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Referencing libraries

LibGuides and Referencing

22/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

LibGuides and Referencing

What are LibGuides? Simply LibGuides are beloved by librarians. All 22 of them. A crucial tool in helping you through your studies. They are designed to “help you find out more about the resources and support available from the library”.

They can be divided into two features:

  1. Subject Guides
  2. Research Guides

 

LibGuides: Subject Guides

Subject Guides are designed by our team of specialist subject librarians who have handpicked key resources such as databases, readings and more. You will find a guide for each subject area available at Edinburgh Napier.  Subject librarians constantly update these guides to help you get the most relevant and useful information available for your topic.

Your subject librarian is available to go through these guides with you.

 

LibGuides: Research Guides

Our Research Guides are outlines that help you develop research and digital skills, including writing, referencing, data collection, and much more.

 

LibGuide: Referencing

 

One of our most popular guides is our reference guide. Referencing is a must-skill in academia. You will expect to be able to reference all your sources in academic work. Referencing helps us avoid plagiarism, shows that read sources, be able to back up arguments. We have two guides, one for reference management software which are tools to help you. And a guide on APA 7th Style.

Please remember if you are stuck, you can contact your subject librarian or programme leader.

Our Reference Management guide goes over Endnote and Mendeley. Both are software that collect references and PDFS of papers, organises references and automatically outputs a bibliography. Our guide breaks down which one might be better suited to you. And how you can install and use it.

Additionally, we have a deep dive into APA 7th referencing. This guide details how citations work. Always double-check which referencing style you are expected to use for your course and if you are unsure, please speak to your programme leader.

 

 

Wellbeing

We can’t end this post without the mention of our Wellbeing Collection. We also have our Wellbeing Collection featured on our LibGuides. University life can be stressful. The collection covers a range of topics and guided self-help approaches to help University life a little bit easier.

We will leave you to enjoy the world of LibGuides.

A bit stuck on assignments, have a look at Academic Skills. 

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  

Coworking Collective (L)

Co-Working Collective

21/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

Co-Working Collective

 

Well done on reaching week 7. By now you’re no doubt up to your neck in work: all those pesky assignments, all that reading and note-taking, the class discussions, the late nighters. It can be hard to stay organised and keep on top of it all. The Library is here to help you with all that.

We’re excited to bring back our Co-Working Collective, following on from our successful introduction last semester.

Working together has been shown to beat procrastination, help you stay motivated, work on individual goals, increase time efficiency and become more productive.

We’ll be meeting every Wednesday, starting October 23rd until mid-December, between 2pm and 4pm in Study Room 7, Merchiston library, and we’d love you to join us.

There is no need to book, just come along. All we ask you to do is bring some work materials and a commitment to spend the two hours with like-minded people who want to work quietly in a supported environment.

The sessions are open to all, regardless of which campus you’re based in or what level of study you’re at. If you’ve any questions, email us library@napier.ac.uk or disabilityinclusion@napier.ac.uk, and let the library be your study buddy.

More information on the library calendar. 

By Lesley McRobb

Read our previous posts on study skills. 

Laptop Loans

14/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

Laptop Loan

Continuing with our induction, we are going to look at laptop loans.

If you don’t have access to a laptop for your studies here at Edinburgh Napier there are laptops which can be borrowed from our lapsafe lockers. Lapsafe lockers exist in all 3 campus libraries, in the JKCC and at Bainfield student accommodation. They are self-service, so as long as the premises are open and a laptop is available, you can borrow a laptop.

Accessing a laptop

You can check the availability of laptops at each site using the tile on your account.

Laptop tile mynapier

All laptop cabinets have a coloured light to indicate availability.

Light colour What it means
Blue Laptop available
Red Laptop updating, available soon
Purple Laptop in repair
No light Laptop is on loan

 

You will need to have your plastic student card or digital student card on your phone to swipe on the lapsafe reader, then follow the on-screen instructions. Once you have swiped your card the lapsafe will allocate a laptop to you and the cabinet door will unlock. A charger is also provided don’t forget to take this. Only one laptop can be borrowed at a time so you must return one before borrowing another.

Loan Period

Laptop loans are for 2 weeks and are on a first-come, first-served basis. After 2 weeks laptops should be returned to the lapsafe locker they were borrowed from. You will be able to take another one if one is available, or if not you can wait for the one you have returned to become available (the cabinet light will be red whilst the laptop updates). If you don’t return the laptop, it will be locked making the laptop unusable. Full terms and conditions for laptop loans can be found on our webpage

Saving work

Work should not be saved on the desktop, instead, save to One Drive.

