The Library Blog

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

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Edward Clark Collection book

Book Week Scotland Publishing Event

14/11/2024 / / 0 Comments

Book Week Scotland Publishing Event

Publishing

 

You Are Invited!
The Postgraduate Publishing programme at Edinburgh Napier University invite you to our Publishing & Printing Archive Open Day!
As part of Book Week Scotland, we are delighted to provide a unique opportunity to view materials from our Edward Clark Collection.
Join us in the Glassroom at Merchiston Campus, 10 Colinton Road, Edinburgh Napier University, on Wednesday 20 November to learn about – and interact with – books and artefacts from the collection (not usually on display to the public).
There are 2 identical events – please select MORNING or AFTERNOON.
Each event will be two hours long and will be led by Laura Cooijmans-Keizer, Senior Curator of University Heritage Collections, Edinburgh Napier University, and Dr H S Williams, Honorary Edward Clark Fellow.
  • First hour: Introduction to the Edward Clark Collection, talk on print production, and Q&A.
  • Second hour: Opportunity to view the artefacts, and ask questions. (Some items may even be handled.)
This FREE event is your chance to delve into the fascinating world of publishing and printing. Learn about the history of these industries, explore rare books and documents, and gain insights from our archival experts.
Some of the items on display: page from the Gutenberg bible; leaf from Shakespeare 2nd folio, 1632; Grimaldi, steel engravings; 1835 Lizars Atlas, engraved; a volume from the Doves Press Bible.
Whether you’re a student or staff member, publishing professional, or simply curious, come along. This open day provides a rare and unique opportunity to view some of the treasures in our Edward Clark Collection!
 
Read more about the Edward Clark Collection
by Avril Gray, Associate Professor
Grove music online blue banner

Grove Music Online

11/11/2024 / / 0 Comments

Grove Music Online: Unlocking the World of Music Research

In today’s world, reliable resources for music research can be hard to find. That’s where Grove Music Online comes in. This essential database serves musicians, scholars, and enthusiasts alike. It offers a wealth of information across all musical knowledge, making it a must-have tool for anyone eager to explore music more deeply.

What is Grove Music Online?

Grove Music Online is a digital platform housing the Oxford Music Online database, which includes the esteemed Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. It provides access to thousands of articles covering everything from historical composers to specific works and theoretical concepts. Experts regularly update the content, ensuring it remains a reliable reference for both casual readers and serious researchers. With over 52,000 articles, it boasts a publication history spanning more than a century!

Why Use Grove Music Online?

  1. Comprehensive Content: Find entries on a wide range of topics. Explore well-known figures like Bach and Beethoven, as well as lesser-known composers and global musical traditions.
  2. User-Friendly Interface: The platform’s intuitive layout makes searching easy. Browse categories or use the search bar for specific queries—accessibility is a priority for users at any experience level.
  3. Multimedia Resources: Grove Music Online includes not just text-based articles but also audio samples and visuals. This multimedia approach enriches the research experience and deepens user engagement.
  4. Regular Updates: The database continually reflects the latest research and developments in music. Users can rely on it for the most current information available.
  5. Cross-Referencing and Bibliographies: Each article includes hyperlinks to related topics, encouraging further exploration. Bibliographies offer curated lists for deeper dives into specific subjects.

Grove Music Online is a vital resource for anyone passionate about music. Whether you’re a student researching a paper, a musician expanding your repertoire, or a curious listener exploring a new style, this platform provides a treasure trove of knowledge. Dive into the world of music research with Grove Music Online and unlock new dimensions in your musical journey!

Access Grove Music online through our LibrarySearch Database List: Grove Music  Don’t forget to sign in!

