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Tag: Books

Published on Leave a comment on Here comes the summer – books about nature to inspire you to get outdoors

June is here, and while the weather in Scotland this week might not suggest it, today marks the start of meteorological summer in the UK. With longer and warmer days, it's time to enjoy the outdoors. Whether you're recovering from your exams or working hard on your dissertation, spending time in green space can benefit your mental health and physical wellbeing.1

Here are some books from the Wellbeing Collection to inspire you to get out into nature.

Book coverThe Wild Remedy: How Nature Mends Us - A Diary

Emma Mitchell's richly illustrated and evocative diary records her nature finds over the course of a year and shows how being in the wild benefits our mental and physical wellbeing.

Into the Forest: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness

Humans are increasingly becoming an indoor species. We spend 90 per cent of our life indoors. And, on average, we dedicate eight hours a day looking at screens. Our increasingly domestic lives are having huge consequences to our health. In Into the Forest, Immunologist and Forest Medicine expert, Dr Qing Li, examines the unprecedented benefits of the world's largest natural health resource: the great outdoors.

Gardening for Mind, Body and Soul: How to Nurture Your Well-Being with Nature

Science now tells us that cultivating a green space of our own can be restorative and even transformative for our physical and mental well-being, with a proven ability to reduce depression and anxiety, boost our happiness levels and provide a feeling of balance and calm. Explore which plants release scents to help uplift and soothe, discover the ways gardening can promote feelings of balance and calm, and experience how growing plants from seeds teaches us to slow down and appreciate the simple things.

Walk yourself happy : find your path to health and healing in nature

Walking, one of the most accessible activities for most of us, is the fastest and easiest way to embed yourself in nature. You don't need expertise or equipment; you just need to put one foot in front of another. You don't need an epic landscape either, you can walk down the street or in your local green space.

About the Library Wellbeing Collection

The Library supports wellbeing through buying, promoting and providing access to a range of relevant print and electronic resources. The Library’s Wellbeing Collection is for all University of Edinburgh staff and students. 

Browse and borrow from the Wellbeing Collection Space on the 1st floor of the Main Library. Some books from the Wellbeing Collection are also available at Moray House Library and at the Noreen and Kenneth Murray Library.

Explore more of the resources in the Library Wellbeing Collection on the website.

1 Nature and mental health (2025) Mind. Available at: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/nature-and-mental-health/ (Accessed: 01 June 2026).

Published on Leave a comment on Full access to Oxford Handbooks Online now available!

We're happy to let you know that the Library has taken out a subscription to Oxford Handbooks Online (OHO), giving you seamless access to the complete collection of these invaluable resources.

Logo for Oxford Handbooks Online.

Previously, the library held perpetual access only to selected Oxford Handbook collections and individual titles, meaning some of the latest chapters and handbooks were unavailable to users. With the new subscription, not only do we open up access to all current and future content, but we also solve the issue of “turnaways” (when users are denied access because the content isn’t part of our existing holdings). ...continue reading "Full access to Oxford Handbooks Online now available!"

Published on Leave a comment on Beat exam burnout: Library resources to help you relax and recharge

Feeling the pressure of exams creeping up? It’s easy to get caught in a cycle of nonstop study that leaves you stressed and burnt out. But luckily your library has a treasure trove of resources designed to help you relax, recharge, and maintain your wellbeing during this intense period. From our specially curated Wellbeing Collection and the Leisure Reading Collection available through Libby, to streaming platforms offering movies, TV shows, theatre performances, and music, there are plenty of ways to take a meaningful break and refresh your mind.

Library Wellbeing Collection

Collage of 6 book covers from titles in the Wellbeing Collection.

Did you know the Library has a Wellbeing Collection? A mix of online and print resources covering all aspects of wellbeing, purchased specifically with you in mind. In the collection you will find books on dealing with depression, anxiety and eco-anxiety, loneliness, self-esteem issues, relationships, as well as books on more general wellbeing, happiness and University life, amongst many others. ...continue reading "Beat exam burnout: Library resources to help you relax and recharge"

Published on Leave a comment on 5 things: supporting you in your exams

Semester one is almost over and exams are looming! As the exam period approaches, it’s natural to start feeling the pressure build. But remember, you’re not alone!

At the University of Edinburgh, there are plenty of resources and services designed to support you every step of the way. In this post, we’ll highlight five key ways the library can help – from available study spaces and digital resources to helpful guides and wellbeing support – so you can make the most of your revision and head into exams feeling confident and prepared.

1) Study space, study space everywhere but not a place to sit?

A collage showing different library interiors: a large historic reading room with stained glass windows and wooden desks; a modern library aisle with bookshelves and a person working at a desk by a window; a quiet study area with tables and chairs; and a group study space with students working together.
Clockwise from left: New College Library, ECA Library, Noreen and Kenneth Murray Library, and Moray House Library.

It can feel like this sometimes during the revision and exam period, particularly if you are a regular at the Main Library or Law Library. But there are lots of study spaces across our campuses that you have access to, including some temporary additional study space during the exam period.

