The Library Blog

Edinburgh Napier University Library blog. Filled with useful and fun blog articles on using the Library, the University, Edinburgh and many other fun topics.

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boots being reused with plants potted in

International Day of Zero Waste

30/03/2023 / / 0 Comments

International Day of Zero Waste

On 14th December 2022 the UN proclaimed 30th of March as International Day of Zero Waste. To highlight and focus on encouraging individuals, governments, and organisations around the world to take a proactive stance in dealing with the reduction of waste products that are non-recyclable, and have a direct impact on the environment and ecosystems they are disposed in.

By prioritizing the idea of sustainability, we can reduce and one day completely eradicate the need for landfill sites, and the disposing of harmful chemicals and products into the air via incinerators or releasing products into water systems. This will in turn will reduce the impact we have on the environment.

Edinburgh Napier working towards zero waster

You can see how Edinburgh Napier University is working towards Environmental Sustainability and reducing waste by following this link: Reducing Waste (napier.ac.uk)

Or read about how our lab technician Lisa McMillan and technical assistant Jo Brown pioneered a new recycling initiative that has to date (December 2022) re-routed 3,000kg of plastic from general waste to dry mixed recycling. See more by using this link Lab Plastic Recycling Project (napier.ac.uk) or see the you tube video here Edinburgh Napier University | SAS | Lab Recycling? Yes, really! – YouTube

To find out more about International Day of Zero Waste visit the United Nations webpage International Day of Zero Waste at the following link:  Zero Waste Day | United Nations

You can find more environment-friendly posts like celebrating bike week 

Photo source: Ravin

by Mo Almas

World Theatre Day

27/03/2023 / / 0 Comments

World Theatre Day 

Today is World Theatre Day, celebrated since 1961 by the International Theatre Institute (ITI), and then adopted by the International Theatre Community.

The day acknowledges the art forms contribution to society through its diversity, richness, and ability to foster social reflection and change. Its aim is to promote all forms of theatre across the world. The day encourages people from all walks of life to engage in theatre related activities such as performances, workshops and discussions.

Importance of Theatre Day

The importance of theatre by two famous writers are mentioned below:

The Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde said..

“I regard theatre as the greatest of all art forms. The most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being”

Shakespeare wrote in As You Like It (spoken by Jaques)

“All the world’s a stage.

And all the men and women merely players.

They have their exits and their entrances,

And one man in his time plays many parts.”

You and Theatre

Just for fun:

What’s your favourite theatre performance and why?

What’s the last theatre performance you’ve seen ?

And you read all about threate, the plays, the theories and the methods over on LibrarySearch

Or perhaps you can watch, learn more about Box of Broadcasts from our previous blog post

By Mo Almas

photo source by Gwen King

Cherry blossom festival

27/03/2023 / / 0 Comments

Cherry blossom festival

When walking or travelling around Edinburgh lately you may have noticed the glorious pink and white blossom on the cherry trees. Because of the colourful blossom, the trees are a favourite in parks and gardens alike. We enjoy the blossom during its short flowering period, but in Japan, the event is turned into a festival.

Cherry blossom festival in Japan

Every spring the islands of Japan are covered in swathes of delicate pink as the cherry trees blossom. Steeped in history and tradition, the cherry blossom season is a highlight of the Japanese calendar. The Japanese tradition of the cherry blossom festival (hanami) is a centuries-old celebration. Hanami means “viewing flowers” and the tradition is believed to date back more than 1,000 years to when aristocrats enjoyed looking at the blossoms and wrote poems inspired by them. The arrival of the blossoms also meant that rice planting could begin.

Cherry blossoms normally begin blooming in January in Okinawa and reach their peak in late March to April in the Honshu region. In Hokkaido, cherry blossoms are usually in full bloom in May, and usually appear in Tokyo and Kyoto sometime between March and April, depending upon the climate earlier in the year.

What happens during the festival?

The most popular type of cherry tree is the Sakura, and the blooms only last around two weeks. During this time the Japanese flock to parks where they hold picnics under the trees. The parks can become very busy, and it can become difficult to find the perfect spot. Although the blossom is the festival’s main attraction there are also traditional Japanese performances and street festivals. Artificial lights are used to ensure parties can last well into the night.

Arguably no country celebrates the cherry blossom with the excitement of Japan, but Hanami is also celebrated to a lesser extent in China, Korea, and Taiwan. Smaller celebrations can be enjoyed throughout the U.S. and Europe.

You can read about our previous Spring post

Or find some reading with our Lions Gate Garden Collection on LibrarySearch 

Photo source: AJ unsplash 

Tiles spelling out March

25th March

25/03/2023 / / 0 Comments

25th March

With the weekend fast approaching are you lost with what to do? Well here are some fun things being celebrated on the 25th of march that may just inspire you…..

 

Tolkien Reading Day:

 

Head over to your local library and acquaint yourself with some of the works of the well know English writer, poet and translator, J.R.R.Tolkien. Or attend an event if ones being run in your area. If all else fails, you could always watch the epic film version of the books The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit. Just remember to do it either before or after Earth Hour.

