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Edinburgh Napier University

Category: Uncategorized (Page 4 of 6)

Don’t waste the world!

05/06/2021 / / 3 Comments

You are just one step away from reducing your carbon footprint for World Environment Day on the 5th June 2021…

Every year, World Environment Day is celebrated to restore ecosystems and encourage action for the protection of the environment for future generations.

Wherever you are, you can change your habits and educate one another about environmental issues such as wildlife crime, pollution, and global warming. Here are just a few steps you can take now:

 

  • Recycling or going plastic free – marine mammals are killed every year by ingesting plastic. To help save our ecosystem, use a bag for life when doing your weekly shop, and swap plastic water bottles for steel ones!
  • Greener Travel – at Edinburgh Napier University, we highly encourage you to walk or cycle to our campuses. One of the benefits of this is that you can enjoy the picturesque views of Edinburgh along the cycle routes, parks and waterways.

Find out about the Cycling Friendly Campus Award at Merchiston campus:

  • Blogging- save paper by writing online instead!

Shopping – look out for the Fairtrade logo on packaging. Fairtrade supports sustainable production, fairness, equality, and improved working conditions for farmers. Learn more about Fairtrade in the link below:

 

Further resources:

World Environment Day

Center for Biological Diversity

By Jemma Lidgard

🏳‍🌈 Celebrating Pride Month at Edinburgh Napier University

01/06/2021 / / 5 Comments

The month of June is Pride Month and here at the Library we “pride” ourselves on being an inclusive and welcoming place to visit. We thought it might be interesting to share with you some history about Pride Month and show you some resources for learning more about LGBTQ+ culture.

The reason that Pride occurs in June is because it marks the date of the Stonewall riots in America. This was a significant turning point in LGBTQ+ rights, galvanising movement towards greater equality. The first Pride parade occurred a year later on the anniversary of the riot, and parades around the world have marked the occasion ever since.

Pride Month is a celebration of how far LGBTQ+ rights have come and about bringing attention to work that still needs to be done. It’s also about having a lot of fun and some truly fabulous parades!

If you are an LGBTQ+ student you can join Edinburgh Napier’s LGBTQ+ Society or find out more about the student LGBTQ+ community on the Queer Napier site. Staff can join the University’s thriving LGBTQ+ Network or visit our web pages to learn more about becoming an ally.

The Library has a wealth of books and articles on the subject. From the history of LGBTQ+ rights to current Legal information to keep you informed. Use LibrarySearch to find what you are looking for, or contact us for help with any of your research needs. 

Here are some items available through the Library to get you started: 

Same-sex, different politics: success and failure in the struggles over gay rights

Lgbt Activism and the Making of Europe A Rainbow Europe  

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people (LGBT) and the criminal justice system

Happy Pride Month 2021! 🏳‍🌈🌈🏳‍🌈

Graduating this year? This article is for you!

25/05/2021 / / 0 Comments

heart thing

You’ve reached the end of your course, you’ve passed all your exams and so onto Graduation!

It’s that time of year when we say Love Your Library, please clear your library record before you leave!  Unsure whether your record is clear? Sign into LibrarySearch and select Library Card, you’ll find any loans and fines detailed there.

It’s very easy to return items, just scan them through our self-service kiosks and pop them into the returns box.  Laptops can be returned to a Lapsafe or the Library Help Desk. If you’ve fines to clear these can be paid through LibrarySearch or appealed if there’s been extenuating circumstances.  You can also post books back to us if that’s easier for you.  Here’s our contact details if you need to get in touch: library@napier.ac.uk or 0131 455 3500.

Anyway, we’d just like to say we’re sorry to see you go and would like to wish you all the very best with your future career or studies!

by Cathryn Buckham

Mental Health Awareness Week 2021: Thriving with Nature

10/05/2021 / / 1 Comment

Nature is an incredible resource for maintaining our mental health. Simply being outside and experiencing green spaces has proven beneficial to us. Health Awareness Week 2021 is all about the potent value of nature on our minds. Spending time in nature and connecting with the natural world is a free and positive way to help us live happier lives.

Numerous studies on the subject make connections between experiencing nature and improvements to our psychological health, such as the study Understanding Nature and Its Cognitive Benefits by Kathryn E. Schertz and Marc G. Berman . Being in nature can even help you study. Researchers found that taking micro breaks to view a meadow green rooftop improved student’s attention rates. Read more about it here.

Looking for ideas of what to do and where to visit? The Scottish wildlife trust has many options:

Scottish wildlife trust logo

On your own and would like to not only connect with nature but people? There is an Edinburgh meetup group you can join here:

meetup logo

For a detailed guide on how to use nature to thrive, you can read this free PDF from Mentalhealth.org and  if you need any help or support, you can find it here.

 

Library lockdown reflection – what we achieved, how we’re working now

03/05/2021 / / 0 Comments

As staff return to campus and libraries are once more staffed daily, it is going to be possible to provide more face-to-face assistance.

