Chinese New Year which is also known as the Spring Festival, begins on Saturday, 10th February 2024 until 24th February 2024. The holiday begins with the new moon that occurs between January 21st and February 20th.
Chinese New Year Celebrations
Traditions focus on seeing out the old year and welcoming in the luck and prosperity of a new year.
Chinese New Year origins are steeped in legend. Thousands of years ago a monster named Nian (“Year”) attacked villagers at the beginning of each new year. However, the monster feared loud noises, bright lights, and the colour red, so villagers used these to chase the beast away. In the form of fireworks, lanterns and red became the primary colour.
Red signifies prosperity and good energy to ‘ward off evil spirits and negativity‘. This is why red lanterns are hung in streets and red couplets are pasted on doors to scare away bad spirits. Red is also incorporated in clothing and gifts. Celebrations include visiting family members, feasting, and respecting ancestors. And for good fortune, money is gifted in red envelopes. Celebrations include firecrackers, fireworks and watching lion and dragon dances.
Year of the Dragon
2024 is the Year of the Dragon. The Dragon is as an extraordinary creature in the Chinese calendar. Symbolising ‘power, nobility, honour, luck and success’. Ancient Emperors would regard themselves as dragons due to their powerful and dominant nature. So what does the Year of the Dragon have in store for you? Monkeys, Roosters and Pigs are set to have the luckiest year, while Rats, Ox, Dragons, Horses, Dogs and Goats might have more of challenging year ahead. You can find your individual readings
And with this, 2024 is see as the year of change, whether it be a year of opportunities or challenges or perhaps both. If you are looking to change things up this year, 2024 might be for you, good luck!
Do you struggle to find the time to get the head down and do some proper study? Do you find it difficult to find a comfortable environment in which to settle down and gather your thoughts? Or do you crave peace and quiet? Do you lack the motivation to open your notes and put them into order?
We get that everyone studies in different ways. We know many of you like to study in our large, open communal spaces, and we know some of you prefer to study on your own in our silent areas.
But we’d like to offer you an alternative to both these options: a supported structured study session hosted by Library staff where you can study on your own, in peace and quiet, but within a group environment.
SuperCharge Study Session
There is good evidence that working together creates an atmosphere that increases productivity. So join us for a hosted session. We won’t tell you what to do. You’ll work on your own at your own pace. We won’t ask you what you’re working on, and we definitely won’t ask you to share. But we will offer support. We are friendly and welcoming, and we’re on your side. We will offer the space, peace, warmth and an uplifting atmosphere for you.
It’s the new year. Why not start 2024 as you mean to go on – with enhanced concentration, optimal learning opportunities, maximum productivity and flourishing levels of creativity.
Australia Day takes place on 26th January and is the country’s national day which celebrates national unity and acknowledges its citizens and their contribution to the country. It marks the date in 1788 of the landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove. Around 750 mostly petty criminals were transported from the UK along with around 300 medical and military personnel to establish a colony which has since become a desirable place to live and a vibrant tourist destination. Between 1945 and the early 1980s many UK nationals emigrated to Australia through the £10 ticket programme which sought to bring in migrants to fill labour shortages. The programme saw more than a million UK nationals leave for Down Under. Nowadays it’s one of the world’s top destinations for backpackers hoping to experience some of the enviable Australian lifestyle.
Australia
Australia has come a long way since 1788 when that first penal colony was established. There are iconic and innovative buildings and architecture such asSydney Opera HouseandSydney Harbour Bridge.Australia now celebrates its indigenous heritage in the form ofAboriginal art and culture. There are also stunning natural wonders: vast outback, Uluru,Great Barrier Reef (A UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the vast outback and spectacular coastlines. The Australian wildlife is pretty unique, there are those cute koalas and bouncing kangaroos. Sydney also hosts theMardi Grasone of the world’s largest Pride festivals. Australia boasts top-flight cricket and rugby teams, tennis players and let’s not forget surfing which must be the country’s national sport. Then there’s the barbecue-the country’s best-known foodie export. Simple cooking on coals outdoors works well in Australia; perhaps we should have left it to them. We’ve all been to a barbecue in this country where the sausages have been burnt or which has been cut short because of the weather.
Long before remote teaching was introduced for students during the covid pandemic, Australia had been remotely educating students living far from the nearest school in the outback.School of the Airlaunched in 1951 using radio to deliver classes to these children. Now wireless technology is used enabling better communication and faster marking!
