I’m pleased to let you know that the Library now has access to Development Bookshelf, produced by Practical Action. Development Bookshelf is a specialist peer-reviewed and evidence-based online book collection for International Development policy, practice and research professionals.
You can currently access Development Bookshelf via the International Development subject guide, relevant databases by subject lists or via the e-book pages.
The collection reflects the learning of multiple agencies and development professionals across a variety of specialist subject areas. Content can be browsed by subject area including topics such as agriculture and food, disasters and emergencies, gender, global public health, NGO management, social development and technology or by using keyword quick search.
The Library has purchased perpetual access to the Development Bookshelf archive (pre-2000) which includes over 400 titles. We are also subscribing to the current content (2000 onwards) which currently covers over 400 titles, with new titles added as published. When on the site green indicators show which content we have access to.
N.B.
1) The journals mentioned on Development Bookshelf are not part of the content on offer. However, 2 of the titles are available to you at the University via other e-journal sites, you can access them via DiscoverEd. And the 3rd title, Waterlines, is available in print at the National Library of Scotland.
2) There are some titles on the site that you will not get full text access to as they are not part of the content on offer. This doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to get full text access though from elsewhere as many of these titles are available Open Access e.g. via sites like https://policy-practice.oxfam.org.uk/publications.
You can currently access Development Bookshelf via the International Development subject guide, relevant databases by subject lists or via the e-book pages. It’s hoped in the future that we will be able to add individual book titles available in Development Bookshelf in DiscoverEd but at present this is not possible.
If you like Development Bookshelf then you may also be interested in Sustainable Organization Library (SOL), an online collection of approximately 8000 papers drawn from around 600 books and journals in sustainability, CSR, corporate governance, ethics, environmental policy and management.
Access is only available to current students and staff at University of Edinburgh.
Caroline Stirling – Academic Support Librarian for School of Social and Political Science