. It is not always just visual as well: art can take the form of music, theatre, cinematography and architecture to give some examples. All in all, the world would be a very dull and miserable place without it. So every year on the 15th of April, World Art Day acknowledges the profound link between the contributions of artists worldwide and sustainable development within society. It also raises awareness of the diversity within the artistic community and artistic expression overall.

History of World Art Day

World Art Day was first proclaimed in the 40th session of UNESCO’s General Conference, which was held in Paris from the 12th until the 27th of November 2019. Its foundations were initially laid by the International Association of Art (IAA), which was formed in 1954 to collaborate with UNESCO in an official partnership and as an NGO (a non-governmental organisation) to ultimately represent the work and legacies of professional artists. World Art Day is thought to also pay tribute to the work and legacy of world-famous artist Leonardo Da Vinci, whose birthday falls on the same day as World Art Day – the 15th of April.

All in all, Word Art Day not only honour the world of Leonardo Da Vinci himself, but essentially all the contributions which artists across the globe make in moulding our cultural landscape. Their work and role in society is invaluable, as are the contributions that many of our SACI (School of Arts and Creative Industries) students and staff make both within the university and externally.

Our School of Arts and Creative Industries…

One of the fundamental objectives of the School of Arts and Creative Industries at Napier is to encourage innovation and progression within our SACI student community, as well as foster their talents by providing them with opportunities for collaboration and networking within creative industries and communities to eventually go on to develop sustainable careers. Some of our creative courses include Design, Photography and Advertising, Acting, Music, and English. Film, Television and Journalism is another course which we offer as well within SACI.

Employability, all in all, is at the heart of Napier’s core values and all of their programmes and schools, and we aim to ensure that all of our students feel ready and well-equipped for commencing placements and work experience to prepare them for pursuing successful careers once they spread their wings and leave the university. To facilitate these invaluable work experience opportunities, we have built a solid rapport with both UK-based and international employers and industries to allow access to these opportunities as well as networking events. We also allow students to showcase their work and final year projects at our Napier degree show, which will run this year from the 30th of May until the 6th of June at Merchiston campus. The event is open to all as well!

Some fun facts about Art…

  • Thirty-century year old cave paintings have been discovered in Chauvet, France.
  • Leonardo Da Vinci spent 14 years finishing his widely renowned ‘Mona Lisa’ painting despite it being a relatively small portrait. It also did not become well-known within art communities until after it was stolen in 1911, which led to it becoming more famous and widely recognised.
  • Art used to be held as an Olympic event but was stopped in 1954 after concerns were raised about the professional status of participants and competitors. Almost every competitor submitting their work was a professional artist – they were all required to be amateurs according to the rules of the event.
  • The Louvre Art Gallery in Paris is the most popular art gallery in the world, bringing in more visitors than any other art gallery across the globe.

Further Reading for World Art Day

Have we sparked your interest in the world of art and creativity? Here are some recommended titles in our library stock to consult if you would like to read more about this subject area.

 

  • ‘Art: the definitive visual guide’, Graham-Dixon, Andrew Bridgeman Art Library, 2008. Available at Merchiston Campus Library.
  • ‘Light years: conceptual art and the photograph, 1964-1977′, Witkovsky, Matthew S., 1967-; Godfrey, Mark (Mark Benjamin); Art Institute of Chicago. C2011. Available at Merchiston Campus Library.
  • ‘Before photography: painting and the invention of photography’, Galassi, Peter.; Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.), c1981. Available at Merchiston Campus Library.

 

By Rachel Downie

 

Photo credit goes to Matheus at Pexels.

 

Keep the creativity going and read about World Theatre Day 

National Unicorn Day – 9th April

National Unicorn Day – 9th April

 

Today is National Unicorn Day, which is celebrated annually on the 9th of April. Unicorns appear as magical creatures in many movies, cartoons and fantasy novels, fascinating both children and adults alike.

Unicorns are beautiful horse-like creatures with a single spiralling horn growing from the centre of their forehead. They are steeped in history, going as far back as Ancient Greece, and have been part of many cultures, including the ancient Babylonians and the Indus civilisation. In Celtic mythology, unicorns are said to represent purity, innocence, and power. Their horns are alleged to have magical powers that can purify poisoned water and heal sickness.

