Category: Library Information (Page 2 of 19)
Make online reading easier: three accessibility tools worth trying
Accessing eresources can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when dealing with dense text or distracting layouts. To help, the library has created tutorial videos that walk you through some excellent accessibility tools. Here’s a quick overview of three tools that can make reading online resources much easier.
1. Read Aloud in Microsoft Edge
For students who learn better by listening or need to reduce eye strain, Read Aloud is a built-in feature in Microsoft Edge browser that reads webpages and PDFs aloud. You can choose from different voices, adjust speed, and select specific sections to hear. This tool is especially helpful for auditory learners and anyone who finds long reading sessions tiring. If you’re using Edge, you will find Read Aloud button at the right end of the address bar (you might need to click the three dots first) or you can turn it on using Ctr+Shift+U keyboard shortcut. Check out this short video on Read Aloud to see how to use it.
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Helperbird Browser Extension
Helperbird is a versatile extension that helps make online reading more accessible. Its free features include:
- Reading mode: Removes distractions for a cleaner reading experience.
- Basic text-to-speech: Listen to content read aloud using standard voices.
- Text adjustments: Change text size, spacing, line height and more for better readability.
- Dyslexia tools: Use overlays and a dyslexia ruler to reduce visual stress and maintain focus.
- Accessibility options: Reduce motion and highlight links for easier navigation.
These functionalities allow you to customise webpages to suit your needs, making reading less stressful and more efficient. You can add Helperbird extension to any browser, for instructions go to helperbird.com. For an overview of how to use it, see our bite-sized tutorial on Helperbird.
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Reader View Extension
Webpages often include ads and pop-ups that distract from the main content. Reader View removes these elements and presents text in a clean, simplified format. You can change fonts, text width, alignment, and colour schemes, creating a distraction-free space that supports focus. You can see how it works in this short Reader View tutorial. This extension is available for Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Safari.

Need More Support?
These tools are just a start: find out what support we offer on Library Accessibility and Inclusion webpage. And to see how your uni life can be made more accessible visit the Disability Inclusion team’s webpages.
By Patrycja Respondek
Fancy Doing an Edinburgh Napier University Postgrad?
You may be a student with us who is coming towards the end of their studies and university journey, or you may be a student who has just graduated and is wondering what the next chapter in your career pathway is going to look like. What if we told you that your university career does not have to end here? A postgraduate degree or a Master’s course is essentially a qualification that can be undertaken once you have obtained an undergraduate degree. It allows you to gain specialised knowledge and skillset within a specific area or field of study. Edinburgh Napier University offers a wide range of postgraduate degree courses and qualifications – all of which tie in with our five prominent schools: The Business School, School of Applied Sciences, School of Arts and Creative Industries, School of Health and Social Care and School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment. Find out more about postgraduate courses and degree programmes we offer on our Courses webpage.
Fun Fact
Fun fact: Edinburgh Napier University graduates and alumni are offered a 20% discount on tuition fees for any Master’s or postgraduate course of their choice. There are, of course, many more reasons why doing a postgraduate qualification with us can be beneficial to your career progression, employability and skills enhancement.
Benefits of doing a Postgraduate course with us…
- It can make you a stand-out candidate in terms of employability and career progression. The specialised knowledge and transferrable skills which you can gain from undertaking and completing a postgraduate degree is often very attractive to potential employers whether you are looking to enter a specific career field or progress within an area which you may already work in. It can open many promotional opportunities in the workplace for you, or alternatively, give you the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in a new field or area if you are only just getting started with your career journey, or maybe even looking to retrain and change careers or direction. Many postgraduate courses that we offer are vocational and offer work placement opportunities as part of their course curriculum, which can ultimately give you the opportunity to acquire invaluable experience in a specific industry or field which can be an effective talking point in CVs, job applications and future interviews. In general, pursing and completing a postgraduate or Masters qualification demonstrates and shows dedication, commitment and ambition, and that you embrace new challenges and opportunities to progress – all of which can make you a stand-out candidate in job applications, interviews and the hiring process overall.
- Network Building Opportunities. Doing a postgraduate or Master’s qualification is also great for networking and can sometimes even lead to paid employment or positions being offered within the specific company or industry that your assigned work placement was. Building expertise and a specialised knowledge in a specific area or subject also opens many doors in terms of integrating into a specific academic community or industry. You will often liaise and interact with academics and lecturers who can provide you with guidance and encouragement with your studies as well as exploring your options after university and future pathways. You will also come across many fellow students during your postgraduate course or Masters degree as well, where a chance to build a specialist and professional network may arise!