 

Digital Access Scheme

The Digital Access Scheme (DAS) is a service which provides long-term laptop loans to students who are having difficulty accessing appropriate IT resources. The loan is for the academic year and will be renewed for each year you are returning to study. To find out more and if you are eligible check the DAS webpage

If you have any questions regarding laptop loans please don’t hesitate to ask us in the library and staff will do their best to assist you.

By Vivienne Hamilton

 

Mer wellbeing Mental Health Awareness Week

World Mental Health Day 2024

10/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

World Mental Health Day 2024

It’s World Mental Health Day 2024.  Celebrated every October 10th. Everyone is encouraged to come together and talk, showing that mental health matters. Check in on the people in your family and how they are doing.

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.  “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.”

Our wellbeing collections are available online

And on each campus library, all books are loanable.

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. 

A Quick Guide to Finding a Book with LibrarySearch

08/10/2024 / / 3 Comments

Finding a book with LibrarySearch


Are deadlines coming up? Assignments due? And Google just won’t do. Our quick guide to finding a book with LibrarySearch that will save the day!

There are books, journals, peer-reviewed articles and much more. We have over 225 databases, 33 000 journals, 100 000 books and well over 300 000 e-books all available at your fingertips at LibrarySearch. We can’t sing the praises of LibrarySearch enough!!

That’s all great and everything but the question now is how does it work?

Simply go to librarysearch.napier.ac.uk, access it through our web pages or click the shortcut here.

Don’t forget to sign in the right-hand corner to give you full access.

librarysearch screenshot

In the search bar, type the book title. If you don’t have any books in mind, you can type the keywords for your subject area and let LibrarySearch do its magic. There are filters on the side to narrow down your search for example if you only want books and books for a certain decade and books from a certain campus.

Librarysearch screen shot

Once you’ve spotted a book that looks useful click on the link. You will be able to see if it’s available online or in one of our Campus Libraries. If it’s available online just click on the links to take you right on through to your book. If the book is on one of our shelves note down the Dewey Decimal number. It will tell you where your book is positioned. Afterwards, If you get stuck check out our guide or ask one of our lovely Librarians who will be happy to help!

All there to make life easier. Like we said LibrarySearch is there to save the day

By Maya Green

 

Discovered your book on LibrarySearch, but need help spotting it on the shelf? Try our Guide to the Dewey Decimal System here!

Still stuck finding something useful then why not check out our LibGuides

Fun banner image repeating the title of the blog post Finding your book with Dewey Decimal Shelf Marks

Finding your book with Dewey Decimal Shelf Marks

07/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

Finding your book with Dewey Decimal Shelf Marks

HELP! How do I find my book?

Finding your book with Dewey Decimal Shelf Marks may seem confusing at first but really it is very straightforward. First off, make sure you have checked your book is available by looking it up on our Library Catalogue: LibrarySearch

For help using LibrarySearch read our quick guide here: Quick Guide to LibrarySearch

Not only will you find the shelfmark that will help you locate your book, but it will also show you if copies are available.

Screenshot for a book on Librarysearch

What’s it all mean?

Green means go! So if you see the words “available at” like in the above picture. You know you should be able to find the book on the shelf.

Here you can see that there is an available copy of this book. The word “available” is green (for yes we have it) and it is located at Merchiston Library shelfmark: 891.7342 BUL

Hurray! But now what?

Now you can go find your book!

The shelfmark is your book’s location so you will need to find it (kinda like a very simple treasure hunt!)

Start by matching the first part of the number: 891

891.7342

Once you have located the 891’s it’s time to delve deeper. Now you need to match the digits after the 891.

891.7342

That’s the 7342 after the decimal point. These numbers help narrow down the subject.

Once you have all the numbers matched you look at the Letters, in this case, BUL.

891.7342 BUL

The letters usually refer to the author or editor, not the title.

The author of this book is Bulgakov, so BUL are the letters to match.

These go in alphabetical order so work your way along till you find your book.

Quick synopsis:

  1. Match the first 3 digits
  2. Match the digits after the decimal point
  3. Match the letters

—————————————————————————–

It’s as simple as that…ok maybe not that simple!

