Category Archives: Library

Award-winning Student Assistants!

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Have you noticed our award-winning Student Assistants, resplendent in their red sweatshirts answering enquiries in the library?

At the Employability Awards Evening organised by the Careers Centre on Tuesday 23 April, the Student Assistant team who work in the University Library, Ormskirk won the Student On-Campus Employee Team Award.

This award celebrates students or teams of students who work within their university or college including those working in students’ unions or other departments on campus.

In presenting their awards, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Steve Igoe commended them for their professional and committed attitude and their relaxed, informal style which is communicated to the enquirer.

He also mentioned the unforeseen advantage to employing students in this way is that the organisation has also benefited from their valuable insights into how our services and resources are organised and perceived.

The Student Assistants are based at the ‘Ask’ desk on the first floor of the University Library, Ormskirk. They deal with a range of with basic enquiries including finding books and journals, demonstrating eResources, referencing, navigating Learning Services web pages, using reprographics equipment and ICT issues.

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask.

Michael Stores

Michael Stores

Academic Liaison and Skills Librarian

For more information please contact michael.stores@edgehill.ac.uk

 

 

Award Winning Leadership in Mobile Teaching and Learning!

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Learning Services have been awarded a Mobile Innovation Award as part of the 2013 Blackboard Catalyst Award programme. This exciting achievement recognises the impressive growth of mobile enhanced provision and practice at Edge Hill University and specifically, Learning Services’ strategic approach to supporting all staff and students to embrace the educational affordances of mobile technology.

BB_Catalyst_AwardIn September 2011, evidence of increasing mobile device ownership and student feedback about the potential of mobile technology led the university to invest in the Blackboard Mobile Learn app and our journey to mobility began! Following installation, set-up and testing, a strong communication and marketing campaign was initiated to promote and encourage uptake. Resource guides and support events like the technology roadshow mobile clinics were provided to help students and staff get started downloading apps, connecting to the campus wifi and using the vast range of mobile compatible library resources, such as the Library Catalogue app, Discover more and Ebrary eBooks. Concurrently a comprehensive staff development programme, which included innovative workshops like ‘A Mobile Field Trip’ & ‘Help My Mobile Is Smarter Than Me’, began, in order to support the effective adaptation and development of new mobile friendly teaching and learning practices – with areas such as Postgraduate Clinical Education, HEA4065 Clinical Research, SENCo, Dyslexia, and Sports Therapy leading the way to design and develop course environments that work seamlessly with the Mobile Learn app and enable their students to engage and learn at a time and place that is convenient to them.

Over the last 18 months mobile usage has increased dramatically and pockets of mobile friendly practices are expanding to become the standard modus operandi, accordingly both the service and the university have continued to invest in a portfolio of mobile facilities and activities to develop staffing expertise in order to positively enhance the student experience.

Mobile_Learn_Users_ComparisonFigure 1. Yearly Comparison 2011-12 2012-13 : – Number of Mobile Learn app users

Mobile_Learn_ComparisonFigure 2. Yearly Comparison 2011-12 2012-13 : Number of visits to the VLE via Mobile Learn

The mobile landscape continues to shift and provide new opportunities to enhance education and we’re working to build on these strong foundations to explore and exploit these exciting  developments. (Augmented reality is next on our agenda so watch this space!) Ongoing evaluation through analytics, user feedback, research and benchmarking is helping to ensure we are in a position to respond to changing behaviours and continue to implement a progressive mobile strategy.

This Blackboard Catalyst Mobile Innovation Award celebrates the hard work and achievement of many colleagues and students across the university. The product of constructive relationships and collaboration makes innovation and transformative teaching and learning practices possible- so this award goes to everyone at Edge Hill who is involved, engaged and working together to embrace mobile learning!

The awards ceremony will take place amongst a global community of peers at the Blackboard World 2013 Education Technology Conference this July in Las Vegas. As Learning Technology Development Manager I have been lucky enough to be invited to represent Edge Hill and Learning Services to accept this prestigious Mobile Innovation Award.

Congratulations everyone – keep up the good work!

Meg Juss, Learning Technology Development Manager

 

 

 

 

Meg Juss
Learning Technology Development Manager

The Blackboard Catalyst Mobile Innovation awards honour those who have pushed boundaries and embraced mobility to positively impact the educational experience at their institution.

For more information about the award visit the Blackboard Catalyst Awards web pages.

Revision and exams – some useful signposts

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If you spending some time over the Easter holidays preparing for exams, and finishing those last pieces of work, we would like to signpost you to some valuable help and support.

We have 128 past exam papers as digital items within our library catalogue. If  a department has made past papers available, we have scanned the exam paper and placed it as a digital item in the catalogue. We have just added a number of papers from 2012.  Most of the subjects are from within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences but please have a look, there may be something which helps you prepare.

We have 30 subjects or programmes and within those subjects, 128 papers.  Papers range from those used a few years right up to those we have just added from 2012 exams.

How to find them in the library catalogue

Either

Do a ‘Title’ search for ‘Exam Papers’ and you will have a subject list.