Read more on finding Music with the Library using our LibGuides

Find more music related Articles on the blog with our posts on World Music Day and Music festivals

By Juliet Kinsey

Craiglockhart Remembrance

Remembrance: War Poets

10/11/2024 / / 0 Comments

Remembrance: War Poets

We approach this year’s Remembrance Day on Monday the 11th. Marking 106 years since Armistice Day 1918 and the ending of the First World War. We’d like to just take a quick moment to remind you all about the university’s War Poets Collection. Give a brief history of our Craiglockhart campus. Long before it became the property of the university.  The building which now houses our Craiglockhart Campus was known as Craiglockhart Hydropathic. Originally built as a medical centre specialising in water therapy during the Victorian Era. However, during the First World War, the facility became a military hospital. Focusing on the treatment of military officers suffering from shell shock.

The hospital was the site of pioneering work in the field of psychiatry. With Dr William H. R. Rivers became well-loved among the patients for his advocacy for humane treatment of men who were branded as cowardly by much of society.  Rivers encouraged the men to talk about their experiences and express their emotions at a time when men were expected to be reserved and unflinching. However, the hospital is perhaps most well-known for the patients that were treated there. Especially Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen. The two men would go on to become famous for their poetry. They wrote about their experiences in the war, with Sassoon already being a published poet before the war. Owen had much of his poetry published posthumously after he died a week before the war’s end. Although the two were only at the hospital for a few months in 1917. Their time at Craiglockhart was vital to the development of both men’s poetry and had a significant impact on both of their personal lives, with Sassoon remaining friends with Dr Rivers for the remainder of River’s life.

War Poets

To commemorate the work carried out at the hospital during the war, Edinburgh Napier opened the War Poets Collection in 1988. Located in our Craiglockhart campus,.The collection presents items related to Sassoon, Owen, and other contemporary war poets. Along with items focused on the medical staff of the hospital.

The collection houses over 650 items, among them are personal correspondence and original copies of poetry, a range of historical photographs of the building and staff, and recordings of poetry recited by famous actors and writers such as Daniel Day-Lewis and Dr Pat Barker. The collection, and accompanying exhibition in Craiglockhart, are a great way to learn more about the history of the university buildings.  It allows the university’s heritage team to show off the great work that they do.

War Poets in the Library

Additionally, our campus libraries have copies of writings by the poets available to borrow. Craiglockhart Library holds copies of Memories of a Fox-Hunting Man, Siegfried Sassoon’s novel which doubles as his fictionalised autobiography. Merchiston library has a copy of Wilfred Owen’s collected poems available in their main stock. The libraries also hold a great deal of other writings about the war poets, including biographies of Sassoon and Owen, along with copies of Pat Barker’s Regeneration trilogy, a series of novels presenting a fictionalised telling of Sassoon’s time at Craiglockhart and the long-term effect it had on him.

War Poets is located on the ground floor of our Craiglockhart building, just off of the main atrium when you enter the building.  free to view during standard campus hours of 9 to 5, Monday to Friday. If you would like a guided tour of the collection you can contact the team at heritage@napier.ac.uk to see about arranging a tour during office hours.

By Matthew Ferrie

Read more about the War Poets on our blog and Edinburgh Napier Webpages

Trimester Two

Merchiston Tower

08/11/2024 / / 0 Comments

Merchiston Tower

In the centre of Merchiston Tower, you will find Merchiston Tower.

Bang in the middle.

Have you ever wondered what’s inside? What’s its history? Wanted to peek inside?

Let us take you on a brief digital walk through the Tower in the blog post. But before we go any further, we would like to add that you can tour the Tower in person and see its 500 years of history in person for free. Email us at heritage@napier.ac.uk or library@napier.ac.uk. Please bear in mind that we need at least 24 hours’ notice. Group tours are available, but no more than 15 people can attend.

 

History of Merchiston Tower

Merchiston Tower has stood firm for over 500 years. Built in the middle of the 1400s, either by Andrew Napier or his son Sir Alexander Napier, both served as Provost of Edinburgh, and both moved in royal circles.

John Napier (Alexander’s grandson) was born in the Tower in 1550. Specifically, the University is named after John Napier. His inventions and contributions to Mathematics are longstanding, with his most known invention being logarithms. There is a lot of “myth, mystery, and intrigue” (John Napier napier.ac.uk) about the man, and you can read about him in a previous blog post on Edinburgh Napier University’s webpages.

