Aston e-Library: failed to load custom tile

We have become aware of an intermittent problem with Aston e-Library.  Some users have been getting an error message when searching by topic using the default search box within Aston e-Library.

failed to load custom tile

We have contacted our provider to try to resolve this problem as quickly as possible, but it is only affecting some users, so we have not yet identified the exact nature of the problem.  If you experience this problem, please can you e-mail us to tell us:

• which web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer 8) you are using to access Aston e-Library
• which operating system (e.g. Windows 7) you are using
• which device (e.g. smartphone, laptop PC, Mac) you are using.

In the meantime, we suggest you try using a different web browser to access Aston e-Library.  As the problem appears to be intermittent, this has been an effective solution for some users!  If you are using Internet Explorer, for example, you could try Mozilla Firefox instead.

Update on Aston e-Library problem with accessing individual resources

We are pleased to report that the problem with the Find Resource option within the Aston e-Library has now been fixed. We apologise for any inconvenience this problem has caused. If you are still having problems please email library@aston.ac.uk

Aston e-Library: Problems accessing individual resources

We are currently experiencing some problems with the Aston e-Library which is affecting access to the Find Resources part of the service. Staff are working to resolve the problem and LIS will let you know via the Blogworm when the service is fully available again. In the meantime please use the electronic resources webpage to link through to databases.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Introducing.... Podcasts!

Yesterday, Aston University Library & Information Services published the first podcast in a new series covering a range of topics relating to library services and research skills.

The first podcast includes a welcome to LIS by Nick Smith, Director, and answers a number of frequently asked questions to help new students in particular make the most of the services and facilities provided by LIS.  Future episodes will include introducing your Information Specialists, using Google, Aston e-Library, and searching effectively for journal articles.

Keep an eye on the podcast webpage to pick and choose the podcasts most relevant to you, or subscribe to the whole series by RSS.  Subscription via iTunes is coming soon!

We'd love to hear your feedback on this new initiative.  Please comment on this post, or send us an e-mail to let us know what you think, or to suggest topics you would like us to cover.

Lost your saved e-shelf items from the old Aston e-Library interface....?

You can retrieve your saved items from the e-shelf in the old interface by sending them to your email address. Instructions on how to do this are available here.

New Aston e-Library interface now live!

The new-look Aston e-Library is now available with the following new features and improvements:

• Search response time: instantaneous search results
  


• Coverage: the new index includes the great majority of relevant electronic resources
  
  
• Ranking quality: using the new service's proven algorithms and deploying the same evaluation method on all relevant results

See this webpage for a basic guide to the new interface.

Please contact library@aston.ac.uk if you have any queries about the new interface.

Aston e-library downtime: Friday 29th July

Aston e-Library will be unavailable on the morning of Friday 29th July from 9.30-12while we carry out essential maintenance work. Please use the electronic resources webpage during this time to link through to databases.

Aston e-Library currently down

We are currently experiencing some problems with the Aston e-Library which is affecting access. Staff are working to resolve the problem and LIS will let you know via the Blogworm when the service is available again.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Aston e-Library upgrade: save your e-shelf items!

Aston e-Library will be upgraded during the summer vacation. Any items saved in the “My e-Library” part of Aston e-Library will not be migrated to the new interface. This includes articles that you’ve saved from results lists, favourite databases and e-journals and any alerts you may have set. For information on how to send lists of articles from your e-shelf to your e-mail address, please see this webpage. The new service will go live at the end of August.

Aston e-library downtime: Wednesday 6th July

Aston e-Library will be unavailable for approximately 3 hours between 10am and 1pm on Wednesday 6th July while we carry out essential maintenance work. Please use the electronic resources webpage during this time to link through to databases.

Problem linking to e-journals via Find it @ Aston

**UPDATE** This issue has now been resolved and you should be able to search the e-Library and link through to e-journals again with no problems.

We're currently experiencing problems with the software that links us through to e-journals. The suppliers are working on a fix for this as a matter of urgency but in the meantime you can take the following steps to get round this:

• If you want to do a search for journal articles on a particular topic, use the Aston e-Library "Find Resource" section to link through to subject specific full text databases and perform your searches there.
• If you have a citation for a specific e-journal article and need to access the fulltext, search Google Scholar to find out where the e-journal is available and try to access the fulltext from there.

Apologies for the inconvenience this will cause. This post will be updated as soon as the problem is fixed.

Access to Westlaw & Lexis off campus

Access to subscription based legal research databases off Campus

To access off campus please use the proxy server - see instructions
http//www1.aston.ac.uk/lis/eis/

You can also phone Westlaw ( 0800 028 2200 ) and ask them to do a search for you and they will e-mail the results to you. They are aware there is a problem with Shibboleth access. Dont forget to use Lexis and Lawtel as alternative resources.

NB- use the law section of the Aston e Library - there are lots of alternative free resources for legal research.

Adele Champken - Information Specialist (Law)

**3rd Dec. This problem has now been fixed, and you can log on to Westlaw and Lexis as usual via the e-Library. Apologies for the inconvenience**

New media resource

We now have access to the following resource via the Aston e-Library:
The LBC/IRN Audio Archive
The London Broadcasting Company / Independent Radio News audio archive consists of 7,000 reel-to-reel tapes in a collection that runs from 1973 to the mid-1990s. It is the most important commercial radio archive in the UK and provides a unique audio history of the period.
You will need to log-in both off and on campus

Quicksearch in Aston e-Library

The Quicksearch function in Aston e-Library is behaving very strangely at the moment. The suppliers are looking into this as a matter of urgency. While this is being fixed, please go to Find Resource and run your searches in the databases themselves rather than via Quicksearch. We'll update this blog post as soon as the problem has been resolved.

Access to e-Library from student residences

There has been a problem getting on to the e-Library from student residences since the beginning of this term. ISA have informed us that this has now been resolved. If you continue to have problems, please comment on this post, stating which residence you are trying to access the e-Library from.