Edinburgh Napier University

Author: mayagreen (Page 9 of 14)

An Oyster full of Opportunities: National Career Development Month

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

by Rachel Downie

Photo source Javier Allegue Barros

Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse

November 18, 2023

Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse

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

Photo source by Brian McGowan

International Student Day 2023

International Student Day 2023

International Student Day is celebrated on the 17th of November. A day to celebrate our diverse student community. Student life can be difficult to navigate for anyone, but international students face challenges. We want to raise awareness and offer support.

Origins of International Student Day

This is a day of commemoration. On this day in 1939, Nazis stormed the University of Prague. The students who stood up and resisted were rounded up and arrested,9 student leaders were killed and more than 1200 students were sent to concentration camps. In 1941, the Council of International Students in London chose this day to celebrate international students. (Studyinternational.com)

It has now become a ‘’nonpolitical celebration of the multiculturalism of their international students’’ (Wikipedia). Therefore, it has become an occasion to ‘celebrate all students, especially those who have gone to great lengths to attain further education’ (daysoftheyear).

International Students and Edinburgh Napier University

We’ve welcomed students from more than 180 countries.

If you are looking to move to Edinburgh and study at Napier University, you can find out more information here on how we can support you as an international student.  And we have more information on starting the processing. And if you are already studying here, you can find out the support Napier offers.

International Students and the Library

For any student, libraries can be daunting. We’ve created a little guide filled with information on using our libraries. You can find on the library webpages. This covers both using the library online or in-person. And remember, if you need any help, library staff are here to help, you can email (library@napier.ac.uk) or call (0131 455 3500) or visit the help desk.

We have a training and events calendar that highlights useful sessions, and you can always for a personalised library tour.

And you can read more on library information on the blog.

Book Week Scotland 2023

Book Week Scotland 2023

Book Week Scotland

Book Week Scotland 2023 is here.

An annual celebration of books and reading, organised by the Scottish Book Trust to promote the joy of reading throughout Scotland. Between 13-19 November, a packed programme of in-person and online events and activities will take place in venues across the country. See the Scottish Book Trust website for more information about events taking place near you.

Every year, the Scottish Book Trust invite people from all over Scotland to write about their experiences and share their true stories as part of the Scotland’s Stories project. The theme for 2023 was Adventure. As part of Book Week Scotland, a collection of these stories has been published in a book which will be freely distributed in venues throughout Scotland. You can also read all the stories submitted on the Scottish Book Trust website.

Book Week Scotland at Edinburgh Napier

Edinburgh Napier University are pleased to be able to offer copies of Scotland’s Stories to students and staff. Pick up your copy in one of the campus libraries or student residences between 13-19 November before they’re all gone!

You can follow Book Week Scotland using all these social media platforms:

Facebook: facebook.com/BookWeekScotland

X

Instagram

Don’t forget, you can browse the thousands of books and journal articles. All available to students and staff at Edinburgh Napier University by using LibrarySearch

Or you can read about their past themes on our blog 

Craiglockhart’s War Poets and the Legacy of Remembrance

Hertiage collections blog

Craiglockhart’s War Poets and the Legacy of Remembrance

The War Poets were a group of writers who emerged during and after World War I, capturing the horrors and emotional turmoil of the battlefield in their poetry. This group, which included iconic figures like Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, and Rupert Brooke, played a pivotal role in reshaping the public’s perception of war and its consequences. Craiglockhart War Hospital, (now home to The Business School), served as a crucial sanctuary for many of these poets, offering them a place to heal both physically and mentally, and ultimately influencing the way Remembrance Day is observed.

The poetry of the War Poets is characterized by its poignant and often bleak portrayal of war. These poets, who had experienced the horrors of trench warfare firsthand, sought to convey the grim reality of battle. Wilfred Owen, for example, wrote “Dulce et Decorum Est,” a searing condemnation of the glorification of war. In this powerful poem, he dispels the notion that it is sweet and proper to die for one’s country, instead revealing the agonizing truth of a gas attack on the front lines.

Craiglockhart’s War Poets

Siegfried Sassoon, another prominent War Poet, criticized the war and its leaders in his poetry. His poem “The General” is a scathing indictment of the military leadership responsible for the needless sacrifice of young soldiers. These poets gave voice to the trauma and disillusionment experienced by countless soldiers and conveyed it to the world through their verses.

Craiglockhart War Hospital became a refuge for Officers suffering from “shell shock,” now recognized as a form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many experiencing psychological trauma, including Owen and Sassoon, found themselves at Craiglockhart for treatment and convalescence. The hospital provided a supportive environment where they could share their experiences, reflect on the brutality of war, and use writing as a form of therapy. The camaraderie and shared suffering among the patients at Craiglockhart fostered a creative atmosphere that encouraged them to express their anguish through poetry.