- Building expertise in a specific field or industry. You may be a student who has just graduated from an undergraduate course, either with us or a different academic institution entirely. There may be a specific area or subject in your field which you feel you barely scratched the surface of and would like to study in further depth. A Master’s degree or postgraduate course usually provides the perfect opportunity to pursue a more specialised knowledge within a specific area or field of study and research. A higher level of independent study, in-depth research and analysis is often expected from individuals who choose to undertake a postgraduate or Master’s. This may sound overwhelming at first, but it provides a great opportunity for you to get stuck in with delving into a topic or subject area that interests you to an extent more than you would at the undergraduate level. This can often lead to further study and the chance to pursue a PhD, should research and academia be where your key interests lie.
- Postgraduate study and Master’s programmes are often quick progression routes. While an undergraduate course can take up to four or more years to complete, a master’s or postgraduate qualification will often only take a year or two at most. This offers a relatively fast and time-efficient route to gain a qualification and transferable skillset to progress in your chosen career path, whether you are a new graduate waiting to start their career in a specific field, looking to advance within your current field or change direction entirely.
Postgraduate Information Event…
If this blog post has made you consider pursuing further study, whether it be a postgraduate degree or a Master’s course, we have a Postgraduate Information Event coming up on Thursday the 20th of November 2025. You can find all the information you need about enrolling on and what it is like to undertake a postgraduate course here. You will have the chance to speak to academics and staff about the degree programme you have an interest in pursuing, as well as advice regarding funding, admissions and student support available. You will also have the opportunity to talk to current postgraduate students about their experience at Edinburgh Napier University.
You can find more information and register by going to the link here.
By Rachel Downie
Publishing open access: why and how
Open access (OA) publishing is more than making research freely available online. Most OA articles use Creative Commons licenses, which allow anyone to read, reuse, and share work, as long as proper attribution is given.
Read on to learn more about making the most of ENU deals with journal publishers and about our new open access policy. But first, why publishing open access is important?
Benefits of open access publishing
Open access publishing is a powerful way to increase the visibility of your research. By removing paywalls, it allows anyone—academics, practitioners, students, or community groups—to read, share, and apply findings. This can lead to real-world impact, influencing policy, improving education, and guiding funding decisions. It also enables faster collaboration across institutions and countries, especially within large, diverse research teams. Open access turns knowledge into a shared resource, helping to drive innovation and positive change beyond academia.
Publish open access for free with publishing agreements
Article Processing Charges (APCs) can be prohibitively expensive, but you can make your articles open access without paying a penny, thanks to our Read and Publish deals with journal publishers. These agreements cover both reading journal content and publishing your own work. You can find the full list of ENU OA agreements on our Open Access Blog. Most of these deals will allow you to publish open access free of charge in subscription-based (hybrid) journals. Make sure that you’re the corresponding author and use your ENU email when submitting. If in doubt, contact us at repository@napier.ac.uk.
Updated Open Access Policy
The new Open Access Policy has been introduced recently, and it gives the university and academics more rights over their work (also known as ‘rights retention’). Because authors retain copyright to their research outputs, their manuscripts can be made publicly available in the Research Repository with a Creative Commons license. This allows all journal articles and conference papers written by ENU authors to be made open access, even in cases where OA agreements don’t apply. The only thing to remember is to upload your accepted manuscript to Worktribe!
Need help? Check out the Open Access LibGuide or get in touch with the Library’s Research Repository team. Register to an online session on 11th November where you will learn more about open access publishing at ENU.
By Patrycja Respondek
Open access in practice
It is the Open Access Week, a perfect time to have a closer look at what open access is in practice, how we can benefit from it and what Edinburgh Napier does to support open research.
What is open access and why is it important?
Open access means research is published online under one of Creative Commons licenses. This means it is free to read, share, and reuse legally. This removes paywalls and improves access to knowledge.
For the academic community, open access speeds up the exchange of ideas. As well as making research visible so it can have more impact. It also makes it easier to build on existing research which is essential for high-quality scholarship.
For students, open access offers clear benefits: free access to reliable, peer-reviewed sources for essays, projects, and dissertations. It also helps you explore the latest research without restrictions, and after graduation, you can continue to access scholarly work without relying on costly subscriptions.
