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December 15, 2025
When size matters : big books
A really good question was asked by one of our student interns recently about the rare books collections they were working with : “Why are the big books so big?”. This set me thinking about the size of the books in our Special Collections, big and small, and why size matters.
[Bible. Authorized version]. The Holy Bible : containing the Old and New Testaments … Glasgow ; Edinburgh ; London : Printed and published by William Mackenzie ; 1862-1863. New College Library B.r.302a-b
The Bible: translated according to the Ebrew and Greeke, and conferred with the best translations in diuers languages. London: Christopher Barker, 1583. B.r.33/1
Alongside this book, in our early Bibles collection we have several examples of pulpit Bibles such as this Geneva Bible used as the pulpit Bible in Crail, Fife. Traditionally Presbyterian churches in Scotland had a centrally located pulpit, reflecting the importance of the Bible as the foundation of faith. The large size of the book is part of its role as an object used in public worship.
Mikdash yeyai, ʻesrim ve-ʾarbʻa sefare ha-mikhtav ha-ḳadosh = En tibi lector Hebraica Biblia. Basel, 1534. LP4/2.10
In fact many of the largest books in our rare book collections are Bibles, and this is no surprise considering that the Bible is a very large amount of text, which requires a large book to fit it all in. This is even more the case for polyglot Bibles, which offer parallel versions of the text in different languages such as Latin, Hebrew and Greek, or for Bible versions that include commentary parallel with the text. In the recently catalogued LP section, this folio edition of the complete Hebrew Bible, with Latin translation, and Latin commentary drawn from Rabbinic sources, is one of the greatest Christian Hebraists of the sixteenth century, Sebastian Münster. This Bible was highly valued by 16th century Christian students of the Hebrew language and the Hebrew Scriptures, and is likely to have been among the resources used by Luther in preparing his Genesis lectures (1535-1545), his last major work.
Christine Love-Rodgers, Academic Support Librarian
With thanks to Janice Gailani, Rare Books Cataloguer.
New! Past Masters Commons
We now have access to Past Masters Commons, a growing series of important texts and translations that present the history of philosophy and thought. Read More
Psalm singing and the Reformation
New College Library welcomes delegates to The Cultures of the Reformation: A Colloquium in Honour of Professor Jane Dawson on Thursday 1 June 2017. We have updated our current display of early psalm books and Scottish liturgy to include two new items.
The CL. Psalmes of David in meter : for the vse of the Kirk of Scotland : the contents of this buke follovve in the next page after the kalender. Imprinted at London : By Thomas Vautrollier dwelling in the Black-Friers, 1587. tUR 77 1587
Journal of Professions and Organization – new subscription
We have a new e-journal subscription – Journal of Professions and Organization
Journal of Professions and Organization aims to be the premier outlet for research on professional organizations, including their work, management and their broader social and economic role. It will focus on the organizational level but will still maintain a broad interest in professionals, the professions, professionalization, professional practice and relevant work-place issues. The journal is receptive to interdisciplinary perspectives and contributions, with strong interests in all professional organizations, professional service firms (PSFs), and public sector professionals (PSPs). While recognizing the importance of traditional professions, they welcome work on new professions, occupations claiming some professional status, and on knowledge workers more generally.
Research Data Service highlights to report: August to December 2016
Research Data Service
New Research Data Service Website
The Research Data Service’s redesigned website was released in December. The new website is more accessible and includes new and updated content in support of RDM. The new website can be visited at http://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/research-support/research-data-service
RDM Forum Meetings
There were two RDM forum meeting held during the autumn term (7 September and 23 November). This is part of a collaborative effort that Çuna Ekmekcioglu (L&UC) and Jacqueline McMahon and Ewa Lipinska (College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences) organised to invite staff from CAHSS and other Colleges and Schools to meet and have discussions about RDM activities, and how these can be supported. There were almost 25 people in attendance for each meeting with another one scheduled for 28 March 2017.
A RDM forum SharePoint site has also been created to accommodate RDM resources including papers, presentation slides, work flow diagrams, guides and a collection of sample data management plans.
Visits
The Research Data Service welcomed visitors from seven universities during the autumn term with two visits from Kyoto University.
The purpose of their visits was to learn more about the services and resources we provide in support of research data management at the University of Edinburgh. The Digital Curation Centre (DCC) and senior IS staff also participated during some of the visits, which included meetings, presentations and tours.
- Nanyang Technological University: 3 – 4 August
- University of Auckland: 14 September
- Kyoto University (National Institute of Informatics): 26 September
- Malmö University: 10 – 11 October
- University College Cork: 21 September
- John Hopkins University: 21 September
- Kyoto University (Kyoto University Library): 26 October
- University of Malaya: 22 November
Data Management Planning
DMPonline had 57 new registered users and was used to create 115 data management plans (DMPs); in total, 256 DMPs were created in 2016.
There were 25 data management plan consultations from August to December.