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day, originally known as Armistice Day, was established to commemorate the end of World War I and honour the soldiers who had fallen in battle. However, it wasn’t until the work of the War Poets that the day took on a deeper meaning. The poets’ verses, with their unflinching portrayal of the war’s toll, influenced the way people viewed the sacrifices made by soldiers. Their poetry moved Remembrance Day beyond a mere commemoration of the armistice to a day of reflection on the human cost of war.

The most famous War Poem, “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae, contains the iconic lines: “In Flanders fields the poppies blow / Between the crosses, row on row.” The image of poppies growing amidst the graves of fallen soldiers became a symbol of Remembrance Day. This poem, along with the works of Owen, Sassoon, and others, helped create a more profound and empathetic understanding of the impact of war on soldiers and society.

Today, Remembrance Day is a time to not only remember the fallen but also to reflect on the experiences of those who served in times of conflict. The War Poets and the atmosphere of healing and creativity at Craiglockhart War Hospital played a crucial role in reshaping this commemorative day, making it a solemn occasion that acknowledges the emotional and psychological scars carried by veterans.

The War Poets, Craiglockhart War Hospital, and Remembrance Day are intrinsically linked through their shared influence on how we perceive and honour the legacy of war. The poignant poetry of the War Poets, the healing environment of Craiglockhart, and the solemnity of Remembrance Day have collectively deepened our understanding of the human cost of conflict, ensuring that the sacrifices of soldiers are never forgotten.

By Ian Sudlow McKay

Read more about the Hertiage Collections

And you can read about previous posts about the WarPoets

Dyslexia Awareness Week

Dyslexia Awareness Week

 

1-7 November 2023

 

This week marks Dyslexia Awareness Week in Scotland, raising awareness and understanding. Dyslexia and how people experience or deal with it are unique to them. And Dyslexia Awareness Week is shinning light on the diversity of experiences.

Dyslexia is extremely common, NHS.uk estimates that 1 in 10 people living in the UK experience some form of dyslexia but it can often go without diagnosis.  With how common it can be and the varied experiences, it is important, we raise awareness.

What is Dyslexia?

According to NHS.UK, Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty which causes problems with reading, writing and spelling. It has nothing to do with intelligence. And it is lifelong. People with dyslexia might confuse letters, have trouble understanding written information, and read slower. These are just a small amount of people with Dyslexia can struggle with.

Support with Dyslexia

Dyslexia Scotland is a fairly new organisation but they have plenty of resources to help, support and guide. They are currently carrying out a survey this week for people living with dyslexia in Scotland and the impact it has. You can find out more about it here

If you are struggling with Dyslexia at University, we have helpful books as part of our wellbeing collection. Or you can contact the Wellbeing, Support and Inclusion team to see what support is available at the university.

You can read previous posts for guidance on our blog

If you have any suggestions on what the library can do to help, let us know by emailing library@napier.ac.uk

Special Collections: Sassoon poem returns

Special Collections: Sassoon poem returns

An original Siegfried Sassoon poem returns to our special collections.

Last month, an original poem written by Siegfried Sassoon was donated to the War Poets Collections based at Edinburgh Napier University Craiglockhart Campus. It was written at that location, more than 100 years ago. Titled Glory of Women, it was given to fellow patient and poet Wilfred Owen in 1917. Since then the poem has gone through different owners but has now returned to Craiglockhart through the kind donation of Scottish Playwright Stewart Conn.

Our curator, Laura Cooijmans-Keizer, said of the poem “Glory of Women” is a poignant poem that demonstrates the conflicting pressures faced by men fighting in the trenches. The idealised expectations of glory and heroism that women at home, both in Britain and Germany, projected onto soldiers was often in direct competition with war’s stark, and often decidedly unheroic realities. The kind donation of this important manuscript poem by Siegfried Sassoon will offer a unique opportunity for it to be studied, appreciated, and debated at the place where it was first composed.”

We want to thank Stewart again for his generous donation.

Special Collections

It’s a significant addition to a collection that comprises more than 800 items. It is a permanent exhibition based at Craiglockhart campus. The collections gives ‘an insight into the personal and social experiences of war through the words, memories, voices and objects that the officers, medical staff and relatives left behind’. You can find out more information at the War Poet Collections and enquire about visiting.