How to find open-access articles
Finding open-access content is straightforward. Start with the LibrarySerach, where many open access articles and ebooks are indexed. You will see the open access symbol, represented by an orange open padlock, next to publications that are available through open access. When searching for literature on other platforms, look out for the same symbol. You might also use the ‘open access’ filter. Directory of Open Journals can be useful in finding scholarly journals that publish fully open-access articles.
Be sure to explore institutional repositories, which store research outputs such as journal articles, theses, and conference papers from our university and other institutions. You will find that often repositories have open access versions of articles that are published behind a paywall. These are usually ‘accepted manuscripts’ and are exactly same as published articles, but because they are plain documents, they can be shared openly in a repository. Use CORE to search thousands of repositories in one click.
The university’s new open access policy
It takes the entire academic community effort to support open research, and Edinburgh Napier does its part by introducing new open access policy, focusing on the role of our repository in sharing ENU publications. The new Research Publications and Open Access Policy allows staff to continue publishing in the journals of their choice while making their papers openly accessible in the repository.
Make the most of openly available knowledge and if you’d like to learn more, visit our Open Access blog.
By Patrycja Respondek
Digital Library Skills Programme
Digital Library Skills Programme 2025/26
October 2025
Develop your Library skills with our Digital Library Skills Programme, running throughout the 2025/26 academic year. These sessions are open to all University staff and students.
What’s on offer
The programme includes a range of standalone sessions, some tailored to specific Schools. Sessions are available online, with drop-ins available for students in physical libraries. Upcoming topics include:
- Mendeley and EndNote: introduction and comparison Tues 14 Oct, 11am
Are you wondering which reference manager to use? This session can help you decide (or see individual sessions for EndNote 2025 or Mendeley)
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Literature Searching Tues 28 Oct, 2pm
Interactive workshop suitable for all – Some of the pros and cons and practicalities of AI and literature searching.
- Open Access Publishing Tues 11 Nov, 11am
This session will outline why Open Access is important for you and the university, and how the Library can support you.
How to join
See all upcoming session topics and dates, and book your place on the Training and Events Calendar.
Learn Library skills to help you succeed
Want to feel more confident using the Library? Our Digital Library Skills Programme is here to help! We run short, practical sessions all year round, both online and drop-ins in physical libraries and they’re open to all students.
What you’ll learn
Pick the sessions that suit you — each one is standalone, and some are tailored to specific subjects. Topics include:
- How to find academic sources for your essays and assignments
- Getting started with reference management tools like Mendeley and EndNote
- Artificial intelligence (AI) and literature searching
How to join
See all upcoming session topics and dates and book your place on the Training and Events Calendar.
Emerald Information and Knowledge Management Collection –
Today in the library’s spotlight: Emerald Information and Knowledge Management Collection – A must-have resource for computing students.
Every now and again, we like to shine a light on one of our many, many amazing resources available through LibrarySearch and today, the spotlight belongs to Emerald Information and Knowledge Management.
Whether you are studying artificial intelligence, exploring blockchains and big data or diving into cyber security, the information and knowledge management collection a goldmine that any school of computing should know about.
What is the Emerald Information and Knowledge Management Collection
It’s a collection of e-journals that gives you access to good quality academic journals to , and open access articles that cover a range of subjects.
Through LibrarySearch, you will find Emerald’s Information and Knowledge Management Collection. Students and staff get full access to cutting-edge journals focusing on the world of digital information.
So, whatever your assignment might be, Emerald has you covered
Journals of Emerald Information and Knowledge Management Collection –
- Digital Policy, Regulation and Governance
- Industrial Management & Data Systems
- Information and Computer Security
- Information technology & People
- Internet Research
- Journal of Enterprise Information Management
- Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society
- Journal of Intellectual Capital
- Journal of Knowledge Management
- Journal of Systems and Information Technology
- Records Management Journal
- VINE: Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems
… These journals are packed with peer-reviewed, reliable research articles written by experts in the field.
How to access Emerald
Sign in to LibrarySearch for quick access to full-text articles from this collection. Articles will appear in LibrarySearch results, and you can then use the full text link to quickly get to the full text. If you want to explore the articles from each journal, the easiest way is to use the Journals tab in LibrarySearch and add the name of the journal. You can then use the full text link to browse each journal issue and its articles.
All and all, Emerald isn’t just there for your assignments, which already makes it very essential.
It helps you stay up to date with the latest trends and innovations in academia.
You might get ideas for projects, a dissertation and a thesis.
Deepen your understanding on a broad term.
Head over to LibrarySearch, sign in, and start discovering a world of high-quality research tailored to your field.