The Tower remained in the Napier family until the beginning od the 1800s. It was then owned by the Merchiston Castle School, followed by Edinburgh Council. For a while, it was also a storage space for fire hoses during the Second World War. By the 1950s, the Tower was set for demolition. It was in ruined. However, in 1958, a new technical college was coming to Edinburgh. A college that needed a campus. Napier College was formed around the Tower, saving from it demolition and beginning a work of restoration. These restorations would uncover ceilings and stairwells that had been hidden for a century.

The hallway ceiling of the Tower now proudly displays the University’s crest and showcases the Tower’s timeline, a nod to the Napier family, Merchiston Castle School, and Edinburgh Council.

Napier Crest

Inside the Tower

Can’t wait to have look. Let’s go on a digital walkthrough. And while, we have lovely pictures, nothing compares in person.

The original great hall stands to the left as you enter. In this hall, you will find a stunning, decorative ceiling that was commemorated during the reign of Charles II, the decorations showcasing the Napier family’s loyalty to the crown. The massive fireplace is thought to be original to the Tower. The north and south windows are original, while, the east window dates from the 17th century. During the restoration in the 1950s, a staircase in the thick walls was found.

The once hidden staircase leads to the Boardroom that now stretches across the third and fourth floors. The fourth floor would  have been a loft area, home to servants but it has now been opened up to make the room fell bigger, and to properly showcase.

The magnificent Prestongrange Ceiling, it dates from 1581. A rare example of a Scottish Renaissance painted ceiling, it was from Prestongrange House to Merchiston Tower in 1964 for preservation purposes. The ceiling is filled with art, featuring many motifs from folk plays. Truly Unique!

 

 

 

Prestongrange ceiling

 

Merchiston Tower and John Napier

In 1550, John Napier was born in the tower house. Over 400 years later, the Tower was saved from demolition and restoration work began for a new college to be named after John Napier. Now, it stands proud in the middle of our biggest campus, home to two of our schools; School of Arts and Creative Industries and School of Computing, Engineering & Built Environment.

 

Doors Open Day

On the 28th of September, we opened up the Tower to the public to celebrate Doors Open Day. Our second year running, we were delighted to welcome over 180 visitors.

 

 

If you are interested in visiting Merchiston Tower in person, please get in touch by emailing heritage@napier.ac.uk or library@napier.ac.uk. Tours are free but are dependent on staff and room availability so will require booking in advance.

Please note that – due to the steep and uneven medieval staircases – the Tower is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible.

For more information about the University’s Heritage Collections, have a look at our website.

Read more about the Heritage Collections

 

References

 

Merchiston Tower Edinburgh

The Napier Estate Past and Present

Make the most of our newspaper e-resources: Times Digital Archive and NexisUni

Our newspaper e-resources: Times Digital Archive and NexisUni

04/11/2024 / / 0 Comments

 Our newspaper e-resources: Times Digital Archive and NexisUni

You might have already used one of many databases to search through academic journals. But did you know that the library also offers some amazing resources that give you access to historical and contemporary news? Let’s dive into what Times Digital Archive and NexisUni offer.

 

Times Digital Archive

 

Ever needed to check what was happening in the world a century ago? Times Digital Archive offers full access to The Times pass issues, covering over 200 years of news from 1785 to 2019. Whether you’re studying English, media, or any field that benefits from historical context, this is your go-to.

With this resource, you can search for original articles, opinion pieces, obituaries, and even advertisements that paint a picture of what life was like in different eras. The high-quality scans ensure you’re reading the exact newspaper layout as it appeared back then. It’s like holding history in your hands—digitally, of course. Need to compare media portrayals of major events, like World War I or the moon landing? It’s all there, easily searchable by date or keyword.

Go to LibCal to sign up to an online session on 13th November (14:30-15:45) to learn how to make the most of this fantastic resource and how it can help you with your next assignment or a project.

 

NexisUni

 

While Times Digital Archive takes you back in time, NexisUni is all about the present. This resource offers access to thousands of newspapers from across the globe. It’s perfect for students in fields like journalism, marketing, business, or anyone needing up-to-date information.

