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

Category: Library Information (Page 4 of 21)

A History of St Andrew’s Day

A History of St Andrew’s Day

Today is St. Andrew’s Day, Scotland’s patron saint’s day! Although November 30 isn’t a national holiday, celebrations are held across Scotland with events like ceilidhs and fun runs.

The History of St. Andrew’s Day

St. Andrew was born around 5 AD in Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee. He became a fisherman, like his brother, who later became St. Peter. Initially, Andrew followed St. John the Baptist, but he later joined Jesus as one of the twelve apostles. Tradition holds that he travelled widely, preaching in places like Scythia, Thrace, the Black Sea, and along the Dnieper River, reaching as far as Kyiv and Novgorod. His legacy made him a patron saint of Ukraine, Romania, Russia, and Scotland.

A 4th-century account describes Andrew’s crucifixion on an X-shaped cross, or saltire, which he requested, feeling unworthy of a traditional cross. Patras, Greece, claims his crucifixion took place there. St. Jerome noted that Emperor Constantius II moved Andrew’s relics from Patras to Constantinople in 357 AD. Later, the relics went to Amalfi, Italy, in 1208, and his head reached Rome in the 15th century. In 1964, Pope Paul VI returned Andrew’s head to Patras as a goodwill gesture.

In Scotland, the town of St. Andrews, located in Fife, is connected to legends about Andrew. One legend says Andrew came there to build a church that attracted pilgrims from across Britain. Another tale suggests a bishop named St. Rule brought Andrew’s relics from Patras to this town.

St. Andrew as Patron Saint of Scotland

Legends also surround how Andrew became Scotland’s patron saint. A 16th-century text recounts that Oengus II, King of the Picts, vowed to make Andrew the patron saint after seeing him in a vision before a battle against the Angles. Andrew appeared in a vision, and a saltire-shaped cloud in the sky became a sign of victory for Oengus’s outnumbered forces. Following their win, the Picts chose to venerate St. Andrew.

Scotland’s Flag

Scotland’s flag, the Saltire, displays a white cross on a blue background, which may symbolize the clouds against the sky in Oengus’s vision. This design has represented Scotland for centuries. In 1385, the Parliament of Scotland declared that all Scottish and French soldiers should wear the Saltire as a sign when fighting the English. Today, Scotland continues to honour St. Andrew and remembers him every November 30.

By Vivienne Hamilton

Read more Posts by Vivienne such as: The Bridges of Scotland

Your subject librarians

ubject librarianYour Subject Librarians

Here at the library, we try our best to provide students with the support they need during their studies. Alongside information Assistants who provide support at our library helpdesks, we also have a team of specialised Subject Librarians. They have specialised knowledge in the different schools and subjects at Napier, and they are prepared to give you more in-depth support. As they aren’t an immediately visible team, it can be easy for students to not realise the amount of work that the Subject Librarians do for the university. And it ranges from managing our catalogue of books, writing the LibGuides, or hosting training sessions related to library and research matters.
For that reason, we’d just like to take a moment to quickly explain who our subject librarians are. And go over some of the ways they help you study.

Who is your subject librarian?

We have five Subject Librarians here at Napier, one for each of our schools. And you can usually find them at their respective campus libraries. A list of our Subject Librarians (along with their contact details) is on the MyNapier library help page.
At our Sighthill campus library, we have Catriona Robertson as the Subject Librarian for the School of Applied Sciences (as well as the Department of Learning and Teaching), and Dawn Adams for the School of Health and Social Care.
At Merchiston, we have Joyce Templeton at the School of Computing, Engineering & Built Environment, and Sarah Jeffcot with the School of Arts and Creative Industries.
And at Craiglockhart, we have Keith Walker for the Business School, which includes our law degree courses.

What is a subject librarian?

You can contact our Subject Librarian team using the details above. Or you can arrange a  1:1 appointment. These 1-on-1 sessions are great if you have any research concerns. For example, if you’re unsure about how to use some of the more specialised and complicated databases, then you can get in touch with the Subject Librarian for your school and get the guidance you need.
The Subject Librarians can also advise you on understanding different referencing styles, a skill that is especially helpful during assessment season!

However, the 1-on-1 sessions are not the only way that the Subject Librarians support your research. The first line of support is our  LibGuides, a collection of in-depth guides that walk you through different aspects of research. These guides are tailored to each of our schools and various aspects of research (such as reference management or literature reviews), so you can get the exact help you need. If you ever find yourself with a question about how to go about your research, then be sure to go have a look at the appropriate LibGuide page before contacting the Subject Librarian, because they may have already written up a guide that answers your exact question!

