Tag: Resources

Star Wars Day

04/05/2024 / julietkinsey / 1 Comment

May the Fourth be with you! Star Wars Day

May the fourth is commonly known around the world by Star Wars fans as Star Wars Day. This is because May the 4th sounds a bit like “May the fourth”. Part of a very famous quote from the film “May the force be with you”.

The History of Star Wars

The Star Wars film franchise is probably one of the biggest, if not the biggest in the world. Created by the founder, former chairman and CEO of Lucasfilm, George Lucas. The first film came out way back in 1977. It was widely expected to be a flop and in fact, Lucas made a bet with Steven Spielberg that ended up costing him £40 Million! He traded a percentage of the takings that turned out to be the best bet Spielberg ever made. Here’s Spielberg talking about it

“[He said] All right, I’ll tell you what. I’ll trade some points with you. You want to trade some points? I’ll give you 2.5% of Star Wars if you give me 2.5% of Close Encounters.’ So I said, ‘Sure, I’ll gamble with that. Great.’”

The film and its franchise have gone on to become one of the most beloved cult classics of our time. It still continues to grow and expand. The biggest spin-off so far is The Mandalorian and its scene-stealing star”Baby Yoda” aka Grougru.

Fun fact, did you know The Last Jedi was called “Space Bears” during its filming?

Why not have a quick Google search will have you lost for hours in all the amazing facts associated with this movieverse.

Star Wars Day

Events are held all over the world every year to celebrate this beloved Universe. From large get-togethers to home-based movie marathons. Why not host your own celebration this year? Get on some costumes and maybe try out some Star Wars recipes.

Library Resources

Want to watch the films right now? We can help! If you are an Edinburgh Napier University student or staff member then log into Box of Broadcasts (BoB) and you will be able to watch many of the films for free.

Also, check out librarysearch.napier.ac.uk for loads of fascinating items relating to Star Wars! We have a wealth of books, scores and articles.

All that’s left to say is “May the Force/fourth be with you!”

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/star-wars-movie-log-support-r2d2-2172948/

Read more form our blog on Geeky fun with our post on the History of Lego

🏳️‍🌈LGBT+ History Month 🏳️‍🌈

05/02/2024 / julietkinsey / 1 Comment

Celebrating LGBT+ History Month

February is the month we celebrate LGBT+ History here in the UK. It is a month-long celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and non-binary history, including the history of LGBT+ rights and related civil rights movements. In the United Kingdom, we celebrate it in February to coincide with the 2003 abolition of Section 28.

What we are doing

Here at the Library, we think it is incredibly important to support and promote equality and diversity. Furthermore, we are working hard to create more inclusive collections and to support our LGBT+ users and staff. For example, we are currently creating a permanent LGBT+ virtual bookshelf here on our blog, and we are training our staff to be inclusive in their actions and the language they use.

Resources

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

In addition, The Library has a wealth of books and articles on the subject. From the history of LGBT+ 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

Equality

Pride Parades and LGBT Movements: Political Participation in an International Comparative Perspective

Similarly, want to know more about Pride Month? Check out our article here.

Photo source: Photo by Jas Min on Unsplash

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

13/03/2023 / julietkinsey / 0 Comments

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

Neurodiversity Celebration Week is on the 13th – 19th of March this year and is a wonderful chance to embrace and learn about neurodiversity.

The term Neurodiversity encompasses a wide variety of neurological differences. The brain can be wired in a multitude of ways. This leads to many variable and complex possibilities for processing and understanding information. Although the use of labels is not always important, many in the community use the term “neurodiverse” to refer to people who may identify as having Dyslexia, DCD (Dyspraxia), Dyscalculia, Autism and ADHD.

Although often the focus is on the challenges associated with being Neurodiverse, there are also many strengths. Therefore, Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a chance for us to focus on the fantastic talents and special gifts that Neurodiversity can also give individuals.