Neighbours
We couldn’t think about Australia without giving a mention to what must be Australia’s most famous export – the soap opera Neighbours. Launched in 1985 it quickly became a daytime tv favourite of students. Set in the fictional Ramsay Street in the suburb of Erinsborough, Melbourne it’s the show that launched a thousand pop careers (Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Stefan Dennis to name a few). With far-fetched storylines, impossibly good-looking residents and seemingly endless sunshine it’s no wonder that for 30 minutes each day from Monday to Friday we were quite happy to be whisked away to the other side of the world. In 2022 it was announced that Neighbours would end, and the final episode aired on terrestrial tv on 28th July 2022. Only a few months later Amazon Freevee announced the return of Neighbours on their platform in 2023 so loyal fans will still be able to follow their favourite soap once again.
Finally, Happy Australia Day to all our Australian staff and students!
You can useLibrary Searchto find books and articles on Australia, soap operas, and Australian tourism.
Welcome and welcome back everybody. Happy to have campuses back being busy.
We would like to give a very warm welcome to students from the International College at Edinburgh Napier. As things are getting started and getting settled, we would like to cover our library services on offer and what the library can do for you. We do recommend this induction that covers all computing and library services.
Finding information: reading lists, subject guides and subject librarians
You will have a reading list for each of your courses. It is through LibrarySearch that you will find these items. Please remember to log in at the top right corner as a university member. We also have subject guides and research guides that have been created by your subject librarian. These guides are designed to help you find information and develop research skills. You can find them here. Additionally, you can contact your subject librarian for more information or arrange a 1: 1 appointment for extra guidance. On who your subject librarian is, please refer to our web pages.
Library Resources: Books, Databases and more
We have an extensive catalogue, and it is all available through library search. Here you will have access to all our online resources and be able to locate where our physical resources are. You will also find access to journals and databases. You can borrow up to 30 physical items. Books are 7-day loans but they renew automatically up to a 4 month period unless requested. If you are looking for something we don’t have, we have an inter-library loan service.
Libraries: Physical and Online
At the library, you will find plenty of study spaces: we have silent areas and areas for talking if you have group work. There are study rooms, PCs and macs, with printers and scanners. Each library has a relaxation space with games, colouring sheets and comfy sofas to relax. We have a wellbeing collection that focuses on shelf help. If you can’t make it campus, most of these resources are now available online.
Useful Information
And more information you can find on our library web pages or you can contact us either in person at the help desks or email (library@napier.ac.uk) or phone 0131 455 3500. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch, we are here to help. Good luck in the trimester.
It’s that time of year when the festive celebrations are over, and the promise of spring still seems quite far away. January is often the time when many of us start to feel the winter blues which is why it is increasingly important to be kind to yourself and look after your mental health.
While the short winter days and cold weather can sometimes make it less appealing to adventure outdoors, there are benefits to wrapping up warm and heading outdoors to experience the smells and sounds of the winter. Small things such as the feeling of crunch of snow underfoot, spotting a robin on a tree branch, or stopping to admire beautiful patterns created by frost can all bring a little joy and help to boost spirits.
Self-care
Thriving with Nature – a guide for everyonewas published by the Mental Health Foundation to help readers find ways of connecting with nature throughout the year. The guide contains creative and straightforward suggestions for activities to help engage with nature and encourage you to get outdoors regardless of whether you live in the centre of a city or out in the countryside.
The Library has several books on nature and the benefits it can have on our health within theShelf Help collection:
Don’t forget,ENGAGE Fitness at Edinburgh Napier Universityprovides a performance gym, fitness suite and sports hall at the Sighthill campus for those days when you don’t want to exercise outdoors. A student trimester pass is available for only £55!
Search the Library more nature or fitness-related printed or online resources onLibrarySearch.
In the centre of Merchiston Tower, you will find Merchiston Tower.
Bang in the middle.
Have you ever wondered what’s inside? What’s its history? Wanted to peek inside?
Let us take you on a brief digital walk through the Tower in the blog post. But before we go any further, we would like to add that you can tour the Tower in person and see its 500 years of history in person for free. Email us at heritage@napier.ac.uk or library@napier.ac.uk. Please bear in mind that we need at least 24 hours’ notice. Group tours are available, but no more than 15 people can attend.
History of Merchiston Tower
Merchiston Tower has stood firm for over 500 years. Built in the middle of the 1400s, either by Andrew Napier or his son Sir Alexander Napier, both served as Provost of Edinburgh, and both moved in royal circles.
