12 Gifts from Open Research at AU

Red background with reflective stars on the table. There are 2 rolls of wrapping paper, a ball of twine and scissors sitting on the table. With hands holding a wrapped present.

On the FIRST day of Christmas Open Research gave to me a Research Publications Policy

This policy will come into effect in May 2023 and has the concept of rights retention at its heart. In accordance with Aberdeen’s Intellectual Property Policy, researchers will retain the copyright over their research publications

On the SECOND Day of Christmas Open Research gave to me Two twitter platforms and a Research Publications Policy

Twitter logo wearing a Santa hat

We now have an Open Research twitter account @OpenResearchUoA, with over 300 followers. AUP have also recently launched a twitter account, @AbdnUniPress tapping into an active online University Press community.

On the THIRD day of Christmas Open Research gave to me Three new training topics, two twitter platforms and a Research Publications Policy.

Training animated all colourful. Starts in red and ends in green.

Open Research are planning a new series of training sessions starting in the New Year, in Open access, Open Data and Metrics

On the FOURTH day of Christmas Open Research gave to me Four copyright tips, three new training topics, two twitter platforms and a research publications policy

Red logo with a tick with the word licensed

To make your research open, always try to publish CCBY for publications and CC0 for data. The MIT license can be useful if you’re happy to make your code openly available and GNU licenses can be used if you need to retain more control over open code. We are planning training sessions on this in the New Year too.

On the FIFTH day of Christmas Open Research gave to me FIVE DAYS OF EVENTS ! four copyright tips, three new training topics, two twitter platforms and a research publications policy

Shooting star animation

In October this year we held five days of events to celebrate International Open Access Week. These included speaker events, a roundtable, the launch of AUP and drop-in information sessions. The week was a success, and we would love to do something similar in 2023. View the slides and recordings from OA week here:

https://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/support/international-open-access-week.php

On the SIXTH day of Christmas Open Research gave to me, Six OR staff, FIVE DAYS OF EVENTS, four copyright tips, three new training topics, two twitter platforms and a research publications policy

Illustrations in black and white of our Open Research Team . There is some holly in red and green at the top to make it festive.

The six awesome Open Research and AUP team members

On the SEVENTH day of Christmas Open Research gave to me, Seven Teams to work with Six OR staff, FIVE DAYS OF EVENTS, four copyright tips, three new training topics, two twitter platforms and a research publications policy

During our events week we worked with seven super AU teams to offer researchers a one-stop information shop

On the EIGHTH day of Christmas, Open Research gave to me, Octopus primary research record (eight legs!), Seven Teams to work with Six OR staff, FIVE DAYS OF EVENTS, Four copyright tips, three new training topics, two twitter platforms and a research publications policy

Octopus logo with an animated Octopus on the right with a turquoise background. Text reads: Octopus. all of science in one place

Octopus is a way to publish and register a version of your research, allowing others to build on your work and encourage peer review. Octopus plan to roll out more information in 2023

On the NINTH day of Christmas Open Research gave to me Nine ways to make your research open, Octopus primary research record, Seven Teams to work with Six OR staff, FIVE DAYS OF EVENTS, Four copyright tips, three new training topics, two twitter platforms and a research publications policy

  1. Publish OA, 2. Use a pre-print server 3. Share your data in a repository 4. Make your data FAIR 5. Publish your methods 6. Publish your code 7. Engage with open-peer review 8. Join an OR community or working group 9. Pre-register your research on OSF.

On the TENTH day of Christmas Open Research gave to me 10 months till the next OA Week Nine ways to make your research open, Octopus primary research record, Seven Teams to work with Six OR staff, FIVE DAYS OF EVENTS, four copyright tips, three new training topics, two twitter platforms and a research publications policy

Clock frosted over with a Christmas wreath with red baubles surrounding it.

