Monthly Archives: April 2018

3rd Floor book moves

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What’s changing?

Work on the 3rd Floor of the Library is progressing. The next phase involves moving stock from the 2nd and 4th Floors onto this floor to prepare for the 4th Floor closing for refurbishment.

When will it start?

The anticipated start date for this is between Wednesday 9 May and Friday 11 May, with a timeframe of 7-8 weeks. This is subject to approval from Building Maintenance. We’ll keep you updated on this blog and on Twitter (@UniRdg_Library) and Facebook (@universityofreadinglibrary).

Can I still access my books?

Yes! In keeping with our strategy to maximise access to stock throughout the Refurbishment Project, all books will remain accessible as far as possible throughout the move. Each shelf will be unavailable for around thirty minutes whilst the stock is being moved. The Library catalogue will also be updated to reflect the new locations, usually within a day.

Where will I find my books after the move?

The stock will be split by Call Number as follows:

2nd Floor

000s – computer science

300s – social sciences, law

800s – literature

900s – history, geography, archaeology

Journals

3rd Floor

100s – philosophy, psychology

200s – religion

400s – languages, linguistics

500s – science

600s – technology, business, typography

700s – arts

EDC

Teaching Practice

Where can I get help?

Library staff will still be available at the Information Desks and Ground Floor Help Point – please contact them if you can’t find what you’re looking for. The 4th Floor Information Desk will  move to the 3rd Floor from 14 May.

More information

Work will continue to take place on the 3rd Floor, which is anticipated to be due for completion on 1 September 2018. The work will not impact access to books.

Keep up to date with the latest study space and Library refurbishment news on our Library refurbishment webpage.

Katie Moore and Caitlin McCulloch, Trainee Liaison Librarians

Citing references made easy with EndNote Web – info tip

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Laptop, book and glassesAre you starting your dissertation? Do you lack confidence citing references in your work? Have you been marked down for inconsistencies in your bibliography?

EndNote Web can help!

What is EndNote Web?

EndNote Web is a free online service you can use to:

  • store and organise useful references you find whilst researching topics
  • insert references in your Word document
  • automatically build and format your bibliography in a style of your choosing

It’s perfect for undergraduates and Masters students as it is a cut-down version of the Desktop EndNote program used by researchers.

How do I use it?

EndNote Web is freely available, but University members can access an enhanced version as part of the Library’s subscription to the Web of Science database. You can use it on both PCs and Macs.

Log in to the Web of Science, click ‘EndNote’ in the top menu and sign up for an account. Once registered you can use it both on- and off-campus.

How do I get references into my EndNote Web library?

You can manually type in details of useful books and articles you have found, but there are quicker methods to download multiple references from databases and the Library catalogue.

Direct export

This method is available on the Web of Science and all of the Ebsco databases (including Business Source Complete). Just search the database for your topic and select save/export to EndNote Web.

Import

For most other databases you can save a file of references and import them into EndNote Web. To find out how to do this on your preferred databases, check our database A-Z list – this has information on how each one works with EndNote Web. If you need advice, contact your subject liaison librarian.

Online Search

You can use the Online Search facility within EndNote Web to get book references from our catalogue, Enterprise, into your library.

Writing your essay or dissertation

Once you have references in your EndNote Web library you can insert them into your Word document as you write your essay or dissertation. Word’s Cite While You Write toolbar allows you to search your library for the reference you want to insert and it will automatically put the citation in the text and build the bibliography at the end of your document. This toolbar is installed on all campus PCs and is free to download onto your own device.

You can select from a number of referencing styles (Numbered, APA, MHRA etc.) or use the customised Harvard for Reading style. This meets the requirements of many of the science and life science departments at the University. If you need to change your style, all of your citations and references will be reformatted automatically – no more rewriting your references at the last minute!

Getting help

Our guide to getting started with EndNote Web (PDF) will take you through all the steps involved in creating your EndNote Web account, getting references into your library and using it with Word to write your essays or dissertation. You can also view EndNote Web videos produced by Thomson Reuters, the suppliers of EndNote Web.

Alternatively, contact your subject liaison librarian for individual help and support.

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

This tip was written by Jackie Skinner, Library Web Manager and Liaison Librarian and Caitlin McCulloch, Trainee Liaison Librarian.

Problems downloading on JSTOR platform

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Laptop and bookWe are currently experiencing intermittent problems when downloading PDFs from the JSTOR platform.

When attempting to download an item from JSTOR, you will be prompted to accept the platform terms and conditions. You may find this terms and conditions box keeps refreshing, and doesn’t let you proceed to download.

