Home University of Edinburgh Library Essentials
December 17, 2025
Meet your LexisNexis Student Associate for 2021/22!
We’d like to introduce you to Noah Norbash, one of your fellow students who is a specialist in working with LexisNexis and all their resources – such as the invaluable LexisLibrary and Lexis PSL databases! We recently met with Noah to discuss what he has planned for the year, and he’s answered the following questions so you can get to know him too.
Tell us a little bit about yourself! Who are you and what do you study at Edinburgh?
Noah outside the magnificent buildings of Old College
I’m Noah – currently a student in the Graduate LLB programme. I grew up in the United States just outside of Boston, but I have spent many a year studying and living in St Andrews, the Veneto region of Italy, London, and finally here in Edinburgh!
Why did you apply to be the student representative for LexisNexis?
I applied to be the LexisNexis Student Associate on campus to not only enhance my own understanding of legal databases, but also to convey my knowledge to my fellow students. As an added extroverted bonus, I also get to have a bit of a chat here and there with interesting people! LexisLibrary has been of extraordinary help to me in my degree programme so far, and no doubt LexisPSL will be of equal significance when I begin the diploma and a traineeship. As a simultaneous LawPALS leader and a LexisNexis Student Associate, I looked forward to giving members of the university community the tools to succeed and achieve whatever they put their minds to.
What do you think is the best feature that Lexis offers for students in the Law School?
The #1 top-notch feature that can be accessed on LexisLibrary is without a doubt the Stair Memorial Encyclopaedia – it is a resource exclusive to LexisNexis, and it contains a wealth of information on every imaginable topic in Scots law with links to any relevant case law and legislation. In a nutshell, it serves as a textbook on the entirety of the laws of Scotland, and its usefulness cannot be overstated! When it came to preparing for moots or even getting a birds-eye view of material in advance of tutorials, the Encyclopaedia can quickly steer you in the right direction for where you need to go.
If you could name one top tip that everyone should know about your platform, what would it be?
A top tip everyone should know about the platform is that you can easily narrow searches of case law to only a particular firm: this is especially useful to those seeking a traineeship to be able to discuss specifically what issues their firm of choice may be facing in today’s legal climate. There is no better way to stand out from the crowd in an interview setting – being able to express niche insider-quality knowledge about the firm that is totally available to applicants is a spectacular way to impress. By reading a firms’ submissions and the judge’s opinion on LexisLibrary, you as an applicant can see the fruits of the firm’s labour and gain a clearer understanding of what the firm seeks to achieve in the courtroom.
When students book a training session with you, what can they expect to get from the meeting?
When students book a training with me, they can expect to gain insight into how to use LexisNexis software in an approachable and friendly setting. Over the course of the year, I will be running training sessions for Foundation- and Advanced-level LexisLibrary Certifications, LexisPSL certification, and Commercial Awareness more generally. Otherwise, students can get in contact with me for any Lexis-themed questions and I will be happy to help! Although I’m not an expert on par with the full-time Lexis Customer Success Managers, I will do all I can to imbue you with the knowledge I have been given and to give you a solid base of LexisNexis database-searching skills that will prove indispensable for the legal journey of your lifetime. Don’t be a stranger!
You can find Noah in his new and fabulous Teams group: tinyurl.com/LexisCorner
Alternatively youcan reach him by email at n.norbash@sms.ed.ac.uk.
Finding Resources: Navigating the Online Library
The Online Library is a vast resource. Whatever you study, you will find what you need in the Library collections. For all that it is wide and wonderful, however, I know (from personal experience) navigating the Online Library can be overwhelming. Read on for tips on where to look for resources and how to get the best out of the Online Library…
Subject Guides
Subject Guides are a great place to start your search for resources. If you haven’t already, head over to the Subject Guides list and find all the most relevant library resources for your subject and more…
Check out our blog dedicated to Subject Guides for more information, coming soon...
Read More
Making library data work for us
Image by 200 Degrees from Pixabay
On 2-4 November I attended the LibPMC Conference (International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries). The conference content was really varied, including a focus on the needs of stakeholders and communities and actively using qualitative and quantitative data to improve services and the user experience. Here are some highlights.
- But can it last? How the pandemic transformed our relationship with data. Dr Frankie Wilson, Bodleian Library
- Knowledge is PowerBI: How data visualisation helped inform services during the pandemic. Elaine Sykes, Liverpool John Moore’s University
- Using return on investment to tell the story of library value and library values. Prof Scott HW Young, Prof Hannah McKelvey – Montana State University
- Assembling a Virtual Student Library Advisory Board during COVID-19. Prof Chantelle Swaren, Prof Theresa Liedtka – University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
- Charting the Change: Analysing How Online Delivery Made A Difference to Who Is Accessing Academic Skills Programmes. Louise Makin, Academic Engagement Manager, Liverpool John Moores University.