If you have any problems a member of the Library staff will be happy to help! Also you can read more on the History of the Dewey Decimal system here on the blog in the article The Dewey Decimal Classification System

library search pc

An introduction to Library Search.

07/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

An introduction to Library Search.

Now that the returning students are back and classes underway again. We thought it would be good to have a quick introduction to the university’s Library Search system. This provides the best way for you to access the study materials you need for your coursework. If you’re new to the university, then this will be a great way to learn how to use one of our most helpful services. And any returning students can see this as a nice refresher as they get stuck into studying again. We’ve made sure to include plenty of screenshots to help while we talk you through all the aspects of Library Search!

You can access Library Search through your account page on MyNapier. Or with the student app, by pressing the yellow Library Search tile.

Library Search tile

What is Library Search?

Library search home screen

 

Library Search can be used to browse all the reading materials the library provides you access to. Whether that is the physical books in the library’s collection. Or material available online. Looking up a book or subject in Library Search will show you all the available resource that are related to the subject matter you searched. For example, looking up “Scots Law” will show all the results related to Scots Law, or any titles which include the phrase.

 

Library Search Results

 

Library Search Results

As you can see, each result will show you basic information related to the book, such as author, edition, and publication date. As well as if the book is available in a physical or online format. Results for physical books will show which campus library the book is held in. And the collection the book is part of. And the class mark so you can find the book within that collection. For example, we can see here that “Human Rights and Scots Law” can be found in the Law Hub of our Craiglockhart library, while “Scots Law for Journalists” can be found on our Merchiston library as part of the main collection.

You will also see if there are multiple versions of a book available, which happens if there are different editions of the same book as part of our collection. Selecting “See all versions” will show these different versions.Library search results

Locations

You can see here that these are all the same book, but different editions and each held at a different campus library.

At the side of the search results there are also options for filtering results. You can use to narrow down your search to specific formats, libraries. Or even sort the results by date or alphabetically.

When you open select one of the search results for a book you will be shown a more in-depth profile for the book. With further information such as page number. And how many copies of the book the library has and how many copies are available, as well as any links that can take you to an online copy of the book.

Library Search locations

online book

Requesting a book

From here you can also request to place a hold on books. This means that our library staff will keep the book on a separate shelf near the help desk for you to collect. This can be a handy way to make sure you can get a copy of books that are in high demand. Especially books that are core texts on reading lists. Simply select “Request” and you will be able to choose which campus library you would like to collect the book from. You will receive an email from the library team to let you know when the book is ready for you to collect.

requesting a book

Please keep in mind that you can only request copies of physical books. Any e-books the library has can be accessed using a link on the book’s profile.

From the book’s profile you can also create citations for the book so that you can cite it in an assignment. You can make hyperlinks or even QR codes to serve as links to the book’s library search page. And or email a link to yourself or others.

What else is available on LibrarySearch?

Alongside being able to browse what is currently in our catalogue, Library Search includes links along the top of the page. These links to browse subject reading lists, the academic databases and journals the university has access to. Or to request an item through the university’s inter library loan service. These allow you to carry out a more in-depth search of the academic journals the university has access to. As well as letting you request to borrow a book from another institution the university is partnered with.

library search bar

Additionally, if you are in one of our libraries and would like to search only the physical books available. You can use the library catalogue machines. These can be found in all our libraries. And are set up to only search the physical books in our collection.

 

library search pc

We hope you’ve found this quick tour through the basics of Library Search to be helpful. And that soon you will be well on your way to using one of the most important resources the university can offer you.

You can browse Library Search

And previous articles to help you nativigate Library Search

 

By Matthew Ferrie

 

Study Advice

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – A Peer Study Advice Resource

04/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – A Peer Study Advice Resource

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – A Peer Study Advice Resource

University can sometimes be a lot. And we understand. For current students, there are some things, you wish you had known earlier. For new students settling into studies, there are some things you want to know before beginning.

This is why a team consisting of librarians, learning technologists and academic skills advisors came together for over a year to address a gap in library and academic skills resources.

We carried out a peer-review study. This resulted in the creation of an interactive guide that consists of testimonies of former and current students. Addressing six key themes will help current and new students on their academic journey.

The themes are

  • Assessments
  • Time Management and Planning
  • Finding Information
  • Study Skills
  • Reaching Out for Support
  • Learning Beyond the Programme.

Each theme is packed with helpful snippets that will hopefully guide the university journey. For the post, we will briefly cover each theme and all the tips and tricks they contain. But we highly encourage you to visit our interactive guide. 