It is possible to work around this issue by following the steps below:

  • If you are on-campus, please use the on-campus link for JSTOR in the library databases a-z list. As long as you are on-campus and connected to the University network you should be able to access and download articles with no problems.
  • If you are off-campus, please use this link to navigate to the JSTOR platform, then click the ‘Login Through You Library’ link in the middle of the top of the webpage. (This is known as an institutional login). Please then search and select ‘University of Reading’ when prompted. The University Single Sign On page should then load, where you can enter your University username and password. You should then be directed back to the JSTOR homepage, and be able to access and download articles with no problems.

You could also try using the E-Journals Finder to search for a journal title and then browsing to the article you require manually.

If you have any problems with the workaround above, or any other problems with electronic resources, please submit an e-resources problem report form for help.

Our apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Sophie Dorman, E-resources Team

Study space on campus: Summer update

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The summer term is now in full swing, with many students working hard on final assignments, projects and dissertations.

How many spaces are available?

As the Large Lecture Theatre is now no longer in use until the start of the 2018-19 academic year, there are around 800 spaces available in the URS Building (there is a limit on the total occupancy of the building for fire safety).

Beyond the URS Building, there are more than 900 other study spaces across the Whiteknights and London Road campuses. This includes:

  • Study space in Halls: Around 100 new study spaces are now available across our Halls of Residence. You can find the spaces in Wessex Library, St George’s Computer Room, Wantage Computer Room, Stenton JCR, Childs JCR and Mackinder JCR – all study areas have been refurbished and kitted out with new furniture, improved lighting and heating, power sockets and USB ports, and will be open for 24 hours every day during the Quiet Period (until Friday 8 June). Outside of the Quiet Period, the spaces will be available from 7.00am until 12.00am. The spaces are open to residents of each respective Hall, but possibilities of opening the spaces up to other Hall residents are currently being explored;
  • Additional study space at Eat at the Square: Don’t forget that you can now study in Eat at the Square from 3-6pm, Monday to Friday during term time. Refreshments can also be purchased from The Grumpy Mule;
  • Extended Chancellor’s Building opening hours: Rooms G11, G12, G13, G14 and G15 will be made available as extra study spaces from 6-9pm Monday to Friday during term time and also at weekends if study space in the URS Building becomes full – please speak to Library staff at the URS ground floor Information Desk to open Chancellor’s at weekends. Please note that classrooms 1-8 are now exam rooms for the entire exam period and are not accessible;
  • RUSU’s The Studyand The Study@TOB2: Study spaces available for all campus card holders.

 

Useful resources

The following resources are available to help students locate study space across campus:

 

Using space fairly

With exams and final projects on the horizon, it’s really important to be fair and considerate when using study spaces around campus. Demand is high at this time of year, so please treat all spaces, fellow students and staff with respect.

  • Anti-desk-hogging service in the URS Building: Students can report unattended spaces ‘booked’ with belongings by speaking to staff at the Reception or the Information Desk on the ground floor;
  • NOISYCHAT service in URS Building: If there is noise in a silent study area, students can use this service to text Library staff so that noise can be investigated.
  • Consider altering patterns of study: Our records show that 3.30pm is when URS is at its fullest, with space freeing up as the afternoon goes on. It may be worth looking for space before or after peak times – early morning and after 5pm are usually quieter than midday.
  • Don’t be shy: When demand is high, it’s vital that space is used as efficiently as possible. So please don’t be afraid to sit next to someone you don’t know – make use of the spaces that are available, and if studying in a group, consider splitting into smaller groups if it makes finding space easier.

 

Keep up to date with the latest study space and Library refurbishment news on our Library refurbishment webpage.

Katie Moore, Trainee Liaison Librarian

Problem accessing ScienceDirect content via Summon

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Open laptop with notepadWe are experiencing intermittent problems when accessing ScienceDirect articles via Summon from off-campus.

Problem

When you try to access an item you have located via Summon, usually you should be prompted to login to the University Single Sign On login page before being directed to the resource (with access).

Due to an issue with Summon and the authentication method we use for the ScienceDirect platform, the Single Sign On login is not loading for every ScienceDirect result found in Summon. You will still be directed to the article, but without the Single Sign On login. If you are off-campus you will not be recognised as a University of Reading member, and therefore will not be granted access.

If you are on-campus you should have access automatically due to IP address recognition.

