UoR Library Welcome tours

Full library tour to show the building and key location for Autumn term 2021 lasting 6.58mins on Instagram

Visit the Library via our Instagram tour

There’s been a lot happening this week across the University so if you want to slow things down, try out our self-paced tour. Go through, online at your own pace and in your own time.

Or, if you prefer something a bit more whizzy, take a look at our Instagram tour.

Expandable maps arranged as a welcoming smile.

Mini folding maps – your friendly Library guide

Alternatively, visit the Library in person, pick up an expandable map and take a look around the building yourself.

We like to think we have something for everyone so if you’re new to the University of Reading, or if you’re a returning student and haven’t been onsite for a while, come and see us for help with all your Library needs.

A table with Library, study advice and other University information displayed along with a table top stand displaying relevant information.

Learn what your Library offers, and how we can help you from the display in our foyer

Your Library Team

Welcome new students! Tour, borrow and craft!

Hands hold our map infront of library entrance gatesWe’re really excited to welcome all new students starting this week, with various events to help you get to know your Library.

  • Why not take a self-guided tour of the Library? Grab a ‘Your Library Tour’ map from the Library Welcome Desk on the Ground Floor of the Library and explore the building.
  • Brown paper bag with a question mark on it, and 3 origami folded bookmarks next to the bag.Come and chat with our friendly staff at the Induction Marketplace on Wednesday 15 January 13:00-17:00.
  • You are all welcome to attend a Library Leisure Time event, Friday 17 January 13:00-15:00.
    • Did you know that we have fiction too besides your course text books at the Library? Not sure which to choose? Come along to borrow one of our lucky-dip print books!
    • Take a moment to relax by crafting your own origami bookmark with us!

For more information and help with Library resources ask at the Welcome Desk or have a look at our YouTube channel.  Follow us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram for library updates.

Ruth Ng & Karen Drury, Academic Liaison Librarians

BAME ‘Student life through a lens’ exhibition

Several large photographs placed on easels

See seven BAME students’ University of Reading experiences through their images and words exhibited in the Library until 5 July

Let the photographs on display in the University Library foyer tell you ‘a thousand words’ about student life for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students at the University of Reading … and how it could become more inclusive. You can also view the images and join the conversation online on Instagram at UoR Life Through a Lens.

Throughout 2018/19, seven BAME students studying literature and languages took part in the project ‘A Thousand Words: Student Life Through a Lens’, commissioned to better understand their challenges and generate suggestions for how to make the University more inclusive. Project participants were tasked with taking photographs that reflected their experiences of UoR student life, as well as preparing a short accompanying commentary. These are now on display in the University Library foyer until Friday 5 July 2019.

Participants reflected at focus groups on their own and others’ images and experiences. They reported a strong feeling of isolation and lack of integration prior to the project, and that there were not enough activities at Reading promoting awareness of cultural diversity among staff or students, or enough BAME role-models. Participants recommended a range of actions, including:

  • diversifying the curriculum and mainstreaming diversity,
  • developing stronger connections with BAME professionals through the University’s Careers service,
  • highlighting cultural events throughout the year, and
  • improving BAME representation at the University and the Students’ Union.

As a result of participating in the project, students reported an increased feeling of group identity, a better ability to express themselves, and a sense that their voices had been heard.

For the full project report please contact Dr Nicola Abram, who led the project with Katy Green, and Professor Jane Setter (School of Literature and Languages). It was funded by the UoR Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives Fund.

Rachel Redrup, Library

Nancy Astor exhibition at UoR Library

Lady Astor, first woman UK MP, is depicted next to a representation of her desk, strewn with letters about her appointment and work.

Visit a small free, public exhibition celebrating Nancy Astor, the first female member of parliament in the UK, on the University Library building’s ground floor. This is the latest installation to occupy our new exhibition space created as part of the Library Refurbishment Project, in the foyer beside the Library Cafe, outside card-operated Library entrance barriers.

