Monthly Archives: June 2016

Preparing for refurbishment and landscaping

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Revised silver & gold refurbished Library front

Revised impression of the refurbished University Library. The new entrance and café looks out onto pleasant landscaping.  Silver-grey cladding, with regency-gold coloured highlights, increases energy efficiency, weather proofing, and reduces solar glare to the front study spaces

In advance of the latest stage of the Library Refurbishment project later this summer, you may notice some small-scale preparatory work.

  • This week we tested the best method for replacing old windows in a small area of the 2nd Floor.
  • During the week beginning Monday 20 June,  external grounds works will remove trees and hedges in advance of construction. The area around the University Library will be re-landscaped once the project is nearing completion. Take a look at the latest architect’s drawing of how it will look then!

Rachel Redrup, Library Marketing Co-ordinator for 
Robin Hunter, Facilities Manager

 

We’ve gone red!

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Our website has been transformed to a Reading red and now matches the rest of the University. There will be further changes later on in the summer when Study Advice and Maths Support are added to our website, so you can find all the study support information you need in one place.

library website

 

Our subject guides have also been updated following student feedback so that they should be easier to use. They now include information about online reading lists as well as finding books, journal articles, e-resources and websites relevant to your subject.

Biology libguide

We hope you like these changes, you can get in touch with us on Twitter if you have any feedback.

 

Rosie Higman, Library Web Assistant

Library website changes this summer

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At the start of the summer vacation on Monday 13 June we will be making a number of changes to our website and systems.

We’re turning red!

The most obvious change will be in colour, our website and some of our systems will be going red to match the rest of the University.

New, improved online guides

New look LibGuide for agricultureYou will also notice a significant change in the colour and style of our guides hosted on the LibGuides service, as we move to a new version of the software.

At the same time all our subject guides have been revised to make them more attractive, easy to use, and focused on the information you need. Our popular citing references guide has been given a new layout to make it easier for you to find the guidance you require, whether it’s how to cite a specific type of publication, or general advice on avoiding plagiarism.

Over the course of the summer we’ll also be adding new guides, such as a general one on bibliographic management systems, and a suite of guides from our Study Advice Team.

The switch to the new software may mean that our guides will be unavailable for a few hours from late on the afternoon of Monday 13 June.

Study Advice and Maths Support integration

Later on this summer the Study Advice and Maths Support websites will become part of the Library website. This move will give them an up-to-date look, making it easier for you to find the skills guidance you need, and integrating them further with Library services.

Jackie Skinner, Library Web Manager

15-19 August upgrade for Library systems server

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Sam Tyler grins whilst holding travel mug up to the camera

Systems Manager, Sam Tyler, will be celebrating with a bevy in a branded Library travel mug once the new Library systems server is installed in August.

This summer the Library moves its Library Management System to a new server in order to gain a more robust system and less down time. However, please be aware that during our change-over week, 15-19 August, there may be some disruption to Library services.

If you plan to use the Library during this week, either in person or online, please check our University Library News blog nearer the time to see how the server upgrade could affect you. The Library will remain open throughout, as will most of our systems’ functionality.

We hope that you have a great summer and are looking forward to the new server as much as we are!

Rachel Redrup for
Sam Tyler, Library Systems Manager