Tag Archives: primo

Where to go for help in The Sir Duncan Rice Library

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A comfortable study and learning environment for all
The Library is here to support your study and research by providing a range of study spaces to suit your individual needs. Members of staff can be contacted at any point, in person or via email/telephone, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries about the Library’s facilities and services.

A view of the Sir Duncan Rice Library from the outside.

Finding the information you want – using the resources
Find books and journals in print and electronic format, museum objects, theses, images, exam papers and more just by using Primo, the Library’s discovery tool. If you would like help using the different functions within Primo, speak to a member of staff in the Subject and Enquiry Team, at the Information Centre on Floor 1 of The Sir Duncan Rice Library. Subject and Enquiry team staff can also be found on Floors 5 and 6 of the Sir Duncan Rice Library. Please contact us at library@abdn.ac.uk.

If you have a subject-specific question, need help constructing a search strategy or using one of our specialist databases, speak to the Information Consultant for your discipline. A detailed list can be found here.

Borrowing enquiries, fines, using the Heavy Demand section, collecting reserved items
Speak to staff at the Information Centre on Floor 1 if you need help placing requests on books or collecting reserved items. Staff on Floor 1 can also advise on Inter-Library Loans and access to your borrower record. The Heavy Demand section is on the west wall of the building, next to the Information Centre. It contains books that are heavily used, a DVD collection, study spaces, self-service kiosks for borrowing and returning. It also contains MFDs for copying, printing, and scanning. Staff on Floor 1 can provide advice on how the Heavy Demand section works.

Copying/printing
Speak to any member of staff on floors 1, 5 and 6 if you need help using the MFDs. Also, there are detailed guides on the notice boards behind the MFDs to help you understand the functions of scanning, printing and photocopying. These guides are available from the University’s Toolkit, found here. Remember to top up your printing budget! For information on paying for printing, click here.

IT-related queries
Our IT service desk is the first point of contact for issues relating to connectivity, printing, username & password problems, remote access and more. The service desk is located on Floor 1 of The Sir Duncan Rice Library. You can also email servicedesk@abdn.ac.uk or call 01224 -273636 (this number also connects you to the Out-of-Hours service). Calls can also be logged through MyIT, a self-service facility for reporting problems.

Printing and binding your dissertation
The University’s binding service is on 23 St. Machar Drive. Services include colour and black & white printing, soft and hard binding, lamination, large format poster printing and more.
Tel: 01224 – 272578
Email: printshop@abdn.ac.uk

Materials from our Information skills workshops http://finditfastlibraryworkshops.pbworks.com/w/page/86602816/Home

RefWorks
See our RefWorks Library guides at www.abdn.ac.uk/library/support/library-guides-101.php#R
(Navigate to our Library guides section on the Library website and select ‘A-Z’, then click on ‘R’ and scroll down to ‘RefWorks’)

For Research Postgraduates and staff, further instruction on how to use RefWorks’ advanced features is provided in our Literature Searching Essential Skills workshop series. These run 3 times a year. To search for and book these sessions, please see the course booking website. Alternatively, speak to one of the Information Consultants.

Further help & support

Library guides on how to use Primo
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/support/library-guides-101.php#P

Information skills workshops
www.abdn.ac.uk/coursebooking

Library guides online
www.abdn.ac.uk/library/support/library-guides-101.php

Primo
https://abdn.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=44ABE_INST:44ABE_VU1

Inter-Library Loan service
www.abdn.ac.uk/library/support/interlibrary-loans-182.php

Email your Library enquiries to:
library@abdn.ac.uk

Telephone your Library enquiries to:
01224 – 273330

InfoLinks Library blog
https://aberdeenunilib.wordpress.com

Library on Twitter
https://twitter.com/aberdeenunilib

Remember that we are here to help!

Welcome to the Library

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external photo of the Sir Duncan Rice Library

It has been exciting to see our new and returning students in the Library after the winter break. Library staff are here to help you make the most of our resources and services, whether you are based on, or off, campus. Please get in touch with any queries you may have.

For general or subject-related enquiries, contact us on library@abdn.ac.uk, or please do enquire in person: Library staff will be available at set times at the Information Centre on Floor 1, or on Floors 5 & 6 of the Sir Duncan Rice Library.

If you wish to contact the Information Consultant for your discipline, please check our website for their contact details.

