Tag Archives: Library

Do it like they do on the DiscoverEd channel

DiscoverEd is the Library's discovery service and principal search tool

DiscoverED, the University of Edinburgh’s new one step information, discovery and delivery service, is now on-line and fully operational. You can request Library Annexe items using the new service; all you have to do is sign in and find the items using the search bar. As well as books, DiscoverEd will search ebooks, ejournal articles and more.

The first request for a Library Annexe item was placed by non-other than our staff member Dominic Tate. Congrats Dominic, we know how important this is to you. [You will receive your diploma in the mail shortly.]

You can read all about DiscoverED at the links below.

About DiscoverEd

Search for Library Annexe items and more

Marko Mlakar, Library Annexe Assistant

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Book Week Scotland 2014

Today marks the start of Book Week Scotland; the annual celebration of books and reading, as organised by the Scottish Book Trust. Part of the activity for 2014 includes the writing of love letters to libraries. Well, I’ve worked in libraries for seven years, and I can’t quite imagine doing anything else, so I think it’s safe to say that I love libraries. The world of library professionals is ever changing, and you are like as likely to spend your time digitising obscure texts to be uploaded on-line these days as you are to find yourself shelving dusty volumes onto creaking shelves. However, like most people I meet, I was initially drawn to the strange allure of a room full of words and ideas, each sealed with a binding, and the incomparable magic of losing yourself inside their pages.

This week, why not use your local library services. If you are a student or a researcher, make sure you take full advantage of the University’s resources:

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/library-museum-gallery

And, please, visit the Scottish Book Trust website and see what else is going on:

http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland

There are events happening all over Scotland throughout the week, including this “festival of books” at the Edinburgh College of Art:

Bookmark’ at ECA

Carl Jones, Library Annexe Supervisor

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Requesting Electronic Delivery of Journal Articles and/or Book Chapter Scans from the Annexe

In addition to the item retrieval service for books and journals, we also provide electronic delivery of scanned journal articles and chapters from items held out at the Library Annexe.

There are two starting points from which to make a request for an article or book chapter:

  1. Use the Library Catalogue, and select ‘Library Annexe Scan Request’
  2. If you know the article or chapter you require, log in to ILLiad.

The User Guide provides information on using ILLiad to make a request for the digital delivery of a scan:

You do need to register with ILLiad to receive the requested scans, however registration is free and needs doing only once.

Interesting fact: in the last year the Annexe Team processed a total of one-thousand-and-ninety-seven scan requests for an average of fifty requests per week.

Stephanie Farley (Charlie), Library Annexe Assistant

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Tour de Store

As well as the usual retrieval and scanning services offered by the Library Annexe, which you may have read about on our blog or web page, we are also happy to provide tours of the facility to anyone who wishes to see what we do. We have hosted occasional open days where staff and library users are invited to spend an hour at the Annexe viewing some of the collections and watching us work, but we will also happily give tours upon request.

Annexe Tour

Scott is obviously deeply absorbed by the tour or else dazzled by the lights.

We were visited on Wednesday 24th July by Rachel, Scott & Christine from the Main Library’s Help Desk team, who deal with requested Annexe material every week and were keen to see the Annexe for themselves.

Library Tour 2

Rachel ponders the secrets of the Annexe collections.

They were undeterred by the earlier bout of traditional Edinburgh rainfall and made the short and easy journey from George Square to South Gyle. We started proceedings with a tour of the two units that comprise the Library Annexe, a circuit that took us through two reading rooms, staff offices and, of course, the 33,000 linear meters of shelving space spread across our substantial stores. Stops were made to take in some of the varied collections, including a rare chance to glimpse the recently acquired Nelson Archive. As guide, I did my best to provide our guests with some interesting facts and figures. For example, did you know that, in addition to our monographs, journals and archives, we also hold approximately 1,000 ECA Artworks? Or that we scan an average of 26 articles and chapters for our users each week? Or that we loaned a total of 3185 items in the 2011/12 academic year?

Library Tour 3

Charlie demonstrates how we process requests and even manages to do it with a smile.

After the circuit was completed, the visiting Help Desk staff were granted respite in our staff quarters, where Charlie demonstrated how we process the various physical item requests we receive each day, and Maria did a stellar job of showing off our impressive scanning suite, which we use for digitising all scan requests and is central to the operation of our increasingly well subscribed thesis scanning service.

Library Tour 4

Maria is in the spotlight as she shows off our state-of-the-art scanner.

Links:

Requesting Material from the Library Annexe

Thesis Scanning Service

Carl Jones, Library Annexe Supervisor

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How to request material stored in the Library Annexe

The Library Annexe is the off-site store for lesser-used material.

All students and staff can request items from the Library Annexe to support their learning, teaching and research. This service is provided free of charge for staff and students of the University of Edinburgh.

Each year staff at the Annexe deal with a large number of requests for this material; in 2011-12 this included supplying 3,300 books and journals, delivering 1,400 scans and responding to 552 email enquiries.

General Collections material

If you wish to consult a whole journal or book, you may request the item using the Library Catalogue. For more information on how to do this we recommend you read the Library Annexe Item Request Users’ Guide

Items are delivered to the Main Library and site libraries via two courier deliveries each day. For more information on when you can expect to pick up your request you can learn about delivery times for requested material

Wanting to request something? Use the Library catalogue to make a request!

 

Stephanie Farley (Charlie), Library Annexe Assistant

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