Data Management Support
MOOC and MANTRA
A total of 1,817 learners enrolled for the 5-week RDMS MOOC rolling course from August to December, with a total of 5,466 learners enrolled for the year (2016); the MOOC started in March 2016.
2016 concluded with 22,544 MANTRA sessions recorded for the year, slightly lower than in 2015, when MANTRA had 22,950 sessions.
Active Data Infrastructure
DataStore
Active users remained consistent throughout the 2016 year with data stored on a steady rise. There was a natural decline over the summer break, which has been observed in previous years.
In 2016, the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS) activity was distinct from other Colleges with a spike in usage.
DataSync
DataSync usage includes the following stats that were reported at the end of 2016:
- Number of active users: 1,740
- Number of distinct clients (IPs 2017): 5,423
- Total DataSync storage: 3TB
- Number of mappings to DataStore areas: 294
Data Stewardship
Pure
In 2016, 326 Pure records for datasets were created, which surpass the number of records created in 2014 (31) and 2015 (32).
DataShare
202 datasets were deposited into DataShare.
DataVault
DataVault closed the year with 21 deposits for 2016. There was a soft release of DataVault in February 2016 and plans are to commit resources to DataVault so that there can be a release in mid 2017.
3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing – new subscription
We have a new e-journal subscription – 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing.
3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing is a peer-reviewed journal that provides a forum for world-class research in additive manufacturing and related technologies. The Journal explores emerging challenges and opportunities ranging from new developments of processes and materials, to new simulation and design tools, and informative applications and case studies. Novel applications in new areas, such as medicine, education, bio-printing, food printing, art and architecture, are also encouraged.
The Journal addresses the important questions surrounding this powerful and growing field, including issues in policy and law, intellectual property, data standards, safety and liability, environmental impact, social, economic, and humanitarian implications, and emerging business models at the industrial and consumer scales.
The Gaelic Liturgy; the only copy in Scotland
This unassuming little book is of the greatest national importance: it is the only copy in Scotland of the first book printed in Gaelic (Gaelic Liturgy; year 1567; shelfmark Dd.10.44.). After the Reformation there was a strong impetus, sponsored primarily by the Campbell Earls of Argyll, to evangelise the Highlands and Islands, where Gaelic rather than Scots was spoken. John Carswell, Bishop of the Isles, adapted John Knox’s Book of Common Order into Scottish Gaelic. It was a hugely ambitious undertaking, particularly considering it would be another two centuries before the New Testament was finally published in vernacular Gaelic. This copy has clearly been well-used.
Psalms in public and private
New College Library welcomes the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland this week with a display of early psalm books.
The psalmes of David in metre : according as they are sung in the Kirk of Scotland … Edinburgh, 1596. tUR 77 1596
During the period 1564-1644, around 70 editions of the Psalme Buik were produced for used in the Church of Scotland. Read More
5 things to remember if using the Library this summer, 2017
I wrote a “5 things to remember if using the Library this summer” post last year and it is the second most viewed post on this site. So shamelessly clinging to the coat-tails of that post, this is an updated version for 2017.
We’re creeping ever closer to the official end of the academic year (Friday 26 May) and while some of you may already have finished, to those that haven’t, keep going you are almost there!
While many of you are probably thinking the last thing you’d want to do is use or visit the Library over your summer break, there will be a large number of students who want to or need to use the Library during the summer vacation period to continue with their studies or research.
So if you are one of the many who is planning on using Library facilities or services over the summer then read on. And for those of you who aren’t planning on this maybe you should read on anyway just in case (particularly if you have not returned borrowed books).
1) The Main Library and other site libraries remain open throughout the summer vacation period.
Opening hours and Helpdesk staffed hours will be reduced in some libraries so keep an eye on the opening hours web site and follow the Library on social media for updates e.g. @EdUniLibraries, @EdUniMainLib, Facebook, etc. Read More
On trial: Secret Files from World Wars to Cold War
Following a request from staff in History the Library has been able to secure trial access to Secret Files from World Wars to Cold War: Intelligence, Strategy and Diplomacy from The National Archives and Taylor & Francis. This provides access to British government secret intelligence and foreign policy files from 1873 to 1953, with the majority of files dating from the 1930s and 1940s.
You can access this online archive via the E-resources trials page. Access is available both on and off-campus.
Trial access ends 26th June 2017.
Spanning four key twentieth century conflicts, with a spotlight on the Second World War, the material, sourced from The National Archives, enables research into intelligence, foreign policy, international relations, and military history in the period of Appeasement, through the Second World War, and into the early Cold War. Read More
Collections
Hill and Adamson Collection: an insight into Edinburgh’s past
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Cataloguing the private papers of Archibald Hunter Campbell: A Journey Through Correspondence
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Projects
Cataloguing the private papers of Archibald Hunter Campbell: A Journey Through Correspondence
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Archival Provenance Research Project: Lishan’s Experience
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