Subject Librarian and Reading Lists

Alongside handling your questions directly, the Subject Librarians also support your learning by working with university academics and the library’s Resource Acquisitions team to help manage the catalogue of books we have available.
Each Subject Librarian is responsible for helping oversee the library collection for their respective schools. When your lecturers put together the reading lists for your course, the Subject Librarians help manage them. And make sure the reading material is easily available to you, either physical or online via Library Search.
Before we start a new trimester, the lecturers review their reading list. And if they feel books are needed for the upcoming trimester, they will inform the Subject Librarians. Who, in turn, will see where we get access to the book. This way, the Subject Librarians are also doing a great deal of admin work to support you.

We hope that this brief overview has helped you to better understand the role of our Subject Librarians.  And the roles they play to support your learning.
And we hope that those of you who feel you need extra support in your studies.

We have loads of library support posts to help with upcoming deadlines.

By Matthew Ferrie

 

A.I. Library Tools: What do you think?

A.I. Library Tools: What do you think?

Library Futures: Academic staff input on Library AI Tools

We are seeking your feedback to help shape future decision-making around the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in literature searching at Edinburgh Napier University. Some Library subscription databases are beginning to integrate AI tools, and this development raises important questions for learning, teaching, and research.

These AI tools offer potential advantages around saving time and improving discovery, along with disadvantages including a lack of transparency, bias, reliance on unreliable secondary summaries, and environmental impact.

We would like to consult with academic staff to learn:

  • Do AI-assisted searches or summaries offer advantages for your subject area or your students?
  • How do you evaluate the issues for your subject area or your students?

We’ll ask you to briefly trial one example Library search tool and give your feedback.

We’ll also ask your wider opinions on the value of different types of AI literature search tools in your learning, teaching and research.

This will allow the University to make informed decisions going forward.

Note: Not all tool additions and changes in Library subscription databases are optional, meaning control is limited. We will aim to map tools and provide education and awareness raising for the academic community.

Please complete the survey below.
It should take under 15 minutes, and all answers are anonymous.

Complete the survey

Join the mailing list
If you would like to be involved in further consultation or receive updates about Library tools and AI, please leave your email address in the form below.
Register now

Find out more

Find out more about artificial intelligence and literature searching on our LibGuide, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Literature Searching.

Photo courtesy of Gratisography

Best online resources for finding news: Times Digital Archive & NexisUni

Best online resources for finding news: Times Digital Archive & NexisUni

You probably know how to search for journal articles and ebooks, but have you explored the library’s news eresources? Whether you’re researching historical events or tracking current affairs, you will find plenty of material in Times Digital Archive and NexisUni. Let’s take a closer look at these two resources.

Times Digital Archive

If you’re curious about how events were reported in the past, Times Digital Archive is a treasure trove. It provides full-text access to The Times from 1785 to 2024, making it ideal for anyone studying, literature, politics, or media. You can browse original articles, editorials, letters, and even vintage advertisements—each offering a glimpse into the public discourse of its time.

The interface allows you to search by keyword or date, so whether you’re investigating the coverage of the suffragette movement or the cultural impact of the Beatles, you’ll find rich primary sources. Or you will come across little gems like this letter from a reader worried that nursing is not an interesting profession for young people anymore… 100 year ago!

Want to learn how to use it effectively? Join our online workshop on 27th November (11:00-12:00) to discover tips and tricks for navigating the Times Digital Archive.

NexisUni

For those focused on current events, NexisUni is your go-to. It offers access to thousands of newspapers and media outlets from around the world. It’s perfect for students in journalism, business, law, or anyone needing reliable, up-to-date information.

Beyond newspapers, NexisUni includes broadcast transcripts, legal documents, and company profiles, making it a versatile tool for research. Whether you’re comparing global coverage of climate policy or looking into corporate mergers, NexisUni helps you stay informed with credible sources.

Sign up for an online session on 20th November (11:00-12:00) to see all that NexisUni has to offer.

How to access these eresources?

Both platforms are available through the Databases tab in the LibrarySearch. They’re easy to use and offer much more than a typical web search.

Need help getting started? Check out our LibGuides for step-by-step instructions and research tips.

By Patrycja Respondek

Read more about our databases

Nature Reviews Immunology Journal

Nature Reviews Immunology Journal

The Nature Reviews Immunology journal is a scientific journal which covers all topics associated with immunology in great detail and depth. This includes applied features as well as fundamental mechanisms. Immunology itself is the study of how the body protects itself against infection and fights against disease, as well as what can happen when our immune system and responses work against us. Immunology itself is a very varied and diverse topic where interest and research have grown in recent years of aspects such as cells, molecules and tissues which act as hosts for protective mechanisms. This is one of our ‘Spotlight’ journals currently at Sighthill campus library as most of its content addresses current research and discoveries in immunology, which makes it an ideal journal to consult if you are a Biomedical Sciences student or researcher specialising in this specific area.

