Examination and deadline periods can be a very demanding time of the year. You’re putting in a lot of study hours to stay on top of your revision whilst trying to maintain a good work-life balance. We know it can feel intense at times so let us remove some of the pressure by outlining some of the help and support available to you this exam/deadline season. (It may sound cheesy, but remember, we’re here for YOU).

Food for thought

One of the most important things you can do during exam periods is to keep hydrated throughout the day and make sure you eat plenty of healthy snacks to keep your energy levels up.

And so every weekday from 23rd April – 4th May our Student Advisor team will be giving out free fruit and bottled water to help keep you focussed throughout the deadline period.

Come along to the Ask Desk (1st floor, University library) from 11:30am – 3pm to collect your snacks!

If you’re based at the Aintree or Manchester campuses, there will be water and healthy snack available at the main helpdesk.

Finding support

There is a huge range of face to face and virtual support available to you:

• You can find a wealth of tips and guides your ‘My Library’ tab in Learning Edge . Check out the playlist of revision tips on Lynda.com for help with time management, speed reading, note-taking and much more.
• UniSkills workshops – It isn’t too late to book on to some of the remaining Uniskills Workshops which include workshops to help you with exam preparation, academic writing, dissertations, searching for resources and proofreading strategies!
• Drop-in and speak to a member of the Student Engagement Team at the Ask Desk from 11am-2pm. Did you know you can also book an appointment with the team for help finding resources or help with academic writing?
• Peer to peer support – put your questions to a fellow student! Our Student Advisors are based at the Ask Desk from 11-4pm every weekday. You can also take inspiration from Edge Hill student blogs and find out some top tips from other students!
• Don’t forget, you can also find useful resources through our library catalogue including books and ebooks about Study Skills and Revision Techniques . If you are studying off-campus, you can access our digital library – all things electronic – from anywhere

Finding a quiet place to work…  

The University library is open 24/7 throughout the exam period. Within the library you will find a range of study zones, networked PCs, laptop loans and free Wi-Fi (eduroam), printing and photocopying facilities, access to over 200,000 items including books, journals and audio-visual resources and access to help and support at our library help desk.

To help you find a quiet place to revise, we have a silent study area with easy access to resources or you could book one of the individual study rooms if you want some space to yourself.

There are computers available in LINC building (building number 10 on the campus map) 24 hours a day, all year round which you can access using your student UniCard. Take advantage of our PC Availability app to locate free PCs in the Library and Linc building.

Further help and support

For further help please don’t hesitate to get in touch! You can contact us in a number of ways:

• Contact Learning Services via our 24/7 Live Chat
• Search our knowledge base Ask Us for the answer to many common queries including using Turnitin, Harvard Referencing and much more.
• Give us a call on 01695 650800 during our opening hours
• Tweet us or send us a facebook message

Good luck!

Learning Services

We have partnered with Lynda.com to provide all EHU staff and students free and unlimited access to thousands of high quality online courses and video tutorials!

Lynda.com is an online learning platform containing courses on a wide range of topics. Improve your ICT skills, learn revision techniques, enhance your employability and increase your knowledge on subjects such as business, computing, photography and many more. You can earn certificates for completed courses, and post your achievements on your LinkedIn profile.

Between the 16th and 20th April, Learning Services are running our #LearningWithLynda campaign! From 11:30-2 each day that week, our Student Advisors will be in the HUB demonstrating what you can learn with Lynda, and giving away some free edible goodies! Throughout the week, keep your eye on Twitter for Lynda courses suggested by Edge Hill staff, and be inspired by the variety of tutorials available.

Explore Lynda.com for yourself at any time – click Sign in, choose to Log in with your Organisation, type edgehill.ac.uk and enter your usual network credentials.

Learning Services is aiming to bring hundreds of unwanted textbooks back into the hands of students. The Pass the Book scheme is aimed at collecting used, old or unwanted textbooks and then re-distributing them in the new academic year. Your donations will not only allow students to save money on buying new textbooks, but it will give them the opportunity to explore new books that will help them with their studies.