Scotland and the Unicorn

Scotland has always loved legends, from ghosts and witches to giant water creatures, so maybe it’s not so surprising that Scotland has chosen the unicorn as its national animal. They are proud, wild, independent creatures with a strong spirit making them difficult to conquer or capture – ideals which represent the spirit of the Scottish people who would fight to remain unconquered. However, they are often also seen as symbols of love, purity, enchantment and magic.

Unicorns are featured widely in Scottish heraldry such as coats of arms or crests. The unicorn has featured in the royal coat of arms for Scotland from around the mid-1500s which displayed two unicorns supporting the Scottish coat of arms. In Scottish heraldry, unicorns are always depicted with gold chains around them. It is believed that this symbolised the power of Scottish kings, that only they were strong enough to tame such wild animals.

In 1603, King James VI of Scotland also became King James I of England, so he replaced one of the unicorns with a lion, the national animal of England, to represent unity between the two countries. However, it is well known in folklore that unicorns and lions are enemies, battling to be named the king of beasts.

So, where can you find unicorns? They can be found throughout Scotland, even right here in Edinburgh! They are featured on a heraldic shield by the gates to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, another in the Royal Apartments in Edinburgh Castle, and among the Victorian wood carvings at St. Gile’s Cathedral so why not go and see them for yourself?

Many towns across Scotland, including Edinburgh, Culross, Prestonpans, Dunfermline, Jedburgh, Melrose, Falkland, Crail, Aberdeen and Inverness feature mercat crosses, a Scottish market cross representing trade and prosperity. The crosses vary from being very simple to lavish designs which often feature a unicorn at the top.

Celebrate National Unicorn Day

National Unicorn Day began in 2015 to celebrate these magnificent mythological animals. So, how can we celebrate National Unicorn Day? Why not:

watch a movie that includes unicorns

bake or buy rainbow cupcakes

draw, paint or craft unicorn-themed art

research the history and symbolism of unicorns

Go for a unicorn-themed walk around a town or city and take photos of what you find.

However you spend National Unicorn Day, just remember how good things can be when you allow a little magic into your life!

By Sharon McMichael

Photo by Paul Bill

Read about the history of Edinburgh Napier

 

The Library for New Staff

The Library for New Staff

If you are a new staff member at Edinburgh Napier University, we would like to welcome you to our campus libraries. They are not just for students and academic staff so why not check them out?

In our libraries you will find novels, books on music, design, photography, health and much more. We also have access to thousands of e-books and articles. Sign into our catalogue, Library Search , to search for books and articles and to access databases.

Librarysearch

 

If you would like to borrow a book from a different campus from the one you are working at, it’s not a problem. You can use our Click and Collect service to request books from other campus libraries and you will receive an email notification when it is available for you to collect. You can then issue the book to yourself at one of our self-service kiosks. This is useful if you would like to borrow an item after staff hours. Books can also be returned using the kiosks. Using the Box of Broadcasts database, you have access to thousands of programmes from a range of tv channels. Search for archived programmes or “record” upcoming ones.

Our Wellbeing Collection offers a range of materials which deal with topics such as anxiety and depression, to living well and sexuality. In each campus library we have a Relaxation Space where we have colouring sheets, jigsaws and coloured pencils for your use. You can of course, just come along to relax.

If the nearest printer to your workstation is out of order, you can release your printing from the library printers as the system is cloud-based.

We hope to see you sometime in the library and please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. You can follow us and keep up to date with library news on Instagram and X: Email: library@napier.ac.uk

Telephone 0131 455 3500 Tweet us: @EdNapLib Follow us on Instagram @ENU_Library

by Vivienne Hamilton

Read more about library information or check our webpages 

Easter Egg Hunt: Napier Libraries

Easter Egg Hunt: Napier Libraries

Easter Egg Hunt at Napier libraries

It’s that time of year again. When arrays of chocolate eggs start to disappear from the supermarket shelves and the Easter egg hunts start to commence in full swing. If you celebrated Easter as a child, you may have participated in a few or many Easter egg hunts, rushing about frantically and searching every corner to gather as many eggs as you possibly could. This traditional easter activity is thought by some to have first originated in the late 16th century when protestant reformer Martin Luther arranged various egg hunts as part of his congregation. Eggs would be hidden by men for women and children to later try to locate. Soon, this was to become a beloved childhood activity which takes place in April across many parts of the world, and one which comes around annually at our Napier campus libraries as well!

