Home University of Edinburgh Library Essentials
April 5, 2026
Visit the Law Library… virtually!
Law Library exterior, Old College
As the semester gets going you may be keen to visit our beautiful Law Library at Old College to find materials, use a study space, or generally just soak up the atmosphere.
However we know that after the past year some students may be anxious about coming on to campus, and may be worried about what to expect. In order to help with that we’ve prepared a short Sway as a guide to the Law Library. It includes information on what’s in the collections, photos of the library, and links to other helpful resources you may want to use. You can find it here:
Law Library Library Orientation Guide
We’ve made different guides for each of our site libraries which you can find on the Library Orientation Guide page on our website. You’ll also find a guide to Using the Library Online, which we think will be helpful for our online or distance students, or those who are self-isolating or in quarantine.
Other preparations for visiting campus may include looking at maps ahead of time. Did you know we’ve got an interactive campus map? If you visit the Maps page and use the key to select the Layers tab, and then click the eye icon to make Libraries and Study Spaces visible, you can see all our locations across the city! We’ve highlighted the Law Library icon in the image below in pink.
We look forward to seeing you on campus soon!
Note: The Microsoft Sway platform uses moving images in their templates, and each of the above Sways use one moving image at the top of the page. If you require the information in an alternative format please contact us by email: law.librarian@ed.ac.uk.
What is LibSmart II?
You may have read our recent article about LibSmart I, the foundation of our online information literacy course hosted on Learn. If you haven’t, check it out here.
Where LibSmart I provides a solid start in the library and information landscape, we think that LibSmart II offers a great next step for those a little further in their university career.
Earn digital badges for every module you complete in LibSmart I and II.
So what does LibSmart II offer?
You can pick and mix from ten subject specific modules to develop knowledge of a wide range of digital resources. You can also learn specialised or advanced digital search techniques and develop the skills to manage your research literature and data effectively. We recommend you complete LibSmart I before moving on to LibSmart II, as you will build on the foundations developed in the first level of the course as you complete each of your chosen modules.
A brief overview of LibSmart II and its learning objectives
The ten modules which are currently available to study are:
- Business information
- Data mindfulness: finding and managing data for your dissertation
- Digital news sources
- Digital primary sources and digital scholarship
- Finding and using digital images
- Government and Policy Research
- Health information
- Legal information
- Special Collections fundamentals
- Systematic reviews
We estimate each course will take a maximum of 3 hours to complete, and you can select as many or as few as you like. You’ll earn a digital badge for each module you complete to show off your new achievement!
Ready to get started?
Visit the LibSmart webpage to find out more about how to self-enrol for this course.
If you have any questions or concerns about LibSmart you can contact us via the EdHelp portal.
Queering the Archive with Lady Rampant
We once again have another podcast to showcase as part of the ongoing Queering the Archive initiative! For the third in a series of podcasts, Archive and Library Assistant, Elliot, recorded a session with Lady Rampant, Scotland’s political drag queen.
Lady Rampant got her start in the drag scene in Amsterdam, and has worked across both Amsterdam and Scotland. With a background and interest in Law and politics, Lady Rampant has blended politics and drag in her performances and activism. Her work as well as her podcast, Rampant Rundown, has featured causes such as Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ rights, HIV awareness in Scotland, and encouraging voting within Scotland and much more. She has also worked with politicians and political parties as well as Scottish third sector LGBTQ plus charities like TIE Scotland, HIV Scotland, and LGBT Youth Scotland.
Lady Rampant has also recently performed at events at the Edinburgh Fringe, including the pre-show for ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ the musical, as well as ‘Aye Cons’, a celebration of Scottish drag that platforms kings, queens, and other performers and icons in Scotland.
In this recording we discuss all things performance, drag and politics, the current political climate, and issues facing the LGBTQ plus and specifically the Trans, Nonbinary, Gender Nonconforming community and wider LGBTQ plus community and more.
Listen to the podcast with Lady Rampant here: https://edin.ac/2W2BSE7
You can find Lady Rampant on the following Social Media accounts:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LADYRAMPANT/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/ladyrampant
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladyrampant/
And the Rampant Rundown Podcast here: https://anchor.fm/lady-rampant
Lady Rampant:
The International Scottish Lioness
Best Political Queen GDA 2020
Bookings: DM or email ladyrampantqueen@gmail.com
Copyright disclaimer: Copyright belongs to those interviewed and recorded and there is strictly no re-use for publication and broadcast of this recording or blog text. Quotation and para-phrasing from the recording and/or blog post is also prohibited. If you wish to use the recording for private study and research and any potential other uses, you must get in touch with scottish.studies.archives@ed.ac.uk for permissions and access.
Things I Wish I’d Known: Graduate Reflections on using the Library
Photo: Paul Dodds
As a recent graduate from Edinburgh, you can imagine I’ve spent the summer reminiscing and reflecting on my time at university. Over my four years studying Geography I spent a lot of time in the Main Library, whiled away hours on DiscoverEd, and thought I had the whole library thing down. Reader, I barely scratched the surface.