With NexisUni, you can search news from today or the last few decades—everything from breaking news to in-depth investigative journalism. And it’s not just limited to newspapers. You can find transcripts from news broadcasts, legal cases, and even industry reports. This means whether you need global perspectives or niche insights, you’ll find it all in one place.

 

Why You Should Use These Resources

 

Both resources are easy to use and accessible right from the Databases tab in the LibrarySearch. They can help you refine your assignments by providing primary and credible sources that go beyond a basic web search. Plus, diving into past and present news can be surprisingly fascinating!

You can find guidance and tips on using both NexisUni and Times Digital Archive on LibGuides.

Read our previous post on how to use NexisUni

By Patrycja Respondek

We have an upcoming training session.

Merchiston book stock

Construction Information Service (CIS)

29/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

Construction Information Service (CIS)

 

The Construction Information Service (CIS) is a major database for anyone working in architecture, civil and structural engineering, building control, mechanical and electrical engineering, surveying, building contracting and other areas within the construction industry.

The CIS database is updated daily and covers every phase of the construction process. It is an online tool which provides access to current construction regulations, construction standards, technical advice, construction project management tools, and industry news on building, engineering, design, and construction processes in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

Construction Information Services and You

The CIS database has over 20,000 documents from over 300 publishers. And contains essential sources providing the most up-to-date information from within the construction industry.

You can find CIS by clicking on the Databases tab within LibrarySearch and then searching for Construction Information Service. Two options will appear.  Namely Knowledge Workspace: Occupational Health and Safety Information Service (OHSIS): and Environmental Management and Construction Information Service (CIS). Select Construction Information Service (CIS).

The database provides access to a wide range of content that is not available anywhere else. Users can conduct a standard search or use the Advanced Search option to find information. Using keywords relevant to your topic will help to narrow down the number of results and there are filters available to help you narrow your search further and find relevant content.

CIS provides access to a wide range of UK construction catalogues. As well as equipment information and CAD drawings as well as access to product catalogues from manufacturers both within the UK and overseas. CIS offers a single search point for the widest set of Eurocodes, UK National Annexes and Non-contradictory Complimentary Information (NCCI) material. Users can also have direct access to other publications. As well as extensive coverage of healthcare building and construction information. CIS Building Regulations Interest areas are available covering Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to help with compliance.

Using CIS will help users to create designs and construction methods, and keep up with advances in new technology. And ensure that their designs are compliant and sustainable. The entire construction process from beginning to end is supported which will help projects to be completed precisely within designated time frames.

Through LibrarySearch 

By Sharon McMichael

Read about previous databases 

Clocks go back

Clocks go back

28/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

Clocks go back

 

I dread this weekend all year: the weekend the clocks go back to Greenwich Mean Time. In case you’ve forgotten, time will move back by one hour at 2am on Sunday 27th October. In this way, we “rob” an hour of daylight from the morning and add it to the end of the day. The concept has been around since the late 1700s, but it was only introduced in the First World War as a way of saving the nation’s energy.

It’s been with us ever since and yes – it’s nice to get an extra hour on Sunday, but that’s little consolation for the now rapid descent into winter.

If, like me, you already struggle with the long hours and weeks of darkness, it’s worth noting the wealth of research that suggests that changing the clocks can have a serious effect on our health. It can knock out the alignment of your body’s natural rhythms and leave you more accident-prone, more vulnerable to lower cognitive performance, mood disruption and other debilitating effects.

Perhaps the biggest problem is a potential disruption to your sleep pattern. Well-managed sleep hygiene is crucial to general good health and well-being, and The Sleep Charity has published a guide to minimising the disruption:

How To Minimise Sleep Disruption When Clocks Go Forward – The Sleep Charity

Along with your physical health, it’s important that you take special care of your mental wellbeing in winter.  Look out for signs of SAD – seasonal affective disorder.

Overview – Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

And don’t forget that we have a well-resourced Wellbeing Collection which we hope will help you transition to the shorter days and the darker nights.