Got questions or need help accessing articles? Just ask a librarian — we’re here to help!
For more computing posts
Migratory Bird Day
Autumn is well and truly here. The leaves are changing colour, days are getting shorter and you may have noticed moving V shaped flocks or skeins of geese heading south for the winter. Having bred and raised chicks in Iceland and Canada and with food running out they will have started their migration in September or October and although many head further south to England some will stay in Scotland. Species such as the barnacle and pink-footed to the UK for the milder winters and more abundant food. Geese are primarily grazers and are typically found in wetlands, coastal areas and farmland, where they gather in groups to feed on seeds, grass, potatoes and small invertebrates. Montrose Basin sees thousands of geese winter there each year. As the population of wild geese has increased geese and farmers have come into conflict since geese cause damage to crops. Farmers have had to adopt management methods such as scaring, sacrificial grassland and culling, which is often seen as controversial. Come spring the geese will head north again ready for the breeding season.
Keep watching the skies and see if you can spot some geese on their migration. They arrive in their thousands, but geese are not the only birds to head to the UK to overwinter.
Redwings migrate here from Scandinavia and mostly eat berries and earthworms. They are the smallest species of thrush. You can find them on berry trees in gardens, woodlands and parks, but they can also be found on farmland.
Fieldfares arrive in the UK around early October and are a larger species of thrush. They are more likely to be found on farmland and enjoy earthworms and other invertebrates.
Snow buntings. Though we do now have around 60 pairs of breeding snow buntings in the UK, they’re confined to Scotland’s highest mountains where you’re more likely to see our winter visitors. Up to 15,000 snow buntings migrate south from the arctic regions each year.
Whooper swans are largely winter visitors, although a small number of pairs nest in Scotland. Most however nest in Iceland and winter in the north of the UK and East Anglia.
As our winter visitors head here so we say farewell to our summer ones:
Come spring you will start to hear these little birds who are some of the first visitors to arrive. They migrate to the UK from Africa, but due to milder winters some are overwintering in the UK. Take a walk around our Craiglockhart campus on a sunny spring day and you will hear the chiff chaff’s distinctive call.
The largest summer visitor to the UK, ospreys start to arrive around March returning to the same nest sites to breed with their regular partners. Hunted to extinction in Scotland in 1916, eventually some recolonised Scotland in 1954. Since 1959, Loch Garten in the Highlands has been home to a succession of nesting pairs, probably due to its ideal nesting sites and the plentiful fish in the rivers and lochs. Precautions were taken to protect the birds and their eggs, with no access allowed anywhere near the nest. There is an RSPB centre at Loch Garten which you can visit and rangers will give you information about the ospreys.
You can also view them through the centre’s telescopes. Years passed and the population in Scotland and throughout the UK steadily grew. Some other nest sites across the country have set up webcams so that you can follow the breeding and chick raising season remotely. One of the best is at Loch Arkaig. This year the resident pair named Louis and Dorcha by the watchers and fish counters successfully raised 2 male chicks who set off on their first migration in August. Both were ringed and one has been spotted in northern Spain on August 30th
Swifts spend most of their lives on the wing. Soaring high in the sky, they can be distinguished from swallows by their distinctive screeching call. They are very sociable and they often fly in groups. And they are easy to spot as they look like an arrow whirling through the sky. They used to prefer to nest in trees or cliffs but now prefer the roofs of old buildings like churches. Swifts spend the winter in Africa and return to Britain every year in April and May. They feed on small flying insects by catching them in flight.
Swallows also spend the winters in Africa arriving in the UK in April and leaving around October. Swallows are common and are often found on farmland and open pasture near water. They build mud and straw nests on ledges, often in farm buildings and outhouses, or under the eaves of houses. They are agile fliers, feeding on flying insects while on the wing. Before they migrate back to their wintering grounds in Africa, they can be seen gathering to roost in wetlands, particularly reedbeds.
Whatever the season you can look out for the birds in your local area and in January you can participate in the Big Garden Birdwatch and be part of a valuable citizen science project which monitors the UK wild bird population and provides valuable data on the bird population.
Use Library Search to access books and journal articles on birds and migration.
Photo by Mathew Schwartz Unsplash
World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day was established by the World Federation for Mental Health in 1992, it is recognised every October 10th. And now championed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and mental health organisations and charities around the world.
It serves as a reminder that our mental health is just as important as our physical. But it must be emphasised that mental health is just as important as physical health every day of the year.