So yes – if you feel like being a kid again for the day and winning a chocolate bunny or creme egg, come along to one of our campus libraries and take part in our Spring challenge for a chance to win a little treat. Egg, nut, dairy and gluten free options are also available and offered at the library helpdesks.

Easter Egg Hunt: The Challenge…

 

If you come to any one of our campus library helpdesks and ask to participate in the Easter Challenge, you will be handed a bowl with some slips of paper to choose from, which will have either a question or a specific book to look for. There may be more than one correct answer for some of the questions. As for the books, each campus will have a range of specific titles within their shelves, one of which you will need to locate to win a prize. The majority of these selected titles are easter-themed, with a few being more general and randomised. Each book will also have a token inside which you will need to bring down to the helpdesk to claim your prize, whether that be a chocolate easter bunny or Creme Egg. The questions, on the other hand, are library-themed, and the same rule applies, where if you get the question right, you can claim one of the sweet treats mentioned above that we have on offer.

Once the chocolates are gone, they are gone! Our spring challenge will then come to an end for this year, so if you are on campus and fancy a sweet easter treat, hurry along to one of our campus library helpdesks and ask our friendly staff about the spring challenge.

The Rules…

Like most games and activities, our Spring Challenge does have some rules to be followed. One go is allowed per person; however, if you do get the wrong answer to a question or do not find the correct book token, you will be granted another attempt. One treat is allowed per slip of paper as well if the question is answered correctly or the right book token is brought down to the helpdesk. This applies even if the challenge is done in groups – you and your friend or group of friends can take a slip each; however, if you only take one slip, you would only get one treat to share between all of you – This applies even if you completed the challenge together! Edinburgh Napier staff as well as our students are also more than welcome to participate in the Spring Challenge (unless you are library staff, we’re afraid, it would be far too easy)!

With regards to the book hunt as well – if you do find the correct book that you are looking for based on the title noted on the slip you chose, you will only need to bring the token down to the helpdesk, not the book. As well as being a fun Easter activity for students and staff to participate in, we also believe that it will facilitate a wider and more enhanced understanding of the resources we have to offer at our Napier campus libraries and how to navigate them as well. You might even find a book title that is relevant to your course that you did not even realise you needed or were indeed looking for all along!

 

We look forward to seeing some of our students from the Napier community at the helpdesk who wish to participate in our Spring Challenge.

 

By Rachel Downie

Photo by Kindel Media from Pexels.

Our opening hours will change over the Easter period, find out here

 

Read about previous years

World Theatre  Day 2025

World Theatre  Day 2025

 

As it is World Theatre Day today, it seems appropriate to write a little about Edinburgh’s illustrious history and continued tradition of dramatic performance.

Edinburgh And Theatre

Perhaps the first thing people think of is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Initially formed in 1947 as a more eclectic, grassroots ‘fringe’ to the more ‘high cultural’ Edinburgh International Festival, the Fringe now dwarfs its erstwhile rival and is an established, world-famous cultural behemoth. Probably more famous nowadays for its significance to stand-up comedy, it hosts large-scale, expensive drama; the spirit of dramatic endeavour, experiment and (productive) failure is still there, in the lesser-known acts in the Fringe itself as well as the Free Fringe.

Of course, the Fringe is not the only story. The Traverse Theatre was set up in 1962 by Richard Demarco, John Calder and Jim Haynes (amongst others) to encourage new playwrights at a time of high dramatic innovation in the 1960s. They had an international, cosmopolitan focus – the first play they produced was by Fernando Arrabal, an experimental Spanish playwright based in self-exile in Paris from Franco’s Spain. It was initially situated in a disused building on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, with seats salvaged from a nearby cinema. In 1992, it attained a permanent space beside the Usher Hall on Lothian Road, where it still operates today, and still promotes new writing, as well as working with schools and youth groups.

