Home University of Edinburgh Library Essentials
June 18, 2026
#LibraryPop
Drop in sessions -1st Floor Main Library
13th October- 17th October

| AM | PM | |
| Monday | Digital Footprint – managing your digital footprint | Pebblepad for reflection (2-3pm only) |
| Tuesday | Musical Instrument Museum Collections | Meet Laura Shanahan (Head of Collections Development and Access) |
| Wednesday | Smart Searching with Searcher | Be in charge of the Library for the day! |
| Thursday | Box of Broadcasts (BoB) – what is it? How to use it? | Volunteering and Development with the Library |
| Friday | Your references: get it right first time | Survey: Course Collections Review |
The Library has set up trial access to BBC Monitoring Library and you can access this resource on the Databases trials page at www.ed.ac.uk/is/databases-trials
BBC Monitoring was created in 1939 to assess the use being made of radio by the Axis powers during WWII.
A number of its unique capabilities are still valued, such as its focus on open sources – specifically a wide range of broadcasts and news agency transmissions; its ability to provide “the words as spoken” – accurate and impartial translations of what happened, plus understanding how the media reported an event.
Managing your digital footprint will be at the Pop-Up Library on 13 October 2014
(10:00-12:00)
Do you want to find out how to manage your online presence (digital footprint); how social media can be useful; using social media for research & impact; networking and more? If so, then come along to the first floor, reception desk at the Main Library on 13 October (10:00-12:00).
What can you expect from the session?
Find us on:
We have lost access to a number of e-books published by Sage. This has been reported to the publisher and we hope to have access restored as soon as possible.
Update – Access has been restored.
I wanted to share some fantastic images that have come through the Digital Imaging Unit via general random digitization requests. This material is bound for individual researchers and would normally pass under the radar. We have enough amazing material passing through DIU to make this a monthly blog feature. First up is from “Zoology of Egypt, Reptilia and Batrachia” by John Anderson Shelfmark : L*.17.93. The whole book is packed with outstanding images and worthy of digitisation in its entirety.
If you have ever fancied using old or rare books as the basis of a project, or come upon the location “Main Library – Special Collections” in the catalogue, for something you wanted, and not known what to do next, the Library Pop-Up session on Thursday 9th October, 2 – 4pm is for you.
The library has about 400,000 rare books, ranging in date from manuscript books from the eleventh century through early printing from all parts of the world, to modern limited

editions and books with notes and annotations by scholars and scientists.
Come and see a small selection, showing the sort of thing we have, discover how to find out about them and get access to them. There will be a few you can handle, and Beth and Fiona, our Rare Books Cataloguing Interns will be running tutorials on how to handle them properly.
We have trial access to Oxford Scholarly Editions – Early Seventeenth-Century Prose until the 6th November. Access on campus or off campus via the VPN.
Oxford Scholarly Editions provides access to important writings from across the humanities, in editions which are the foundation of humanities scholarship—the primary sources upon which scholars rely for research and teaching. This trial access to the Early Seventeenth-Century Prose module includes the Minutes and Papers of the Westminster Assembly, the Royal Proclamations of King James I 1603–1625, the diaries of Samuel Pepys and John Evelynand the prose works of Thomas Hobbes, John Donne and Francis Bacon.
These links will show only the content we have access to:
Browse works – http://www.oxfordscholarlyeditions.com/search?onlySubscription=true
Browse editions – http://www.oxfordscholarlyeditions.com/search?onlySubscription=true&view=edition
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.
Did you know that everyone at the University, student or staff member, has access to a free ePortfolio space? It is called PebblePad and can be accessed via the MyEd portal.
On Wednesday morning (10-12) and Monday afternoon (2-3) come and meet the PebblePad support team who can chat you through the benefits of using your ePortfolio.
PebblePad is a secure, web-based tool that allows you to start capturing your experiences and reflect on them in a structured, re-usable manner – for example using the MyEdGE workbook that is available for all students. PebblePad aims to help you evidence more than simply a degree classification. It aims to help you evidence smaller achievements and skills that you have developed throughout your time at University, not necessarily just in the tutorial room! This kind of record can be incredibly useful when it comes to filling out application forms, whether for jobs or further education opportunities it is helpful to have these reflections to demonstrate the softer skills that you have cultivated.
So, come and chat to us, if you want to know more or have any questions – there will be free pens! We look forward to meeting you.
Explore PebblePad further at: http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/information-services/learning-technology/e-portfolios/pebblepad-eportfolio/definition
Explore the MyEdGE workbook further at: http://www.employability.ed.ac.uk/MyEdGE/
We have trial access to Vetus Latina database on the Brepolis platform until the 7th November. You will need to click “Enter database” to accept the terms and conditions of use before access is given to the database. Access is available on and off campus.
The Vetus Latina Database is an electronic index to all Greek and Latin patristic citations or allusions to the pre-Vulgate editions of the Bible, collected by the Vetus Latina Institut in Beuron, Germany.
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.
To help you get hold of the book* you need with Library Resources Plus! *Or other item.
Found a book in the Catalogue or Searcher and don’t know how to get it? Someone already borrowed the book you need? Need to access a book or journal article that the Library doesn’t have in its collections? Find out the answers to all of these and more at our Resources Plus session today (7th Oct) 2-4pm on the 1st floor Main Library. Pop up for a chat and let us help you get that book* that you need! *Or other item. Find out more about the session at Resources Plus. Main Library Helpdesk staff
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