Category Archives: Library news

News and posts of interest from the library

Upgrades to Pure and Research Online

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Pure and the Research Online portal will undergo a major upgrade from Monday 23rd September 2019. Pure will be unavailable to users until 2nd October 2019; Research Online will remain accessible during this period. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

The upgraded system will bring the following benefits to users:

  • Pure system now fully supported and maintained with upgrades and new functionality available each month
  • Cloud hosted system provides reliability and scalability
  • Improved functionality and new Pure portal with clean, modern user interface
  • Access Pure directly on and off campus without the need for VPN or remote desktop
  • Access for all academic staff
  • Improved data quality and integration with other University systems
  • New REF and awards management functionality coming soon

For enquiries regarding the upgrade or system downtime please contact librarysystems@gcu.ac.uk

For urgent enquiries relating to REF eligible outputs please contact repository@gcu.ac.uk

Discover your library – tours running 16th to 27th September 2019

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Saltire Centre walkways

Sign up for a Library tour Monday to Friday, 16th – 27th Sept.  

First tour 10am, then on the hour, until the last tour at 4pm. Tours last only 45 minutes. You will be able to:

  • find the resources you need for your course
  • get started using our huge online library of ebooks and journal articles
  • borrow books and laptops and renew your loans
  • get help from the library staff
  • find the best study space for your needs

We encourage you to come along and get the best start for your studies.

Download the GCU 2019 induction app or book directly on Eventbrite.

New Westlaw

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There is a new version of Westlaw, the law database.   You can access it via the Database A to Z or the Law subject guide.

If you have used the previous version of Westlaw you will find new Westlaw familiar, but it has more features and is easier to use.  The publisher has provided step-by-step help guides which you can find here.

Help is also available from your academic librarian. 

The publisher will be withdrawing the previous version so please update your bookmarks and links.

Screenshot of new Westlaw platform

 

Summer conferences: limited access to the ground floor of Saltire Centre in June

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The University is hosting several large-scale conferences this month, which means there will be limited access to the ground floor (basement) of the Saltire Centre for staff and students over the next few weeks.

Please read the information below and take note of which services will be disrupted and when.

June 7 to 16 : SESAM Annual Meeting

The SESAM Annual Meeting will take place from June 12 to 14. With more than 600 delegates, the campus will be busier than usual.

Access to the ground floor of the Saltire Centre will be limited over the course of the three days, as well as while the conference space is set up and broken down.

From Friday, June 7, all furniture will be cleared from the ground floor to allow the conference to be set up, and there will be increased noise levels.

For health and safety reasons, the ground floor will be closed on June 10 and 11 while the contractors set up the conference space.

From June 12 to 14, there will be limited access while the conference is taking place and the computers and study space will be unavailable during this time. The library service desk will be relocated to the first floor.

We encourage staff and students to use alternative entrances to the ground floor to access the upper levels of the Saltire Centre over the three days.

The Saltire Café will be closed from the evening of June 7 to 14. However, all other catering outlets on campus will be open, and the George Moore Restaurant will be open from 9am to 5pm on June 8 and 9, and will open until the later time of 7.30pm from June 10 to 14.

The conference will be broken down from June 14 (pm) to 16, and the space will be prepared for the next conference.

The ground floor will open as usual from Monday, June 17.

June 19 to 21: World Forum on Climate Justice

The first World Forum on Climate Justice will take place on the ground floor from June 19 to 21.

While the space will be busy with conference delegates, the computers, café, study space and library desk will still be available over the three days.

We encourage staff and students to use alternative entrances to the ground floor to access the upper levels of the Saltire Centre while the conference takes place.

June 26 to 29: International Association for Feminist Economics (IAFFE)

The IAFFE will host its annual conference on campus from June 27 to 29.

The conference space will be set up on June 26 and about 350 delegates will attend the three-day event.

While the ground floor will be busy and there will be increased noise levels, the services (i.e. computers, café, study space and library desk) will still be available during the conference.

The table below summarises this information.

SESAM Annual Meeting
​Conference set up ​Conference break down ​Conference live days ​Ground floor closed ​Saltire café  ​Computers ​Study space ​Library desk
​June 7 to 11 ​June 14 (pm) to 16 ​June 12 to 14 ​June 10 and 11 ​Closed June 7 (pm) to 14 ​Unavailable June 12 to 14 ​Unavailable June 12 to 14 ​Moved to first floor
June 10 to 14
World Forum on Climate Justice​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​​Conference set up ​Conference break down ​​Conference live days ​​Ground floor closed ​​Saltire café  ​​Computers ​​Study space ​​Library desk
​June 14 to 16 ​June 21 ​June 19 to 21 ​N/A ​Available ​Available ​Available ​Available
​ International Association for Feminist Economics (IAFFE)
​​​Conference set up ​​Conference break down ​​​Conference live days ​​Ground floor closed ​Saltire café  ​​​Computers ​​​Study space ​​​Library desk
​June 26 ​June 29 ​June 27 to 29 ​N/A ​Available ​Available ​Available ​Available

The ground floor will fully reopen to staff and students as usual on Monday, July 1.

Communications will be sent to students this week to advise them of the disruption to services.

