Off campus access unavailable 22 December 2009

Due to essential maintenance on university ICT systems, off campus access to library resources is unavailable.

Access should resume on 23 December 2009. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Eduserv Athens Service Desk Christmas period closure

The Eduserv Athens Office will close on 24 December 2009 and will re-open on 4 January 2010. Although the Eduserv Athens Service Desk will not be open, the services provided by Athens will be monitored throughout this period.

All library services closed between 22 December 2009 and 4 January 2010

York St John University will close on 22 December 2009 and will re-open on 4 January 2010. During this time library and information services will close so we will be unable to provide support, including for electronic resources. If any issues arise during this time when accessing electronic resources, please keep trying the services as there can be unexpected breaks in service that are resolved automatically by the suppliers of the resources. If a service remains unavailable, please contact libraryqueries@yorksj.ac.uk, and we will look into the issue and reply as soon as possible when the University re-opens on 4 January 2010.

Essential IT maintenance on 22 December 2009

Due to essential maintenance, there will be no facility to issue visitor IT accounts for the University's network of computers on 22nd December 2009. Similarly, there will be no facility for library staff to check IT account details or change users' passwords on that day.



Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Special Study Workshop: OT and Physiotherapy

For Level 3 Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy undergraduates: Special Study Workshop, Mon 30th Nov., 16:00-18:00, FT114. No booking required - please show up at any time during the two hours.

Difficulties accessing Swetswise articles on campus (Resolved)

Updated: the issues with accessing articles delivered electronically by Swetswise on campus PCs should now have been resolved. However, if you experience any difficulty accessing an electronic article on campus, please contact the library information and help desk on the first floor of Fountains Learning Centre.

We are currently experiencing technical difficulties accessing articles delivered electronically by Swetswise on campus PCs. If you experience difficulties accessing an article supplied by Swetswise, please come to the library information and help desk for advice.

Off-campus access is not affected.

We are working to resolve this issue as soon as possible.

Resolved: Off-campus (Athens) access problems

Updated 4:30pm, 08.10.2009: Athens problems have been resolved. Please contact us if you continue to experience problems.

We are currently (10.00am, 08.10.2009) experiencing problems with Athens authentication. Some users may find that Athens authentication is intermittently available - that is, access to electronic resources such as electronic journals and databases from off-campus may be patchy.

We will post an update here as soon as more information becomes available.

Lecture: Mary the Jewish Mother - Ed Kessler

Monday October 19th at 6 p.m. in De Grey 017

The speaker is Dr Ed Kessler, a Jewish academic in Theology & Religious Studies. The lecture is being sponsored by the Centre for Marian Studies, and admission is free.

Mary is prominent in Christianity as the archetypal 'mother', and she is also celebrated in Islam. But, of course, Mary herself was Jewish, Mariam in Aramaic (Miriam in Hebrew). The lecture explores the figure of Mary from a Jewish perspective.

Centre for Languages & Linguistics Colloquium Series 2009/10

The first of twelve lectures in The Centre for Languages & Linguistics Colloquium Series 2009/10 will be held on Wednesday 7 October 2009, from 5.00-6.30pm in the Fountains Lecture Theatre.

Prof Geoffrey K Pullum from the University of Edinburgh will present:

Adjectives and Demons: Grammar, Style, and Dan Brown''s writing

ABSTRACT
English grammars have misdefined both "adjective" and "adverb" for over 200 years. As a result all English dictionaries miscategorise numerous words. For at least 50 years some prescriptive usage manuals and style textbooks have condemned adjectives and adverbs as superfluous or even harmful words: EB White (who wrote "Charlotte''s Web") thought you should eschew them (though in fact he used them copiously). Alistair Cooke seems to have imagined himself to be doing without them entirely in his "Letter from America" scripts (though he wasn''t). Meanwhile, Dan Brown makes millions writing novels in which the frequency of adjective and adverb modification is simply astonishing. What is one to make of all this? In this talk I try to draw something coherent out of a long-running farce of bungled descriptions, absurd style advice, and plain bad writing.

