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Libraries Week 4-10 October 2021

04/10/2021 / / 0 Comments

Libraries Week Picture for 2021

Taking Action Changing Lives : Libraries Week 4-10 October 2021

It’s Libraries week again and this year we are celebrating the best that libraries have to offer. We are looking at how Libraries are drivers for inclusion, sustainability, social mobility and community cohesion. It’s all about how libraries are “taking action, changing lives”.

Here at Napier University Library, we try to play our part.

We are proud to have run food donation drives for our local food bank, Edinburgh North West Foodbank.

Poster for Food Bank Donations

Furthermore to help support our student’s mental health and wellbeing we have created a relaxation zone where they can escape from studying and take time out. We have produced a green space filled with games, colouring, magazines and books. Similarly, we have also created an online relaxation space here on our blog for you to use when you cannot be in the Library.

Library relaxation space

We also offer many services to help our students study such as offering a postal loans service, and in addition during the Pandemic a click and collect service on books. Not to mention buying thousands of eBooks to help our students study at home.

Staff at the Library are trained to be inclusive and considerate of all the people we come into contact with. We have even held the Customer Service Award for Excellence for over 10 years.

Above all, we try to consistently improve our services to make sure we offer ways to be more inclusive and considerate of all our users.

So Happy Libraries Week to everyone out there! We all hope you continue to love and appreciate Libraries everywhere.

Check out more information on Libraries week at: http://librariesweek.org.uk/ or follow the hashtag #LibrariesWeek on social media. Furthermore don’t forget to support your local Libraries and use them for the fantastic resource they are!

Edinburgh in the autumn

27/09/2021 / / 3 Comments

The Autumn Equinox has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere, and although this means damper and colder days in Edinburgh, the trees will exhibit amber glows, burnt oranges, and golden browns- perfect for walks and hikes.

 

Dean Village in the Autumn, Edinburgh

Dean Village in the Autumn, Edinburgh

 

It also means salvaging your favourite jumper and putting those boots back on! Be sure to also check out events that are happening during autumn such as:

 

· The Scottish International Storytelling Festival from 15th October-31st October 2021 was originally launched in 1989 to engage people in the magic of storytelling. There are usually live, storytelling performances, songs and tales. This year there will be a series of live and online events! Click here for more information.

· A spooky Halloween Edinburgh Ghost Tour of Old Town, 11.30pm 31st October 2021 at St Giles’ Cathedral steps

· There is also the Samhuinn Fire Festival on October the 31st on the top of Calton Hill, which celebrates the transition of Summer to Winter and a stand-off between the seasonal kings! If you want to see this performance visit Beltain.org

· Bonfire Night 5th November 2021- To get a full view of the display we recommend watching the displays from the top of Calton Hill!

 

 

Bonfire

Bonfire

 

You can find even more events in the link below:

https://www.whatsoninedinburgh.co.uk/events/all-events/2021/10/

 

Don’t let the weather dampen your spirit but remember to take your waterproof with you, wherever your next adventure awaits!

Welcome back to campus

06/09/2021 / / 0 Comments

Picture of Library staff

Welcome back to our returning students. We hope you enjoyed your summer and are ready for the new academic year. You will find there are still some covid-19 precautionary measures in place in the library and here is a short guide to let you know what has changed and what has stayed the same:

The Library opening hours can be viewed here.

Hand sanitisers are still at library entrances, and sanitizing stations are still positioned throughout libraries.

We are still operating social distancing measures, so some study spaces are unavailable. Where spaces are not in use you will see a cross on the desk and the chair will be covered up.

Group study rooms must be booked using Resource Booker, but individual spaces do not need to be booked.

Our Click and collect service continues, and you can still request books from your home campus.

Books and Lapsafe laptops which have been on loan over the summer will be due back by 1st October. After that, books will have a loan period of up to 4 months providing they are not requested by another user. Lapsafe laptops will be 14-day loans.

From 14th September you will be able to make requests for items that are out on loan.

