Improved access to Library SmartSearch

Library SmartSearch was introduced this academic year as a combined search facility for printed books, full text electronic books and journal articles.

Towards the end of last term we held a focus group with students to obtain feedback on the new facility. In general, this was very positive, but revealed some frustration and confusion relating to the positioning of the search-box within the Subject LibGuides. Consequently, the Library SmartSearch link from the Library home page now takes you to a single Library SmartSearch page that incorporates:

• Search box for Library SmartSearch 
• Links to Subject LibGuides for advice on additional sources of information 
• Quick links to databases and journals that you may frequently use

We hope this will make searching for the resources you need simpler and quicker.

Nick

Dr NR Smith
Director
Library & Information Services

Study Spaces in the Library

Group Study Spaces
Most of the group study spaces are located on the ground floor. There are quiet study carrels on the 1st floor and group study spaces in the Learning Development Centre.

 Flexible Study floor
The 2nd floor of the Library is a flexible study area. For most of the year it is for group study but during the third term it changes to silent study only.

Single Silent Study
The 3rd floor is always for single silent study. If you need to talk to someone, please move to a group study area or to the stairwell. If you are disturbed by noise from other students on this floor, please contact a member of Library staff or text 0121 204 4489. Staff will deal with the problem immediately.

Please help us to create a good environment for study and look after you belongings at all times.

Business & management resources keep improving!

Our new subscription to the database Business Source Complete (BSC) will greatly enhance the business & management information resources available to you.  

The new package (provided by EBSCOHost) dramatically increases the range & number of full-text resources on offer at Aston adding to the content we already subscribe to via Business Source Premier.  For example, in addition to thousands of full-text academic journal & trade magazine titles, we now also have over a million company information records, over 19,000 industry reports, over 9,000 business case studies, over 8,000 analyst reports & some 2,500 market research reports.  In addition to this enhanced coverage BSC still includes thousands of country economic reports & SWOT analyses, of course, and, as importantly, also offers exciting new resources such as video seminars, executive interviews & author profiles.

We hope you gain lots of use from the new BSC database which you can access via the Databases list in Library SmartSearch

Thomson Reuters Q & A Sessions in January 2013

Do you use the financial numerical database Datastream? Are you working in the ABS Trading Room with Reuters 3000xtra database? Would you like further help extracting data?

Thomson Reuters are offering Question and Answer sessions for students using the Datastream and Reuters 3000xtra databases. If you are having problems extracting data and would like advice please feel free to sign up for one of the Q&A sessions.

· Client trainers from Thomson Reuters will be holding online Q&A sessions to answer your questions regarding data on DataStream
 · No need to have the product in front of you, just the question that you want answering
 · No need to join a conference call, they will use Adobe chat… however, if you really want to talk to a trainer they will provide a number to call
· To sign up, email: knowledge.networkUKI@thomsonreuters.com stating the date, time and product session as well as your University email address.

Leave the rest to Thomson Reuters! They will email you with the login details for the 1 hour sessions.  
Dates and Times are:
Datastream
Tuesday 22nd January 2013 – 11:00
Wednesday 30th January 2013 - 14:00  

Reuters 3000xtra
Wednesday 23rd January 2013 - 14:00
Tuesday 29th January 2013 - 11:00

Regards
Malcolm Horne
Business Information Specialist

Library Christmas vacation opening hours and book loans

Season's Greetings from Library Staff.  Over the Christmas vacation the Library is open as follows:

• Monday 17 December to Friday 21 December the Library is open 08:00 - 23:00
• Saturday 22 December to Sunday 23 December:  the Library is open 11:00 - 18:00
• The Library will be closed Monday 24 December until Tuesday 1 January inclusive
• Wednesday 2 January the Library is open from 08:00 onwards and will be open 24/6

Please see the Library web site for the Christmas Vacation and Spring Term opening hours:
http://www1.aston.ac.uk/library/openinghours/

Please remember you will need your uniCARD to swipe in at all times.

If you have books on loan, then please make sure you return them by Friday 21 December, or renew them each week online via My Library Record on the Library Catalogue. Books which can't be renewed can be posted back - fines will accrue on overdue books so keep an eye on your Aston University email.

Please note: the out of hours book return box is closed when the University is closed for holidays (from Monday 24 December until the Library re-opens on 2 January).

We wish you all a very good break. 

Introduction to EndNote Web

Bob Green, from Adept Scientific, has recorded a 20 minute "Introduction to EndNote Web" video. EndNote Web is web-based bibliographic management software which can help you find and store useful references quickly and accurately, and create formatted citations and bibliographies in seconds.

This video will be a useful resource whether you're simply fact-finding or you're a new user getting started, and is best viewed in HD (720p).  The video starts from the EndNote Web login page (www.myendnoteweb.com) and you can register for your EndNote Web account using the Sign Up link on that page.  Note that if you are off-campus, you will first need to "Log in via your institutional login" to allow you to register.

 If you have any questions about using EndNote Web, please e-mail the Library Help Desk.

Tips to save money on college textbooks

USA based ideas to cut the cost of buying textbooks - Blast Magazine. December 10, 2012 (accessed through Nexis UK, locate from A-Z list of Databases in SmartSearch).