AFTERWORDS
If anyone would like to join Geoff for dinner after the talk, please contact Andrew Merrison E: a.merrison@yorksj.ac.uk

Library catalogue available

The library catalogue is now working again.

Library catalogue unavailable.

The library catalogue is currently unavailable due to technical problems. We will remedy this situation as soon as possible.

Apologies for any inconvenience.

British Library catalogue unavailable Sunday 27 September

The British Library catalogue will be unavailable intermittently on Sunday 27 September 2009 between 0900 and 1430. This is due to essential maintenance.

New students: Come along to one of our introductory sessions to find out about getting started in the Fountains Learning Centre!

Tuesday 22 September - 10.00 am
Tuesday 22 September - 3.00 pm
Wednesday 23 September - 10.00 am
Wednesday 23 September - 3.00 pm

All of these sessions will take place in the Fountains Lecture Theatre.

SUNCAT unavailable

SUNCAT will be unavailable on 15 September 2009 between 9am and 5pm for essential software upgrades.

COPAC at risk

Copac and RLUK have experienced some problems over the weekend 5-6 September 2009. The services are back up now but will remain at risk of possible instability whilst MIMAS continue to resolve the matter completely.

York Hospital Health Library and Information Service - opening times

Please note that from the week beginning the 27th July the York Hospital Health Library and Information Service, located on the first floor of the Fountains Learning Centre, will be closing at 5pm. Normal opening hours will resume on Tuesday 1st September.

COPAC unavailable - UPDATED

UPDATE: Copac should now be available, although remains at risk while the system is checked. 9 July 2009, 11.25 am

Copac is currently unavailable as a result of a hardware fault. This is also affecting some other Mimas services.

Mimas apologies for the inconvenience and is working to correct the fault,

Wiley Interscience unavailable on Saturday 13 June 2009

Wiley Interscience online services are expected to be unavailable from 14.00, Saturday 13 June 2009, for approximately one hour, due to essential site maintenance.

COPAC and MIMAS services unavailable 11 June 2009

MIMAS, the provider of the COPAC and ZETOC databases, are expecting their services to be unavailable for approximately two hours from 10.00 am on 11 June 2009. This is for maintenance of a pre-existing fault that has caused problems with the services.

Archives Roadshow - Saturday 6th June 2009 - De Grey Court - 10.30am - 3.30pm

Find out more about our history and be involved in the creation of a Heritage Room that would have a regularly changing display of archives available for viewing by former students and staff of Ripon and York, current staff and students, prospective students and their families, friends and visitors in general.

How can you help?

• by coming along to see and discuss items on display


• by bringing your own memorabilia to discuss and for us to photograph and record


• by considering making a donation of your archives for display in the Heritage Room (all donations will be acknowledged and recorded)

Programme:

• Welcome


• Exhibition for viewing


• Discussion, recording and photographing archives


• Tours of the Heritage Trail


• Tours of the De Grey Court building


• Refreshments

Archives that we would like to assemble:

• Documents - reports, minutes


• Artefacts - badges, trophies, medallions, medals


• Photographs, negatives, transparencies, images


• Framed pictures


• Clothing - caps, ties, blazers, scarves, gowns, sports clothing


• Magazines - White Rose, Spread Eagle, Ripon Association Magazine (pre-1980 editions)


• Chapel documentation - service sheets, prayer books


• Programmes, sports events, prospectuses, student guides


• School Practice notebooks


• Letters and postcards


• Books - used for College courses, those written by former staff and students


• Newspaper articles


• Records - 33/45/78 rpm


• Tapes


• 8mm and 16mm films


• Videos, CDs and DVDs


• Any other memorabilia

There is no charge for attendance on the day, but we would like to know if you are coming for catering purposes.