Library Resources

When searching for books on your Reading List, or other resources, please use the Library’s discovery tool, Primo. Primo provides information about our printed resources, and is also the recommended access route to our extensive e-resources, digital collections and databases.

Our comprehensive Library guides offer detailed answers to any questions you may have about our resources. If you haven’t used Primo before, you may find the following guides helpful:

Primo Quick Guide
Primo: How to do a simple search successfully  
Primo: How to do an advanced search successfully
Accessing e-resources 

Please do contact Library staff if you are having trouble accessing or finding your resources. We are happy to help.

IT Issues

If you have any problems with your device or accessing information, please contact the IT Service Desk.

Visiting the Library

Please note that there is now a webpage on our site where you can see the current occupancy of the Sir Duncan Rice library and the Taylor library. Before you visit any of our Library sites please view our Library Opening hours.

Please follow us on our social media channels to keep up with news from the Library. Once again, we would like to extend a warm welcome to all our students and wish you all a happy new year.

Information skills workshops for PhD students

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The Library is here to help all postgraduate researchers with a series of information skills workshops which will take place on the 7th, 8th & 9th of November. 

Photo by Keira Burton on Pexels.com

There are three workshops on offer, each lasting two hours:

  • Literature searching – Part 1: Getting started
  • Literature searching – Part 2: Using databases
  • Literature searching – Part 3:  Managing references using RefWorks

Across the three workshops we will look at: planning a search, looking for books, using databases of academic literature, getting the best out of Google and managing references with RefWorks.

Please note that the session on RefWorks is not suitable for postgraduates in the School of Law. 

For more information and to book a place on these sessions, please visit: www.abdn.ac.uk/coursebooking and look for ‘Library Information Skills’ classes.

Did you know: Working on your thesis? Help is available in the Library

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Here’s an outline of what help is available from the Library and IT Services for those of you working on your thesis.

Searching for theses in your subject area

You can access three large databases of theses through Primo:

  1. Sign in to Primo
  2. Click on the Find Databases tab
  3. From the left-hand menu, click on the arrow next to All General Resources
  4. Select Theses from the options shown
  5. Then click on each database for more information and to link out and search for relevant theses.

For further information and more theses databases, please see this guidance document created by Library staff.

A selection of University of Aberdeen theses are also available in the Digital Collections section of Primo. There are both Research and Taught Course theses covering a range of programmes, but it doesn’t contain all theses and dissertations submitted at the University of Aberdeen. For Research Theses:

  1. Sign in to Primo
  2. Click on the Digital Collections tab
  3. Select Research theses
  4. The theses are arranged in Subject Collections

Information Skills

Our Find it Fast! Wiki is packed with material to help with your information skills, from planning your search to referencing. There is a specific section for Postgraduate Researchers. There are also runs regular online sessions about pertinent topics such as literature searching. More information and details of how to book can be found in Online Information Skills Workshops for PhD students: now open for booking.

Our Toolkit also provides a wealth of information on IT and Academic Skills to assist in organising and managing your time and information. The IT Services Team have also created the Working with Long Documents section, which has plenty of handy videos and guides to help you with creating and manipulating long documents in MS Word.

Remember, we are here to support you through your studies, so if you require further help and advice, please do contact us via informationconsultants@abdn.ac.uk.

Best of luck to all those of you working on your thesis!

Did you know…? – Working on your thesis? Help is available

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Here’s an outline of what help is available from the Library and IT Services for those of you working on your thesis.

Library help

Searching for theses in your subject area

You can access three large databases of theses through Primo:

  1. Sign in to Primo
  2. Click on the Find Databases tab
  3. From the left-hand menu, click on the arrow next to All General Resources
  4. Select Theses from the options below
  5. Then click on each database for more information and to link out and search for relevant theses.

For further information and more theses databases, please see this guidance document created by Library staff.

University of Aberdeen theses are also available in the Digital Collections section of Primo. There are both Research and Taught Course theses.

Information Skills

Our Find it Fast! Wiki is packed with material to help with your information skills, from planning your search to referencing. There are specific sections for Taught Postgraduates and Postgraduate Researchers. 

Live Q&A sessions for PGR students

Library staff will be running live Q&A sessions for PGR students next week on 21 & 24 June. Please do come along and our team will be happy to provide guidance and short demonstrations based on your needs. Sign up on the Course Booking site.

Remember we are here to support you throughout your studies, so please do get in touch (library@abdn.ac.uk) if you would like some help. 