 

What makes Nature Reviews Immunology a ‘Spotlight’ Journal…

 

The Nature Reviews Immunology journal covers various subjects and areas of immunology in significant detail and spotlights any current developments and discoveries in the field that have been raised in new articles. You can find a list of the subjects covered in their Aims & Scope Nature Reviews Immunology webpages. Some of these consist of topics such as Autoimmunity, Immunotherapy, Transplantation and Vaccine Development.

 

Because it covers a wide scope of current trends and advances made in the field of immunology, this makes it a great resource for Biomedical students and researchers to consult to stay informed and updated about the latest developments within this area. It also highlights and draws attention to papers, events, work and individuals who have contributed to the development and progression of immunology and immunological discoveries, so most of the articles and papers within this journal will have information and updates within relevant fields, which is current and up to date.

 

Nature Reviews Portfolio and other Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Journals…

 

The Nature Reviews Immunology journal is part of a wider portfolio of Nature Reviews journals, which publishes the most current and up-to-date scientific papers and literature to keep students, academics and clinicians up to date with the most relevant and recent findings and discoveries in various scientific fields. For example, one of their most recent review articles titled Astro immunology: The effects of Spaceflight and its associated Stressors on the Immune System was published just recently on the 16th of October this year!

Other Nature Reviews titles in this journal portfolio include Nature Reviews Clinical, Nature Reviews Cancer, Nature Reviews Disease and Nature Reviews Drug Discovery to give a few examples of relevant titles within this collection. There are also more relevant and related titles which Edinburgh University subscribes to and can provide you with access to, such as the Immunity journal, Seminars in Immunology, Current Research in Immunology and Immunotherapy Advances.

 

All of these titles as well as a list of the most popular and highly accredited journals, can be found in BrowZine, a desktop and mobile application which allows patrons to search for and access scholarly journals and academic papers which their library and academic institution subscribes to.

 

Also check out our Journal Search tab in LibrarySearch to see which other journals and e-resources you can access through Edinburgh Napier University libraries.

 

By Rachel Downie

Photo by Daniel Dan Pixels

Poetry under fire: what poems did during the First World War

Poetry under fire: what poems did during the First World War

5.30pm, Tuesday 11 November 2025
Craiglockhart Campus, Edinburgh Napier University (hybrid)
What did the First World War do to poetry? What did poetry do during the First World War? In this lecture, Dr Julia Ribeiro Thomaz will explore a brand new corpus of war poets to interrogate not what is a good or bad war poem nor what war poems say about the war, but rather the social and cultural functions accomplished by poetry in 1914-1918: inventing itself, creating social links, anchoring the war in relation to a poetic past and multiple imagined futures, mediating the experience of war, and producing knowledge about the conflict. She will explore how the expansion of our definition of war poetry allows us to ask new questions about the First World War, as well as future possibilities to continue broadening our understanding of what war poetry was and, above all, what it did and continues doing for those writing and reading it.
Dr Julia Ribeiro Thomaz is a postdoctoral researcher at Université de Lille. She completed her doctorate on French poetry of the First World War, at Université Paris Nanterre.  Julia has already published widely in academic journals, and is a Fellow of the International Society for First World War Studies.
This lecture continues the annual series of Remembrance lectures at Edinburgh Napier University, marking the historical significance of Craiglockhart as a War Hospital during the First World War, famously the meeting place of Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon.  We also remember our late colleague Catherine Walker, who was for many years curator of the War Poets Collection.  Funding comes from the Centre for Arts, Media and Culture and the Centre for Military Research, Education & Public Engagement.
This year the event is also the Dennis Showalter Memorial Lecture, selected by the International Society for First World War Studies. Named after Dennis Showalter, the leading historian of Germany during the war and a longtime friend and supporter of the Society, it is delivered each year by a leading early career researcher in First World War Studies.
The event is held in the Rivers Suite at Edinburgh Napier University’s Craiglockhart Campus (Google map | travel info).  There will be a wine reception from 5.30pm; the lecture will start around 6pm.  The event will also be streamed via Zoom.
By Andrew Frayn
Read more about the War Poets Collection

Make online reading easier: three accessibility tools worth trying

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.

Accessibility Tools

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

Accessibility pages

 

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

Eresources and Accessibility

Fancy Doing a Edinburgh Napier University Postgrad?

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

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

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

 

 

« Older posts Newer posts »

© 2026 The Library Blog

Theme by Anders NorénUp ↑