Universities on World Theatre Day

Aside from the excellent collection of 20th century dramatic texts by a range of international writers in our Merchiston Library, it also is the location of the archive of the aforementioned Jim Haynes, which he personally donated to the university. Haynes lived an intriguing, quixotic life – originally from the US, served in their air force, then settled in Scotland after being stationed in Kirknewton. He moved to Edinburgh, where he lived for over two decades, setting up the first paperback bookshop in Scotland, and later moved to Paris, where he lived until the end of his life in 2021. Professionally, he was a bookseller and magazine editor, but perhaps his key skill perhaps was connecting people together – his obituary here by James Campbell captures this well.

In more recent times, student theatre is often a source of new energy in drama in the city. Theatre Paradok, set up by Edinburgh University students but not limited to the institution, performs adapted work, and occasionally original writing by students. Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen was ambitiously staged upstairs in the old Forest Café on 3 Bristo Place, a social space, café and hub for all sorts of DIY arts endeavours; Grimm Tales (a dark adaptation of the famous children’s stories) was a promenade piece in the basement of McEwan Hall. Closer to home, our own Napier University Drama Society performs original work that ranges from plays to improvised comedy routines.

 

Kieran Curran

Read about Edinburgh Napier taking over the Fringe Festival last year

Photo by Hulki Okan Tabak Unspalsh

More Than A Library (A Personal Reflection)

More Than A Library

(A Personal Reflection)

The past couple of months, Aristotelis has been working in the library as a student placement. We have been delighted to have him and before he leaves, he has left a reflective piece on his time at the library. Take it away Aristotelis:

The word library conjures a different image for different people. For some it is a place of refuge, for others a place of knowledge, and for students all of the above and many more.

For years, my experience with academic libraries was primarily as a student, meaning a quiet place to study, relax, and occasionally check out a book. I have been guilty of underutilising the very same sector I always knew I wanted to work. With a new deadline always on the horizon, a new project ready to take off, an idea ready to be conceived, as students we always need help, even if many times we are too proud, afraid, or anxious to ask for it.

While doing my placement at Napier’s University Library, I had the opportunity not only to work with some of the most amazing and passionate people, but also to peek behind the curtain of an academic library; and what I saw, was a place of wonder. From the lovely faces at the front desk, to cataloguing, acquisitions, collections, and troubleshooting to the more confusing but equally important finance and budgeting decisions, your librarians are working tirelessly and silently to accommodate and help you on your journey as students.

So yeah, it is not just a library, it is more than that. It is one of the few places that actively wants you to succeed, to grow, to learn, to have the necessary foundations to face your future and the challenges that come with it. It is not just a place to prepare you for your next (and for many of you the first) steps into the job market, but also a place to cultivate an array of skills that you can apply at every facet of your life. A safe space in which there are no stupid questions.

 So, take advantage of your library, take advantage of what they offer, the advice, the workshops, the knowledge, the experience, the wisdom. Now that you are students and still have the opportunity to do so.

And always remember, for any and all questions you might have ask your friendly on duty librarian; they are here to help you!

by Aristotelis Sourlis

Interested in a student placement at Napier library, you can read about Rebbecca’s work with Heritage Collections 

Or you can contact us 

World Theatre  Day 2025

World Theatre  Day 2025

 

As it is World Theatre Day today, it seems appropriate to write a little about Edinburgh’s illustrious history and continued tradition of dramatic performance.

Edinburgh And Theatre

Perhaps the first thing people think of is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Initially formed in 1947 as a more eclectic, grassroots ‘fringe’ to the more ‘high cultural’ Edinburgh International Festival, the Fringe now dwarfs its erstwhile rival and is an established, world-famous cultural behemoth. Probably more famous nowadays for its significance to stand-up comedy, it hosts large-scale, expensive drama; the spirit of dramatic endeavour, experiment and (productive) failure is still there, in the lesser-known acts in the Fringe itself as well as the Free Fringe.