Or

Search for your ‘Module Code’ and if there is one for that module,  the title of the exam paper appears in the reading list in alphabetical order.

In both cases the icon is an orange jigsaw piece so it is quite noticeable.

As with all our digitised items, to access an exam paper you will need to log in to authenticate as a Edge Hill staff or student.

If you are trying to find research, both for revision purposes or finishing assignments, we have created a top 10 tips around how to identify, locate, evaluate and effectively use information.  We have created a PDF document so if you would like to print  and keep, here it is.

Remember we have guides on our web pages to help with academic writing skills.

If you would like a one to one session for revision skills or a group of you would like a support session please get in touch via the Ask desk, 1st floor University Library or email librarian@edgehill.ac.uk

Learning Services and the University is closed until Wednesday 3rd April 2013 but there is lots of help and support on our web pages, especially around academic skills and using eResources so please take a look.

Rachel Bury

Easter vacation opening.

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Vacation opening hours are now underway at all our sites. Please check the website here for a full list of all opening hours.

Please note There will be no midnight opening at the University Library, until w-c Monday 8th April, when term time opening re-commences

Most Learning Services sites will be closed Good Friday – Easter Tuesday Inclusive, however Aintree LIRC will be open Tuesday 2nd April  8.30am – 8.00pm

Don’t forget Edge Hill now uses Eduroam, which enables students to continue to access  WiFi at other universities by simply selecting Eduroam as the wireless network and using your usual Edge Hill log in, similarly users from other institutions can access the wireless network via Eduroam when they visit us.

Already planning your Easter studies?

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At this busy time of year and as Easter approaches, many of our users will be thinking about time to study in the University Library or any of our other centres.  Opening hours at our sites will alter slightly, week commencing Monday 25th March, and over the  Easter vacation.

University Library: Monday  25th March to Thursday 28th March: 8.00am – 9.00pm. Please note no midnight opening

LINC Building:  the help desk hours Monday 25th March to Thursday 28th March:8.45am – 7.00pm.

24/7 access to PCs in the LINC remains the same.  You will need  a valid UniCard

Aintree LIRC: Monday 25th March to Thursday 28th March: 8.30am – 7.30pm

Woodlands Library: Monday 25th March to Thursday 28th March: 9.00am – 7.00pm

Easter Weekend 29th March – 2nd April 2013 

Most Learning Services sites will be closed Good Friday – Easter Tuesday Inclusive, however Aintree LIRC will be open Tuesday 2nd April 2013 8.30am – 8.00pm

The University library re-opens on Wednesday 3rd April 8.00am – 9.00pm. Again, please note we aren’t open until midnight for the rest of the week.  The LINC helpdesk is open 8.45am -7.00pm. (5pm Friday)

Term time opening at the University Library re-commences Monday 8th April 2013. Monday to Friday 8.00am to midnight, weekends 11.00am – 6.00pm

To see full details on opening hours for all our sites please check the website here.

If you are going home for the vacation and would like access to a university library closer to home, are you aware of the SCONUL Access scheme? To join and for more information please go to the SCONUL Access website.  If you do want to visit another library or you are a visitor wishing to come to Edge Hill, please always ring and check arrangements first.

Don’t forget Edge Hill now uses Eduroam, which enables students to continue to access  WiFi at other universities by simply selecting eduroam as the wireless network and using your usual Edge Hill log in, similarly users from other institutions can access the wireless network via Eduroam when they visit us.

Download ebooks to your Kindle Fire, iPhone, iPad, Android or Sony eReader

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Did you know you can download an ebook, or a section of an ebook to read offline?

Two ebook providers, Ebrary and Dawson, offer this option, allowing you the convenience of downloading and reading information for when you haven’t got an internet connection.

Ebrary

You can create an image PDF of a specific chapter or page range: 

  • Same page limits as for printing.
  • Accessible on most computers and devices, including the Kindle.
  • Files do not expire.

Learn more:  http://0-support.ebrary.com.library.edgehill.ac.uk/?p=655

You can download an entire document as an ebook:
  • Accessible on most computers and devices.
  • You can have up to 10 documents at a time.
  • Documents can be full-document downloaded for 14 days. (Single-user-only documents can be full-document downloaded for 7 days.)
  • There is no need to return items: they will auto-delete after 14 days.

You need to install Adobe Digital Editions (free online). For a guide, go to http://www.eshare.edgehill.ac.uk/id/document/5748
For a guide on reading on your smartphone go to http://www.eshare.edgehill.ac.uk/1388/

NEW! Download to your Kindle Fire find out how at http://support.ebrary.com/kb/ebrary-books-on-kindle-fire/

Dawsonera

You can download an ebook from the Full Title Display of the Reader portal:
  • Read the ebook offline utilising Adobe Reader© controls.
  • Navigate through the ebook using the nested Table of Contents on the left-hand side.
  • During the download period, you can make annotations and highlight text.
  • Please note it is not possible to print or copy offline.
  • The book will auto-delete after the chosen loan period (1-3 days).