Watch this space… we hope to be back with more engagement events in 2023

On the ELEVENTH day of Christmas Open Research gave to me Eleven amazing speakers, 10 months till the next OA Week Nine ways to make your research open, Octopus primary research record, Seven Teams to work with Six OR staff, FIVE DAYS OF EVENTS, four copyright tips, three new training topics, two twitter platforms and a research publications policy

Thankyou to Cameron Neylon, Stephen Curry, Josh Sendall, Chris Jackson, Clare Bond, Paula Vega, Paula Masuzzo, Mark Hahnel, Ian Watt, Jess Butler and  Hazel Hay for contributing to UoA Open Access Week.

On the TWELFTH day of Christmas Open Research gave to me Twelve metric indexes Eleven amazing speakers,10 months till the next OA Week Nine ways to make your research open, Octopus primary research record, Seven Teams to work with Six OR staff, FIVE DAYS OF EVENTS, four copyright tips, three new training topics, two twitter platforms and a research publications policy

We have created lots of information on our website explaining how metric indexes can be used. Bibliometric measures | Library | The University of Aberdeen (abdn.ac.uk) They must always be used in the correct context as article and author metrics can be misleading if used out of context.

by Lesley Macrae

International Open Access Week

International Open Access Week is less than a month away! From the 24th-28th October, please join the University of Aberdeen’s Open Research team in promoting open research and access for all academics, students and researchers alike. The week will kick off with our “Fresh Perspectives” online conversation with 6 academics and advocates leading the discussion on the latest in Open Research.

Blue poster with the University of Aberdeen logo in the top right corner. The text reads, International Open Access Week, 24-28 October 2022. The image has line drawings of The Sir Duncan Rice Library and King's College.

Tuesday will see the re-launch of Aberdeen University Press as a fully online open access publisher and on Wednesday a Roundtable discussion takes place with the 5 Interdisciplinary Centre Directors. These will be followed by a drop-in session for our Postgraduate Students on Thursday, offering the chance for students to chat with experts in many different elements of research and learn how the University can help throughout your entire research project. Finish the week off by attending our online session, “Open Data – the next 10 years”, with a panel of Open Data experts sharing their predictions for what happens next.

The week invites countless opportunities, for newcomers to the topic of Open Access and Research and for those more familiar with it, to engage in discussion and present any questions or ideas to experts in the field.

Now’s your chance! Book your FREE tickets at: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/university-of-aberdeen-international-open-access-week.

View the full programme of events

Janine Awunyo

Summer Opening Hours at our Libraries

From Saturday 21 May our libraries will be moving to their Summer opening hours.

The Sir Duncan Rice Library

At The Sir Duncan Rice Library our 24-hour opening will end at 22:00 on Friday 20 May and we will move into our Summer hours from Saturday:

Monday08.30-20.00
Tuesday08.30-20.00
Wednesday08.30-20.00
Thursday08.30-20.00
Friday*08.30-20.00
Saturday 09.00-17.00
Sunday13.00-17.00

Please note: On Friday 10 June, The Sir Duncan Rice Library will be closing at 17:00 for a University event. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Taylor Library

The Taylor Library also moves into Summer hours beginning Saturday 21 May:

Monday09.00-17.00
Tuesday09.00-17.00
Wednesday09.00-17.00
Thursday09.00-17.00
Friday09.00-17.00
Saturday Closed
SundayClosed

You can see the current occupancy of both TSDRL and Taylor on our website.

Medical Library

Our Medical Library continues with their usual opening hours throughout Summer, here’s a reminder of the current hours:

Monday09.00-22.00
Tuesday09.00-22.00
Wednesday09.00-22.00
Thursday09.00-22.00
Friday09.00-20.00
Saturday 09.00-22:00
Sunday13.00-22.00

Stay up to date with our opening hours across all of our libraries on our website.

Mental Health Awareness Week at The Sir Duncan Rice Library

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week at The Sir Duncan Rice Library and we have multiple events throughout the week on the Ground Floor of the library. Make sure to take a break from studying and check out these events!

