Home University of Edinburgh Library Essentials
June 17, 2026
The Most Beautiful Book in Scotland and the Oldest Scottish Manuscript?
The new Ms 39 Book of Hours available in LUNA Book Reader
We are delighted to announce that 2 manuscripts have been added to our growing collection of Book Readers in LUNA!
The first is Ms 39, an amazing early 15th century Book of Hours, with rich gold work, detailed miniatures and vibrant colours. See http://images.is.ed.ac.uk/luna/servlet/s/d4wx22 for the Book Reader. A note in the front of the book claims this is the most beautiful book in Scotland, what do you think? What are the other contender’s? Read More
Jisc MediaHub – ETV collection removal
We have received notification from JISC that the ETV (Educational and Television Films) Collection has been removed from Jisc MediaHub following the end of the licence period and instruction from BFI.
Authorised users at the University of Edinburgh who have downloaded films from the collection may continue to use them for teaching, learning and research as long as no further copies are created.
The collection contained 100 hours of films from the political Left from around the world. If you have any questions about this removal or would like advice on a replacement resource, please contact the Library.
Update – This collection has been reinstated for 2015 following discussions between BFI and JISC – see http://wp.me/p4JPXA-cK
New books for Social and Political Science: October 2014
Thanks to recommendations from members of staff and requests via RAB from students the Library is continually adding new books to its collections both online and in print. Here are just a small number of the books that have been added to the Library’s collections in October 2014 for Social and Political Science.
Sexuality, rurality, and geography edited by Andrew Gorman-Murray, Barbara Pini, and Lia Bryant (e-book).
India’s Foreign Policy edited by Kanti P. Bajpai and Harsh V. Pant (shelfmark: DS480.853 Ind.)
Statistical Modeling and Inference for Social Science by Sean Gailmard (shelfmark: HA29 Gai.)
Effective writing for social work making a difference by Lucy Rai (shelfmark: PN146 Rai.)
The Buganda factor in Uganda politics by Phares Mukasa Mutibwa (shelfmark: DT433.29.B8 Mut.)
Limits of Gendered Citizenship: contexts and complexities edited by Elżbieta H. Oleksy, Jeff Hearn, and Dorota Golańska (e-book). Read More
What do you want to learn today?
Come along to the Pop-up Library between 2-4pm on Wednesday 5th November to find out about free taught courses and online resources in information technology from IS Skills.
We have learning opportunities in:
- Basic IT, library and bibliography
- Learning technologies
- Posters, presentations and design
- Programming and operating systems
- Spreadsheets, data analysis and management tools
- Web publishing
- Working collaboratively
- Working with text
Our courses can help you to create an engaging presentation, format your thesis in Word 2013, learn a new programming language, and get your referencing right.
You can also help influence the courses we provide in the future by filling in our short survey to tell us what you want to learn about and how you prefer to learn.
Catherine Koppe, IS Skills team
Finding and using China-related library resources
Are you curious about China? Do you need to find relevant resources but don’t quite now where to start? Are you looking for primary sources?
If any of these questions have popped up, please come along on Friday, 7 November, 10.00am-12.00pm to the First Floor of the Main Library for our Pop-up Library session!
We will tell you all about both Western and Chinese language materials available through the Library. We will show you how to use our different databases on China, which contain both English materials (for example, British Foreign Office Files on China, Chinese laws, etc) and Chinese sources (classics, e-books, newspapers, journal articles, etc).
Whether you are just curious about China or need some help with a specific research question: we are there to help, so please ‘pop up’ to the First Floor on Friday!
Engage: #LibraryPop
Finding Data
The Data Library team want to help you find data sources for your studies and your research. Pop up to the Pop Up Library this Tuesday between 10am and 12 noon, and tell us what data you’re working with, ask us any questions you have about finding and using data and we’ll do our best to help.
Pauline Ward is a Data Library Assistant at the University of Edinburgh
See the Data Library’s online Catalogue for more information.
Collaborate: The University Supported Virtual Meeting Tool
On Wednesday November 5th from 10am-12pm come and find out about Collaborate!
Collaborate is the University Supported Virtual Classroom and/or Meeting tool and as students you can access Collaborate via the MyEd Portal.
Why use Collaborate?
- Great for online Group Work, Study Groups or Meetings
- It’s FREE!
- Once you have set up the meeting you can invite people from within, or outside, the University, you just need their email address.
- It’s supported by the University through IS Helpline
Collaborate is a great resource for study groups or other kinds of group work as you don’t have to be in the same location. There are many different tools within Collaborate to make your group work as successful as it would be if you met up in person.
- Interactive Whiteboard (great for brainstorming)
- Application/Desktop Sharing (great to work on shared documents)
- Load & Display PowerPoints (great for presenting)
- Share & Transfer Files (great for sharing)
We will be having a LIVE! Collaborate Session during the Pop Up Library…come join in and see what Collaborate is all about!
(this session will be open from 05-Nov-2014 09:30 to 12:30 we would love to see you then)
All you need to get started is a computer (or mobile device) and internet connection!
Thanks!
The Collaborate Team
Trial – Bloomsbury e-books
We have trial access to several e-book collections on the Bloomsbury e-book platform until the end of the year.
Bloomsbury Collections delivers access to quality research across the humanities and social sciences. Trial includes many of the 4,000 titles which will be on the platform by early 2015, featuring content from Bloomsbury’s latest research publications as well as a 100+ year legacy including Continuum, T&T Clark, Bristol Classical Press, Berg, The Arden Shakespeare and the recently acquired Hart Publishing.
The collections we are trialling are:
- Ancient Commentators on Aristotle
- Ancient History Archive 1983-2012
- Classical Literature Archive 1994-2012
- Classical Studies & Archaeology 2013
- Classical Studies & Archaeology 2014
Feedback and further info
We are interested to know what you think of this e-book package and platform as your comments influence purchase decisions so please do fill out our feedback form.
A list of all trials currently available to University of Edinburgh staff and students can be found on our trials webpage.
Trial – British Online Archives
We have trial access to British Online Archives until the 4th December. Access on campus or off campus via the VPN.
British Online Archives includes:
– British Records on the Atlantic World, 1700-1900
– Colonial & missionary records
– Records of the Raj
– People & Protest in Britain and Abroad, 1800-2000
– Twentieth century politics
– World War One: Different Perspectives
– British Broadcasting Corporation
– Communist Party of Great Britain archive
Feedback and further info
We are interested to know what you think of this e-resource as your comments influence purchase decisions so please do fill out our feedback form.
A list of all trials currently available to University of Edinburgh staff and students can be found on our trials webpage.
Trial – Stalin Digital Archive
We have trial access to Stalin Digital Archive until November 30th.
The Stalin Digital Archive contains a selection of documents which covers Stalin’s personal biography, his work in government, and his conduct of foreign affairs.
Feedback and further info
We are interested to know what you think of this database as your comments influence purchase decisions so please do fill out our feedback form.
A list of all trials currently available to University of Edinburgh staff and students can be found on our trials webpage.
Collections
Hill and Adamson Collection: an insight into Edinburgh’s past
My name is Phoebe Kirkland, I am an MSc East Asian Studies student, and for...
Cataloguing the private papers of Archibald Hunter Campbell: A Journey Through Correspondence
My name is Pauline Vincent, I am a student in my last year of a...
Projects
Cataloguing the private papers of Archibald Hunter Campbell: A Journey Through Correspondence
My name is Pauline Vincent, I am a student in my last year of a...
Archival Provenance Research Project: Lishan’s Experience
Presentation My name is Lishan Zou, I am a fourth year History and Politics student....