Keep the heid and read! – Library wellbeing event

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Coinciding with Mental Health Awareness week 9-15 May 2022 the Sir Alex Ferguson Library is supporting Keep the heid and read!: Scotland’s Reading moment 2022.

Reading just 6 minutes a day can improve your mental health.
To find out more and how to join in and visit Keep the heid and read! 

If you are on campus why not visit our new wellbeing space Relax and Renew at 3pm on Wednesday 11th May 2022 and join staff and students from the GCU community to pledge your 6 minutes and read.

You can select a book to read from our wellbeing collection or just relax and read in the space (near the Library desk on Level 0).

 

 

 

 

 

Relax and Renew – the Library’s new wellbeing space

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A new wellbeing space will be opening in the Sir Alex Ferguson Library on Wednesday 27th April at 2pm.
Located near the Library Desk on Level 0, the ‘Relax and Renew’ area will provide our staff and students with a relaxing, contemplative space where they can take a break from their work and studies and engage with others from the University community.
You can also browse and engage with a selection of resources related to wellbeing and mental health, including self-care resources and literature on hobbies and on non-academic based fiction and non-fiction topics.   You can browse our print collection here.
We are delighted to kick off our book of the month series with a recommendation from GCU student Rachel S. Tying in nicely with Stress Awareness Month, Rachel has recommended Be Well, Learn Well by Gareth Hughes

Be Well, Learn Well by Gareth Hughes: I really enjoyed Gareth Hughes book; Be Well, Learn Well! It’s packed with information on how to learn and improve our wellbeing, including staying motivated and different ways we can study for exams while looking after ourselves. I’d thoroughly recommend it, especially now with exam season coming up!You can check out our April book of the month online here.

Those who are not on campus can access wellbeing resources via the Library’s webpages.

If you have any ideas for events or would like to suggest an item to add to our wellbeing collection, please contact us at: library@gcu.ac.uk

Workers Education Association Scotland archive – guest blog by Ray McCowan

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On the 24th January 2022 – International Day of Education – GCU Archive Centre are delighted to announce that the Workers Education Association Scotland story will be preserved, catalogued and made available for the use of current and future generations. WEA Scotland have played an important role in education for the common good over almost 120 years to date and now their historical records will begin a new life as a research resource, available to all. First discussed in early 2020 it was not until September 2021 that the full collection arrived here. This was, of course, mainly due to restrictions caused by the pandemic.

Our guest blogger Ray McCowan is the Director of the WEA Scotland. Here he tells the story of bringing their archives together and creating a national heritage collection. 

Continue reading →

British Standards Online – FileOpen plug in

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We’re aware of an issue downloading standards from the BSI website. This is due to new digital security requirements put in place by the publisher.

For Academic Staff:

To download standards on a GCU computer you’ll now need to install a special plugin called FileOpen. You’ll find the plugin by searching for the Software Centre app on your computer and downloading Install BSOL plugin for Adobe Reader. You need to be signed into the Cisco AnyConnect VPN if you’re off campus. Please restart your machine before attempting to download any files. Files can only be opened in PDF readers such as Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader, they can’t be opened in-browser.

You will also need an internet connection to open the documents for the first time. Once your documents have been authenticated, you will be able to access the documents offline.

Please let us know if you have any problems installing the plugin by contacting the team at ertenq@gcu.ac.uk

For students:

If you are using your own device, you will be able to download the FileOpen plug in directly from the BSI platform. You may not need to restart your machine before downloading.

If you are using a machine on campus, the FileOpen plug in will already be installed on your machine. If you have having any problems opening documents, please contact the team at ertenq@gcu.ac.uk

Apologies for any inconvenience.

New study spaces on Level 2 and 3

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We are installing new study spaces on Level 2 and 3 of the Library on Saturday 2nd October and Sunday 3rd October. There will be some noise associated with this work. If you feel that this noise may affect your use of the Library, please feel free to use another area in the building. Level 0 has space for both individual and group study, and Level 4 is available for silent individual study.

We look forward to seeing you this weekend, and if there is anything we can assist with please contact us using the chat function on the Library homepage or by email at library@gcu.ac.uk.

Staying Safe in the Library

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After a year of booking spaces, swiping cards and social distancing we are thrilled to be opening the Library back up again for all. There are just a couple of things we need to be mindful of as we continue to keep each other safe. 

Masks 

Masks must be worn at all times in the library unless you are medically exempt. They must be worn even when working at your desk. They can be removed when taking a bite of food or a sip of drink, but must be put back on when finished. 

Hygiene 

Wipes and hand sanitiser will be freely available throughout the floors and we encourage all Library patrons to use these when working in the building. Our domestic staff will be conducting an enhanced cleaning regime throughout the day. 

Respect 

While there are no social-distancing rules in place, we ask you to be respectful of the boundaries of other library users. Library staff will be working hard to keep the building safe so please ensure you treat them with the same level of respect. 

Following these three simple guidelines will help ensure the Library is a safe and comfortable place to work for all. If you choose not to follow these guidelines then you may be asked to leave. 

If at any point you feel uncomfortable you can speak to a member of the Library team using our chat service on the Library homepage or on our smart tables. 

If you require books but do not wish to enter the main Library floors then please use our Click and Collect service. 

We also have a limited number of bookable PCs if you wish to secure a study space in the Library before you arrive. 

If you’d like to discuss any of these guidelines then just reach out to us at library@gcu.ac.uk or 0141 273 1000. 

We can’t wait to welcome you back! 

Sage Research Methods

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The library is happy to announce that it now has online access to Sage Research Methods.

SAGE Research Methods is the ultimate methods library with books, reference works, journal articles, podcasts, an online project planner and instructional videos by world-leading academics from across the social sciences, including the largest collection of qualitative methods books available online in one place. The site is designed to guide users to the content they need to learn a little or a lot about their method. The online Methods Maps can help those less familiar with research methods to find the best technique to use in their research.

Users can find SAGE Research Methods on the Library’s Discover platform, by searching the Database A-Z or by clicking here.

Important information on reporting systematic review and meta-analyses: PRISMA 2020 updated guideline

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PRISMA is a recognised tool designed to improve the quality of reporting primary systematic review and meta-analyses. It is used widely by researchers, staff and students in the School of Health and Life Sciences. Updates to PRISMA, including the statement, checklist and flow diagram were published earlier this year. The Library is working on updates to our website and associated guides to reflect these changes.

For the time being we will continue to provide our guidance on using the 2009 flow diagram.

We will also consult with academic departments within the school on how our support should develop in response to the new guideline.

If you need to access the new PRISMA documents you can find them on the PRISMA website. For more detailed information on PRISMA 2020 including how it was developed, how to use it and exemplars the following articles are helpful:

BMJ (OPEN ACCESS) Page, M. J. et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ 2021;372:n71, doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71

BMJ (OPEN ACCESS) Page, M. J. et al. PRISMA 2020 explanation and elaboration: updated guidance and exemplars for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ 2021;372:n160, doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n160 Continue reading →

Provision of online exam desk space within the library

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From Monday 26 April until Wednesday 12 May the library will provide a number of designated desk spaces for students sitting online exams. Online exam desk space is bookable from 10am – 5pm, Monday to Sunday, during this period.

Bookable online exam desk space within the library is available under the heading Level 2 (Exam Space) on our Book a study space webpage.