If you have finished with your old textbooks why not pass the book and donate them to the Pass the Book scheme. To donate, simply bring any books to the Welcome Desk of the University Library.

#PassTheBook

After much success from previous years the Pass the Book scheme is ready for 2018.

The scheme revolves around the idea of ‘giving back’. By donating your old or unwanted textbooks to the Pass the Book scheme you are ‘giving back’ to other students who will be able to use these books for their studies or personal enjoyment.

Instead of forgetting about your unwanted textbooks and leaving them in a cupboard to gather dust, donate your textbooks to other students at the University. We will then re-distribute all of the donated textbooks in the new academic year to other students at the Great Textbook Giveaway event.

If you would like to donate any books to this scheme then please bring them to the Welcome Desk of the University Library.

#PassTheBook

Do you struggle to sit down and get on with your academic work? If so you may want to come to one of our Shut Up and Work sessions. These are based on the Pomodoro Technique which involves working for 25 minutes, then taking a 5 minute break, working for another 25 minutes, etc. We will provide the study space and the refreshments; all you have to do is bring a piece of work that you are working on.

The sessions will take place on the next 3 Tuesdays, 6^th, 13^th and 20^th March between 10am and 12pm. If you can’t make the date, why not take a look at some of the other UniSkills workshops running this Semester? These include important topics such as academic writing, dissertations, searching for information and exam preparation.

Registration for each workshop will open approximately 2 weeks in advance. Places are limited so don’t forget to book your place online through the My Library tab in Learning Edge or via the direct link www.ehu.ac.uk/workshops

100 years ago a change occurred; women were given a voice.

After fifty years of campaigning the 1918 Representation of the People Act marked the first time any women, in the United Kingdom, were able to vote. Over the years that followed further Acts were passed generating more and more equality for women voters.

Jump forward 100 years and you only need to read the newspapers, or scroll through your social media streams, to see woman are again front and centre in many of the headlines around pay equality, sexual harassment and artistic recognition to name just a few.

Throughout 2018 Edge Hill University will be marking the 100 year anniversary of women’s suffrage with a series of events, installations, and activities across campus.

The University Library, in collaboration with the Students Union, are also recognising 100 years of women’s suffrage by bringing together a collection of reading material in the library foyer to keep the conversation going.

There are a wide selection of books on display from dystopian novels such as The Handmaid’s Tale to the history of women in Britain to explorations into feminist movement. If you are keen to read more about women’s studies there are lots more books on the 2^nd floor of the library (shelfmark 301.412 is a good place to start) or have a search of the library catalogue for your topic/title of choice.

If you are interested in having a chat about all things feminism the SU will be hosting a self-defined women only brunch entitled Food and Feminism on Tuesday 13^th February (11am-1pm). And on Thursday 8^th March they will be asking self-defining females across campus: What would be your message to other women? as part of the celebrations for International Women’s Day.

You can read more about the University’s Wonder Woman project on their webpages and be sure to join them in Hale Hall on Tuesday 6^th February (11am-2pm) for their Wonder Woman Launch Event.

After a successful Semester 1, we’re delighted to announce the new UniSkills workshop line-up for Semester 2!

Now you’ve handed in your assignments and had some feedback from your tutor, the next step is to make use of that feedback! Reviewing your feedback helps you to identify where you can make improvements in your assignment, it also clarifies where you are doing well (you put a lot of effort into your assignments so use the positive feedback as motivation, just as much as the constructive criticism)!

Once you have identified which areas you would like to work on, UniSkills workshops can help you to develop specific academic skills in order to address your feedback and improve your grades.

Most of our workshops take place during the lunchtime hours and are open to everyone no matter what your course, or year of study. Workshops are approximately 1 hour long, but if you’re pushed for time, take a look at our express workshops which offer you a short but detailed introduction to a topic, over just half an hour.