Workaround

To avoid this issue, you can navigate to the journal you require via the E-journals Finder (please search here with the journal rather than article title). When you reach the ScienceDirect platform you will need to use the search function or select the correct volume/issue to find your article.

Alternatively you can use Summon to find ScienceDirect articles, but when you reach the ScienceDirect platform, if the “Purchase PDF” option is displayed – indicating you do not have access – you will need to login via the institutional login:

  • Please click “Sign In” towards the top right of the webpage
  • Please then select “Other institution” on the right, as per the below screenshot (please do not select OpenAthens)  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Please then search and select “University of Reading”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • You should then be prompted to login via the University Single Sign On, and then directed back to the article with access

 

If you have any on-going issues, please feel free to contact us via eresourceshelp@reading.ac.uk or by submitting an e-resources problem report form.

 

Lucy Ardill, E-resources Team

 

 

Settle up before you go!

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Settle up before you go!

If you are graduating this summer then please don’t forget to return your loans and clear your account before you go. If you have any outstanding fines or bills you can pay online via the Campus Card Portal or at the Ground Floor Information Desk now situated in the URS Building.

Before you leave don’t forget to return:

  • Standard loan, 7-day loan and journal items to the Library Building
  • Course Collection items to the URS Building

Money left on your card?

Save the pennies and avoid having any leftover money on your Campus Card at the end of your course. When you top-up your card via the Campus Card Portal there is now no minimum amount you have to spend. This means you can top-up exactly what you need to see you through to the end of term!

Membership after you graduate

If you are interested in borrowing from the University Library after you graduate, annual Library membership is half-price at £45! Alternatively, if you are beginning a new course at UoR next session you can apply for membership over the summer for a reduced charge of £20. Registrations for membership can be made at the Ground Floor Information Desk in the URS Building.

Holly Thomas, Library User Services

Can we help you to be a more resilient student? – info tip

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You may have read a lot about resilience recently – but what does it mean for you as a student?

In academic study, everything depends on being critical. You are encouraged to take a critical approach in your reading, note-making, practical research, and writing. That’s what makes your studying academically rigorous: but it can feel more difficult when the critical eye of your marker is turned on your work. This is when resilience kicks in. The resilient student is able to understand criticism as a tool to develop skills and understanding. Study Advice and the Library can help you to develop resilience and use it to feel less stressed and enhance your study success.

 

Be prepared!

Feeling prepared will build your academic confidence and that will make you more resilient. Try keeping a learning log so you can reflect on things that have worked well, and things that you might need to work on. Look back on this after you’ve submitted your assignments, and you’ll be well prepared by the time you have to write the next one.

You can prepare for lectures, seminars and lab sessions by gaining a bit of basic knowledge of the topic before the session. You can find short articles in encyclopaedias and other reference works written for your subject; the Dictionaries and Encyclopaedias tab in your Subject Guide will list some useful titles.

For your more detailed reading when you prepare for exams and assignments, Study Advice has a guide on reading and making notes, and video tutorials on researching your assignments and preparing for exams. Make sure you’re prepared to get the best mark when you’re writing up your assignments with our guides on essay writing, report writing and dissertations.

 

Dealing with feedback

When you get your assignments back, it’s tempting to take a quick peek at the mark and then file them away. That’s a good way to avoid feeling deflated by criticism of your work; but you’ll miss out on the comments from your marker that are designed to help you develop.

Our video tutorials on assessment and feedback can help you understand what markers are looking for, and how to use your feedback as a tool to improve your marks. Our guides can show you ways to respond to common comments. For instance, the Library can help you to respond to the comment that you need to ‘do wider reading’. Have a look at their Subject Guides, and guides to using the Library Catalogues for ways to find more reading in your subject.

The Study Advice academic writing guide has tips on grammar and punctuation, and on effective proof-reading, and our citing references guide will make sure you cite it right. Or come and see us for a one-to-one confidential advice session to go through your feedback and discuss how you could respond.

 

How to stop putting it off

Procrastination is often a consequence of not developing your resilience. It’s a common response to the fear of failure – and it’s harder to succeed if you’re not sure what success looks like. Using the strategies above to make you feel more prepared and understand your markers’ expectations will help to avoid this. However, if you find yourself constantly putting things off, we have a video tutorial on overcoming procrastination to help you break the cycle. And it’s under seven minutes long, so you won’t be wasting any time watching it!

And if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed generally, have a look at our other video tutorials on time management. They include one on making more hours in the day – something we all need!

 

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

This tip was written by Kim Shahabudin, Study Adviser.