With the Christmas vacation period just around the corner, it is a good time to check that you are all set up for working from home. Even if you plan never to do anything university-related over the holidays, having your personal device set up to access the university computer network from wherever you are will mean that if you should need anything during or after the holidays, everything will be set up to use all the software and library eresources you might want, meaning you have one less thing to worry about when library staff are away.

The new prayer room and contemplation space on the first floor of the Library is now open for anyone who wants or needs a space apart to pray, meditate or sit quietly .

Everyone is welcome to use this space, whether you have a confirmed faith, want to sit and meditate without distractions, or simply need a space apart and want somewhere to sit and recover in peace and tranquillity.

Earlier this month, a new exhibit opened in the library’s First Floor mezzanine display space. Sounds Beyond Music: Selected Objects from the Museum of Portable Sound will run from 13 November through 31 January.

MOPS is an independent museum based in Portsmouth after first opening in London almost exactly eight years ago as a research project for my PhD in sound studies and museum studies, and I’m its Director and Chief Curator. It’s dedicated to the collection, preservation, and exhibition of (mostly non-musical) sounds as museum objects.

We have a free trial of the Psychotropic Drug Directory as part of Medicines Complete until 31 December 2023. The Psychotropic Drug Directory includes over 12,000 key references and more than 150 psychotropic drugs with links to further sources of useful information also available from Medicines Complete, making it a great aid for multidisciplinary teams seeking to confidently and quickly manage clinical scenarios.

We’re just about to ‘do the rounds’ with a series of pop-up stalls around campus where you can chat with a librarian and tell us what we’re doing well and where we’re not yet meeting your needs. As I’m fond of telling folk, we’re a student-led service, and what you tell us today shapes who we become tomorrow. Don’t leave your feedback until just before you leave, tell us today what we can do better that would make you smile 🙂

You can find us on the way into Ravelin Sports Centre next Tuesday and Wednesday, 28-29 November 2023 and you’ll doubtless find us making an appearance elsewhere on campus across the rest of the academic year.

Paper is an interesting material. It shares many properties with the wood it is made from, being flexible in thin sheets and strong in compression in bulk. It is this combination of properties that makes paper engineering such a fascinating art and science.

We’ve really enjoyed hosting the paper sculpture and pop-up craft exhibition by Derek (Mac) Mccullough, which is now moving to the Eldon building but you can still enjoy images of the exhibits on the Library website.

We’re bringing back our ever popular referencing drop-ins! We answer referencing questions by email, online chat, face to face at the Library skills drop-in and you can even book appointments to sit down with a a librarian and a long list of referencing questions. Yet, what we’ve found, year in and year out, is that we see more of you when we pop up in another part of the Library than we ever get to come to us.

Whether it is the colourful banner, the smiling librarians in plain view, or the sight of so many other people stopping by to offload their referencing woes and come away feeling better, we’re not sure. What we do know is that you like them, so we’re popping up again next week! Look out for our stand in the Library Atrium from 11 am – 3 pm between 13 – 24 November.