IT help

The IT Services Team have created the Working with Long Documents section on Toolkit, which has plenty of handy videos and guides to help you with creating and manipulating long documents in MS Word.

The IT Services Training and Documentation team are also running sessions on 16 June:

  • Part 1: Adding Style to Your Thesis, 11am-12pm
  • Part 2: The Power of Section Breaks, 2pm-3pm

You can sign up on the Course Booking pages. Even if the session is full, it is worth getting on the waiting list as you may still be able to attend.

Best of luck to all those of you working on your thesis!

Primo videos

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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

Welcome to the Library Service

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SDRLatrium1

As the new academic year begins and the campuses fill with new and returning students, Library staff would like to wish everyone all the very best for the coming year at the University of Aberdeen.

Read on to learn (or remind yourself) of some of the ways in which the Library is here to help you.

Library Tours

Library tours

Following on from our already fully booked Library Tours, which will take place on September 2 and 3, we will be running additional short tours of The Sir Duncan Rice Library starting on Wednesday September 4 and running until Friday September 20 for all students, new and old.

Come and meet staff on the ground floor of the library at 10am or 2pm, there is no need to book. There will be no tours taking place at the weekends, but staff working then will still be happy to answer any questions you may have about the Library Service.

Speak with staff in the Taylor and Medical Libraries for help in finding your way round their collections and spaces.

Locating Library Resources

You can search Primo, to find out what materials the Library has on the shelves and online. Primo is the first place to begin any searching you may be doing for books, ebooks, journal articles or any of the other high-quality resources available to you. Also, be sure to check out our Primo Library Guide, as well as our short videos on using Primo

Getting help in our libraries 

Library staff are here to help you locate the materials you need or answer any questions you may have about our service.

Staff are available Monday-Friday, 09.00-17.00, in each of our three libraries to help in person. There is a reduced service at all three sites outwith these hours, but staff are still available to help.

For general enquiries within The Sir Duncan Rice Library about our services please speak with staff at the Information Centre on Floor 1.

For more subject-specific assistance in The Sir Duncan Rice Library you will find staff with knowledge of the collections on Floors 4-6. They will either be based at the clearly marked Information Points, or they will be available to help in the Enquiry Offices which are located right beside them. More details on staff help available here.

The Taylor Library and the Medical Library also have very knowledgeable staff happy to field any enquiries you may have about their collections. Please come and speak to them.

We are here to help you find the library materials you need throughout your time here at the University of Aberdeen and are ready and waiting for your questions. And don’t ever be embarrassed to ask us a question because you think it might be a silly question. There are no silly questions, only questions, and we love to hear them all.

Remember to visit our website, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook, as well as keep up to date with any Library news on this blog.

 

Ewan Grant, e.grant@abdn.ac.uk

Elaine Fitzgerald, e.fitzgerald@abdn.ac.uk

Where to go for help in The Sir Duncan Rice Library

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A comfortable study and learning environment for all
The Library is here to support your study and research by providing a range of study spaces to suit your individual needs. Members of staff can be contacted at any point, in person or via email/telephone, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries about the Library’s facilities and services.

Finding the information you want – using the resources
Find books and journals in print and electronic format, museum objects, theses, images, exam papers and more just by using Primo, the Library’s discovery tool. If you are having difficulty using the different functions within Primo, speak to a member of staff in the Subject and Enquiry Team, on Floors 4-6 of The Sir Duncan Rice Library (north east side of building).

If you have a subject-specific question, need help constructing a search strategy or using one of our specialist databases, speak to the Information Consultant for your discipline. A detailed list can be found here.

Borrowing enquiries, fines, using the Heavy Demand section, collecting reserved items
Speak to staff at the Information Centre on Floor 1 if you need help placing requests on books or collecting reserved items. Staff on Floor 1 can also advise on fines, Inter-Library Loans and access to your borrower record. The Heavy Demand section is on the west wall of the building, next to the Information Centre. It contains books that are heavily used, a DVD collection, study spaces, self-service kiosks for borrowing, returning and paying fines. It also contains MFDs for copying, printing, and scanning. Staff on Floor 1 can provide advice on how the Heavy Demand section works.

Copying/printing
Speak to any member of staff on floors 1 to 6, if you need help using the MFDs. Also, there are detailed guides on the notice boards behind the MFDs to help you understand the functions of scanning, printing and photocopying. Remember to top up your printing budget! For information on paying for printing, click here.