If you would like to attend, please contact:

• Brett Arnall - 01904 876432 - b.arnall@yorksj.ac.uk


• John Maw - 01904 424514 - jonnym7@btinternet.com

Words Spit & Splinter - Debjani Chatterjee - Friday 15th May 2009

Debjani Chatterjee, Royal Literary Fund Fellow and Writer in Residence at York St John University will be reading poetry from her latest collection Words Spit & Splinter.

Dr Debjani Chatterjee, MBE, completes the final year of her Royal Literary Fund Fellowship this May. To celebrate her time at York St John University, Debjani will be reading poetry from her collection entitled Words Spit & Splinter, just-published, and her earlier Namaskar: New & Selected Poems.

'A poet full of wit and charm' (Andrew Motion) and 'a voice of rare originality' (David Morley), Debjani is one of Britain's best-known Asian poets. With over 50 books, she is also a prose writer, editor, literary translator and children's writer. A former Chair of the National Association of Writers in Education and the Arts Council of England's Translations Panel, she is a Patron of Survivors' Poetry, Co-Chair of the charity Hyphen 21... and active in literary, inter-faith, community and cancer groups. Her many honours include an honorary doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University and an MBE for services to Literature.

Friday 15 May 2009, 12.30pm

C4C Chapel,
York St John University

This lecture is free of charge and open to everyone. To book a ticket please contact the Marketing Office on T: 01904 876503 or E: events@yorksj.ac.uk.

Problems accessing library website & resources - 1 May, 2009

We are currently experiencing intermittent outages in access to the Internet, caused by problems outside of the University network.

If you are having difficulty accessing Athens-mediated resources or any of the information and resources available through the library website, it is entirely possible that this is the root cause.

We will post updates here (if we are able to) as we receive them.

Summer Term library return dates

Please check your return dates when borrowing and renewing from the library. Over the summer term, return dates will vary for:

• Four week/28 day (normal) loans


• Seven day (week) loans


• Hospital Library items

Please check your self-issue receipts or log on to your library account for return dates, or call (01904 876700) or email (library@yorksj.ac.uk) us if you aren't sure.

Further Athens problems - 30 April, 2009

We would like to apologise again for the Athens problems experienced by users last night (30 April, 2009). These included the inability to access databases, electronic journals and books, or full-text access through the library catalogue.

As far as we are aware, a normal service has been restored to all users.

Please contact us on libraryqueries@yorksj.ac.uk if you are continuing experience difficulties with Athens access to resources.

Athens problems - 25-26 April, 2009

We would like to apologise for the Athens problems experienced by users over the weekend (25 - 26 April, 2009). These included the inability to access databases, electronic journals and books, or full-text access through the library catalogue.

As far as we are aware, a normal service has been restored to all users.

Please contact us on libraryqueries@yorksj.ac.uk if you are continuing experience difficulties with Athens access to resources.

Loan System Enhancements and Changes

A number of enhancements and changes to the loan system are planned for implementation from summer 2009. These are designed to increase and simplify access to books, especially, core texts. If you would like to comment on these changes or have any other suggestions please let us know.

The main changes are:

More Seven Day Loan Copies
Additional Seven Day Loan copies will be provided for ‘in-demand’ books, partly through additional purchase and partly by converting Normal Loan copies. Seven Day Loan copies will remain renewable (phone and Internet) for up to seven further loan periods unless placed on Hold by another user. Seven Day loan copies will be available for loan over vacations.

Introduction of One Day Loan Copies
A small number (c.500-1,000) One Day Loan copies will be provided of core texts listed as essential reading. Items borrowed one day will be due for return by closure the following day (this to include Saturday and Sunday). One Day Loan will not be eligible for Holds, or be available for vacation loans.

Introduction of Reference Only Copies
A limited number of (c.500) Reference Only copies will be provided of core text listed as essential reading. These items will be confined to use in the Learning centre only at all times.

Integrated Shelving Arrangement
All the above categories will be shelved in the main shelving sequences on the first and second floors of the Learning Centre. One Day and Reference Only copies will be clearly labelled and all the above categories will receive priority re-shelving.