However, throughout lockdown library staff have continued to work behind the scenes. Either from home or on campus, to assist staff and students, keeping many of our essential services running.

Continue reading

The Dewey Decimal Classification System

26/04/2021 / / 8 Comments

Photo by Susan Q Yin on Unsplash

History

This Organisational system was conceived by Melvil Dewey in 1873 and first published in 1876. It is one of the most widely used in the world.

Use

The DDC as it is shortened to, is used to organise books by subject. Each item is given a shelf mark identifier so it can be located easily. The main subject areas are:

000        Computer science, information, and general work

100        Philosophy and psychology

200        Religion

300        Social sciences

400        Language

500        Science

600        Technology

700        Art and recreation

800        Literature

900        History and geography

The first 3 digits are the main subject area.  The numbers after the point give a subsection. After the numbers there are 3 letters to represent the author or editor. For example 941.34  DAI This refers to a book on Edinburgh by David Daiches.  Books with the same DDC number are shelved first by their number, then in alphabetic order by author or Editor.

If you want a very fun (and most definitely silly) video on how to find a book, this YouTube video is perfect:

Student experience during the pandemic

19/04/2021 / / 4 Comments

Due to the Pandemic, both new and current students have had to learn to work in exceptional ways. Remote studying from their homes or student halls.

Students have had to face many social challenges, including being unable to experience the usual thriving campus environment. This has resulted in students reporting that they feel a loss of belonging to a campus community.

To help combat this here are some helpful ways to feel more connected

University societies may be holding online events to enrich your interests and build connections. You can find more information about Edinburgh Napier’s societies by clicking here.

Socialising apps are a great way for freshers to talk with new people

Why not email your professors or lecturers to find out about networking events and professional contacts- they may even need a hand with a project or two!

If you are missing your fitness classes at the gym, or evenings at the cinema… you could join a zoom class or even host a movie night from the sofa of your home!

Get involved in the wider community by volunteering: Napier Volunteering

Develop your skills or career: Napier Careers and Development

By Jemma Lidgard

Feedback: Why we want it and Why we do it

12/04/2021 / / 0 Comments

Image by athree23 from Pixabay

At the Library we are always trying to find new ways to improve. To make our resources both more accessible and more relevant to our users. The best way to do this is of course feedback!

You can give us feedback in a variety of different ways, from filling out a feedback slip in the library to tweeting us on Twitter.

We take your feedback very seriously and always try to learn from it. It is one of the many reasons we have been accredited with a CSE Award for Customer Service Excellence.

So if you ever have anything you’d like to say, or ideas on how we can improve, please contact us through any of the following ways:

Email library@napier.ac.uk

@ednaplib on Twitter

@ENULibrary on Instagram

Calling 0131 455 350

Or eventually when it is safe to do so, over the Service Desks at your Campus Library.

Get Creative! Ideas for relaxing

08/04/2021 / / 0 Comments
Photo of craft items. Wool, watch, paper and camera

Photo by Giulia Bertelli on Unsplash

Get Creative!

Stress awareness month is here and as our work, study and life balances are interrupted due to the pandemic, we yearn for a breathing space or some creative vitality in our lives. Here are some tips below on how to get more creative!

Knitting or Sewing

Knitting doesn’t just have to consist of socks and scarves. The repetition of stitches can be a way of calming the mind from the everyday stresses of the pandemic. You could add new embroidered designs to your garments or repair any odd holes or two! This fantastic Box of Broadcasts documentary tells you about the history of knitting and how it has become the people’s craft in Britain

Want to learn how to knit? You can access the online eBook Knitting for Dummies through Librarysearch.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Scrapbooking

Did you know Scrapbooking first began in the United Kingdom during the 19th Century? All you need is a plain paged scrapbook, journal or book to keep your memories alive! You can add photographs, fabrics, objects, quotes, colours, and materials that you have collected or bring you a sense of comfort. You can find more about the psychological benefits on scrapbooking in the book Creative Nostalgia: Social and Psychological Benefits of Scrapbooking, available through Librarysearch.

Photo of scrapbooking amterials

Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash

Blogging

Blogging provides a platform for self-expression and to communicate information with others online. Wix and WordPress are free blogging sites where you can begin to share your thoughts, passions, and ideas to a worldwide audience.

Find more information on how to carve your own digital footprint via https://blogs.napier.ac.uk/

Photo by Corinne Kutz on Unsplash

Article by Jemma Lidgard

The Annual Library Easter Egg Hunt

31/03/2021 / / 2 Comments

Easter egg hunt picture

Our annual Easter Egg Hunt is back and this time we have gone virtual! There are some fantastic prizes to be won so why not have a go! You can enter the competition through our Social media accounts on either Instagram or Twitter

To play: find and click on the Easter Eggs in this picture, which will lead you to Easter themed questions. Use LibrarySearch to find all 6 answers. Send them by DM to us on Instagram or Twitter  to be in with a chance to win  Amazon vouchers: 1st place £30, 2nd place £25 and 3rd place £10 Good luck!

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