Tag: resources

Protecting your research: avoiding publication scams 

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Journal hijacking and fraudulent journal sites are becoming an increasing problem for journal authors, publishers and readers. Publishing scams aim to exploit researchers, promising quick publication but charging excessive publication fees. These sites can often be a clone of an established journal, set up to extract fees from unsuspecting authors. 

Publishers are becoming more increasingly aware of the problem and have taken steps to combat this new trend. Scopus academic database had 67 hijacked journals on its database by 2023 (Challenges posed by hijacked journals in Scopus – Abalkina – 2024 – Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology – Wiley Online Library ) To help alleviate this problem, Scopus removed URLs to all journal homepages that it indexes, although the problem persists (Retraction Watch, 2023 Elsevier’s Scopus deletes journal links following revelations of hijacked indexed journals – Retraction Watch) 

Many authors and readers are unaware of this practice and the following resources might be useful to consider. 

Evaluating journals: 

 
Support from your library: 

 
Contact us: librarians@aber.ac.uk  

Jisc Historical Texts has ended

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Jisc no longer provides Jisc Historical Texts. To compensate for the loss of this service:

Early Modern Books covers material from the British Isles and Europe for the period 1450-1700. An integrated search across both Early English Books Online and Early European Books allows scholars to view materials from over 225 source libraries worldwide. EEBO’s content draws on authoritative short-title catalogues of the period and features many text transcriptions specially created for the product. Content from Europe covers the curated Early European Books Collections from 4 national libraries and London’s Wellcome Library.

Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO) is a vast eighteenth-century library at your desktop—a fully text-searchable corpus of books, pamphlets and broadsides in all subjects printed between 1701 and 1800. It currently contains over 180,000 titles amounting to over 32 million fully-searchable pages.

Titles in the Jisc Journal Archive are available via other providers through Primo, the library catalogue.

Contact librarians@aber.ac.uk or your subject librarian if you have any questions.

Introducing: LibKey Nomad

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LibKey Nomad is a downloadable browser extension that automatically provides instant links to articles from journals if your library subscribes to them. LibKey Nomad’s one-click access to articles referenced on scholarly websites and search engines will make your research and finding sources faster and easier.

Download LibKey Nomad here

Using LibKey Nomad is simple. Visit the download page and add the extension to your browser of choice. After installation, you will be prompted to select your institution. Simply select Aberystwyth University and LibKey Nomad will then notify you of articles available through the library wherever you may roam online.

LibKey Nomad will also enhance your experience on popular sites like PubMed, Wikipedia, Scopus, Web of Science and more.

Comparison

Here’s an example of a reference list on Wikipedia before LibKey Nomad is installed and after (scroll across to compare):

References on Wikipedia before and after installing the LibKey Nomad browser plugin

You can see that LibKey Nomad adds a link to the article if the library has access to it. Clicking on the link takes you directly to the source.

Find out more about LibKey Nomad in the video below:

If you have any questions or feedback about LibKey Nomad, please email us on librarians@aber.ac.uk. As always, if you need help finding resources for your studies, please get in touch with your Subject Librarian.

Introducing BrowZine

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BrowZine is new way to browse and search thousands of electronic journals available to you as a member of Aberystwyth University.

BrowZine homepage

Using BrowZine you can:

  • Browse or search by subject area to find ejournals of interest
  • Search for a specific title
  • Create your own bookshelf of favourite ejournals and organise them how you want
  • Follow your favourite titles and receive alerts when a new issue is published
  • Save articles in your personal library which will sync across your devices

BrowZine can be used on your computer, or you can download the app for use on an Android or Apple device. The BrowZine app will sync across multiple devices so you can keep up with your ejournal reading on the move.

Find it on Primo, the library catalogue, by clicking on the eJournal Search button on the top of the homepage or download the app from your app store.

How to get to BrowZine from Primo, the library catalogue

Shwmae Su’mae Day – 15th October

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To celebrate Shwmae Su’mae Day this year, we are sharing a guest blog from our Student Digital Champion, Laurie Stevenson and taking a quick look at some library resources to help you practise and develop your Welsh-language reading and speaking skills.