Sleep well!

Learn to sleep well kit

Winter blues

By Lesley McRobb

 

Photo source Alex Krivec

Take some time out with our virtual relaxation space

Black History Month: Joseph Knight

Black History Month: Joseph Knight

24/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

Black History Month: Joseph Knight

This October we’re celebrating Black History Month at Edinburgh Napier. And as part of this, we’d like to take a quick look at the case of Joseph Knight  v. John Wedderburn,  a historic legal case from the 1770s that saw the Scottish Court of Session officially declare that slavery laws were not applicable under the Scottish legal system.  It marked the first official condemnations of slavery to come from a court in Britain.

 

Joseph Knight

Joseph Knight was a man born in West Africa around 1750. He  was sold into slavery as a young boy and sent to the British colonies in Jamacia. As such, a great deal about his early history is unknown to us now, having been erased due to the colonialism of the era. What we do know is that when Knight was 12 or 13 years old he was purchased by a man named John Wedderburn, a plantation owner from Scotland. In a rarity for the era, Knight was taught how to read and write by Wedderburn. He planned to take Knight with him back to Scotland once he returned in 1769. In Scotland, Knight met and married Ann Thompson, another servant of the Wedderburn family. But when he asked to be able to live with her, he was refused by Wedderburn. Wanting to be with his wife, Knight left Wedderburn’s service. Wedderburn responded in a way that is reflective of the paternalistic racism of the era. Feeling that Knight owed him service due to the “gift” of education that he bestowed upon Knight and angered by what he saw as the loss of his property, Wedderburn had Knight arrested.  A court in Perth ruled that Knight was to be considered Wedderburn’s property as per his slave contract. However, the Sheriff of Perth, a man named John Swinton, argued that the slavery laws of Jamaica, where Knight was purchased, held no sway over Scots Law.  Knight should now be considered a free man in Scotland.

Court Battle

Following the ruling, Wedderburn launched a second appeal to the Court of Session in Edinburgh, the highest civil court in Scotland. He argued that Knight’s slave contract was still in effect and that Wedderburn had the right to separate Knight from his family and take him back to Jamaica. The case rested on Scotland’s ties to the British Empire and its slave trade. Wedderburn’s lawyers argued that Scotland had greatly benefitted from the slave trade, with the so-called “Tobacco Lords” of Scotland bringing a great deal of money to the country. As such, Wedderburn felt that it was in Scotland’s financial interests  to give preference to the laws of slave colonies.
Knight’s case rested on the argument that the laws of slavery were unnatural and unjust and that Scotland could not be expected to uphold such laws just because they were in place elsewhere. Furthermore, it was argued that Knight should be protected under Scottish laws against unlawful imprisonment. They cited a similar English court case in 1772, Somerset v Stewart, which declared that the institution of slavery was never formally protected under the law, arguing that this meant that slaves brought to Scotland were not beholden to their slave contracts.

Court Decision

After deliberating on the arguments, the twelve judges in the Court of Sessions voted eight to four in favour of Knight. They officially ruled that the slave laws of the colonies were not recognised under Scots Law, and in fact, were incompatible with the principles that Scottish laws were founded upon. One of the judges of the Court of Sessions, Alexander Boswell, was quoted as saying:

“Is a man a slave because he is black? No. He is our brother, and this is a man. Although not our colour, he is in a land of liberty, with his wife and child, let him remain there.”

It was a landmark ruling in the history of the Scottish legal system, resulting in what is one of the first legal rulings against slavery. The case struck a  blow to the institution of the British slave trade and is now looked on as a significant case in the cause to abolish slavery.

By Matthew Ferrie

Please visit Black History Month.Org

Library and Black History Month 2024

Photo by Wesley Tingey

librarians

Introducing CINAHL (With Full Text)

23/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

Introducing CINAHL (With Full Text)

 

CINAHL, standing for Cumulated Index in Nursing and Allied Health Literature, is one of our most popular databases used widely among school of health and social care students within our student community at Napier. It covers literature on various areas of healthcare including nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, nutrition and many more health-related professions. The research database itself is very comprehensive and offers the full texts of various nursing and allied health journals. Some additional online resources which CINAHL also contains ranges from a variety of quick lessons, ongoing education modules and full-text evidence-based care sheets.