Visit to University of Dundee Library
The past eighteen months have been quite isolating for staff as well as students at academic institutions, and this has meant that opportunities for networking and visiting colleagues from other universities have been in short supply. Recently I was invited to visit the University of Dundee’s Main Library thanks to Kayleigh McGarry, Digital Literacy and Service Development Librarian.
Friday's actually my day off from work and childcare. What did I choose to do with my time to myself? Go on a field trip to another law library, obvs. pic.twitter.com/zed2JYiHUB
— SL McDonald (@brawbukes) October 15, 2021
Although Kayleigh works across all subject areas in Dundee, she and I both have a specialist interest in Law as we previously worked in the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service Library Service together. The Law collection at Dundee is housed in the Main Library and I was delighted to see a familiar face during my visit!
Bust of Lady Clark of Calton, Senator of the College of Justice and formerly Chairman of the Scottish Law Commission.
While I was interested to view the Law collection, it was also helpful to see how another institution have dealt with the challenges of the pandemic with regards their study spaces, group study rooms, and moving around the library. Most of the actions that have been taken in Dundee are very similar to our own service adjustments in the past year. Students are now able to use most study spaces on a drop in basis just like in our own libraries, and masks are worn throughout the building. The usual hand sanitising procedures and one-way systems are in place, and overall staff reported great cooperation from students during this tricky time. It was a real pleasure to see students back on campus and making the most of the available facilities. I have to confess that I’m quite jealous of the library’s podcast and recording studio, and seeing their makerspace reminded me of the brilliant facilities we have in the uCreate Studios on the first floor of our own Main Library.
Overall I found the visit to be both reassuring – the challenges we’ve faced as staff and students at Edinburgh are not unique, and knowing that other university library services have made similar choices to our own suggests that we’re all doing the best we can under the circumstances – and inspiring, because Kayleigh and I have a plan in the works to further encourage networking amongst our colleagues across HE institutions in Scotland. Hopefully this will be the first of many renewed opportunities for visiting libraries and sharing experiences to come.
SarahLouise McDonald
Academic Support Librarian to the School of Law
Database Trials
After a break in arranging database trials these have now restarted. Two current trials that may be of interest to staff and students alike are:
Policy Commons database:
The Library has taken out a one-year trial subscription to the Policy Commons database, a unique database providing access to nearly 3 million curated, high quality policy reports, briefs, analyses, working papers, books, case studies, media and datasets from thousands of policy organizations and think-tanks world-wide. This talk will cover content and search of the database, including searching for tables and graphs, as well as the facility to upload documents. Access to Policy Commons can be found at policycommons.net.
Off-campus access requires the use of the University’s VPN, or to register for a Policy Commons account using a University of Edinburgh email address.
A demonstration of the database will be held for University of Edinburgh users on Thursday 9th December, 10:00 – 11:00. Book a place at this online event at : events.ed.ac.uk/index.cfm?event=book&scheduleID=51607
Europresse:
The library has access to Europresse for a ten-day trial, until Friday 12th November.
This databases provides access to over 6,200 international publications including journals, newspapers, blogs and magazines. Coverage is international with many of the publications included available in their original language and layout, which differs from many of the news databases we currently subscribe to. The range of available sources includes numerous European national newspapers such as Le Monde, Libération and Le Figaro, along with regional newspapers. English language titles such as The Guardian and The New York Times are also available. Full details are on the databases trials page.
If you try out either of these databases (or any of the databases linked on the trials webpage) we’d be really grateful if you would complete the feedback form to tell us what you think. This helps us get a feel for what has been useful to you and whether we should subscribe. Alternatively you can send us feedback or any ideas for future resources we should trial by email on law.librarian@ed.ac.uk.
Europresse trial – French newspapers and magazines, and more…
The Library has arranged a trial of Europresse for a very limited period, for 10 days until 12 Nov 2021. The trial can be accessed from the Library’s E-resources Trials website, or access the following link directly which requires UoE login:
https://nouveau-europresse-com.ezproxy.is.ed.ac.uk/Search/Reading
Europresse provides access to over 6,200 publications including journals, newspapers, blogs, and magazines. Coverage is international with many of the publications included available in their original language and layout. The database includes numerous European national newspapers such as Le Monde, Libération and Le Figaro, along with regional newspapers. English language titles such as The Guardian and The New York Times are also available. Thematically, Europresse titles cover the Humanities and Social Sciences, Politics, Law, Economics, Finance, Science, Environment, IT, Transports, Industry, Energy, Agriculture, Arts and culture (Lire, Le Magazine littéraire, World Literature Today, Télérama, Rock and Folk…), Health, and event Sports (L’Équipe, France Football, Sport 24…). It also includes some TV and radio transcripts, biographies and reports, images, audio and video content.
As an example, it provides the image version of today’s Le Monde newspaper which is a welcome alternative to the text version of Le Monde via Factiva. Le Monde Historical Archive, which we subscribe to, covers only 1944-1999. 
You can see the full list of publications provided by Europresse here:
https://nouveau-europresse-com.ezproxy.is.ed.ac.uk/Pdf
Please send feedback via the E-resources trial feedback form.