  • AUSA will be in the library all week with some information boards and interactive boards to help promote their Mental Health Awareness Week campaign.
  • Make sure to take some time out from studying and pledge to read for just six minutes on Wednesday 11th May in Scotland’s Reading Moment initiative to ‘Keep the heid and read!’ Make your pledge and read more information about the initiative here – https://www.keeptheheid.scot/#pledge
Keep the heid and read campaign poster. Take a mood boosting read on Wedesdnay 11th May - reading for just six minutes every day improves mental health and wellbeing. Pledge here at www.keeptheheid.scot/pledge #keeptheheid
  • We also have our last Therapets session of the semester on Wednesday 11th May 2-3pm. Pop along to see Nevis and Fonzie and take a well-deserved break from your studying.
  • In collaboration with our friends at the Aberdeen City Libraries and our very own Old Aberdeen Library. Ewan Scott, the Health and Wellbeing Librarian for Aberdeen City Libraries is coming in to engage with students, staff and visitors on Wednesday from 2-3pm. Pop along and say hello!

We look forward to seeing you all and remember to take regular breaks from studying!

Therapet dogs in the Library

Last Wednesday afternoon, students and staff in the Sir Duncan Rice Library had a visit from Canine Concern Scotland Trust’s Therapet dogs. The dogs are back in the Library today, and we will be having weekly visits from the Therapets until 10th May – please see below for details. Therapets also attended the University’s recent Live on the Lawn event, where they were a very popular attraction!

Canine Concern Scotland Trust (CCST) is a charitable organisation where owners and their pets can volunteer to visit various groups of people. Dogs must undergo an assessment to ensure they are well-suited to meeting lots of different people, including in schools and universities, care homes, and hospitals. Therapets have been shown to reduce stress and promote wellbeing in students, as detailed in this pilot project, and this article.

Ground floor of the library showing dogs being doted on my students and staff.

We met Leo, Nevis, and Zela with their owners. Leo, a rough collie, was very relaxed and reclined on the floor to receive his adoring public. Nevis, a flat-coated retriever, was really excited to meet everyone! Her tail got a good work-out from wagging so much. Zela, a miniature poodle, was a very attentive listener, her head tilted as she watched people fuss over her. For our future sessions, Nevis and Zela will be present.

We will be having further visits from our canine friends every Wednesday until 10th May, the dates and times of these sessions are below:

  • 6 April, 2-3pm
  • 13 April, 11am-12pm
  • 20 April, 2-3pm
  • 27 April, 2-3pm
  • 4 May, 11am-12pm
  • 11 May, 2-3pm

They will be situated towards the back of the ground floor of the Sir Duncan Rice Library. No booking is required but these sessions may be busy, so please be aware that you will only get a limited time with the dogs.

World Book Day – Old Aberdeen Library

To help us celebrate 25 years of World Book Day we are once again welcoming students and staff to the Old Aberdeen Library on the ground floor of The Sir Duncan Rice Library. Where we get to enjoy and borrow from the Aberdeen City Libraries collection!

Image of curved bookcases full of books in a row with a standing banner in front saying Welcome to Old Aberdeen Library.
Old Aberdeen Library

All those who work, live or study in Aberdeen City or Shire, qualify to become a member of the public library. This gives you access to borrow from their physical collection from any branch using Old Aberdeen Library as your collection point, browse the shelves on the ground floor, borrow audiobooks and electronic books from BorrowBox, their online collection. It also gives to access to all of their online resources such as Ancestry and PressReader. You can find out more about how to sign up for a membership here – https://aberdeencity.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/MSGTRN/WPAC/JOIN

To help us celebrate World Book Day, staff from Aberdeen City Libraries will be here to answer any questions you may have or help you sign up for a membership on Wednesday 2nd March from 10am-12pm.

Pop along to say hello to them and sign up for a membership if you haven’t already, it’s free!