Laurie Stevenson

Dw i’n dysgu Cymraeg!

The 15th of October is Diwrnod Shwmae Su’mae, a day marked to celebrate and promote the Welsh language and I wanted to take this opportunity as one of the Student Digital Champions to use this blog to share my own experiences as a Welsh language learner.

What made me decide to take up Welsh?

I fell in love with Wales straight away after moving here and knew from the very start of my degree that I wanted to learn more about Welsh culture and learn the language as a way of respecting the culture and gaining a sense of belonging. I enjoy intellectual pursuits but never saw the point in learning languages like French or Spanish if I was never going to be able to use them in real life and I always struggled to feel any passion for this kind of language learning at school. However, when the opportunity arose to learn Welsh I was very keen, I love having the ability to make basic conversation on the bus, in a shop or café and I really enjoy the smile it can bring to peoples faces to see someone learning the language.

How did I go about learning Welsh?

I enquired about Welsh lessons in my first year but due to Covid these were not running however when I went to the Freshers Fair in my second year I spoke to someone at the UMCA Welsh student’s union stall and put my name down. The lessons are provided by learnwelsh.cymru and I started off with their taster course which was one hour weekly sessions, this year I have moved onto the accredited entry level course which is two hours a week. I also use Duolingo alongside my lessons and I have found this to help with retaining information in between lessons.

What resources have I found at Aberystwyth University to help me?

The Welsh student’s union UMCA are people I found the courses through but they also host Welsh language and culture events as well as opportunities for Welsh learners to meet up and practice their Welsh with Welsh speakers. There are also links to the courses on the University website as well as links for online resources to help your learning.  The library also has great resources including books, dictionaries and phrasebooks for learning the language.

Laurie Stevenson

Find out more about Laurie and the work of the Student Digital Champions over on the Digital Capabilities Blog

Library Resources

If you are on your journey to learning Welsh, thinking about starting it, or you’re a Welsh speaker looking to polish your skills, the library has a wide-range of helpful resources.

Head to the Celtic Collection on Level F of the Hugh Owen Library where you’ll find books to help you practise and develop your reading and speaking skills – from graded novels with vocabulary to grammar books to complete language courses.

And remember to say su’mae to the Library staff!

Libraries Week 2022 – Lifelong Learning

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The theme of this year’s Libraries Week is the central role that libraries play in supporting life-long learning.

Today our focus is on our Lifelong Learning students and external users.

Lifelong Learning

LibGuides Our Lifelong Learning LibGuide is your complete guide to library and learning resources for your subjects. Here you’ll find details on key resources and guidance on how to use the library and who to contact for help.

The Lifelong Learning LibGuide homepage

Effective Study Collection The Effective Study Collection is designed to help you develop your study skills. It covers topics including how to research, writing skills, academic writing, time management, communications skills and some general guides to help you research and study in the arts. If you are returning to education after a break, have a look.

Study spaces and IT facilities at the library Don’t forget that Lifelong Learning students can also make use of the library’s facilities, such as quiet study spaces, computers, excellent WIFI and printing and copying facilities. Browse our A to Z of library services here.

The Celtic Collection The Celtic Collection contains approximately 25,000 books relating to Brittany, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The collection contains material on all subjects relating to Celtic countries, and is a wonderful resource for all researchers and enthusiasts.

Learning Welsh or looking to improve your skills? You’ll find everything you need to help you practise and develop your reading and speaking skills – from graded novels with vocabulary to grammar books.

Find the Celtic Collection of Level F of the Hugh Owen library:

Some of the Welsh-language resources in the Celtic Collection

Digimap Digimap offers full and comprehensive Ordnance Survey map data and historic maps as well as geological data. It is a fascinating resource and very useful for local history researchers as well as Earth Sciences. You just need to have an Aberystwyth University email account to register to access it.

Linkedin Learning All AU students and staff have free and unlimited access to the wealth of expert-led courses available online 24/7 through Linkedin Learning.

Here’s a small selection of courses chosen by our Student Digital Champion, Urvashi Verma, that may be of interest to Lifelong Learning students.