Soft furnishings have been returned to the libraries allowing social spaces and relaxation spaces to be opened up.

The SCONUL access scheme is set to re-start in November.

If you have any questions, you can contact the library at any time.

By Vivienne Hamilton

War Poets Collection: Remembering Siegfried Sassoon

03/09/2021 / / 2 Comments

Siegfried Sassoon

September is the time when we celebrate the acclaimed war poet Siegfried Sassoon.

Siegfried Sassoon was born 8th September 1886, and died in 1967, on September 1st. Sassoon was a talented poet, writer and soldier. He received the Military Cross for bravery during the First World War.

He wrote fervent pieces that spoke of compassion for his fellow soldiers, and his anger towards those he believed could have ended the war sooner but instead prolonged it.

Sassoon continued to write for the rest of his life, publishing many important works such as Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man and Memoirs of an Infantry Officer.

 

Sassoon was sent to Craiglockhart War Hospital (Now our Craiglockhart campus) during World War One. Here he met Wilfred Owen during his convalescence, and together they produced some of the finest war poetry ever written.

Craiglockhart War Hospital (old Hydropathic Hotel) photographs of Staff and patients

Craiglockhart War Hospital

You can visit our permanent exhibition area containing more than 600 unique items. It allows visitors to get an insight into war through the experiences of the poets. Access to the War Poets Collection remains limited due to social distancing, so if you would like to visit please contact us first.

The War Poets collection at Craiglockhart campus

Not only do we have many items in our permanent exhibit, but we also have a treasure trove of exciting new material. It has been loaned to Edinburgh Napier’s War Poets Collection for the period covering the Centenary of the First World War Armistice on November 11th. The new exhibits, which will be available for public viewing, include original photographs of celebrated war poet Siegfried Sassoon, work privately printed by him and an original of his famous war protest letter of July 1917. Read more about it here.

If you would like to read some of his works, here are some sources:

 

For Library Members

Siegfried Sassoon: poet’s pilgrimage

Siegfried Sassoon : (1886-1967)

Dr W. H. R. Rivers: Siegfried Sassoon and Robert Graves ‘fathering friend’

You can check out Librarysearch.napier.ac.uk for access to many more wonderful University materials

Online

10 Siegfried Sassoon Poems Everyone Should Read

The Siegfried Sassoon Fellowship

 

Thank you for reading.

 

Sources

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/sassoon_siegfried.shtml

https://siegfriedsfellowship.wixsite.com/siegfriedsassoon

War Poets Collection

 

 

 

Starting University in September?

30/08/2021 / / 0 Comments

It can be both an exciting and a daunting time in your life… starting university! Perhaps you are moving to a new city or accommodation and feeling a whirlwind of different emotions.

University offers you a specific area of study to help pursue your career goals as well as everyday life independence and networking.

Here are some tips below to plan your next steps:

· Talk to friends, family, and colleagues about any concerns or tips for starting university.

· Pack essentials: kitchen accessories and utensils, food, laundry basket, bedding, stationery, laptop, and any other technological devices.

 

Utensils and Food

Utensils and Food

· Start a group on Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to get to know your flat or course mates! There is also a freshers page on Instagram you can join for 2021 you can keep up to date with https://www.instagram.com/napierfreshers/?hl=en

· You may also want to think about joining a society and finding people who have the same interests as you: https://www.napierstudents.com/

· Discount!? UNiDAYS and Student Beans offer discount on food, clothing and more. You can find this via the links: https://www.myunidays.com/GB/en-GB https://www.studentbeans.com/uk

 

Remember you have got this and you can always contact Napier for support too! https://www.napier.ac.uk/about-us/contact-us

You can find more help on starting at university in the link below: https://www.napier.ac.uk/study-with-us/undergraduate/getting-started-at-uni

 

Edinburgh

Edinburgh

🏳‍🌈 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! 🏳‍🌈🌈🏳‍🌈

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.

 

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:

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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