While the Main Library is a favourite for many, there are 8 other site libraries that you have access to (with your student card). These range from old-fashioned, picturesque libraries, to modern libraries with light and space and also include a library in what used to be a swimming pool.

Locations and opening hours of our libraries ...continue reading "5 things: supporting you in your exams"

Published on Leave a comment on What to do when the Library doesn’t have what you need?

At the University Library you have access to a huge range of material for your research and learning including over 2 million books, archives, instruments and artworks, over 2 million e-books and 330,000 e-journals, as well as 1000s of streaming videos, digital scans, databases, and more.

Text: How To Library

But when you are doing your own research there will be times you come across items or material that our Library does not have in its collections. Don't panic! There are options available to help you get what you need. ...continue reading "What to do when the Library doesn’t have what you need?"

Published on Leave a comment on Activism and Social Change in LGBT+ History

In February we celebrate LGBT+ History Month 2025 in the UK and this year the theme is 'Activism and Social Change'. Throughout history and across the globe LGBT+ activists have fueled social change, advancing society for the benefit of all.

To help you discover more we’ve pulled together just a small selection of Library resources that will allow you to start to find out more about activism and social change in LGBT+ history, herstory, theirstory.

1) Books (we are a library after all!)
2) Digital archives and primary sources
3) LGBT collections at Lothian Health Services Archive
4) Dissertation & Thesis Festival Discovery Day : Exploring LGBTQ+ History

Books (we are a library after all!)

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) was founded in 1990 as the first NGO devoted to advancing LGBT human rights worldwide. Transnational LGBT Activism : Working for Sexual Rights Worldwide asks how is that mission translated into practice? And what do transnational LGBT human rights advocates do on a day-to-day basis and for whom? Arguing that the idea of LGBT human rights is not predetermined but instead is defined by international activists who establish what and who qualifies for protection. ...continue reading "Activism and Social Change in LGBT+ History"

Published on Leave a comment on How to interpret a reference for a book or journal article

One of the most important things you will need to know how to do when starting out at university is understanding academic references. Here’s a simple guide to help you decode book and journal (periodical) references.

Text: How To LibraryHow to interpret a reference for a book

Example book reference:

Olusoga, D. (2017) Black and British: a forgotten history. London: Pan Books.

  1. Author(s): The first part of the reference is the author’s name. In this case, “Olusoga, D.” indicates the author is David Olusoga. If there are multiple authors, they will be listed in the order they appear on the book itself.
  2. Year of Publication: The year the book was published is in brackets. Here, it’s “2017”.
  3. Title of the Book: The title of the book is italicized. In this example, it’s “Black and British: a forgotten history”. Only the first word of the title and any proper nouns are capitalized.
  4. Place of Publication: This is the city where the publisher is located. In this case, London.
  5. Publisher: The name of the publishing company. Here, it’s “Pan Books”.

...continue reading "How to interpret a reference for a book or journal article"

Published on Leave a comment on 5 things: getting the best out of your library

Welcome, and welcome back, to all students starting the new academic year this week!

Whether you are one of the many descending on campus or one of our online or distance learners logging in from across the globe, we hope you make full use of our library resources, services and facilities while you are at the University.

Photograph of the front of the Main Library building showing the Library sign and students outside.
Main Library

Our newly refreshed Library website has everything you need to know about the Library, while our Library subject guides help you find the resources you may need for your subject area.

But here are 5 things to help you get the best out of our (or your) library in 2024-25. ...continue reading "5 things: getting the best out of your library"

Published on Leave a comment on 5 things: using the Library over the summer

It's officially the summer vacation period at the University and our libraries remain open for business. So whether you are planning on using Library resources, facilities or services during this time or if you will be away from Edinburgh for the summer and want to forget about University as much as possible, here are five important things to remember about the Library over the summer period.

Clockwise from top left, photographs of Main Library (external), Moray House Library (internal), Law Library (internal), Noreen and Keneth Murray Library (external) and Royal Infirmary Library (internal). With an "Open" sign on top.

1) The Main Library and all 9 site libraries remain open throughout the summer vacation period.

Opening hours and staffed hours will be reduced in many libraries so check the opening hours website before you visit and follow the Library on social media for any updates – Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook.

The Main Library will continue to be open 24/7 throughout the summer but EdHelp staffed hours will be slightly reduced between Friday 7 June and Friday 6 September 2024. ...continue reading "5 things: using the Library over the summer"

Published on Leave a comment on 5 things to remember if using the Library this summer

The summer vacation period officially started this week! And while many of you are probably thinking the last thing you want to do is use the Library over the summer break, there will be a large number of students who will need to (or just want to) use the Library during the summer vacation period to continue with their studies or research.

So if you are one of the many who is planning on using Library facilities or services over the summer then read on. And for those of you who are not planning on doing this, we'd recommend you read on anyway (particularly if you have not returned books you have borrowed from the Library).

1) The Main Library and all our site libraries remain open throughout the summer vacation period.

Opening hours and staffed hours will be reduced in many libraries so check the opening hours website before you visit and follow the Library on social media for any updates - Instagram, Twitter, Facebook. ...continue reading "5 things to remember if using the Library this summer"

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