Lifelong Learning Collection A collection of courses and short videos to help you develop your study skills and improve your time management skills.

Urvashi Verma

External Users

Our libraries welcome different categories of external users, from Aber Alumni and retired staff members who are keen to maintain their access to library resources, students at other institutions who are visiting Aber and need a place to study or local residents.

Take a look at the categories and registration details online here: Information for Visitors and External Users

Special Collections External users can apply to use the library’s IT facilities and study spaces, and can also arrange to view items in our beautiful special collections.

Libraries Week 2022 – Students

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The theme of this year’s Libraries Week is the central role that libraries play in supporting life-long learning.

Today, we are focusing on the ways the library offers a range of learning opportunities for Aberystwyth University students, beyond their courses and outside of the teaching rooms.

Library tours If you’re new to Aberystwyth University, firstly, welcome! Secondly, come on a library tour! Our friendly staff are here to show you around and introduce you to your library. There’s no need to book in advance and everyone is welcome – times and other information here.

You’ll see our virtual tour of the Hugh Owen Library below and here’s our handy A to Z of Library services to get you up to speed.

Software and IT services Take a look at our webpages for some of the IT Services and resources available. If you need help or advice, you can contact the Service Desk team online or by phone.

Fiction and reading for pleasure There’s no shortage of books in our libraries and if you’re looking for something to read – that’s not a course textbook – we can help! Browse Primo the library catalogue online to find books and ebooks, take a look at our Contemporary Fiction collection by the Enquiries Desk on Level F, browse the shelves from classmark PN or in the Celtic Collection. We also have graphic novels and lots of non-fiction and poetry.

Visit Primo, the library catalogue to have a look.

Contemporary fiction collection in the Hugh Owen Library

Linkedin Learning All AU students have free, unlimited access to thousands of expert-led online courses from Linkedin Learning. Here’s a small selection of courses that might spark some new hobbies or interests and help you develop new skills put together by Laurie Stevenson, Student Digital Champion:

Extra-curricular activities for students collection This is a collection of courses containing a variety of skills and creative activities you might be interested in learning alongside your studies, as a break from assignments or to fill a moment of boredom!

 Laurie Stevenson

Learn Welsh Fancy learning or improving your Welsh whilst you’re at Aber? Look no further than the Celtic Collection! The collection contains hundreds of books to help you learn and develop your Welsh language skills, from complete language courses and grammar books to fiction with helpful vocabulary.

Find it on Level F:

Welsh-language learning resources in the Celtic Collection

Library Guides Familiarise yourself with the library’s range of LibGuides. Not only will you find your specialist subject guide to help you find resources for your subject, but also a range of guides to help you make the most of the library, develop your information literacy skills and enhance your employability.

These guides have been compiled by your Subject Librarians who are here to help you with academic and specialist resources for your studies. They can help you to find and evaluate the information that you need and help you to reference it correctly. Find the contact details for your subject on the Subject Librarians page. 

Borrow DVDs You can borrow DVDs for free from our large DVD collection on Level F. Take a look through what we have on Primo, the library catalogue

DVD collection

Read Well – Wellbeing collection The library’s Wellbeing Collection is here to help you understand and manage many common mental health conditions or difficult feelings and experiences. You can have a look at the list of titles included in the collection on the Read Well reading list which is organised by topic areas to help you find what you need.

Watch this short video to learn more:

Libraries Week 2022 – Staff

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Image of a father and daughter reading together

The theme of this year’s Libraries Week is the central role that libraries play in supporting life-long learning.

Today our focus is on all Aberystwyth University staff as we showcase some of the library’s resources that can help staff to unlock and fulfil their potential at every stage of their lives and careers.

Gale OneFile News Online access to news coverage, including professional trade press, Gale OneFile News lets you browse and search 2,300 major newspapers, including thousands of images, radio and tv broadcasts and transcripts.

Digimap Digimap offers full and comprehensive Ordnance Survey map data and historic maps as well as geological data. It is a fascinating resource and very useful for local history researchers as well as Earth Sciences. You just need to have an Aberystwyth University email account to register to access it.