Mental health Matters
Mental Health is a fundamental part of our health and overall wellbeing. Conditions can affect anyone, but access to mental health services remains limited. And stigma and discrimination still remain. The purpose of today is to raise awareness about issues, fight stigma and advocate for better access and promote open conversations.
The theme of this year is “access to services – mental health in catastrophe and emergencies” which protects our mental health in these global times.
The mental health foundation offers free tipsheets on helping you navigate, and that you are not alone in feeling overwhelmed about the world. The tipsheet helps you set boundaries with the news, combat doomscrolling and use grounding exercises.
Mental Health Support at the Library
“Here in the Library, we believe that looking after your physical and emotional health is just as important as your studies. We are committed to supporting positive mental health and wellbeing and believe that the key to wellbeing is the care and balance of different aspects of our lives.” We have curated a collection of books and other resources to support the different areas of your well-being. This is our wellbeing collection. “Our collection covers a range of topics and includes guided self-help approaches to supporting mental health, personal development and achievement. You’ll find stories of resilience and recovery, discussions of family matters, and practical tools to help with the everyday realities of university life, such as finance and exam stress.”
Each campus library has a physical wellbeing space as well; you are always welcome to take time out for yourself and browse our wellbeing collection books. All our books are loanable.
Additionally, if you just need a little break, there are relaxation spaces in the library with cosy sofas and puzzles to help you destress. And we have our digital version on the blog.
Mental Health Support at the University
At Edinburgh Napier University, we understand things might not be “plain sailing”.
“Being at University is about finding your own way – but that doesn’t mean you have to go it alone” especially when things get difficult. The Wellbeing and Inclusion team at the university are incredible. A team of “professional staff are here to listen, offer support and guidance, and aim to point you in the right direction at every turn so you feel safe, supported, healthy and able to fulfil your potential”. The Counselling and Mental Well-being team would like to highlight that “Our goal is to help you feel content, healthy, and well-supported. If you are facing challenges with your mental health, we are here to help.”
There is also free, online and anonymous support available through Togtherall and Silver Cloud.
The myNapier webpages provide information about all the services and support available to staff and students. And how to contact them.
More Information
Look at all the amazing work the Mental Health Foundation are doing.
We have a wide range of articles on the importance of wellbeing.
World Post Day
World Post Day is celebrated every year on the 9th of October and has been since 1969, after its declaration in Tokyo. This is to celebrate the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 on Bern.
World Post Day is a United Nations Holiday. UN Secretary General writes, “Postal workers form a network that delivers more than mail. It delivers essential services, opportunity, and trust, reaching remote areas, connecting villages and cities, bridging the rural-urban divide, and creating a world that is within everyone’s reach.” (Un World Post Day)
Background of World Post Day
The purpose of this working holiday is to raise public awareness about the crucial role that the postal sector still plays in our everyday life and recognise its contributions to social and economic development. In the digital world, postal services still play a vital role in connecting, supporting and providing access to connections and services around the world.
Currently, 150 countries celebrate this day; events are arranged all over. Many postal places from the post offices themselves to mailing rooms, have open days showing the general public the inner workings. Looking at the facilities, operations and systems used to run. Postal Museums might hold exhibitions and displays showing the history of mail. While some countries might release commemorative stamps and other themed merchandise. Often popular amongst the postal enthusiasts. These activities celebrate but also strengthen the role of the postal institution and communities.
Theme #PostForPeople: Local Service. Global Reach
World Post Day is an annual observation that is recognised by the United Nations, which strengthens its importance. Each year has a unique theme, and this year is ~PostForPeople, showcasing the role that the postal services still play in communities, trade and supporting individuals.
Although we are in a digital age where email, direct messaging, and other online communications dominate. The postal sector still plays a crucial role around the world. The world faces a massive digital divide, which was highlighted even more during COVID. Despite more and more people living online, around a third of the world is estimated to be offline. Remote rural areas continue to struggle with connecting to the digital world. And half of the businesses around the world do not trade online. This can be a range of reasons, including connectivity issues, digital skills and limited access. With this, the postal sector still plays a critical role in making the world go round. Supporting economic activity, connecting people and helping people reach key correspondence, whether education, healthcare, financial or government.
While we are in a digital age, and many people might feel that email has taken over but the postal service is just as important. A third of the world is still offline, and half of businesses don’t trade online. This can be for many reasons, like remote rural areas, and this is where the post sector comes in.
So why not celebrate all the good work that they do.
Photo by Kutan Url
We have more posts celebrating the importance of United Nations Day.
