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You are invited to drop in on our Discovery Day on Monday, 23 February, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Main Library. This event offers a valuable opportunity to engage with the exceptional resources available to support the development of dissertations and theses as part of our broader Dissertation and Thesis Festival.

Students engage with stalls at Discovery Day in October 2025 at the Main Library.

At Discovery Day, you will have the chance to meet representatives from leading  database publishers (databases that allow you to fully research your topic), receive expert guidance, and pick up some freebies! Our Academic Support Librarians (ASLs) will be present to assist you in navigating library resources, inform you about upcoming festival events, and offer tailored advice to support your academic progress. Colleagues from Research Data Support and Digital Skills will be there to help you find out more about support for your dissertation and thesis work. And from 1-2pm, one of our Royal Literary Fund Fellows (RLFF) will be on hand so you can find out more about writing support available to you from the Library.

...continue reading "Discover the resources that will enhance your dissertation or thesis at Discovery Day"

Congratulations! You’ve almost made it to the end of semester one. The essays are submitted, the exams are done (or nearly done), and it is officially time to relax. While we usually encourage you to use the Library for research, this Christmas we are encouraging you to use one of our best resources, and a bit of a hidden gem, for something else entirely: pure entertainment.

Screenshot of the Box of Broadcasts (BoB) homepage with BoB logo and sub-heading "On Demand TV and Radio for Education", with Sign In button and Find Out More button.

Meet your new best friend: BoB

If you haven’t used Box of Broadcasts (BoB) yet, you are in for a treat. BoB is an on-demand TV and radio service for education. It allows you to record programmes from over 75 free-to-air channels, but the real magic lies in the archive. ...continue reading "Take a break with BoB: your holiday playlists"

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"

With Halloween just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to get cosy and watch some truly creepy horror movies. Luckily, if you’re a student or staff member at the University of Edinburgh, you’ve got free access to BFI Player, packed full of wicked horror films (and other films) that’ll give you all the chills and thrills you’re after. From classic spooky tales to modern scares, there’s something for everyone who loves a good fright!

Screenshot of BFI Player horror film page showing three movie stills: a woman in a pool with a solemn expression, a frightened woman in front of colorful curtains (Suspiria, 1977), and a bloodied woman with a blurred figure in the background. Each has a purple "Watch now" label.

So grab some snacks, turn off the lights, and settle in for a scary movie marathon without ever leaving your room. Whether you’re watching solo, hanging out with friends, or just want to discover some fantastic horror flicks, the BFI Player’s got your Halloween covered with some seriously creepy must-sees.

Here is just a flavour of the horror films available to stream on BFI Player. ...continue reading "Halloween Horror with BFI Player"

Unlock the potential of your dissertation or thesis at Discovery Day!

Join us on Monday 27 October, 10am–2pm at the Main Library for Discovery Day, your chance to explore the amazing resources available for your dissertations and theses during our Dissertation and Thesis Festival. ...continue reading "What will you discover at our Discovery Day?"

Thanks to a request from staff in History, the Library currently has trial access to the newly launched extension years for The Scotsman Historical Archive from ProQuest Historical Newspapers. While the Library already has access to The Scotsman Archive covering the years 1817-1950, the new extension module increases coverage up to 2002.

You can access ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Scotsman Archive (1817-2002) on the E-resources Trials page. Access is available until 4 December 2024. ...continue reading "On trial: The Scotsman Archive, 1951-2002"

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"

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Computer17293866, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

On Tuesday 18 June, I flew half way around the world to attend the Atla conference in Long Beach, California. There were two questions that Atla delegates asked me that I had to pause and think about to answer. The first was ‘Why did you come such a long way to attend this conference?’  (the second was ‘Are you the library director? – well … no.). To answer the first, I was able to attend the Atla 2024 conference due to a generous travel grant from Atla itself, support from BETH (European Theological Libraries) and support from ABTAPL UK & Ireland. I was attending as a UK representative of BETH, but I also wanted to attend because of the unique theological library context, and because attending an international conference is a great learning experience. As at professional development events in the UK, AI dominated the agenda - here are some conference highlights.

...continue reading "AI vs the Imago Dei : views from US theological libraries"

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"

A student sits at her laptop, typing.
Photo by @Aspen on nappy.co

Are you a student who is struggling with academic writing? Are you a staff member who knows of a student who isn't quite getting the hang of writing at University level?

Perhaps you need to book an appointment with our Royal Literary Fund Fellow. Mary Paulson-Ellis is a well-respected expert in the field of writing, and has been a writing mentor, workshop leader, tutor and writer-in-residence for many organisations including the National Centre for Writing, the National Galleries of Scotland and the Edinburgh International Festival. She is also a committee member for the Society of Authors in Scotland, and student feedback from her first semester working at Edinburgh has been enthusiastically positive. She specialises in helping students in any discipline hone their writing skills and she does this by arranging one-to-one appointments with students in the Main Library.

The service is free, confidential and individual to each student's needs. To find out more about the service you can visit our RLFF page, or to book an appointment please email Mary directly. 

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