24 Hour Opening in The Sir Duncan Rice Library

In the lead up to the assessment period The Sir Duncan Rice Library will be extending its opening hours to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are just a few days until this goes into effect, and we want to let you know just now so that you can properly plan your revision.

The Sir Duncan Rice Library will open at 11.00 on Sunday November 21 and stay open continuously until 22.00 on Friday December 17, 2021.

Please note that your ID card is still required for access to the building – please ensure you have your ID card as access after 22.00 will not be permitted without it.

Over this period, it is important that you are aware of the following:

  • The PCs require a nightly shutdown (lasting about ten minutes) and reboot for essential maintenance. This will happen at 04.00, and you will be given an option to delay this for 2 hours.
  • Essential cleaning of the building will be carried out overnight between 02.00 and 06.00, which may result in some disruption.
  • Look after yourselves and your belongings – take breaks, but do not leave your personal belongings unattended.
  • Take care if leaving the Library in the early hours – travel with friends if possible.

Please respect the building and your fellow library users:

  1. Properly fitted face coverings are a legal requirement and must be worn while seated in the building. Please wear a sunflower lanyard if you are exempt.
  2. No food is allowed in the building except for in the café area.
  3. Bottled water only in the Library.
  4. Tidy up after yourself – use the sanitary wipes and bins which are available on each of the floors.
  5. Keep talk to the group study areas to allow others to study.

Please report any problems to security staff on duty – in person (Information Centre,
Floor 1, TSDRL) or by phone (01224 273330).

Please remember to check out the opening hours for our other two Library sites, as Taylor and Medical will not be open 24/7 during these dates.

If you have any feedback or suggestions, contact us at library@abdn.ac.uk.

Book Week Scotland – Old Aberdeen Library

We are gearing up for Book Week Scotland (15-21 November) and we are celebrating that we don’t have just one Library in The Sir Duncan Rice Library, we have two! Did you know that we have the Old Aberdeen branch of the Aberdeen City Libraries situated in the back right corner of the ground floor?

Image of curved bookcases full of books in a row with a standing banner in front saying Welcome to Old Aberdeen Library.

All those who work, live or study in Aberdeen City or Shire, qualify to become a member of the public library. This gives you access to borrow from their physical collection from any branch using Old Aberdeen Library as your collection point, browse the shelves on the ground floor, borrow audiobooks and electronic books from BorrowBox, their online collection. It also gives to access to all of their online resources such as Ancestry and PressReader. You can find out more about how to sign up for a membership here – https://aberdeencity.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/MSGTRN/WPAC/JOIN

To help us celebrate Book Week Scotland, we will have staff from Aberdeen City Libraries here to answer any questions you may have or help you sign up for a membership at the following times next week:

  • Monday November 15, 09:30 – 11:30
  • Wednesday November 17, 14:00 – 16.30

Pop along to say hello to them and sign up for a membership if you haven’t already, it’s free!

COP26 – Learn more about climate change

It is the final week of the COP26 Conference in Glasgow and the University of Aberdeen is one of 1050 universities and colleges from 68 countries that have pledged to half their emissions by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050 at the very latest. You can read more about the pledge made by the University here – https://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/15480/.

We thought we would highlight just some of the books we have available in the library if you want to learn more about climate change.

A stack of books we hold in the library on the subject of climate change.

The cartoon introduction to climate change by Yoram Bauman and Grady Klein (available online)

This book gives a well-rounded look at climate change. It covers so much information from: the history of the earth, the science behind climate change, predictions on what could happen and the actions we can take. All explained in a simple and easy to understand manner. Don’t be put off by the fact that it is all written as a cartoon. This allows for everything to be explained in bitesize pieces and also makes the book a nice and quick read. The illustrations are useful and often humorous in helping to understand the subjects covered. The cartoon introduction to climate change is a must read if you want to educate yourself on all aspects of climate change!