Kindly funded by the Friends of the University, this exhibition reflects the work on Nancy Astor that Dr Jacqui Turner curated for Parliament’s Vote100 ‘Voice and Vote Exhibition’ in Westminster Hall in 2018 celebrating the centenary of the first women to gain the vote in 1918. Our thanks to the Vote100 Project Management Team for their kind permission to use their materials.

Dr Jacqui Turner is a Reading Lecturer in Modern Political History. Part of her Astor 100 research project work marking 100 years of women MPs, her research of the Nancy Astor Papers, held at the University of Reading Special Collections, has uncovered an array of letters and documents that chart Lady Astor’s career and life. These represent the most comprehensive collection of papers of any female politician. They include political correspondence 1919–1945 and parliamentary papers, general correspondence 1900–1964 and large volumes of newspaper cuttings 1908–1964. American-born, Nancy Astor succeeded her husband as Conservative MP for Plymouth in 1919, becoming the first woman to sit in the House of Commons, and continued until her retirement in 1945.

You can follow Astor100 and see more from the Astor Papers via our Twitter exhibition @LadyAstor 100 ‘An Unconventional MP: the political life on Nancy Astor in 50 documents’. Also, keep up to date with what else is going on, including efforts to raise a statue of Nancy Astor in her Plymouth constituency, via Jacqui’s Twitter feed @Jacqui1918

Rachel Redrup, Library
with Dr Jacqui Turner

Language for Resilience exhibition comes to UoR Library

Bronze reflective light fittings above flimsy poster on frame

The British Council’s Language for Resilience exhibitionruns until 29 March at Reading.

In partnership with the University, the British Council has brought the Language for Resilience exhibition to Reading. Running until 29 March, this free and public exhibition is hosted in the University Library building’s new exhibition space on its ground floor, created as part of the Library Refurbishment Project.

Based on research by the University’s Dr Tony Capstick and in collaboration with international institutions across the Middle East, Africa, EU and Americas, this interactive exhibition demonstrates the ways language is used to build resilience among the millions of people that have been displaced from their homes by conflict and civil unrest.

Language learning is imperative to helping refugees and communities overcome miscommunications and social barriers. This exhibition is a valuable opportunity to understand the challenges associated with building resilience, and gives a voice to the young people and adults who deserve to have their stories heard.

Exhibiton posters on frames and boxes containing masks and shoes

The Language for Resilience exhibition celebrates items used in teaching languages as well as people involved.

Refugees displaced by conflict often find themselves far from home, without essential language skills for even basic communication, which hinders the education and career opportunities for both themselves and their children. The exhibition aims to break down barriers by protecting the use of refugee’s home languages and allowing refugee communities to integrate with their host communities so they can feel valued within their new society. Building language resilience will reduce isolation and play a huge role in helping create a safe space for refugees to address the trauma caused by their displacement.

As it stands, only 1 to 5 percent of young refugees are currently enrolled in a university programme in their host countries. Improving language skills will allow more refugees to access the information required to progress in the education system and start to rebuild their lives.

For more information please visit the project Language for Resilience website. To learn more about language and migration research at the University of Reading, please visit the Centre for Literacy and Multilingualism.

Rachel Redrup, Marketing Co-ordinator with Tim Yates, Marketing Communications and Engagement Team

Bibliotherapy for Mental Health Awareness, 2 March

Have you seen the Library’s bibliotherapy display on our Ground Floor promoting a new Bibliotherapy online reading list. It is just one of several initiatives promoting University Mental Health Day on Thursday 2 March include themed talks and walks – which begin at the Chaplaincy behind the Library.

‘Bibliotherapy’ means therapeutic reading to help us understand our mental and emotional troubles, and how to cope with them. The Library holds a selection of self-help books on a variety of challenges including stress, anxiety, addition, bereavement and insomnia, to name but a few.

Reading students can use our Talis Aspire Bibliotherapy online reading list to see which books are available to them online or are loanable from the Library. Alternativly pick up a leaflet from the display or check out the useful resources, including guides and bibliotherapy lists, produced by UoR Counselling and Wellbeing.

