Smart Searching with Searcher

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You have your reading list, so now how do you find those books, e-books and e-journal articles?

Don’t use Google, use Searcher!Searcheruse

 

 

 

Searcher is the Library’s discovery service – think of it like a library version of Google, searching the vast majority* of the Library’s resources at the same time, including books, e-books and  e-journal articles.

Pop up to the 1st floor of the Main Library tomorrow, ask us how to find stuff on your reading list and we’ll give you some expert tips on how to use Searcher.

Pop up Library, Wednesday 17th September 2-4pm 1st floor, Main Library

  • What is Searcher?
  • How to find stuff on your reading list
  • How to find books, e-books, ejournals and more
  • What exactly am I searching?

* A wee disclaimer. Using Searcher you can search across the majority of resources the Library subscribes to. There are a few exceptions, notably Law databases: Lexis Nexis and Westlaw. Access Lexis Nexis and Westlaw via the Databases A-Z

Angela Laurins, Library Learning Services

Centre for Research Collections – an introduction

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The Centre for Research Collection is the main space for anyone wanting to access Edinburgh University’s incredibly varied heritage collections, which encompass everything from archives, rare books and manuscripts, to historical musical instruments, art works and even some of the mould from which Alexander Fleming derived penicillin!

On Tuesday the 16th September we will be holding a pop-up session where you can see some of these great treasures and talk to members of staff about how you can access the collection.

We will be showcasing a 500 year old illuminated Book of Hours, early editions of works by Shakespeare and Tolkien, as well as a “pamphlet battle” from the 1930’s.

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Join us from 10am to 12pm on Tuesday 16th September to get a taste of the fantastic items held by the University!

You can also browse our online image collection, or connect with us via Facebook or Twitter.

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Learning about Learn

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Over 4,500 courses this year will be using the Learn environment to provide students with online readings, information and activities. The staff who look after Learn are taking this opportunity to meet students and answer your questions about how it works.

Screen shot global navigation in LearnFind out how to

  • personalise your views,
  • set up notifications,
  • find detailed help for Learn, and
  • download the Mobile Learn App for your phone or tablet.

Come along to one of our pop-up library sessions and learn more about using Learn!

Screen shot of Mobile Learn App

Tuesday 16 Sep 2-4 pm
Friday 19 Sep 10-12 am
Monday 22 Sep 2-4 pm

Metadata Games at #Librarypop!

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Following on from last month’s successful Metadata Games experiment, we ran another two sessions during Fresher’s Week as part of the Pop Up Library.

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More than 20 people, including 16 students, participated across the two days and a quite incredible 1,530 new tags were entered into our database.

The volunteers assisted us by describing a selection of random images from our online database http://images.is.ed.ac.uk and were awarded points for good tags that described the people, objects and places visible within the pictures. A live leaderboard was displayed on the big screen so participants could compare their progress against friends and colleagues; Scholarly Communications’ Theo Andrew got the best individual staff score but new students Mara Carella, Mark Lundy and Siss Matz topped the student leaderboard.

High scores

We’ll be running the session again in October so there is still ample opportunity for anyone who hasn’t played before to race up the leaderboard and claim the highest score! Well played everyone who took part!

Please contact gavin.willshaw@ed.ac.uk or scott.renton@ed.ac.uk if you would like more information about the project.

Art Exposed

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A chance to experience rarely seen paintings and objects from the University’s Art CollectionArt Exposed

Recently we learned that the most searched for term on our brand new Art Collections website was ‘Male Nude’ – we’ve decided to go with the assumption that it’s all the Classics students taking their studies very seriously indeed…

But, in honour of all you weirdos out there, we’re giving you the chance to get up close and personal to the slightly racier side of the University’s Art Collection.

Anna and Jill will be around to talk to you about the items on view, how you can access the artworks yourselves, and also let you know about some of the brilliant volunteering opportunities available to anyone interested in curatorial or wider museum work.

So come along to the Art Collections Library Pop session between 10 and 12 tomorrow, in the 1st Floor reception of the Main Library.

Search the collection: http://collections.ed.ac.uk/art
Follow us: @UoEArtArchives
Engage: #LibraryPop

Full schedule of Pop up Library events published

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We do an amazing amount of stuff in the Library and Information Services. The Pop up Library will give you  the chance to ask questions and  find out more about our services and collections and how we can support your learning and research.

Find out about the Library’s new Exam Papers Online service, What do you do if you can’t find a book in the Library? Pop up Library sessions focusing on Resources Plus will tell you what your options are. There will be opportunities to see up close art work and objects from the University’s world class collections. What is Searcher? How can you use it to find stuff on your reading list? Pop up… ask us!!

The full schedule of Pop up Library sessions is now available. There’s two sessions each day at 10-12pm and 2-4pm. Please keep an eye on this page as the schedule may be subject to change.

Pop up… ask us!!

8th September- 7th November
Main Library
1st floor reception desk

http://libraryblogs.is.ed.ac.uk/popuplibrary/files/2014/08/Library-Pop-Bottle_White_bl-small.jpg

#librarypop

Next week at the Pop up Library

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Week 1: 15th September

Monday
(10-12pm and 2-4pm)
Library Pop Introduction – What’s it all about? Watch the 1968 Library film

Tuesday
AM(10-12pm): Centre for Research Collections

PM (2-4pm): Learn and Mobile Learn

Wednesday
AM (10-12pm):  MyEd Mobile

PM (2-4pm): Smart Searching with Searcher

Thursday
AM(10-12pm): MyEd Mobile

PM (2-4pm): Special Collections: Referendum special

Friday
AM(10-12pm): Learn and Mobile Learn

PM (2-4pm) TBC

Library Pop – Get Library Smart!

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Library-Pop-Bottle_White_bl smallCome and meet members of the Library Academic Support team at the Pop up Library at 11am on Tuesday 8 September and find out more about the new Get Library Smart information skills resource. Newly developed from materials written for students by the Library Academic Support Team, this resource aims to help everyone at the University of Edinburgh get the best from the Library.  As well as a toolkit to help you  get your hands on the library materials you need, you’ll find step by step guides through the library experience of searching, discovering and managing  information. What’s more, we’ll regularly be delivering bite-sized chunks in blog form to answer key questions and signpost you to what’s relevant for your subject. http://libraryblogs.is.ed.ac.uk/infoskills/

Christine Love-Rodgers, Library Academic Support Team

Pop up Library launches with Library Director and 1968 film

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The Pop up Library launched this morning on the 1st floor of the Main Library with John Scally, the Director of Library and University Collections, joining us to help some Freshers on their first day.

JS Pop up 8th Sept Day 1 Session 1

This week we’re showing a film taken when Edinburgh University Main Library opened in 1968. There’s some cool sixties haircuts, a very nice handbag and the poshest BBC-like voiceover ever. Believe it or not, not a great deal has changed. The biggest surprise is that there used to be a smoking room in the building – health and safety ??!!!

1968 video

The film is projecting on to the back wall, and if you have time, sit yourself down on one of  the comfy chairs, plug yourself in and listen to the full commentary.

On Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning, we’re running two sessions of metadata games (complete with retro space invader graphics) where you’ll be able to help the Library by tagging some of the images in our vast image collections.

Pop over to the Main Library 1st floor desk to say, ‘hello’ and find out more about the sessions we’ll be running at the Pop up Library over the next two months.

This week’s Pop up Library schedule