For the past few months I’ve been lucky enough to intern with the Academic Support Librarian team at the university. I have found myself learning things about the Library I wish I’d known sooner – and remembering things that I discovered during my studies that made it all a bit easier.
This blog will cover some ideas for how to get the best out of the Library, where you can go to broaden your reading and research, and things that will make studying easier (*cough* reference manager *cough*).
So, to save you some time, here are six things I wish I’d known sooner about the Library… Read More
LibSmart 2 – Taking your information literacy skills to the next level
Last year LibSmart 1 was launched with the aim of helping students develop their information literacy skills. The feedback has led to LibSmart 2!
This new resource consists of subject specific modules and allows you to pick and choose the most relevant modules to your research.
- Business information
- Data mindfulness: finding and managing data for your dissertation
- Digital news sources
- Digital primary sources and digital scholarship
- Finding and using digital images
- Health literature
- Information resources for government and policy research
- Legal information
- Special Collections Fundamentals
- Literature searching for systematic reviews
Full detail of both courses is available at:
New to the Library: World War Two Studies
Thanks to a request from HCA staff the Library now has access to Research Source: World War Two Studies from Adam Matthew Digital. This resource includes important primary sources, offering insight into many aspects of the conflict, including government policy, the war in the Pacific, and the war in Europe.
You can access Research Source: World War Two Studies via the Digital Primary Source and Archive Collections guide, the Databases A-Z list or via DiscoverEd. Read More
Resources Lists- what are they and where do I find them?
At the start of a new semester it is always a priority to find your course reading material.
Many of the Law School courses use Resource Lists to detail the course readings, and the links to these lists are in your Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Learn. Look out for the link to Library Resources or Resource List on your course pages.
Not every course uses this type of list for their readings but an increasing number of courses do. Whatever way your course uses to tell you about course readings if you have an issues about accessing library resources then don’t forget you can always get in touch with your Academic Support Librarians (Law.Librarian@ed.ac.uk).
To see the full details of what you can do with Resources Lists and how to get the best from them (using personalisation features) then go over to the Resources Lists pages at:
https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/research-teaching-staff/resource-lists
New! Uganda and Malawi under Colonial Rule, in Government Reports
I’m pleased to let you know that the Library now has access to two more digital primary source collections covering colonial rule in African countries in the 20th century. The two databases are Uganda Under Colonial Rule, in Government Reports, 1903-1961 and Malawi Under Colonial Rule, in Government Reports, 1907-1967 from British Online Archives. Between them they contain 92 documents with over 84,000 pages of original primary source material.
You can access both of these databases via the Digital Primary Source and Archive Collections guide, the Databases A-Z list or the African Studies subject guide. Read More
New to the Library: South Asia Archive
I’m happy to let you know that the Library now has access to the South Asia Archive from Taylor & Francis, a specialist digital platform providing global electronic access to culturally and historically significant literary material produced from within, and about, the South Asian region.
You can access South Asia Archive via the Digital Primary Source and Archive Collections guide or the Databases A-Z list. You will also be able to access it from DiscoverEd within the next few days. Read More
Data Mindfulness training integrated in new resources
The Research Data Service is pleased to announce an update to our ‘Data Mindfulness: Making the Most of Your Dissertation Data’ training materials.
Originally developed to provide face to face research data management (RDM) training for undergraduate students undertaking a dissertation project, the newly revised course is now available as one of ten units within the Library’s new LibSmart II training course.
‘Data Mindfulness: Your Dissertation Data‘ combines videos, reading material, and short interactive exercises to help students think about data management issues as they prepare to undertake a research project, potentially for the first time.
The course is designed to follow the research journey from beginning to end, from developing a research question and conducting a literature search, through to generating and managing project data and files during the life of the project and beyond.
The ‘Data Mindfulness’ unit provides an approachable introduction to the subject of RDM, with up-to-date and relevant information and guidance for undergraduate and masters students. The updated content also includes expanded material on finding and accessing secondary data sources, as well as links to wider training and resources provided by the Library.
You can find more information about the new LibSmart II course, and how to enrol here: https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/help-consultancy/rm-and-consultancy/academic-support-librarians/libsmart.
In addition to LibSmart II, we are also pleased to be working in conjunction with the Research Training Centre, based in the School of Social and Political Science, to deliver an updated version of the ‘Data Mindfulness’ course as part of the Micro-Methods Workshop series. You can find details of the Micro-Methods Workshops series here: https://research-training-centre.sps.ed.ac.uk/micro-methods.
Finally, we have made the ‘Data Mindfulness’ training materials available for re-use under an open CC-BY license, and you can find links to the videos and download a PDF of the revised ‘Data Mindfulness’ course handbook from the Research Data Service site (a Word version of the handbook is available on request): https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/research-support/research-data-service/training.
We hope these ‘Data Mindfulness’ materials are useful and relevant and appreciate any comments or feedback that you may have at data-support@ed.ac.uk.
Bob Sanders
Research Data Support Assistant
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