Monthly Archives: July 2016

Library Knowledge Exchange closed

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Image of refurbished University Library surrounded by seating, trees and hedges.

Architect’s impression of the refurbished University Library

From 25 July, the Library’s Ground Floor Knowledge Exchange group discussion area will be closed as part our Refurbishment Project. There are many other group study rooms available on the Ground, 2nd and 4th Floors.

For more information about the project, see our Library Refurbishment Project webpage or contact the Library’s Facilities Manager, Robin Hunter.

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

1st Floor rooms closed during refurbishment

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Image of refurbished University Library surrounded by seating, trees and hedges.

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

From today, some rooms on the Library’s 1st Floor will be closed to users during the current phase of our Refurbishment Project. This includes two group study rooms (111 and 110) and two PC rooms (109 and 105). However, there are many other group study rooms available on the Ground, 2nd and 4th Floors and other PC rooms elsewhere on the 1st Floor.

For more information about the project, see our Library Refurbishment Project webpage or contact the Library’s Facilities Manager, Robin Hunter.

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

Change to Web of Science default search coverage

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There has been a change to the configuration of Web of Science, which means the default setting is to search the ‘Web of Science Core Collection’ and not the full range of databases available on the site. This change has been made to avoid users missing out on enhancements that are specific to the Core Collection, such as citation searching and email alerts from saved searches. However, you may miss useful content from other databases such as BIOSIS (biological sciences), FSTA (food and nutrition) and MEDLINE (biomedical sciences).

If you access Web of Science directly from a search engine, and you want to revert to searching all content, just select ‘All Databases’ from the drop-down list to the right of ‘Web of Science™ Core Collection’:

Web of Science database selection drop down list

It is possible to configure your own options for using Web of Science, including the default database coverage. See this brief video for guidance.

If you follow a link to Web of Science from the Library website you won’t need to do a thing, as we’ve configured the link to search across all databases. There is a separate link to the Core Collection if you wish to explore some of the more advanced features (such as integration with JCR, funding filters, OA filters).

If you have any questions about searching Web of Science, or any of the databases available within it, please contact your subject liaison librarian.

Jackie Skinner, Library Web Manager

Disruption to Campus card payments during upgrade

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The University is making major improvements to the cashless payment system in the coming days.  Once the upgrade is complete it will be much easier to manage your Campus card account with one online balance to pay for printing, photocopying, Library fines and your lunch!

Whilst work is carried out to make these improvements the Campus card payment system will be unavailable.

From Wednesday 20 July at 17:00 until 17:00 on Monday 1 August it will not be possible to:

  • Top-up online via the Campus card portal
  • Top-up using cash at the kiosk in the Library
  • Make any payments using your Campus card
  • Pay Library fines online via the Campus card portal

If you have any problems printing or photocopying during the upgrade please go to the IT help desk on the 1st floor of the Library.

It will still be possible to pay Library fines using cash or debit/credit cards in person at the Ground floor Information Desk or by calling 0118 378 8770 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Please email campuscard@reading.ac.uk with any questions.

Rebecca Ashley, Library User Services

Library refurb: preparatory work begins 12 July

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Image of refurbished University Library surrounded by seating, trees and hedges.

The refurbished University Library entrance and café will look out onto pleasant landscaping. Silver-grey building cladding, with regency-gold coloured highlights will increase energy efficiency, weather proofing, and reduce solar glare to the front study spaces

We’re getting ready for the latest phase of our significant Library refurbishment! Work taking place over the next few weeks (from Tuesday 12 July 2016) will mostly focus on getting the site prepared for large-scale works happening later this summer. Please be aware that there may be bursts of noisy work during this period. The noisiest work will be restricted to the morning before 10:00. However, your access to the Library, its resources and its staff will be maintained throughout.

Task 1 (from 12 July): The first task is to set up the contractors’ site behind the Library, incorporating the lawn and gardens. You will still be able to enter the Library at the usual front entrance. However, behind the Library the access road will be closed off for the duration of the works and disabled parking bays will be available elsewhere. There are three disabled parking bays in Cedars Hotel Car Park (Car Park 15) and one space opposite the Santander Bank.