Of course, the Fringe is not the only story. The Traverse Theatre was set up in 1962 by Richard Demarco, John Calder and Jim Haynes (amongst others) to encourage new playwrights at a time of high dramatic innovation in the 1960s. They had an international, cosmopolitan focus – the first play they produced was by Fernando Arrabal, an experimental Spanish playwright based in self-exile in Paris from Franco’s Spain. It was initially situated in a disused building on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, with seats salvaged from a nearby cinema. In 1992, it attained a permanent space beside the Usher Hall on Lothian Road, where it still operates today, and still promotes new writing, as well as working with schools and youth groups.

Universities on World Theatre Day

Aside from the excellent collection of 20th-century dramatic texts by a range of international writers in our Merchiston Library, it is also the location of the archive of the aforementioned Jim Haynes, which he personally donated to the university. Haynes lived an intriguing, quixotic life – originally from the US, served in their air force, then settled in Scotland after being stationed in Kirknewton. He moved to Edinburgh, where he lived for over two decades, setting up the first paperback bookshop in Scotland, and later moved to Paris, where he lived until the end of his life in 2021. Professionally, he was a bookseller and magazine editor, but perhaps his key skill perhaps was connecting people together – his obituary here by James Campbell captures this well.

In more recent times, student theatre is often a source of new energy in drama in the city. Theatre Paradok, set up by Edinburgh University students but not limited to the institution, performs adapted work, and occasionally original writing by students. Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen was ambitiously staged upstairs in the old Forest Café on 3 Bristo Place, a social space, café and hub for all sorts of DIY arts endeavours; Grimm Tales (a dark adaptation of the famous children’s stories) was a promenade piece in the basement of McEwan Hall. Closer to home, our own Napier University Drama Society performs original work that ranges from plays to improvised comedy routines.

 

Kieran Curran

Read about Edinburgh Napier taking over the Fringe Festival last year

 

International Forest Day 2025

International Forest Day 2025

Today is International Forest Day 2025. Learn about the wellbeing and healing effect our forests can have for us.

You may not have heard the phrase shinrin-yoku. However the concept behind it has long been recognised for its health benefits and contribution to disease prevention. The Japanese expression means “taking in the forest atmosphere”  –  or forest bathing to give it a more poetic translation. Physiological experiments in forest bathing measure central nervous and autonomic nervous activity. Allowing the five senses to immerse oneself in the forest experience has been shown to have a therapeutic effect on stress responses.

Given the importance of forests for the well-being of our bodies and of the planet, it’s concerning that we annually lose 10 million hectares of forest to deforestation and 70 million to fires. Protecting our forests is crucial, and to that end, the United Nations has declared the 21st of March an annual International Day of Forests

Forests and Health 2025

The theme of this year’s celebration is “forests and food” to reflect the fact that more than five billion people rely on forests and forest products for food, medicine and livelihoods. In some countries, forests and trees provide around 20% of income for rural households.

Here in Scotland, we are forest-impoverished. According to Global Forest Watch, just over 3% of our land is covered in forests, in contrast to other European countries. Ireland, for example, has 7.3% tree cover, Poland 13%, Germany 16% and Sweden has a whopping 36%.

Edinburgh’s forests 2025

In Edinburgh, though, we’re lucky enough to be close to several beautiful green spaces, if not ancient woodlands.  If you pine (no pun intended) for an immersive forest experience, you don’t even need to leave the city centre. Why not head out to  Colinton Dell via the Water of Leith, the Hermitage of Braid nature reserve, or  Corstorphine Hill, the most westerly of Edinburgh’s seven hills.

If you fancy going a bit further afield, why not visit Roslin Glen, Cardrona Forest near Peebles, or Butterdean Wood near Tranent which is being restored to native woodland.

While you’re there – stop, look around, smell the wood, listen to the call of the green woodpecker. And bathe in all that intoxicating fresh air. And may your visit be filled with shinrin-yoku.

By Lesley McRobb

Photo by Lukasz Szmigel 

Read more about well-being and nature on a previous post

« Older posts

© 2025 The Library Blog

Theme by Anders NorénUp ↑