New for this semester we have Relaxation workshops running on 6th February and 5th March. This practical session aims to help you relax and unwind, reduce stress and anxiety in the build up to deadlines and teach you new techniques to concentrate, boost energy and improve sleep quality.

This semester we are also introducing a new series of workshops called “Shut Up & Work!”  These sessions provide you with a mixture of structured study time and (free) breakout refreshments with academic support on hand throughout. You will need to bring along your own work and we will bring the rest…!

View the full Semester 2 workshop programme

Registration for each workshop will open approximately 2 weeks in advance. Places are limited so don’t forget to book your place online through the My Library tab in Learning Edge or via the direct link www.ehu.ac.uk/workshops

If a workshop is full or you can’t make the date, simply register your details on the event page (waiting list) and we’ll get in touch should we receive a cancellation for the scheduled session (remember, it’s fastest finger first!)

If you need any help booking your place or have any workshop requests, don’t hesitate to contact us using Ask Us or visit us in person at the Ask Desk (1st floor, University library).

Keep up to date with the latest Learning Services news and events on twitter @EHULearnService

As much as we are all looking forward to the festive feasts (and post-feast naps) ahead I am sure many of you are not looking as forward to the approaching deadlines and revision…but fear not as the University Library will be open during the Christmas period so you can access all you need to succeed!

Christmas Opening Hours

So why not visit us between Christmas and New Year to take advantage of all we have to offer…

• Networked PCs, loanable laptops and free eduroam Wi-Fi
• Access to over 265,000 items including books, journals and audio-visual resources
• Printing and photocopying
• Bookable individual and group study rooms
• A range of study zones – group work, quiet work and silent study
• Access to help and support – staff will be available at the welcome desk
• 24/7 access to PCs in the LINC – available 365 days a year!

Of course if you aren’t quite ready to leave the house just yet you can always visit us virtually…

• eResources are available via our Learning Services web pages and Library Catalogue – you can access 172,400+ eBooks, 64,900+ eJournals and specialist subject resources 24/7.
• Contact Learning Services via our 24/7 Live Chat
• Search our knowledge base Ask Us for the answer to many common queries including using Turnitin, Harvard Referencing and much more.
• Get support with academic writing, assignment planning, critical thinking and much more via our Uni Skills offer.
• Give us a call 01695 650800 during opening hours.

Merry Christmas from us all at Learning Services 🎄

Christmas comes around quick doesn’t it!? One minute you’re moving in to halls or student houses for the start of term, the next you’re back off for a fortnight! It’s hard work being a student but before you pack your Christmas hat, PlayStation 4 and elf onesie don’t forget your end of term submissions!

Our experienced team of Student Advisors will be available right up until 15th December, offering students a flexible support service to answer all your queries about online submission. Come and speak to one of the team at the Ask Desk (1st floor, University Library) from 11am-4pm weekdays or take a look at our Learning Services twitter to read their top tips for making online submission a piece of (Christmas) cake!

We’ve also drawn together some handy tips in this blog post to ensure that your submissions over the next week (or so) go as smoothly as possible. There are always chances of uncertainty, but with a little thought and preparation (like a good Christmas present) you’ll be riding as high as Santa Claus himself as opposed to slipping up on black ice.

Once all done, sit back, put your feet up with a nice cuppa and enjoy your Christmas holiday. Remember, if you have any problems Keep Calm and Ask Us!

Learning Services have been awarded the Learning at Work Week Impact Award for Innovation in Learning and Development for small organisations!

This award from Campaign for Learning recognises organisations that have demonstrated innovative ways to develop staff and provide opportunities for learning.

Back in May, 198 places were booked on 20 different ‘Curious and Creative’ events over Learning at Work week itself, and 65 members of Learning Services staff engaged in our online course DigiQuest in the six weeks leading up to Learning at Work Week itself.

The judging panel said the combination of the events alongside the online course, ‘clearly had a huge impact on staff digital competencies’. Read more about the 2017 award winners on the Campaign for Learning website.