SSSA in 70 Objects: Photograph of Sorley Maclean and Ian Paterson
Sorley MacLean and Ian Paterson in the School of Scottish Studies tea room, Summer 1981. © The School of Scottish Studies Archives, Ref: V_2b_8119
This week saw the 110th anniversary of the birth of Raasay poet Sorley MacLean (26 October 1911 – 24 November 1996) and so today’s blog is a great opportunity to share with you a photograph from the collection that I really like, for two reasons.
Here are Sorley and Ian Paterson, sitting at the tea table in the School of Scottish Studies. Ian Paterson was a native of Berneray and worked at The School of Scottish Studies first as a transcriber and then began collecting fieldwork of his own. In July 1974 and November 1978, Ian recorded Sorley reciting his poems at The School. You can hear these recordings via Tobar an Dualchais by following the Reference links below:
It is an incredible gift to be able to listen to one of our greatest contemporary Gaelic poets reciting his own work in fine, resounding voice.
I like the candidness of this image too; such a lack of ceremony. Two people, taking their ease, caught in a conversation while having a cup of tea. And that is the other thing I like about this image. It was taken in the Tea room at 27-29 George Square, in the School of Scottish Studies building and for anyone who worked, studied or had connections in the building, the tea room and the tea table was a special place indeed.
From special occasions to plain old elevenses, there was always a community feel about that room and you were never quite sure who else would be joining you for your tea. When the Celtic and Scottish Studies department and the Archives moved in 2015 the tea table was much mourned as that hub. We often hear stories from people who have memories of being at the tea table and so we thought it would be great to share some of these here on the blog, along with some more photographs from our collections. If you have any memories of occasions in the tea-room, no matter how long or short the tale, please drop us a line at scottish.studies.archives@ed.ac.uk, or leave us a comment below.
Louise Scollay, Archive & Library Assistant
Open Access Week: Meet the (Scholarly Communications) Team
Theo Andrew was one of the first supporters of Open Access at the University of Edinburgh. He started working with the University Library in 2003 on a couple of JISC projects named SHERPA and Theses Alive!, from which produced the Edinburgh Research Archive, which later became our OA repository and one of the most visited DSpace repositories. His comprehensive experience covers OA advocacy and payments, checking publishers and funders’ policies, dealing with copyright enquiries and FOI requests. Now he is the team manager, coordinating a team of five. Outside work, he enjoys running and rolling dice.
Eugen Stoica joined the University Library in 2007 as REF Publications Officer, a role that he resumed for the 2014 submission. Genuinely interested in OA & Copyright and legal matters in general, he is the service manager for the Library Copyright team. Presently he is the Library’s FOI practitioner and in charge of repository administration. A man of few words, he’s an amateur photographer, enjoys travelling and reading history.
Fiona Wright joined the team in 2012 as a Research Publications Assistant to help with the REF2014 submission. Since then, her hard work and professionalism earned everybody’s respect and got her in charge of the OA payments (worth in excess of 1 million pounds) so publishers and researchers alike should stay on the right side of her. She enjoys travelling, going out with her friends and sharing pictures from the top of Arthur’s Seat on early weekend mornings.
Michael Logan was involved in several projects with the University Library, the most recent being the PhD thesis digitisation project (17,000 volumes scanned and deposited in ERA – our OA repository) so in 2019 when he started working with Scholarly Communications Team he fell right into place. Besides managing ERA and producing incredible infographics, he helped with REF2021 submission and with metadata quality. His quirky sense of humour is matched only by his eclectic taste in music.
Rebecca Wojturska joined our team in March 2020 right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and for 18 long months she didn’t meet her colleagues in person and never been in the (new) office. Rebecca’s background is in commercial publishing which is a perfect fit for her responsibilities managing and growing our Open Access Journal Hosting service. The latest service development includes a newly created Open Access Book Hosting Service. Her energy and passion for publishing extends outside work as she has her own publishing company focused on Gothic, horror and dark fiction in all formats.
Open Access Week: Download statistics
Introducing Edinburgh Diamond: Library-supported Open Access Books and Journals
Library and University Collections currently offer a journal hosting service, free of charge to staff and students, which you may already be familiar with.
Open Access Week is the perfect time to share that that we have rebranded as Edinburgh Diamond and added a book hosting service to our offering!
The book hosting service will offer much of what the journal hosting service offers: ISBN and DOI allocation, a hosting platform for textbooks, monographs and edited collections, metadata deposits, indexing arrangements, annual reporting, ongoing technical support, guidance on publishing best practice… and more!
Bringing our journal and book services under one umbrella allows us to promote our services as a whole. Edinburgh Diamond does what it says on the tin: promotes diamond open access, transparency, and high-quality research. If you know someone who may benefit from using our service, please put them in touch with Rebecca Wojturska: rebecca.wojturska@ed.ac.uk.
Find out more about Edinburgh Diamond: https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/research-support/edinburgh-diamond
Take a look at our new book hosting site:
https://books.ed.ac.uk/
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....