John Napier (Alexander’s grandson) was born in the Tower in 1550. Specifically, the University is named after John Napier. His inventions and contributions to Mathematics are longstanding, with his most known invention being logarithms. There is a lot of “myth, mystery, and intrigue” (John Napier napier.ac.uk) about the man, and you can read about him in a previous blog post on Edinburgh Napier University’s webpages.
The Tower remained in the Napier family until the beginning od the 1800s. It was then owned by the Merchiston Castle School, followed by Edinburgh Council. For a while, it was also a storage space for fire hoses during the Second World War. By the 1950s, the Tower was set for demolition. It was in ruined. However, in 1958, a new technical college was coming to Edinburgh. A college that needed a campus. Napier College was formed around the Tower, saving from it demolition and beginning a work of restoration. These restorations would uncover ceilings and stairwells that had been hidden for a century.
The hallway ceiling of the Tower now proudly displays the University’s crest and showcases the Tower’s timeline, a nod to the Napier family, Merchiston Castle School, and Edinburgh Council.
Inside the Tower
Can’t wait to have look. Let’s go on a digital walkthrough. And while, we have lovely pictures, nothing compares in person.
The original great hall stands to the left as you enter. In this hall, you will find a stunning, decorative ceiling that was commemorated during the reign of Charles II, the decorations showcasing the Napier family’s loyalty to the crown. The massive fireplace is thought to be original to the Tower. The north and south windows are original, while, the east window dates from the 17th century. During the restoration in the 1950s, a staircase in the thick walls was found.
The once hidden staircase leads to the Boardroom that now stretches across the third and fourth floors. The fourth floor would have been a loft area, home to servants but it has now been opened up to make the room fell bigger, and to properly showcase.
The magnificent Prestongrange Ceiling, it dates from 1581. A rare example of a Scottish Renaissance painted ceiling, it was from Prestongrange House to Merchiston Tower in 1964 for preservation purposes. The ceiling is filled with art, featuring many motifs from folk plays. Truly Unique!
Merchiston Tower and John Napier
In 1550, John Napier was born in the tower house. Over 400 years later, the Tower was saved from demolition and restoration work began for a new college to be named after John Napier. Now, it stands proud in the middle of our biggest campus, home to two of our schools; School of Arts and Creative Industries and School of Computing, Engineering & Built Environment.
Doors Open Day
On the 28th of September, we opened up the Tower to the public to celebrate Doors Open Day. Our second year running, we were delighted to welcome over 180 visitors.
If you are interested in visiting Merchiston Tower in person, please get in touch by emailing heritage@napier.ac.uk or library@napier.ac.uk. Tours are free but are dependent on staff and room availability so will require booking in advance.
Please note that – due to the steep and uneven medieval staircases – the Tower is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible.
For more information about the University’s Heritage Collections, have a look at our website.
If you enjoyed our post for Record Store Day in April, you may be interested in a free event taking place on 14th December. Set in the Lindsay Stewart lecture theatre at Craiglockhart campus from 13.30 to 15.00.
Into the Groove will see music industry names help ENU tell the story of vinyl records and explore the resurgence of vinyl in the digital age. As Lecturer Derek Livesey noted ‘Into The Groove aims to help people understand a bit more about this resurgence. And it’s not just the music: it’s the artwork, the smells, the liner notes, the track ordering, the ritual and the theatre of vinyl – and of course the crackles and scratches.”
Contributors to the event include broadcasters, a dj, academics and music producers. They will use a range of media such as interviews, films and demonstrations to deliver the event. And it will be live-streamed to the US and Europe. And will be found on University’s Youtube channel.
So why not come along to this fun and informative Christmas Lecture. If you’d like any more information or would like to book tickets check out the webpage.
Disability History Month 2023 UK runs from 16th November to 16th December. We are going to reflect on how the library and the university can support it. If you want to find out more about Disability History Month, you can find more on their website.
Library Resources:
At the library, we aim to:
Provide equal opportunity and access to services and collections.
Take a positive and flexible approach to promoting the full integration of everyone into all aspects of our activities.
Work with Student Wellbeing and Inclusion and other departments as required to identify the best way to meet students’ specific needs.
Be open and receptive to feedback and welcome comments on our service.
