New Digital Scholarship LibGuide published
The Academic Support Librarian team have just published a new guide to digital scholarship and digital humanities, to assist all students in understanding and navigating this area of investigation.
You can access the guide here.
Latest news about the libraries phased re-openings
The University Library has updated its covid19 guidance page with the latest information about the phased re-opening of some Library services.
In line with Phase 2 of the Scottish Government roadmap for research and innovation, the University can begin to reopen laboratories, research facilities and libraries for access to research materials from Monday 29 June. This means that we can prepare the first steps towards the reopening of libraries, which will start with limited access to the Main Library and CRC services. It will take time to put these services in place, so please continue to check the Library covid19 page for regular updates.
Click & Collect Service
The Library is developing a new Click & Collect service to provide access to general collection items. This will begin as a limited service with access to Main Library collections for University staff and Postgraduate Taught and Research students. The service will expand to provide access to collections at other sites where possible, dependent on the opening of those buildings with safe and compliant practices being in place.
The service will be tested from 13 July, with 20 July as the target full launch date. Further information about how to place requests will be provided as service plans progress.
Returning Library Books
Plans are underway to enable the return of library books to the Main Library while ensuring the safety of all Library users. Further details will be provided when a date for the return of items is confirmed.
Please keep checking the Library covid19 guidance page for the latest news.
Primary resource databases from ProQuest: new deal!
The University Library is pleased to announce a new deal whereby we now have access to around 350 ProQuest databases for primary sources.
The ProQuest Access 350 subscription gives us access to:
- c.300 new primary source databases from ProQuest and Alexander Street Press
- 230M+ pages of collections, spanning 600 years of history
- Large collection of historical periodicals, with 325+ years of coverage
- Archive of 50+ newspapers covering over 350 years
- Comprehensive collection of US and UK government documents
- Increased collection diversity with 27 new Black Studies and 2 new LGBT digital collections
The Library is currently working on the huge task of integrating all of this new content into DiscoverEd, and the library web pages. We’re planning to run a series of online seminars to open up this content to researchers over the summer. The details of the first webinar next week are:
Webinar: Using University of Edinburgh’s ProQuest digital resources to find important documents on Black Studies and Black History:
Date and time: Thursday 9th July, 1:00pm – 1:45pm (British time)
Description: In this webinar (45 mins), we will be looking at how you could use your ProQuest resources to discover important primary source documents on the topic of Black Studies and Black History.
By the end of the session, you will be able to:
- Run searches, evaluate and select results
- Identify the strengths of the variety of content types available to support your teaching programme or research project dissertation respectively
You can browse the A-Z list of all of our digital library resources at https://www.ed.ac.uk/is/databases-a-z , or explore the library subject guide to Primary Sources.
All the latest Library news…
…to find out all the latest information and news about Library services during the ongoing pandemic please remember to check this website, which Information Services Group update regularly:
https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/library-museum-gallery/covid-19
Stay safe!
New LibGuide launched on International Jazz Day
To celebrate International Jazz Day we have launched our new Jazz LibGuide. You can find the guide listed here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/library-museum-gallery/finding-resources/subject-guides
Improve your library search skills with LinkedIn Learning!
Did you know that you can take an online course to improve your library search skills, using LinkedIn Learning? Just go to your account on MyEd, then:
Students should choose Studies > Study Tools > Build your skills > LinkedIn Learning.
Staff members should choose Services > Staff Development > LinkedIn Learning.
Once you have logged into LinkedIn Learning, search for the “Information Literacy” course, and work through it at your own pace.
For more information about LinkedIn Learning, go to https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/help-consultancy/is-skills/linkedin-learning
Library guide for exams and revision launched online
The University Library’s team of Academic Support Librarians has now launched a new LibGuide for Exams and Revision, to help all students over the coming weeks. It is live at https://edinburgh-uk.libguides.com/exams/
Temporary access to e-textbooks until 30 June 2020
An approved third party e-book provider – VitalSource – has arranged temporary free access to selected textbooks from participating publishers for students who are unable to borrow print course materials due to COVID-19 campus closures.
Students may create a VitalSource Bookshelf personal account, and then select up to 7 textbooks from the range of participating publishers.
The range of publishers currently includes American Psychological Association; Bloomsbury Academic; Bristol University Press; Cengage; Edward Elgar; Elsevier; Macmillan International Higher Ed; McGraw Hill; Kogan Page; Pearson; Springer Nature; Taylor and Francis; Wiley; WW Norton. More publishers are being added, with the list available here: http://get.vitalsource.com/vitalsource-helps-ukir
Please note that the Library may already provide access to some of these textbooks, so it is worth checking DiscoverEd first (http://discovered.ed.ac.uk/) before selecting any of your 7 titles in VitalSource Bookshelf.
Setting up access to VitalSource Bookshelf:
- The Vitalsource Bookshelf login page provides instructions for students to set up a personal account – you must use your University of Edinburgh e-mail address ending @ed.ac.uk
- You will be asked to confirm your e-mail address, and you may then sign in and search for textbooks relevant to your studies
- Once you locate a relevant title, hover over it and click ‘borrow’ – please note that you may only borrow 7 titles – once you click on a book to borrow it, one of your allowances is used, and you cannot swap titles.
- VitalSource have FAQs which provide help and information: http://support.vitalsource.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360044467674/.
- If you are using a mobile device to access the Bookshelf, you will only see e-books which you have already selected/successfully launched. If you would like to download a book on device, you would need to launch it through the web browser first.
If you have problems please email IS.Helpline@ed.ac.uk
Online study resources
Every day we see more publishers and suppliers giving us free access to more and more online study and research resources! You can see our regularly updated guide here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/library-museum-gallery/covid-19
Just one example of open access material that you may find useful is The MIT Press’ offering of open access books and journals: https://mitpress.mit.edu/mit-press-open
Another place to look for open access books is the Directory of Open Access Books: https://doabooks.org/
UCL Press has open access books on art history: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/collections/area-studies-1 , the built environment: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/collections/built-environment and urban studies: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/collections/urban-studies among other subjects.
This update from the Institute of Historical Research at the University of London, about open and free online resources, may be of interest to our art historians: https://www.history.ac.uk/library/collections/online-resources/open-access-resources
Covid-19 library update 24th March 2020
Please note that the University closed the Main Library at George Square at 5.00pm on 23rd March, and all libraries will now be closed until further notice.
For students with appointments at Student Counselling – you will be contacted directly to arrange an alternative.
The University is looking into alternative provision of safe study spaces for those that need it, and an update will be sent out as soon as possible from Tracey Slaven, Deputy Secretary Strategic Planning.
Please heed the Government advice and stay home and practice safe social distancing at all times.
You can check the latest updates and information from the Library at https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/library-museum-gallery/covid-19