 

Who uses, and would benefit from using CINAHL?…

 

CINAHL is one of the key databases utilised by SHSC (School of Health and Social Care) students and academics at Edinburgh Napier University. The most frequent users of this specific database are nurses (including nursing students), allied health professionals, nurse educators and researchers. CINAHL Ultimate is also used widely by nursing students to learn about specific healthcare techniques and practices through the instructional videos it offers, as well as to improve their knowledge of best practices and procedures when caring for patients. So not only does CINAHL offer a range of helpful resources that can be used for written assignments – it’s wide variety of instructional videos and tutorials, guides and lessons can also offer our SHSC students a range of useful advice and information that can be applied when on placements and further on into their careers in healthcare.

 

Pros of using CINAHL…

 

One of the ways in which CINAHL surpasses other databases is by offering full-text access to a considerable amount of the most consistently cited journals, along with thorough curation and indexing of these open-access journals. In total, CINAHL contains just over 1,300 journals featuring searchable citations and references. Because it is a targeted resource which specialises in healthcare, you can find a range of very specific scholarly material about Nursing and Allied Health as well, meaning search results have a significantly higher change of being diverse and relevant. Some other benefits of using CINAHL include:

  • The user-friendly and accessible interface of CINAHL makes it easy for uses to make effective searches to retrieve relevant information about specific healthcare topics and subjects.
  • The structure of the Medical Subject headings (MeSH) which the National Library of Medicine uses is also implemented by CINAHL Subject Headings, which enables researchers to come across newer subjects such as social distancing, vaping and COVID-19.
  • Search results are usually of a very high quality as they are indexed with great care and with accuracy and sophistication in mind once put through a thorough validation and certification process.
  • With its comprehensive indexing and the precision and directness of CINAHL’s full text linking, users can quickly and efficiently build up a relevant search criterion and find a wide variety of related search results with ease.
  • Qualitative as well as quantitative studies are covered and included in the CINAHL database, as well as a variety of nursing and healthcare subjects such as occupational therapy. Materials are extremely diverse and varied.
  • Since it is primarily focused on academic sources and literature on nursing and allied health, this eliminates the possibility of generating any search results which are completely irrelevant to these subject areas and topics.

 

More information…

 

Not only does our Libguide feature a direct link to the CINAHL database – it comes with both written guidance and recorded, visual tutorials on how to effectively utilise nursing and allied health databases such as CINAHL and their different search features and functions. This includes both a virtual, recorded tutorial on conducting basic and advanced searches within these databases. Find out more in our LibGuide.

 

By Rachel Downie

 

Read about other databases

 

Picture of books for blog post Returning borrowed items

Returning borrowed items

21/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

Returning borrowed items

It’s almost the end of term and time to take a break from studies and relax. You may be planning to return home, go on holiday or do some work experience, but before you go-just a quick reminder to return the books, laptops and ergonomic equipment which you might not need to use over the summer. It’s time to return borrowed items to the library.

Information on returning borrowed items

Books and laptops can be returned even when the helpdesks are closed, as long as there is access to campus. Ergonomic equipment should be returned to the helpdesks during staffed hours.
Libraries will be open throughout the summer should you wish to bring items back later in the summer. And if you have any questions, you can always ask. 
If you have fines which you would like to query, you can submit a fine appeal form along with any supporting evidence, and you will receive an answer promptly. Information on fines and charges can be found here.
We hope you enjoy your summer break and look forward to seeing you again in September. Remember- it’s never too late to return items to us! One book was returned over a hundred years later to a San Francisco public library. And you can read about  some rather valuable late returns

Good luck with your exams and final assignments

Also, remember we have our virtual relaxation space  

Additionally, our online wellbeing area. 

Each campus library has a relaxation space and wellbeing areas too

By Vivienne Hamilton

photo source: unspash Kimberly Farmer  

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