Maybe one of these bibliotherapy books can help you begin to turn your world around – after all, 2 March is also World Book Day!

Rachel Redrup, Marketing Co-ordinator

Law students! Learn LexisLibrary with Zoobia

hammer-719066_640Unfortunately, University of Reading Law students will be unable to meet LexisNexis Student Associate, Zoobia Abbasi in the Library on Wednesday 1 February, as previously planned. However, please do get in touch with her about future training sessions.

Zoobia provides training in LexisLibrary, an online legal database providing legal cases and journals for law students as well as access to material used by professional lawyers. She also runs legal research certification sessions for law students, much sought after by employers, and which count towards the University’s RED Award.

At her weekly drop-in sessions, students can ask questions or attend demos. Demos are usually 5-10 mins long and cover for instance: how to search journals, EU Law, commercial awareness and Halsbury’s Laws of England using LexisLibrary.

Look out for her white and black flag!

Rachel Redrup, Marketing Co-ordinator
for Zoobia Abbasi

 

Engage with Cengage primary sources event: 20 January

Blue rectangles arranged in a circle next to the word 'Cengage'Looking for ideas for your dissertation? Drop in to the Library’s Ground Floor this Friday 20 January 2017, anytime 10:00-16:00, to explore some full-text, primary sources available via the Artemis Primary Sources Platform, from one of our main suppliers, Cengage. Cengage staff will be on hand to demonstrate these resources to help you discover primary sources and possible topics for your dissertation:

To see the full range of e-resources to which the University of Reading Library subscribes, see our Databases by subject or Databases A-Z lists.

Rachel Redrup, Marketing Co-ordinator

Two new exhibitions to enjoy!

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

 

Collections Research Fair, 27 April

Collections Reseach Fair poster with images of old papers, girl in lab coat examining bones, archive boxes on shelvesEver considered what fascinating research you could do using treasures held right here in our own University Museums and Special Collections?  Researchers (and potential researchers) from all schools and disciplines are invited to drop in to to talk informally to collection staff at their Collection Research Fair, University Library foyer, Whiteknights, 12:30-15:00, Wednesday 27 April 2016. Tell them about your project or research interests, and they will suggest how the University’s unique holdings could fit in with your work.

Meet representatives from each of the University of Reading’s archives, museums and libraries listed below. They will be ready to field your questions, with catalogues, collections lists and sample objects to hand!

Sign up on Eventbrite for reminders and further information about the Collections Research Fair.

Rachel Redrup, Library Marketing Co-ordinator for
Dr Paddy Bullard, Associate Professor in Literature and Book History, p.s.bullard@reading.ac.uk

Our recycling’s rubbish at exam-time!

Grey display boards with posters, black sacks and post-box with big eyes on it advertising how to improve recycling efforts.Recently we held an exhibition to show how Library users can help fix an environmental problem in the Library. Statistics show that during busy periods, including exam-time, waste tonnage collected in the Library goes up but the percentage of recycling goes down. This is most obvious in the Group Study Areas of the 2nd and 4th Floors.

Graph showing recycling levels dip and waste rise at exam time

What can we do?

  1. Please take a moment to be more environmentally friendly by:
    • putting used coffee cups in the waste bin! If our recycling company sees bin bags contaminated with used cups or drink dregs, they won’t take it – and the whole bag goes to landfill. Many people are unaware of this and would help if they understood.
    • put recycling in the right bin. (The exhibition tells you more about which paper,  metal and plastics we recycle here).
  2. Look out soon for our ‘roving slop bin‘, on test for University Estates & Facilities, coming to various parts of the Library soon. Is this bin type the solution to the problem of where to dispose of unfinished drinks before we bin the container? Let us know what you think below, or post your comments in the Sustainability Team Green Box(check out those googlie eyes!) beside the exhibition.

More information

For more news about this project, please contact the Library’s Environmental Champion, Sam Tyler.

Rachel Redrup, Marketing Co-ordinator