Earth Hour 25th March:

Earth hour is organised by the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and encourages individuals, communities, and business to switch off non-essential electric lights for just an hour, between 8:30pm to 9:30pm, as a symbol of commitment to the planet, and is held on the last Saturday of March.

 

Or maybe you’ll be tempted to try out one of the following food related celebrations taking place on March 25th:

  • International Waffle Day:
  • Pecan Day:
  • National Cheesestake day:

Either way have a super weekend.

Just for fun

Let us know if you decided to part take in any of these events.

 

Or enjoy the blog some more with our virtual bookshelves 

or if you choose this day for studying, remember our webpages 

by Mo Almas

Library’s Easter Egg Hunt

21/03/2023 / / 0 Comments

Library’s Easter Egg Hunt

Each library campus is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt, test your study skills and win a chocolate egg. Hurry while stocks last!

Study Skills with a Twist

It’s Study Skills time here at our campus libraries and we will be promoting it for the next two weeks. Assignments and eventually exams are coming up. And the library is here to help. Each campus library will have one of our signature book displays. But of course, you will be able to find more study skills books in our main stock and well-being collections. Books that cover a wide range of topics such as coping with exam stress, writing essays, writing dissertations and writing literature reviews. And of course, referencing guides. We also have a wide range selection for international students.

Study skills are important but we thought we might change things up this year, we thought how about we make it for fun. How about Easter Egg Hunt? That’s right we are giving you the opportunity to put your study skills to the test for your chance to win some chocolate goodies.

Easter Egg Hunt

You will find instructions and questions at the library catalogue machines at each campus library. (Additionally, you can ask for more information at the Library Help Desks)

Find the correct books on the question sheet, each book will have a token inside which you will need to bring to the Library Help Desk to claim your chocolate egg. You need to find all three tokens to claim your prize. Hurry while stocks last. And we wish you luck on your Easter Egg Hunt.

*one egg per person

You can practice using Library Search, don‘t forget to sign in https://napier.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=44NAP_INST:44NAP_ALMA_VU1

And you can find more study skills guides over at Academic skills

Additionally, you can look at our guide to beat exam stress https://blogs.napier.ac.uk/library/2022/12/09/preparing-for-exams/

Photo source:  Eric Heininger Unsplash 

Women's History Month 2023. 14-yr. old striker, Fola La Follette, and Rose Livingston. Glass negative from the George Grantham Bain Collection, 1913.

Women’s History Month 2023

11/03/2023 / / 0 Comments

Women’s History Month 2023

It’s Women’s History Month 2023. It is celebrated throughout March to highlight the often overlooked contributions that women have made in history and modern times. It is celebrated in March to coincide with International’s Women Day which is celebrated on the 8th of March. According to legend, it coincides when a group of women from different factories in New York City went on strike to demand better working conditions and the right to vote (Britannica.com). Another story is that honours women striking in Petrograd which coincide with the beginning of the Russian Revolution (ibid).

Themes

There are different themes each year to the celebration. In the United States, the theme this year is to celebrate women who in storytelling. A theme to highlight the ‘achievements of these powerful women who have used their voice and creativity to inspire, educate, and entertain people across generations all over the world’(International Business Times).

While here in the United Kingdom, the theme is Embrace Equity. Equity being the quality of fairness and impartial and is a must have in today’s world. According to International Women’s Day.com, the reason for the theme is to spark a discussion of ‘why equal opportunities aren’t enough.  People start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action (InternationalWomen’sDay.com) In the their words ‘We can all truly embrace equity. It’s not just something we say, It’s not just something we write about, It’s something we need to think about, know, value and embrace. It’s what we believe in, unconditionally. Equity means creating an inclusive world’.

Additional Reading

We hope you have had a chance to celebrate Women’s History this month. Each of our libraries have a display for more information and books for further reading. As well as finding more on our library catalogue

You can read about our previous posts here

Photo Source: Library of Congress

National Bed Month

01/03/2023 / / 0 Comments

National Bed Month

March is National Bed Month so what better time to remind you how important it is to get enough good quality sleep – especially with dissertation deadlines looming and exams imminent. Countless studies show that getting enough sleep is essential for maintaining optimal health and well-being. Like exercise and a balanced diet, sleep may help prevent a range of health issues, including heart disease and depression.

As a student you may not feel that sleep is something to prioritize. You have course work, social events and perhaps a part-time job to fit in to your busy schedules, so missing out on a few hours’ sleep doesn’t matter, does it? The consequences of poor-quality sleep or sleep deprivation include:

  • Irritability 
  • Daytime fatigue
  • Increased anxiety 
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Lack of creativity
  • Negative impact on your overall mental health

Staying awake for 18 hours can have the same effect as a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05% which is the same as the Scottish drink drive limit. Staying awake for 24 hours can equate to a BAC of 0.10% which is well over it.

How to get some quality sleep

Although many studies argue that 8 hours sleep is recommended for adults, it is actually the quality of your sleep that is vital. This means you need to stick to a regular sleeping pattern to ensure that you get enough REM (rapid-eye movement) or ‘dream’ sleep.

So how can you do this?