More E-Books
The existing programme of e-book purchase will be enhanced to ensure that, subject to availability and cost-effectiveness, e-book versions of heavy demand core texts listed as essential reading are available. Access to e-books via the library catalogue will be simplified.

Reserve Collection Discontinued
The existing Reserve collection held on closed access behind the Ground Floor Desk will be discontinued. It is anticipated that the majority of items remaining in this collection will be converted to One Day loan.

Remodelled Reference Collection
The Reference Collection on the first floor (adjacent to Information & Help Desk), will be remodelled and rebranded as a general ‘quick’ reference section featuring key directories, dictionaries, etc. All other retained reference material such as encyclopedias, which will remain non-loan, will be integrated with other material in the main book sequence.

Simplified Holds and Recalls
The existing Recall procedure (where a message to return a book before the due date is generated because it has been requested by another user) will be largely abolished. Holds placed by users over the Internet etc will no longer generate Recalls; these will now only be placed on application to Library staff. The Holds system will be adjusted to ensure that where there is a significant queue for a book loan periods will be shortened. The result should be improved circulation of in-demand texts and an end to users receiving Recall requests for books after a few days which are subsequently unnecessary due to return of another copy.

Adjusted Fines Rates
To ensure that Seven and One Day loan books are returned promptly, fines rates will be set at 50p per day for Seven Day and £1.00 per Day for One Day. The maximum fine that can be incurred on any item will be raised to £10.00. The amount of fines owed at which borrowing privileges are suspended will be raised to £10.00 from £5.00. The rate of fines on Normal (28 day) Loan books will remain unchanged at 10p per day. It has been agreed that 10% of fines will be donated to assist the development of the library at St John’s University in Tanzania.

In addition to the above, it is hoped to completely remodel the online catalogue to provide a much improved and simpler interface that will make finding books and other items easier. This will include the ability to look for books, periodical articles and other materials (federated searching) in one simple Google-like search.

Please let us know if you have any comments or suggestions as a result of these changes.

IngentaConnect - downtime 21st and 22nd March 2009

Temporary Break in Service, Saturday 21st - Sunday 22nd March

IngentaConnect will be unavailable on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd March. This downtime is due to essential maintenance. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

A Celebration for World Poetry Day!

Wednesday 18 March 2009 5pm - 6.30pm in the C4C Chapel

The Centre for Global Education invites you to meet award-winning poet, Debjani Chatterjee, who will share with you an exciting selection of world poetry for young people. In addition Valentine Nkoyo from Kenya will present her own poetry.

Enquiry Café: 11th March, W(h)ither Enquiry!, 9-10am Staff Common Room

This Wednesday March 11th is the date of this month's Enquiry Café: Holgate Common Room 9am until 10am The topic this month is an open discussion on the future of learning through enquiry @ YSJ, entitled "W(h)ither Enquiry!".

To book your breakfast bun please email Karen Llewellyn by Tuesday 10th March (midday at the latest). Come and celebrate the first (and hopefully not the last...) anniversary of the Enquiry Café.

World Book Day - writing workshops

'Laughter is the most subversive weapon of all': Story-Telling in Persian Literature with Dr Debjani Chatterjee, RLF Fellow, Dr Catherine Samiei and Dr Golnar Bayat

11am-1pm | Thursday 5th March
George Herbert Room, C4C Centre

This workshop will provide a brief introduction to Persian literature including a short discussion on the graphic novel and film Persepolis and how it fits into the wider tradition of Persian story-telling. You will also be given the opportunity to create your own piece of writing based on some of the traditions of Persian writing.

To book your place at this workshop please email: c.samiei@yorksj.ac.uk

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Travel Writing Masterclass with Dr Debjani Chatterjee, RLF Fellow & Writer-in-Residence

2-4pm | Thursday 5th March
George Herbert Room, C4C Centre

Having roamed the world from an early age, Debjani will offer some ideas for ways into travel writing.