You can find how the library can support you on our webpages or you can check out the wellbeing collection. We have created a tab to raise Disability History Month. You’ll find resources in this list that reflect on disability history, films and documentaries about disability, and the lived experience of people with disabilities.
You’ll also find relevant items in this LibGuide under Neurodiversity and Mental Wellbeing.
If you need more support or have feedback on our services, please let us know at library@napier.ac.uk
University Support
Additionally, the University offers a range of support. Edinburgh Napier University prides itself on its ethos of offering equal access to University life. Equal access is a vital part of every student experience, and our team of Disability Inclusion staff are here to make sure it happens for you. You can read more on the university portal to see how the university can support, from assistive technology to improved experience.
For staff at Napier, you can read more about on the staff intranet.
An Oyster full of Opportunities: National Career Development Month
With the end of November coming, and with that, the end of National Career Development Month: an oyster full of opportunities. Today, we are going to reflect, looking at what Napier can do for you.
Background and Information…
Spanning from the 1st of November to the 30th of November, National Career Development Month returns to promote the significance of career progression and planning. This is a month-long campaign by the National Career Development Association. All since 1967. Introduced with the primary objective of encouraging an increase in comprehensive career services and assistance. And providing a platform for organisations, educational institutions and careers advisors to actively assist individuals with their career journeys through the provision of effective support, guidance and resources. To support whether seeking a career change, trying to reach professional goals and excel in their current role, or require assistance with progressing into a specific career pathway.
What is a career?
The simple and widely recognised definition of a career is the occupation and position of employment which an individual holds. And usually, one which involves specific training and specialised learning. It is also an over-arching definition for a lifetime of learning and progression in an individual’s ‘journey’. With personal development, extensive training and acquiring new skills along the way.
Our Student Futures Team…
Student Futures is our dedicated team of career professionals who can help with anything career. From CV writing to interview support. And more information about them and their resources can be found here.
Conclusion…
Remember at some point in our childhoods being asked what we wanted to be when we grew up? In relation to which career we wanted to pursue in the future. And some people are still figuring out their career. If you find yourself relating to this, there is a vast range of support and resources out there. Available on Library Search.
Thinking about Postgraduate study, we have a blog post
Who’d have thought the creation of a character with small stature and a plucky attitude would go on to become a household name and a global sensation symbolising hope, optimism, courage, resilience, positivity in the face of adversity, friendship and connection, creativity, imagination, perseverance, and leadership. The list of his attributes is endless.
The History of Mickey Mouse
Created by Walt Disney and Uniwerks at Walt Disney Studios, Micky Mouse made his debut appearance on November 18th, 1928, in the black and white feature film Steamboat Willie. It was the first animation synchronized to music and sound effects and premiered in New York. Mickey’s first appearance and his unique characteristics and behaviour caught the audience’s imagination and connected him deeply in the hearts and minds of the American people during the great Depression.
The idea for Mickey Mouse came when Walt Disney lost creative control over his earlier creation, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, whilst working for Universal Studios. Similarities between the two characters can be seen in the early days.
Mickey Mouse Fandom
However, through the ages Mickey went on to become the most recognizable and loved mascots of Disney Characters and appeared on a range of merchandise, comic strips and inspiring the theme park, Disney Land. In fact, People became so absorbed in the character that they began to ask more in-depth questions, to understand what made Mickey Mouse who he was, and to understand his appeal to so many people from around the world. Questions included:
What’s Mickey’s middle name?
What’s Mickey’s favourite food?
What were his first words he spoke?
Is Minnie Mouse his girlfriend?
Is Mickey Mouse married?
Do you know the answer to any of those questions?
Legacy of Mickey Mouse
Did you also know he was the first cartoon character to speak, and the first cartoon character to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? Back during the time of single-cell animation, Mickey Mouse cartoons could take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to complete and a seven-and-a-half-minute animation could include more than 10,000 drawings.
In 1935 the film Bad Concert saw Mickey’s transition into the world of technicolour. In 1993, Mickey Mouse’s toon town opened in Disneyland. And in 2024 Mickey appeared in his CGI form, in Mickey’s Twice upon a Christmas.
It’s true to say that Mickey Mouse means a lot to many different people. And his character has been analysed for its mass appeal and its symbolism. With so much information out there for you to peruse through and an incredible legacy of his own, all that remains to be said is……
Happy 95th birthday, Mickey Mouse
Why not head on over to Box of Broadcast and see the documentary about Walt Disney.
by Mo Almas
From one pop culture to another, read about Barbie
