Am I allowed to use AI? (And other small, existential questions)

WordPress User [sif4] Uncategorised

Am I allowed to use AI?
Is it cheating?
Will my lecturer know?
Am I accidentally helping to boil the oceans or fund a tech billionaire’s next rocket?

These are just some of the many, many questions around AI, and If you’ve asked yourself any of them recently, you’re not alone. AI has moved very quickly from “What even is this?” to “It’s everywhere and I’m not sure how I feel about it.” It can get pretty confusing.

That’s exactly why we’ve created our new AI Literacy course.

Rather than telling you what to do, the course focuses on helping you decide what’s right for you. Because using AI isn’t just a technical question, it’s an ethical one too.

As you move through the course, you’ll explore questions like:

  • What actually is AI?
  • Am I still doing my own thinking?
  • Can I trust this output?
  • What am I sharing, and where is it going?

We look at AI as a study partner, not a shortcut. It might be a tool that can help you plan, explain, or get unstuck, but it’s not there to replace your learning. Along the way, we connect AI to things that you will be developing at university, and which we hope will serve you well in the future: critical thinking, information literacy, and ethical awareness.

You’ll also explore what’s really happening when you use these tools, including data privacy, referencing pitfalls, accessibility, environmental impact, and how well (or badly) they handle the Welsh language.

Importantly, the course also makes space for a perfectly valid position: What if I don’t want to use AI at all?

We hope that the course will give you the confidence to make an informed choice, and not just follow the crowd.

AI isn’t going away. It’s already built into the tools you use every day, from search and email to library resources and learning platforms. This course isn’t about chasing the latest trend. It’s about helping you navigate a world where AI is already part of the landscape, and offering practical ways to think clearly, act responsibly, and stay in control.

The course is available to all students and staff via Blackboard Organisations and there is also a link here.

What to Expect On A Library Tour

WordPress User [sif4] Information Skills, Learning, Research

For many students, library tours are a useful way to get their bearings during Welcome Week. We also know that starting university, visiting a new building, and meeting new people can feel a little overwhelming when you’re not sure what to expect.

To help with that, we’ve created a new online guide: What to Expect on Your Library Tour.

The guide takes you through the library tour experience before you arrive, including where to go, who you’ll meet, what the tour covers, and what to do if you’re running late. There are also photos of key locations, accessibility information, and details of the support available if you need it.

The guide isn’t intended to replace the tour itself. Instead, it’s there to help you know what to expect, feel more prepared, and decide whether there is anything you might want to ask about in advance.

Whether you are looking forward to exploring the library, prefer to plan ahead, or simply like to know what to expect before trying something new, we hope you’ll find it useful.

A link to the new guide is here

Updates from the Physical Sciences Library

WordPress User [aiv] Uncategorised

Tucked away on the fourth floor, behind the imposing red façade of the Physical Sciences Building, is the not-so-secret second library at Aberystwyth University. While it’s mainly visited by Maths, Physics and Computer Science students working nearby as a convenient (and scenic) study spot, hopefully some of the changes you’ll see here might inspire a visit to this charming library.

Recently efforts have been made by Subject Librarians Anita Saycell and Sarah Gwenlan to enhance the library with new displays and collections.

Physical Sciences Library

While the Library houses Maths, Physics and Computer Science collections and research materials, please don’t let that convince you that you shouldn’t settle in there with a good fiction book. The new fiction collection located in the Physical Sciences Library is on the right when entering the room, and contains books ranging from Frank Herbert’s Dune to Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary.

 

Fiction collection in Physical Sciences library

Next to this is another new display – one that represents the (frankly sprawling) periodicals collection of Library Services. These periodicals are already available online through Primo and on the shelves of the Physical Sciences Library, and on levels E and F of the Hugh Owen Library. This display is simply showing them off alongside their covers and an easy-to-use QR code for easy access.

Periodicals collection in the Physical Sciences Library

The Library is a great little spot both for working and just as a place to be, thanks to the work of its Subject Librarians! We hope you can come give it a visit, and maybe pick up a book along the way.
If you’re planning a visit, here’s the accessibility information for the library, and a short video showing the route from the Physical Sciences Building entrance and a view of the room itself.

Your Subject Librarians are:

Anita Saycell aiv@aber.ac.uk    Book time with Anita Saycell [aiv] (Staff) 

Sarah Gwenlan ssg@aber.ac.uk   Book time with Sarah Gwenlan [ssg] (Staff)

Find subject resource information on our LibGuides: https://libguides.aber.ac.uk/en

 

Physical Sciences Library

Scan-tastic! Digitisation that delivers!

WordPress User [nrb] Digitisation

Now that the academic year has ended, it’s a great moment to reflect on the impact of our digitisation service—and what a year it has been! Working closely with teaching staff and responding to sustained student demand, the service has delivered consistent access to key readings across departments.

A year in numbers

Our digitisation service has supported teaching and learning at scale:

  • 379 combined reading lists processed—these include shared lists across multiple courses (e.g. Welsh/English or UG/PG equivalents)—representing 503 individual reading lists supported in total
  • 2,210 extracts released to reading lists, comprising both book chapters and journal articles
  • 40,813 pages digitised
  • 12,134 students supported

These figures highlight not just volume, but reach: tens of thousands of pages made accessible to over twelve thousand students, directly embedded within their module reading lists.

It’s equally encouraging to see how actively this content has been used:

  • 26,762 views
  • 2,678 downloads
  • 596 prints

This level of engagement shows that digitised readings are not just available—they’re being used in meaningful ways to support study, revision, and research.

A reliable, responsive service

The digitisation service has remained a reliable way for students to get hold of their core readings, helping make key materials accessible to everyone. Across a wide range of teaching needs, the team has delivered extracts promptly and in line with copyright requirements.

Don’t stop now: Summer access

While the academic year has come to an end, the digitisation service is still on hand to support your summer reading and research. If you’re continuing your research, preparing for next year, or simply following your academic curiosity, you can still request:

  • Book chapters
  • Journal articles
  • Thesis extracts

So, whether you’re getting ahead, catching up, or diving into something new, we’re here to help you keep your brain in motion over the summer months.

Visit our webpage to find out more – the digitisation staff will handle the copyright checks and get the scan to you: https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/library/help/digitisation/

Submit your request and keep your reading going—wherever you are!