IT-related queries
Our IT service desk is the first point of contact for issues relating to connectivity, printing, username & password problems, remote access and more. The service desk is located on Floor 1 of The Sir Duncan Rice Library. You can also email servicedesk@abdn.ac.uk or call 01224 -273636 (this number also connects you to the Out-of-Hours service). Calls can also be logged through MyIT, a self-service facility for reporting problems.

Printing and binding your dissertation
The University’s binding service is on 23 St. Machar Drive. Services include colour and black & white printing, soft and hard binding, lamination, large format poster printing and more.
Tel: 01224 – 272578
Email: printshop@abdn.ac.uk

Materials from our Information skills workshops http://finditfastlibraryworkshops.pbworks.com/w/page/86602816/Home

RefWorks
See our RefWorks Library guides at www.abdn.ac.uk/library/support/library-guides-101.php#R
(Navigate to our Library guides section on the Library website and select ‘A-Z’, then click on ‘R’ and scroll down to ‘RefWorks’)

Our Find it Fast! Library skills sessions, aimed at Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate students include a RefWorks module that covers managing references and creating bibliographies with RefWorks. Further instruction on how to use RefWorks’ advanced features is provided in our Literature Searching Essential Skills workshop series. These run 3 times a year and are aimed at Research Postgraduates and staff.

Alternatively, speak to one of the Information Consultants.

Further help & support

See our videos on using Primo at
www.abdn.ac.uk/library/support/information-skills-179.php#panel547
(Transcripts of the recordings are also included)

Information skills workshops
www.abdn.ac.uk/coursebooking

Library guides online
www.abdn.ac.uk/library/support/library-guides-101.php

Primo
http://primo.abdn.ac.uk

Inter-Library Loan service
www.abdn.ac.uk/library/support/interlibrary-loans-182.php

Email (general Library enquiries)
library@abdn.ac.uk

Tel (general Library enquiries)
01224 – 273330

Library blog (InfoLinks)
https://aberdeenunilib.wordpress.com

Library on Twitter
https://twitter.com/aberdeenunilib

Remember that we are here to help!

Did you know about the Library’s collection of past exam papers?

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With just a week until the start of the resit exam period, we would like to help you prepare for your exams by reminding you about the Library’s large online collection of past exam papers.

classroom

You can search for past papers on Primo [http://primo.abdn.ac.uk/] or directly via DigiTool [https://digitool.abdn.ac.uk/R?RN=744382543], our digital materials database. As access to papers is restricted to University of Aberdeen members, you will be asked for your computer username and password. There are over 3,000 past exam papers in Word or PDF format covering undergraduate and postgraduate courses from across the University.
We do not have every past exam paper available, so if you cannot find an exam paper for a particular course, check with the School that delivers that course to see if they can provide copies of past exams.
For information on how to locate past papers in Primo, see the relevant library guide: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/documents/guides/qgdbs007.pdf
A further guide to using DigiTool is available here: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/library/documents/guides/qgdbs006.pdf
Don’t forget that library staff are always happy to help you locate any resources you may need in preparation for your exams. Please ask a member of staff if you need help!

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

Information Skills workshops for PhD researchers: places still available

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The Library is here to help all postgraduate researchers as they begin, or continue their in-depth research, with a short series of Information Skills workshops designed to their needs.

The workshops will take place on the 11th, 12th and 13th of June and will help you understand the resources available to you as researchers here at the University of Aberdeen, and how to get the best out of them.

UL_library_workshops_Janet1psd

There are three workshops on offer, each lasting three hours:

  • Literature searching – Part 1: Getting started
  • Literature searching – Part 2: Using databases
  • Literature searching – Part 3: Managing your references using RefWorks*

Across the three workshops we will look at:

  • Planning your search
  • Looking for books: using Primo and e-books
  • Databases of academic literature
  • Getting the best out of Google
  • Managing your references with RefWorks
  • Formatting Word documents with in-text citations and bibliographies

*IMPORTANT NOTE: The workshop focusing on the management of references
(Part 3) is not suitable for research postgraduates in the School of Law, as the software used does not support the OSCOLA referencing style required for legal theses.

To find out more, and to book onto the different workshops please visit www.abdn.ac.uk/coursebooking and look for Library Information Skills classes.

We look forward to seeing you at the workshops!