As per previous communications, work is currently under way to convert the mobile shelving on levels two, three and four of the Saltire Centre to static shelving. This means there will be limited access to these floors from now until August 6 –  see the planned schedule of works.

Library summer shelving project – what you need to know

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In response to student feedback, the mobile shelving on levels two, three and four of the Saltire Centre will be converted to static shelving. The books and journals currently held on the mobile and existing static shelves will also be integrated, meaning library users will no longer have to go to different sets of shelves to see all of the material on any one subject.

The work will be carried out over the summer months, which is typically a quieter period for the library. However, there will be limited access to the library between 20th May and 6th August.

To keep disruption to a minimum, work will be carried out on one floor at a time, starting on level four. Each floor will be closed and the material held on that floor will be unavailable to users for about four weeks while the work progresses. If you plan on borrowing over the summer Continue reading →

Summer shelving project

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Big changes are coming to the library this summer, making it easier for our students and staff to find the books and journals they’re looking for.

In response to student feedback, the mobile shelving on levels two, three and four of the Saltire Centre will be converted to static shelving. The books and journals currently held on the mobile and existing static shelves will also be integrated, meaning library users will no longer have to go to different sets of shelves to see all of the material on any one subject.

Robert Ruthven, Director of Library Services, said: “Our students have told us that they find the mobile shelving off-putting and difficult to use. This is also reflected in the low usage of the material that’s held in this shelving.

“We’re, therefore, moving these books and journals to static shelving, meaning the material that’s currently ‘hidden’ in the mobile shelving will be easy to find by users as they browse.

“This is a huge project for the library, which involves moving almost every book and journal in our collection.”

The work will be carried out over the summer months, which is typically a quieter period for the library.

To keep disruption to a minimum, work will be carried out on one floor at a time, starting on level four in May, after the exams have ended. Each floor will be closed and the material held on that floor will be unavailable to users for about four weeks while the work progresses. The work is due to be complete by early August.

Robert said: “To give our users as much access to our physical collection as possible, we’re encouraging them to borrow early in advance of the floor closures. We will not charge fines on items borrowed over the summer period and we’re investing in additional e-books. Our inter-library loan service is also available to all students and staff.”

The mobile shelving on Level 0 of the Saltire Centre will not be converted to static shelving. Instead, its electronic-management system will be upgraded and it will be used to house low-use items that have not been borrowed for more than ten years. At the end of the project this material will be available on request and will be fetched by library staff.

The mobile shelving in our Archives Centre, which holds the University’s archives and special collections, is also being upgraded to securely house these resources for many years to come.

Inter-library loan service update

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If you need an item to support your research, teaching or coursework and we don’t have it in stock you can request it through our inter-library loan service.  We have now introduced a quicker, easier method of placing requests through Discover and you can track the progress via your library account.

To place a request, either:

  • Carry out your search and select Expand My Results Beyond GCU Library Collections;

choose the Get it tab where available and sign in;

click Inter-library loan request, you will be taken to the request form which will be automatically populated with the information about your chosen item.

or

For a trial period, we are extending this service to all GCU staff and students.

Full information is available on our web pages.

Please let us know what you think of this service by completing our feedback form.

Festive Feedback 2018

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We thought it would good to update you regarding our 2018 festive Feedback campaign, and some of the actions that have taken place in response to your feedback.

We received 72 responses over the festive period covering these areas:

19 positive comments were directed to our library staff including:

“I feel library staff and librarians are very friendly and helpful.”

“I was happy with the quality of response and help I received from my librarian when I e-mailed for help.  She gave me clear explanations and was willing to help further by offering face-to-face help if I had not understood the e-mail.  Thank you!”

“Thank you so much for the drop in sessions. I also got to call in for some referencing clarifications – I was pleasantly surprised all my questions were answered. Wishing you & your family a Merry Christmas”

“Thanks a bunch for all the work you do!”

We also received a further 19 kind comments relating to the library as a study environment including:

“Great place to study! Really enjoying it.”

“Enjoy every moment, every second. Love you :)”

“I think you have done an excellent job in creating a great environment for the students to study in.”

“Very nice and cosy library. Excellent job!”

As with all feedback campaigns, we also look to find areas we can improve on. We received feedback relating to catering, temperature, PC availability, and opening hours.

In relation to PC availability, we have a tracker for our computer usage in the Saltire Centre found here. In addition to this, our lapsafe vending machine on level 0 allows you to borrow a laptop for up to 3 hours – ideal if you need to find a quiet area to study, or wish to use one of our bookable study rooms.

The library continues to support students with extended opening hours during exam times. This included 24-hour opening from 2nd – 25th January 2019. GCU also offers students access to the 24-hr lab in the Students’ Association building 365 days a year.

Comments relating to catering and temperature issues back to our facilities management department, and will continue to liaise with them throughout the year when feedback is received.

Please remember that we are happy to listen to your comments at any point throughout the year. Our roving library staff are available on all floors of the library, so should you need any help please don’t hesitate to ask them. Our library desk on level 0 is staffed between 9am and 8pm Monday –Friday, and between 10-6pm at weekends.

Alternatively you can follow and contact us on Twitter @SaltireCentre, or use our feedback form: https://www.gcu.ac.uk/library/contactus/feedback/.