Did you know people with ADHD are often highly creative and great at thinking outside the box? Autistic individuals can be incredible at spotting patterns and details often missed. Oh and we can be funny. Check out comedian Hannah Gatsby and her incredible standup. Not to mention fantastic actors, The renowned Anthony Hopkins is Autistic. Oh and don’t forget the incredible Chris Packham who not only has a brilliant career working with animals but does amazing work helping others in the community. This week join us outside of the box and learn about how great being neurodiverse can be!

Our Library over Summer

13/06/2022 / julietkinsey / 1 Comment

Our Library over Summer

The exams may be over, but our campus libraries are still open and offering a full range of services. That means that you still have access to laptop loans, printing, study space, and group study rooms. Also, Click and Collect and Inter Library Loans services are still operational. During staffed hours you can still contact us or come to the helpdesk for assistance.

Although you have finished your studies for the summer the library may still have something to offer:

Merchiston library has a wide selection of novels, poetry and photography books.

Craiglockhart Library has French, German and Spanish textbooks if you are interested in learning another language.

Sighthill library has books about birds, animals and plants for nature lovers.

Use Librarysearch to check out what is available!

You can also still access our relaxation spaces to take some time out or have some quiet time.

Don’t forget our online services where you are able to access electronic books and journals throughout the summer break. Also, Box of Broadcasts has lots of summer themed programmes to enjoy:

Countryfile Summer Diaries

Secret Scotland

Roads Less Travelled

Britain’s Best Walks with Julia Bradbury

Iain Robertson Rambles

All Aboard! The Canal Trip

Nature’s Calendar (Summer)

Travel Man (48 hours in….)

The Great British Seaside Holiday-Timeshift

And when the weather permits, why not visit the extensive grounds around Craiglockhart campus where you can take a walk or relax and take in the fantastic views of Edinburgh.

We hope you decide to use the library this summer, but if you don’t have a great summer and we will see you again in September!

By Vivienne Hamilton

For more Summer Ideas why not read our Summer Escapes article here!

World Ocean Day Wednesday 8th of June 2022

08/06/2022 / jemmalidgard / 1 Comment

World Ocean Day Wednesday 8th of June 2022

World Ocean Day was recognised by the United Nations in 2008. It advocates for protecting, restoring, and learning more about the blue planet. The ocean connects us all and we want to create a better and more sustainable future, as well as conserve marine ecosystems and life.

Did you know that the ocean covers over 70% of the planet? Also, 70% of the oxygen we breathe is produced by oceans?

It is home to most of the biodiversity and sadly due to pollution levels, coral reefs and marine life are diminishing. Therefore, as humans, we can take action to protect and understand our relationship with the ocean and its habitat.

Turtle

But how can we help?

You can support the campaign, whether this is online, a physical event, or sharing information around the world! Here is how you can help below:
Use educational materials found on the website.
Connect with your local aquarium, and schools, and amplify the event through blogging (like this one for example), signage, podcasts, and social media!
If you feel brave, you could deliver presentations (interactive alongside the ocean creatures), or if you live near the oceans, you could even host a guided walk.
Organise competitions around writing articles, books, or poems on saving our oceans.
Get creative and upcycle any materials found on the beaches that contribute to ocean pollution. · Sign the petition Conservation Action Focus – World Ocean Day – World Ocean Day
Spread the word and access promotional resources to engage communities on social media.

Protect World Ocean Day Beach Scene

The marine conservation society in Scotland has a responsibility to ban any damaged activity such as trawling and dredging. You can find more information https://www.mcsuk.org/about-us/where-we-work/our-focus-in-scotland/

There are also links on the library’s Box of Broadcasts to understand more about Oceans and the incredible creatures that live in them:

https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand/index.php/prog/125AA041?bcast=127865111 https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand/index.php/prog/118B147A?bcast=127040971

Search the library catalogue for books on Oceans.

Take action here

Tag: Resources

Star Wars Day

May the Fourth be with you! Star Wars Day