Learn more: http://www.eshare.edgehill.ac.uk/2708/

Learning Services go the extra mile!

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As a holder of the Customer Service Excellence award for 8 years, Learning Services are committed to continuously improving our facilities, resources and services to ensure your learning experience is the best that it can be.

We were delighted to receive some excellent feedback from our latest Customer Service Excellence assessment in January 2013.  Not only are we still fully compliant in all elements of the award, but we received 3 compliance pluses!  Compliance pluses are awarded when a service goes that extra mile.  We were awarded compliance pluses for our insight into how customers use our services, resources and facilities, our approach to staff development and our use of mobile technologies.

The assessor also highlighted the following as areas of strength:

  •  Learning Services has a very good understanding of the needs of all of its customer groups and has used this understanding to develop and improve services to them.
  • There are good levels of customer satisfaction across all areas of service delivery and, where in some academic Faculties and Departments these are lower, support has been available to help to improve satisfaction levels.
  • There is a real culture of customer focus that stems from Managers down to, and upwards from, front line staff.
  • Staff recognise the value of good customer service and the impact that their roles have on front line service provision, demonstrated through the speed with which resources become available for student borrowing.
  • Staff are empowered to develop services both within their own areas of expertise and as members of wider teams and working groups across all areas of service delivery.
  • Staff seek out new solutions to problems, for example, developing mobile solutions to accessing services.
  • There are well established systems in place for monitoring and reviewing performance in respect of service delivery outcomes and the timeliness of delivery.

Do you agree with these statements?  As always we would love to hear your feedback about what we do well, and what you feel we could improve: http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/ls/feedback/

For more information about the Customer Service Excellence award contact:

Helen Jamieson, Customer Services Manager

helen.jamieson@edgehill.ac.uk

helen-j

 

Red (sweatshirt) Alert!

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Have you noticed our student assistants, resplendent in their red sweatshirts who are based at the Ask desk on the first floor of the University Library, Ormskirk?

Research at other universities has shown that students can benefit from ‘peer to peer support’, hence the move to introduce student assistants into the library.

Students themselves have indicated that if they have got a query they would prefer to ask their peers first before they would approach a member of staff.

According to The University of Manchester,
‘There is strong evidence that Peer Support has a positive influence on students’ experience of their time at University, both academically and socially.’

The student assistants are trained in the use of library and learning resources, study skills and basic IT functions. They can also help students to understand the physical layout of the library.

The student assistants offer an additional layer of support to complement the work of the staff at the Ask desk and the flexible IT support staff.

Next time that you are in the University Library say ‘Hello’ to our student assistants and if you have a query, don’t be afraid to ask.

For more information please contact michael.stores@edgehill.ac.uk

Exciting new way to find out about resources

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Learning Services staff in our Information Resources and Academic Support divisions  have been working closely with our colleagues in the web team to develop a way to keep people up to date with all the new books as they arrive.

This is a busy period for us as we buy books at the start of the academic year – this can include books on reading lists, items suggested for wider reading and research and any reading list items which are available as eBooks.

We have so far this academic year already spent £192,500 on books (print and electronic).

This new book feature on our subject web pages is part of the strategy to expose our collections – both new books and extensive eResources.  The subject pages allow our users to find out about new stock, discover what eJournals and databases we have for that subject, provide help and support in using resources and importantly, the details of the subject librarian – so if you need more help or have any queries about resources, you can contact them direct.

Have a look at your subject page - it will give you details of the stock arriving each week (up to 10 titles on the subject home page) but you are just one click away – click ‘new arrivals’ and you will see what we have purchased this term for your subject.

Please let us know what you think of this new service, this is new area for us so your feedback is very welcome.

Rachel Bury Academic Liaison Manager – Quality, Communication and Marketing

EHU loves Reading – share our passion and win an eReader

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“To read is to be entertained, challenged, reminded, enthralled or changed”.
Carol Ann Duffy, Poet Laureate

Learning Services invites all staff and students to share their love of reading with us. Just let us know in 140 characters why books are close to your heart and have the opportunity to win an eReader.

You can send us your thoughts by Thursday 13 December using either:

  • Twitter EHULearnService #EHUreading.   Use our #tag #EHUreading with your details and we will pick up your entries from Twitter everyday
  • Facebook  EHULearnService
  • One of our colourful postcards that you will find around the University sites. Drop the completed cards in any of our libraries (Ormskirk, Aintree, Woodlands or Manchester- Armstrong House).

 

Over the coming weeks, staff from Learning Services will be sharing their book choices and love of reading on our Facebook page so you will be able to find out about some of the things we like to read!.  Elliott the President of our Student Union is starting us off with why he listens to audio books…

The prize for the first entry drawn at random after the closing date (noon 13th December 2012) is an eReader, the runner up will receive a £20 book token.  We will let the winners know on the 13th, just before the end of term, so you might be getting an early Christmas present!

So if you agree with J.K.Rowling…

“I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book”

…then tell us about it!

Learning Services