Image of a map of Aberystwyth in 1880 from Digimap
Image of a map of Aberystwyth in 1880 from Digimap

Box of Broadcasts Are you carrying out some research? Take a look at Box of Broadcasts (BoB) – an on demand TV and radio service for academic use by staff and students, allowing access to two million broadcasts from over 65 free to air channels. BoB also now includes the BBC’s archive of historic radio and television programmes.    

The Workstation The Workstation is a 24-hour work and study space for both staff and students in Aberystwyth town centre. The Workstation has PCs, facilities for printing, WiFi and a bookable meeting room. You can find The Workstation next to the Wetherspoons by Aberystwyth Train Station and you will need your staff ID card to get in.

Front view of The Workstation featuring a large building with a clock tower
Front view of The Workstation
The entrance to The Workstation glass doors with blue signage
The entrance to The Workstation
Inside The Workstation with desks, chairs and computers
Inside The Workstation
The Workstation

Careers Services for all AU staff  Did you know that Aberystwyth University staff can also make use of the University’s expert careers services? Take a look at our Employability LibGuide to get started.

Reading for pleasure The library has large collections of fiction, non fiction and poetry in both English and Welsh for your reading pleasure. Take a look at our Contemporary Fiction collection near the Enquiries Desk on Level F or browse the shelves from classmark PN (or the library catalogue, Primo) and the Celtic Collection.

English literature books on Level F of the Hugh Owen Library

Learn or Improve your Welsh The Celtic Collection contains hundreds of books to help you learn and develop your Welsh language skills, from complete language courses and grammar books to fiction with helpful vocabulary.

Effective Study Collection You may also find some of the titles in our Effective Study collection useful to help you develop your study or professional skills, such as how to make an effective presentation or tips on managing your research.

Linkedin Learning All AU students and staff have free and unlimited access to the wealth of expert-led courses available online through Linkedin Learning.

Here’s a small selection of courses that might be of interest to AU staff produced by Jeffrey Clark, Student Digital Champion:

Personal and Professional Development collection – This collection contains a series of courses designed to aid staff members with developing their professional and personal skills.

Jeffrey Clark

The Children’s Literature Collection

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Colourful books from the Children's Literature Collection on a table on Level F of the Hugh Owen Library
Colourful books from the Children’s Literature Collection on a table on Level F of the Hugh Owen Library

If you go down to the Hugh Owen Library today… you’re sure to find our latest display on Level F of some wonderful titles from our Children’s Literature Collection!

Our collection has a good range of children’s fiction in both English and Welsh, including picture books, contemporary children’s literature to young adult fiction – from pirates to princesses, dragons to aliens and all that’s in-between.

You’ll find it particularly useful if you’re studying PGCE or Childhood Studies/Education. You can browse the collected on Level F of the Hugh Owen Library at classmark PZ or have a look online on Primo, the Library catalogue here.

From Resources to referencing

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A book and notepadAssignments: from Resources to Referencing has been prepared by the Subject Librarians at the University to develop key information literacy skills essential for academic study – from finding high quality academic materials to citing resources correctly in your assignments. The module is available to all students on Blackboard.

The module currently contains three sections:

Library and IT Induction
• Provides everything you need to know about getting started with library services and collections.
• A quiz to practice using library resources.

Referencing and Plagiarism Awareness
• Helps you understand the importance of accurate referencing; how to create accurate citations and references; how to manage your citations using referencing software tools and how to interpret your Turnitin Similarity Report.
• This guide includes a quiz which allows you to practice the skills you have learned using the specific referencing style specified by your department

News & Media Literacy
• This guide helps develop critical skills in evaluating the information we consume online. You will learn how to define key concepts such as free speech, misinformation, disinformation and censorship; understand concepts of selection and bias in the media and how to spot fake news.
• This guide includes a quiz which allows you to test the knowledge you have gained.

Further guides and quizzes will be added to the module in future.
If you require guidance in using the module, have any questions on using library collections and services or have any feedback, please contact: librarians@aber.ac.uk / 01970 621896