  • Consistency-try going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time each morning
  • Make sure your bedroom is quiet and at a comfortable temperature.
  • Remove electronic devices an hour before you want to sleep.
  • Exercise during the day.
  • Avoid alcohol, caffeine or large meals before sleeping.
  • Structure your day and plan ahead of your exams, assignments and due dates and activities so you don’t end up cramming or working late into the night.

The benefits of a good night sleep

Because there are many benefits to getting enough good quality sleep it’s a no-brainer that you should be prioritising sleep to maximize results. Benefits to students from a good sleep include:

  • Sharper brain 
  • Increased productivity
  • More positive mood
  • Stress reduction
  • Boosted immune system

Taking these active steps to promote healthy sleep should help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep, and get a more restorative sleep.

You can use Library Search to find books and articles on sleep deprivation and the benefits of sleep.

If you feel you need some guidance on how to better your study routine, some tips are provided in the link provided below:

https://www.grb.uk.com/blog/five-productivity-upgrades-to-your-university-routine

You can read our post of National Sleep Day from 2022 

By Vivienne Hamilton

Photo by Liz Vo 

Wellbeing space

Changes to the spaces at Craiglockhart library

27/02/2023 / / 0 Comments

Changes to the spaces at Craiglockhart library

We have made some changes to the library spaces at Craiglockhart campus over the past few months. By removing unused bookshelves at the rear of the library the area is now much more open and the space is being used more effectively.

The relaxation space has been made larger and is brighter and less confined. There are lots of helpful books and posters promoting relaxation, taking time out from your studies and de-stressing. Look out for our different suggestions throughout the year from birdwatching to beachcombing. We have provided some new games, non-academic books and origami paper. We have increased the amount of seating and returned the cushions and throws to the area.

Shelf Help

Our shelf help books are now in a dedicated space making them easier to find.

The jigsaw tables have been moved away from study spaces and there are extra puzzles to help complete.

There are 4 new single study booths and 2 extra round tables for groups, along with some new social seating. All these spaces are available on a first come first served basis so if you think you would like to use any of them, arrive early as they are proving popular!

PCs

Along with the changes to the library spaces some of our PCs now have dual monitors.

We hope you like the changes and think the new spaces are useful, and please remember, your feedback is always welcome.

We have access to shelf help through our blog https://libguides.napier.ac.uk/shelfhelp

And more information on Craiglockhart library https://my.napier.ac.uk/library/about-the-library/craiglockhart

 

LGBT+ History Month 2023

22/02/2023 / / 0 Comments

LGBT+ History Month

LGBT+ History Month and the Library

As we approach the end of February, we are coming to the end of LGBT+ History Month. While the book displays may come down, we would like to stress that this is not a monthly note in our calendar. We are an ally 365 days of the year, please browse our LibrarySearch catalogue for further reading.  Also in addition, we have our virtual bookshelves https://blogs.napier.ac.uk/library/virtual-bookshelves/ and a reading list over at our LibGuides page https://libguides.napier.ac.uk/wellbeing/sexuality

We want the library to be a safe and inclusive space for all our users. 

We are currently working on decolonising our reading list which we hope will be published soon. 

Continue reading

Head bust of Charles Darwin wearing goggles

Charles Darwin Day

12/02/2023 / / 0 Comments

Charles Darwin Day

What an adventure! Virgin jungles, unclimbed mountains, teeming oceans, tropical rainforests, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes – Charles Darwin saw it all on his five-year voyage around South America. And all the time the young gentleman naturalist was exploring the pristine wildernesses and the unexplored islands, he was taking assiduous notes, writing up his observations more than 20 years later.

Nothing escaped his notice: the flatworms, spiders, and parasitic ichneumon wasps fascinated him every bit as much as the giant tortoises and the massive bones of extinct beasts that he strapped to his horse and hauled back to his study.

He explored, observed and thought about it all. The primaeval world in all its glory and grotesqueness was laid out before him. By the end of his trip, he’d written a 770-page diary, 1,750 pages of notes, and collected nearly 5,500 skins, bones and carcasses. But it wasn’t only the natural world that impressed itself upon Darwin’s consciousness. He saw naked poverty and the horrors of slavery and genocide up close and personal. He realised, once and for all, that nature – including every manifestation of human behaviour – was not the result of a benign creator but rather a long journey through adaptation and evolution.

Natural Selection

No wonder he blew apart the received wisdom on the origins of creation when he published his “On the origin of species by means of natural selection” in 1859. It sold out immediately and rocked the scientific and religious communities to their very foundations. Those reverberations are still being felt today.  

Something that is perhaps unknown is that Darwin had a strong connection to Edinburgh. It was while studying medicine at Edinburgh University that Darwin learned how to classify plants, stuff birds and identify rock strata and colonial floral and fauna.

It’s Darwin’s birthday today. He was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire on 12th February 1809.  Why not celebrate by reading all about him and his works. (I’ll be honest – I’m starting with “Darwin for beginners”.)

By Lesley McRob

Sources and further reading 

Photo by Misael Moreno

Further reading available on LibrarySearch

Read our blog post on another Victorian trailblazer names Charles: Charles Dickens 

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