 

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – Assessments

Assessments are an essential part of university life…and they can sometimes be daunting to tackle. But with the right preparation and knowledge, assessments can be less “daunting”.

“You have to learn how to write an essay and then actually do the essay – it’s like learning two things”.  And “try to understand what it is your lectures are asking you to do in your assignments so you don’t get lost”.

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – Time Management and Planning

Remember the old quote: “Failure to plan is planning to fail”.  Time management and planning are essential skills for managing coursework and for striking a balance between studies and personal life. However,  it is easy enough to not plan or lose track of time.  But perhaps the advice of former students might be useful:

“Managing workload to help you with creating a healthy balance between your studies and life”

“Breaking down the hours is an important point because it can be overwhelming when you see it; it’s hard to conceptualise the time needed otherwise”.

And of course,

“If you need it, extensions are possible on assessments if you need something off your plate – talk with your PDT if you are feeling overwhelmed”.

Extensions are there if needed. Please don’t leave things to the last minute.

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – Finding Information

University is all about learning, but where can you go for more information about your course and university life in general?

Where to start finding information is a big question but once things are broken down, the big questions will seem smaller.

“The module handbooks tell you exactly what to do, and every module has one”.

“ Use the resources that Napier has to offer about course information etc. There’s lot s of in-depth information that’s explained well”.

The information is there and it is there to help.

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – Study Skills

Independent learning is what university is really all about.  But how do you go about

“Find out the information you need at the start of the course and develop your digital skills and academic skills”.

From module handbooks to training sessions from the library, there is a lot available to build up study skills.

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – Reaching out for Support

Becoming an independent learner at university isn’t about doing everything alone! As part of our university community, you have access to lots of additional support. Whether it be the academic skills team or Wellbeing, you can always reach out for support. And this is what fellow students had to say:

“Reach out to programme leaders, it’s been amazing to talk with them and bridge the gap between the student and the teacher”.

“Building relationships is really important at university”.

“What Do You Wish You Had Known Earlier?” – Learning Beyond the Programme

University isn’t just about what you learn in the classroom. There is so much more beyond. And it makes the whole experience of university a lot more richer. These are what former students had to say:

“Push yourself to be involved in school activities rather than just coming to class and just living. There’s so much richness in being part of the school beyond this”.

“Look outside if your own classes, so don’t just talk to the people in your course”.

We hope you can take these snippets of advice to help with university. And remember the university is always there to help. 

And we have a blog filled with articles 

Black History Month 2024

Black History Month 2024

03/10/2024 / / 0 Comments

Black History Month 2024

We are celebrating Black History Month. And we don’t want to miss the opportunity to celebrate. Black History Month has been celebrated in the UK since 1987, marking the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the Caribbean. Since 1987, the celebration has gotten bigger. Black History Month UK focuses on a key theme each year. This year is ‘Reclaiming Narratives‘.  

To reflect and honour the stories and voices throughout time:

‘In today’s world, stories are powerful tools that shape how we understand our past, present, and future. For too long, the history of Black communities has been told through lenses that often misrepresent, oversimplify, or entirely overlook the rich and diverse experiences of those who lived it. But 2024 is set to be a transformative year. Black History Month UK has unveiled its compelling theme; Reclaiming Narratives’. (Black History Month.Org UK)

The Library and Black History Month

The library is committed throughout the year. We want to ensure Black history is represented and celebrated all year round. We are working hard to grow our collections so they become more inclusive and diverse.  Over on our libguides, you will find our Building Inclusive Reading Lists.

The purpose of the libguide ‘is to provide practical support to academic staff and students who wish to build inclusive module or personal reading lists by adding a diversity of sources in terms of authorship, origin, accessibility, and theme’.

Here, you can find Decolonising the Curriculum and Anti-Racism as well as Minorities and Indigenous Peoples Inclusions. Resources include books, ebooks, journals and much more.  On the blog, we have our virtual bookshelves. 

Suggesting and Recommending

At the library, we are ‘committed to developing collections that represent as far as possible the diversity of backgrounds, identities, and interests of the University’s students and staff. We urge you to help us to diversify and build inclusion into our collections by recommending.’

On the reading list homepage, you can find a recommend-a-book button. Or you can email us at library@napier.ac.uk.

 

To explore the theme further looking at more resources like interviews, books and other features. Or look at events, please look at Black History Month. Org Uk

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