Braiding sweetgrass : indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teachings of plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer (available online)

As both a botanist and a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Kimmerer believes that plants and animals are our oldest teachers, and she brings these two together in the book. Kimmerer draws on her life as a scientist, a mother and a woman to show us how other living beings offer us so much to learn, even if we have forgotten to listen to them. Bringing together reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the threats that it faces today. Understanding that we need to celebrate and acknowledge our relationship with the rest of the living world to be capable of understanding how generous the earth has been to us and learn to look after it in return. This beautifully written book provides such a fresh take on how we need to change our current relationship with the earth.

It is also available as a physical book from Aberdeen City Libraries if you prefer, you can find the details here – https://bit.ly/3bxNwe5

How to save our planet : the facts by Professor Mark Maslin (available in print)

Professor Maslin has pulled together all the facts we should and need to know about climate change. The book contains chapters on the history of our planet & humanity, the state of our world, corporate power, the power we hold as individuals, government solutions and how we can save our planet & ourselves. Everything is written clearly, in small, easy to comprehend chunks. It also features a vast reference list and further reading if you want to read more on any subjects Maslin covers. How to save our planet: the facts is an essential pocket-sized guide of the facts we need to know about climate change.

We do hope you enjoy reading and learning from some of these titles and let us know what you think of them!

Black History Month – Help us Diversify our Collections

It’s Black History Month and we are looking for your help to Diversify our Collections. If there are any relevant books we do not have, either in print or electronically, that you believe that we should, please let us know and we will look into adding these to our collection.

We have set some funds aside for this and will purchase titles throughout October while these funds remain. Please contact us at subjectteam@abdn.ac.uk with the details of your suggestions for purchase.

This continues work we have already been undertaking to diversify our collections. You can see a full list of titles already purchased under this initiative on our website.

Books stacked showing just some of the titles we have already added to our collection through this initiative

Here is some more information about just a few of the titles we have added to our collection in the last year.

Why I’m no longer talking to white people about race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

You may recognise this title as it has been highly recommended across social media platforms since its release in 2017. Inspired by her 2014 blog post of the same title, Eddo-Lodge discusses issues such as eradicated black history, the link between class and race, whitewashed feminism, and the political purpose of white dominance. This book has received many accolades including the Non-Fiction Narrative Book of the Year 2018 by the British Book Awards and is a No.1 Sunday Times Bestseller. This book is an essential read to help understand race in a modern-day Britain.

If you prefer reading a physical book or listening to an audiobook, Aberdeen City Libraries have access to both here – https://bit.ly/3aSSLol.

Race talk and the conspiracy of silence : understanding and facilitating difficult dialogues on race by Derald Wing Sue

Dr. Sue provides guidance on how to turn what may be an uncomfortable conversation into one that is meaningful and how to get over any fears you may have when talking about race. Showing how best to approach, navigate and facilitate conversations about race. He goes over how to identify when a conversation on race may be unproductive, social rules to keep in mind when talking about racial issues, race specific difficulties and misconceptions and advice for parents and educators on how to approach race more effectively. Dr. Sue has included specific chapters on why people of colour may find it difficult to have honest conversations about race. This book seems incredibly useful if you want to have more productive conversations about race and why a ‘colour-blind approach’ may not be very helpful. 

Ain’t I a woman by bell hooks 

bell hooks provides an essential and classic text in feminist literature. This book covers the impact of sexism on black women during slavery moving into the continuation of the devaluation of black women. She also looks at racism amongst feminists and black women’s involvement in feminism. This is a must read for those looking to expand their knowledge of feminism and read a text that has been deemed ground-breaking in the field.

It is also available as a physical book if you prefer, you can find the details here – https://abdn.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/44ABE_INST/1eeeind/alma990016699270205941

We have also compiled a short playlist on Box of Broadcasts to celebrate Black History Month: https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/ondemand/playlists/328235

We do hope you enjoy reading and learning from some of these titles and please let us know if you think our collection is missing any books, email subjectteam@abdn.ac.uk with any details.