You can read more of what our amazing Special Collections team are up to

Read more about the donation here

Read about previous War Poets Collections Posts 

By Maya Green

 

Better World Books

Better World Books

Do you ever wonder what happens to our books? Where do they go? What do we do to them?  *Mysterious music plays*. Well today, we are going to answer those questions. We are partnered with Better World Books. And we are proud of it.

Who are they?

They are an online American bookseller, and their books are usually donated from libraries and book drives.  They are ‘a for-profit socially minded business that collects and sells books online with each sale generating funds for literacy initiatives around the world’. It started at Notre Dame University in Indiana, US by former college students selling their old textbooks. It now has over 300 employees, working with over 1800 universities and colleges and 3000 library systems. They even have a warehouse at Dunfermline.

Why Better World Books?

The idea of Better World Books is we donate the books that we will no longer use and they will sell them. Profits from these sales go to Literacy funds. But what if the books don’t sell? It is very simple, they are either donated to literacy programmes, recycled or used for animal bedding.

Millions of books simply go to landfills and but through this, they make sure that doesn’t happen. So far they have donated over 35 million books, and raised over £28 million for literacy and libraries funds. As well as reuse or recycle over 450 million books. We are part of this scheme and proud to be.

This is why we chose them because our books never go to waste and they help great causes.

You can read more about them on their website

And you can read more about behind the scenes at the library here.

IHS Markit platform and resources

IHS Markit platform and resources 

If you’re working or studying in the construction industry, the IHS Markit platform is an essential resource to finding information. The platform allows access to a wide range of materials including standards, regulatory, product and supplier information from various organisations around the world. IHS Markit contains a collection of databases including the Construction Information Service (CIS).  This is a major database for anyone working in architecture, civil and structural engineering, building control officers, building services engineers and other areas within the construction industry. With over 20,000 documents from over 300 publishers this is an important database packed full of essential sources.   

IHS Markit platform and LibrarySearch

Did you know that when you’re searching for sources in LibrarySearch your results don’t include items from the Construction Information Service or other IHS Markit products? You need to go into the specific database to do your searching and to access full text sources. The library has a subscription to the IHS Markit platform so don’t miss out on these great resources! Access is restricted to Edinburgh Napier University students and staff. Sign in to LibrarySearch, use the Databases tab to go to IHS Markit or Construction Information Service. You’ll then see links to two options: 

  • Construction Information Service 
  • Knowledge Workspace 

Just choose the one that you want and start searching for some great sources!  

IHS Markit platform

Using the Construction information Service will give you access to content that you just can’t get hold of anywhere else. As you’d expect with a good quality database like the Construction Information Service, there is a standard search box and an Advanced search interface too. A good tip is to use the filters to refine your results. And make them more relevant to your topic, there’s a good range of filters available.  

The Knowledge Workspace option includes Occupational Health and Safety, Environmental Management and Specify-It. With hundreds of thousands of documents available there’s a good range of filters available to help you refine and reduce your search results to find the content you need.    

To sum it all up, the IHS Markit platform, Knowledge Workspace and the Construction Information Service are essential places to go to find great sources relevant for anyone connected with the construction industry. Give them a try! If you have any feedback on it, send your comments to library@napier.ac.uk 

by Joyce Templeton

Explore the databases here

You can read more about our databases on previous posts

Library and Study Skills

Library and Study Skills

Hello. Trimester 1 is on its way and things are settling. Assignments might already be creeping up. We know, too soon. But, today, we are looking at how the library can help in the upcoming weeks with essays, assignments, presentations and all.  Look at how the library can help with your study skills and highlight all the tools available online and at the library spaces.

Subject Librarians

Each school has a subject librarian, someone specialising in that subject material. Someone who can help you navigate databases, the library catalogue and even the dreaded referencing. You can find out who your subject librarian is on the library web pages. Additionally, they have crafted specialised libguides or subject guides covering all the relevant information you need and can read more about what they offer in a previous blog post. To top it all off, there is the training and events calendar highlighting workshops that will ‘help you get started with the skills you need for success at University’.

Resources for Study Skills

We have a study and research tab on our library web pages. We have a section on study skills which covers how to evaluate information, essay writing tips and tricks and even grammar guides. You will also find a wide selection of study skill books available on Library Search. There are even more specialised sections for Postgraduate and International Students.

Academic Skills

Out with the library, we have fantastic Academic Skills advisors who ‘help students get used to the different ways you may be expected to study, think and write at University’. You can find out more on the MyNapier web pages where you can attend workshops or book one-on-one sessions.

 

Please remember if you ever feel stuck, the library is here to help. Don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Good luck with your studies.

Photo sources Andrew Neel

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2024 The Library Blog

Theme by Anders NorénUp ↑