Author Archives: cstirling

Take a break with BoB: your holiday playlists

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Congratulations! You’ve almost made it to the end of semester one. The essays are submitted, the exams are done (or nearly done), and it is officially time to relax. While we usually encourage you to use the Library for research, this Christmas we are encouraging you to use one of our best resources, and a bit of a hidden gem, for something else entirely: pure entertainment.

Screenshot of the Box of Broadcasts (BoB) homepage with BoB logo and sub-heading "On Demand TV and Radio for Education", with Sign In button and Find Out More button.

Meet your new best friend: BoB

If you haven’t used Box of Broadcasts (BoB) yet, you are in for a treat. BoB is an on-demand TV and radio service for education. It allows you to record programmes from over 75 free-to-air channels, but the real magic lies in the archive. Continue reading →

5 things: supporting you in your exams

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Semester one is almost over and exams are looming! As the exam period approaches, it’s natural to start feeling the pressure build. But remember, you’re not alone!

At the University of Edinburgh, there are plenty of resources and services designed to support you every step of the way. In this post, we’ll highlight five key ways the library can help – from available study spaces and digital resources to helpful guides and wellbeing support – so you can make the most of your revision and head into exams feeling confident and prepared.

1) Study space, study space everywhere but not a place to sit?

A collage showing different library interiors: a large historic reading room with stained glass windows and wooden desks; a modern library aisle with bookshelves and a person working at a desk by a window; a quiet study area with tables and chairs; and a group study space with students working together.

Clockwise from left: New College Library, ECA Library, Noreen and Kenneth Murray Library, and Moray House Library.

It can feel like this sometimes during the revision and exam period, particularly if you are a regular at the Main Library or Law Library. But there are lots of study spaces across our campuses that you have access to, including some temporary additional study space during the exam period.

While the Main Library is a favourite for many, there are 8 other site libraries that you have access to (with your student card). These range from old-fashioned, picturesque libraries, to modern libraries with light and space and also include a library in what used to be a swimming pool.

Locations and opening hours of our libraries Continue reading →

Halloween Horror with BFI Player

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With Halloween just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to get cosy and watch some truly creepy horror movies. Luckily, if you’re a student or staff member at the University of Edinburgh, you’ve got free access to BFI Player, packed full of wicked horror films (and other films) that’ll give you all the chills and thrills you’re after. From classic spooky tales to modern scares, there’s something for everyone who loves a good fright!

Screenshot of BFI Player horror film page showing three movie stills: a woman in a pool with a solemn expression, a frightened woman in front of colorful curtains (Suspiria, 1977), and a bloodied woman with a blurred figure in the background. Each has a purple "Watch now" label.

So grab some snacks, turn off the lights, and settle in for a scary movie marathon without ever leaving your room. Whether you’re watching solo, hanging out with friends, or just want to discover some fantastic horror flicks, the BFI Player’s got your Halloween covered with some seriously creepy must-sees.

Here is just a flavour of the horror films available to stream on BFI Player. Continue reading →

What will you discover at our Discovery Day?

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Unlock the potential of your dissertation or thesis at Discovery Day!

Join us on Monday 27 October, 10am–2pm at the Main Library for Discovery Day, your chance to explore the amazing resources available for your dissertations and theses during our Dissertation and Thesis Festival. Continue reading →

VE Day: through our online resources

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Today, 8 May 2025, marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day (Victory in Europe Day) when people in Britain and Allied nations across the world celebrated the unconditional surrender of Germany in the Second World War. While it was not the end of the conflict (it was August 1945 before the war against Japan ended) the sense of relief for people who had been living under total war for 6 years was huge. In Britain VE Day was declared a national holiday and people took to the streets to celebrate and commemorate in a huge release of collective tension. This blog posts pulls together just a small selection of our digital library resources that will help you find out more about VE Day, the events leading up to it and the aftermath.

What did the papers say?

Mentions of VE Day or Victory in Europe Day start before the 8th May, as people were aware of and anticipating the likely German surrender. So some preparations were already underway and some people began to celebrate early, on the 7th, when in Britain it was announced on the radio that the war in Europe was over.

From “This was VE-Day in London.” issue of Picture Post, May 19, 1945. Picture Post Historical Archive, 1938-1957.

Continue reading →

What to do when the Library doesn’t have what you need?

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At the University Library you have access to a huge range of material for your research and learning including over 2 million books, archives, instruments and artworks, over 2 million e-books and 330,000 e-journals, as well as 1000s of streaming videos, digital scans, databases, and more.

Text: How To Library

But when you are doing your own research there will be times you come across items or material that our Library does not have in its collections. Don’t panic! There are options available to help you get what you need. Continue reading →

Activism and Social Change in LGBT+ History

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In February we celebrate LGBT+ History Month 2025 in the UK and this year the theme is ‘Activism and Social Change’. Throughout history and across the globe LGBT+ activists have fueled social change, advancing society for the benefit of all.

To help you discover more we’ve pulled together just a small selection of Library resources that will allow you to start to find out more about activism and social change in LGBT+ history, herstory, theirstory.

1) Books (we are a library after all!)
2) Digital archives and primary sources
3) LGBT collections at Lothian Health Services Archive
4) Dissertation & Thesis Festival Discovery Day : Exploring LGBTQ+ History

Books (we are a library after all!)

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) was founded in 1990 as the first NGO devoted to advancing LGBT human rights worldwide. Transnational LGBT Activism : Working for Sexual Rights Worldwide asks how is that mission translated into practice? And what do transnational LGBT human rights advocates do on a day-to-day basis and for whom? Arguing that the idea of LGBT human rights is not predetermined but instead is defined by international activists who establish what and who qualifies for protection. Continue reading →

On trial: The Scotsman Archive, 1951-2002

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Thanks to a request from staff in History, the Library currently has trial access to the newly launched extension years for The Scotsman Historical Archive from ProQuest Historical Newspapers. While the Library already has access to The Scotsman Archive covering the years 1817-1950, the new extension module increases coverage up to 2002.

You can access ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Scotsman Archive (1817-2002) on the E-resources Trials page. Access is available until 4 December 2024. Continue reading →

How to interpret a reference for a book or journal article

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One of the most important things you will need to know how to do when starting out at university is understanding academic references. Here’s a simple guide to help you decode book and journal (periodical) references.

Text: How To LibraryHow to interpret a reference for a book

Example book reference:

Olusoga, D. (2017) Black and British: a forgotten history. London: Pan Books.

  1. Author(s): The first part of the reference is the author’s name. In this case, “Olusoga, D.” indicates the author is David Olusoga. If there are multiple authors, they will be listed in the order they appear on the book itself.
  2. Year of Publication: The year the book was published is in brackets. Here, it’s “2017”.
  3. Title of the Book: The title of the book is italicized. In this example, it’s “Black and British: a forgotten history”. Only the first word of the title and any proper nouns are capitalized.
  4. Place of Publication: This is the city where the publisher is located. In this case, London.
  5. Publisher: The name of the publishing company. Here, it’s “Pan Books”.

Continue reading →