Search our digital collections using ‘Find Databases’ on Primo

Posted on September 30, 2019 by eleni boro

Primo will tell you about the hundreds of thousands of digital resources available through the University and will link you to one of over 200 different online academic databases to let you read the material that you’re interested in.

Did you know, though, that if you go straight to the website of specific academic databases you can perform even more powerful searches, often looking across every word contained in every item within that collection? A simple search in Primo is the best place to start a piece of research but using the Find Databases option is the next step, improving the quality of any academic research that you do.

These databases often focus on specific subject areas, meaning that your searching becomes more focused and efficient, saving you time looking and giving you more time to read and write. See below for details of how to use the Find Databases feature in Primo to link straight to digital collections best suited to your area of study.

Use the Find Databases option at the top of Primo. Please remember to log in with your username and password.

You can search for specific databases or you can filter by subject area. It is also possible to browse an alphabetical listing of all databases available.

Once you have identified an academic database that you wish to search, simply click on its name to link out to it. You may be asked to log in again.

Please note that it is not possible to search across multiple databases at once using the Find Databases option. You must link out to each database that you are interested in and search them individually. This method will allow you to perform the most powerful searches available to you.

For further guidance on using Primo please see our short videos on its various features. For guidance on accessing online resources, particularly when off campus, please see our Library Guide on Accessing Electronic Information and the Toolkit’s section on Remote Access.

Ewan Grant, e.grant@abdn.ac.uk

Primo videos

Posted on September 17, 2019 by LenaP.

Need help with using Primo? Watch our videos and discover how to use Primo, the Library’s discovery tool, to find specific books or books on a topic. Our videos also cover journal searches and the processes of planning and executing a search. More videos to follow soon!

Our videos can be accessed at www.abdn.ac.uk/library/support/information-skills-179.php#panel547.

Please email eleni.boro@abdn.ac.uk or e.grant@abdn.ac.uk if you have any questions!

Eleni Borompoka, eleni.boro@abdn.ac.uk

Times Higher Education – now available online to all staff and students

Posted on July 4, 2019 by eleni boro

All staff and students at the University of Aberdeen now have online access to the Times Higher Education (THE) content. Regarded by many as the UK’s leading publication in the field, our institutional subscription will allow you to read weekly digital editions and THE supplements. You can also search across and access other THE content as part of our licence.

The subscription provides full-text access to THE Digital Editions from May 2015 up to the latest weekly edition.

To access THE content, register for a personal account on the Times Higher Education homepage. You will need to use your University of Aberdeen email address to link your account to the institutional subscription.

If you already have a personal account for THE

Navigate to https://www.timeshighereducation.com
Click on the person (user account) icon (in red) towards the top right of the screen and select Login
Enter your personal THE username and password
- Ensure that the password you use for your existing personal THE account is different from your University password
- There is a “Change your password” option under My account if this is required
Check your details in My account – the email address must be your University address. Adjust if necessary and click on Save
The user account icon will change colour from red to green.

If you are registering as a first time user

Navigate to https://www.timeshighereducation.com
Click on the person (user account) icon (in red) towards the top right of the screen and select Register
Select which type of user you are – Student, Higher Education Professional or Other position
Complete the form using your University of Aberdeen email address and create a password for your THE account
- DO NOT USE YOUR UNIVERSITY PASSWORD FOR THIS SITE. You must create a different password unrelated to your University password. Never use your University Password for anything other than University hosted services
Click on Join Us to complete the registration.

You will then be asked how you would like to be contacted for updates and news; select an option and update or click on continue browsing
You are now logged into the service and the user account icon will change colour from red to green.

Accessing Times Higher Education on your phone/tablet

There is a Times Higher Education app; however, no new content has been added since 6 June 2019 and THE recommend that users access content via the mobile edition of the website instead. Confusingly, until THE remove it the app may still be available in App stores.

Accessing weekly issues (Digital Editions)

To access individual weekly issues of Times Higher Education:

Click on the PROFESSIONAL tab, then select Digital Editions
Select the issue you want to view

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Searching across online content

It is possible to carry out simple searches across THE’s online content using the search facility (magnifying glass icon to the right of the user account icon). The refine option for large numbers of results is limited.

Existing personal subscriptions

Personal subscriptions paid for by individuals or the University can be cancelled as staff and students now have online access through the University’s institutional service.

If you have any queries, please contact: library@abdn.ac.uk

Walk-In Users service

Posted on April 3, 2019 by eleni boro

Did you know that the Library offers a Walk-In Users service, which allows members of the public to access electronic resources where licensing conditions permit? There are dedicated computer terminals located on Floor 1 and 2 of the Sir Duncan Rice Library. There is no access off-campus.

This service is only available when library staff are on duty and you are expected to do the searching yourself. Printing is not possible so bring your own memory stick to download material within copyright regulations.

What you can do	What you cannot do	Who can use the service
The resources may be used for educational purposes only	Use for commercial or business purposes is strictly forbidden	Anyone who is not currently a registered student or employee of the University
Information may be saved to a memory stick	Printing is not possible	This can be a member of the public, a teacher or senior pupil from a local school
Within copyright law it is permissible to download 1 article from a journal issue or 1 chapter from a book	Multiple downloading is illegal and is carefully monitored by the database provider	An honorary or ex-member of University staff who has no University network access
	Pass on the information to other users
	Access other areas of the university network

How to use this service

To register for the service, please visit The Sir Duncan Rice Library. You will need to provide photographic ID e.g. passport and verification of your address e.g. utility bill. You will be asked to read and sign Terms and Conditions and complete a registration form. An access pass will be issued and this, along with the membership, is renewable.

To use the service, please go to the Information Desk on the First Floor to sign in and you will be issued with a Smartcard to operate the dedicated Walk-In Users PCs.

What is available?

Access to many of the Library’s extensive range of full-text and bibliographic databases is available. Availability and access varies and please be aware that access is subject to strict licensing permissions and copyright law. The databases and e-journals are organised under the following headings:

Cross Disciplinary
Business, Law and Social Sciences
Humanities
Sciences

Help screens are available and many of the resources have tutorials.

Please follow the link detailed below for brief tips to use in conjunction with the tutorials on how to make the most out of them, along with full details of Terms and Conditions:

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/using-libraries/the-sir-duncan-rice-library-338.php#panel356

This link also provides details of the various suppliers and a brief summary of what they provide.

Any questions about this service should be directed to:

Email: library@abdn.ac.uk or Tel.: 01224 273330

Mhorag Watson, mhorag.watson@abdn.ac.uk