To book your place at Debjani's masterclass please email: d.chatterjee@yorksj.ac.uk

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Places are limited on both classes, so please book early to avoid disappointment. Any interested student who has a problem with the date is welcome to email Debjani for a separate tutorial at another time - just specify your area of interest.

Journeys and places - YSJ student travel writing competition

"In today's world travel is easier than ever before and more and more people are doing it. We all travel - on holidays, to visit friends and relatives, to work... Every journey is a new beginning; every new place opens our eyes. Writing about travel too, is an ever popular literary and journalistic form. This competition invites you to write about a journey or a place that has meant something to you and also gives you the opportunity to have your writing published."

You are invited to submit a piece of prose travel writing on a theme of journey or place, between 300 and 1000 words in length. The writing can relate to any journey travelled or your experience of arriving or departing, or of a particular place. It might even be a spiritual journey or life-changing event.

To submit your writing and enter the competition, please go to the following web address: http://www.c4ccetl.ac.uk/travelwritingcompetition/

• Text must be submitted online as a Microsoft Word document (maximum word count is 1000 and maximum file size is 10Mb)


• The closing date for submissions in FRIDAY 8TH MAY 2009


• Winners will be announced on WEDNESDAY 27TH MAY 2009


• The competition is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students at YSJU


• There will be one prize winner and two runners-up


• The winning entries will also be included in an Anthology which will be created in Autumn 2009


• The competition will be judged by York St John's Writer-in-Residence Debjani Chatterjee and C4C Creative Fellow John Noble

If you have any queries, please contact Catherine Samiei: c.samiei@yorksj.ac.uk

This is a partnership between C4C, Writing Development and Royal Literary Fund Fellow Debjani Chatterjee.

Dates for your diary:

• Wednesday 11th February, 2pm-4pm - Travel Writing Master Class with John Noble - email c4ccetl@yorksj.ac.uk to book a place - C4C Seminar Room


• Thursday 5th March, 2pm-4pm - Travel Writing Master Class with Debjani Chatterjee - email d.chatterjee@yorksj.ac.uk to book a place - George Herbert Room, C4C Centre

Fountains Learning Centre - maintenance

Beginning Monday 9th February, the Maintenance department will be redecorating in the Fountains Learning Centre. Please be aware that some disruption to services within the building may occur.

New subscription: British Newspapers 1600-1900

The library now has full text a subscription to a database of historical British newspapers. The database includes the full runs of 48 national newspapers, selected by the British Library to provide a representative picture of Britain in the 19th century and The Burney Collection (the most comprehensive collection of early English newspapers anywhere in the world, covering mostly London in the 17th and 18th centuries).

You can access this database, and others, through the databases page (you will have to log in if you are off campus).

Evaluating e-books nationwide - follow-up survey

In January 2008 the University took part in a national survey about the use and understanding of e-books. We have now been asked to participate in a follow-up survey, the purpose of which is to gauge whether attitudes and behaviour towards e-books have changed over that period.

To take the survey, please visit http://tinyurl.com/9gt936.

The survey should take about 10-12 minutes to complete.

You are under no obligation whatsoever to take part in the survey. Any information you give will be held securely and under no circumstances will any findings be revealed other than at a highly aggregated level. Data is being collected through a third-party, Survey Monkey, and you can check their privacy policy here:

Survey Monkey Privacy Policy


For more information, please see the evaluation project’s website.

Did you know...?

The library has a growing DVD collection, housed on the second floor of the Fountains Learning Centre. The collection includes a wide range of feature films, shorts, documentaries and television programmes.

To find DVDs on the library catalogue, click the Advanced Search link, and select 'DVDs' from the drop-down menu entitled 'Format'.

You can then search using keywords typed into the boxes at the top of the page, and the search results will be restricted to DVDs only.

Science Direct service interruption

Due to maintenance at the provider's end, any ejournals hosted by Science Direct may be unavailable at certain times over the weekend 10th-11th January.