Task 2 (from 18 July): Protective hoardings will be erected outside the Library building. More hoardings will go up inside the Library on all floors around the glass-enclosed, south stairs  in preparation for construction of new lifts in this area.  Information Desks may be relocated on the 2nd and 4th Floors but access to all Library stock will be unaffected. CaféLibro service also continues unaffected.

Task 3 (from 25 July): Work will begin on south staircase, which may be noisy at times. You will need to start using bike racks under the overhang of the URS building as those around the Library will be temporarily relocated.

A PowerPoint presentation illustrating each area of work can be downloaded here. This information as a table is here.

Postgraduate students in particular have been alerted to alternative quiet study space on campus they can use this summer, mainly in their own departments.

For more information about the project, see our Library Refurbishment Project webpage or for day-to-day information, contact the Library’s Facilities Manager, Robin Hunter.

Rachel Redup, Library Marketing Co-ordinator

 

 

Two new exhibitions to enjoy!

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Art Nouveau-style bookplate of the clergyman Rev. Christie Chetwynd The Special Collections team have put together a couple of new exhibitions featuring materials in the University’s collections.

In the glass cabinets on the Ground Floor of the Library is an exhibition featuring marks of ownership in rare books. Rare books often contain a variety of features which make them important and interesting historical artefacts beyond their texts. This exhibition invites the viewer to explore the private relationship between readers and their books, and the variety of different ways in which book owners (both famous and long forgotten) from the seventeenth to the twentieth century have indicated ownership of their books through the use of bookplates, decorated bindings, inscriptions and annotations. Catch this display until 30 September.

On display at the Special Collections Service until 16 September is a collection of materials relating to the University’s 90th anniversary. The exhibition looks back to the University’s origins as a technical college for the people of Reading, and its journey towards independence. Find out about the men and women from 90 years of Reading’s history who made the University what it is today. The display features items from the University’s own archive, including the Royal Charter itself.

Fiona Melhuish, UMASCS Librarian

 

Web of Science – not just for scientists! – info tip

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NetworkNeed to search for articles on a topic for your essay or assignment or check what a specific author has written? Web of Science (WoS) is a good place to start.

This database covers all subjects from art to zoology and includes articles from a wide range of journal titles and conference papers. It gives access to basic information about them, such as the author(s) name(s), title of paper, name of journal it was published in, year, volume number, page numbers and a summary or abstract of the paper. It MAY or MAY NOT give access to the full article.

Go to the Library’s a-z list of databases and select Web of Science from the alphabetical list. If you are on campus, select the “IP Authentication” option to log in. Off-campus, log in with your University username and password via an Institutional login.

The examples below use the ‘All databases’ search option. To see a list of all the databases included in the Web of Science, or to select a specific one, click on the orange arrow next to ‘All Databases’.

How can I…?

  1. Look for information about a topic

For example, type london 2012 olympic games in the search box

In your search results click on the title of one of the references to get more information including a summary or abstract.

WoS search result

And here it is!

WoS search results 2

  1. Find review articles

Review articles survey current research and have lots of references to other articles for you to follow up.

wos doctype

  • type your subject words in the search box
  • once viewing your results look for the Document Type section of the Refine Results panel on the left of the screen and select Review from the list and click on the Refine button

  1. Find the full text of the article

Each reference in the results will have a blue Search for Item at Reading button underneath it  Search for item at Reading button. This will link to the electronic version if we have access to it (we do not have all the journals covered by this database) and if we don’t, to the library catalogue for you to check whether we have a print version.

See our useful webpage on finding journal articles.

Getting help

Our Web of Science page provides further information about access, as well as basic and advanced guides. See our guide to effective database searching for help in constructing a subject search. Use the Help tab within WoS to get more tips for getting the most out of this database.

Alternatively, contact your subject liaison librarian for help using the database.

This is one of a series of tips to help you save time and effort finding information

This tip was updated by Judith Fox, Liaison Librarian for Meteorology.

June 2016