iSkills in Hilary Term: refresher induction, Open Access, Referencing, Online Resources for Historians

The timetable for iSkills workshops in Hilary Term is now available. The following may be of particular interest to Historians:

Bodleian Libraries Refresher Induction  Wednesday 11th Jan (15:00-15:30) – Thursday 12th January (10:30-11:00)  – Friday 13th January (13:30-14:00)

iSkills: Keeping up to date with research (Wed. 8 Feb 1.30-3pm)

iSkills: Online Resources for Historians (Wed. 1 March 2-3.30pm)

Open Scholarship: Fundamentals of Open Access (Tuesday 10th Jan 14:30-15:30)

Open Scholarship: Your thesis, copyright & ORA (Tues 31 Jan. 2.30-3.30pm)

Open Scholarship: Playing in the open: Getting familiar with Creative Commons licences (Thurs 23 Feb 2-3.30pm)

Referencing: Choosing and using software for referencing (Fri 27 Jan. 9.30am-12.30pm)

Referencing: EndNote (Introduction to) (Wed 22 Feb 2-4pm)

Referencing: RefWorks (Wed 15 Feb 10.30am-12pm)

Referencing: Zotero (Tues 21 Feb 10.30-11.30am)

The full list of iSkills workshops can be found on the iSkills webpage.

History Day 2021 on 4 November

[re-blogged from https://historycollections.blogs.sas.ac.uk/programme/]

History Day 2021 on a background an early printed map

History Day 2021 will take place on Thursday, 4 November 11am-4.30pm. It will be held online in Zoom.

History Day brings together students, researchers and anyone with an interest in history with professionals from archives, libraries, publishers and other organisations with history collections from the UK and beyond. It is a free annual one-day event that is created collaboratively between the Institute of Historical Research and Senate House Library.

History Day 2021 has an environmental history theme. It will explore collections that capture the experiences of ordinary people, collectors and scientists, looking at nature, landscape, climate change and much more. View the programme.

You will also be able to explore content from a great variety of libraries, museums, galleries, archives and history organisations.

Sign up here and enjoy your day!

Gale Ambassador Scheme

Fancy paid business experience with a global publisher? Become a Gale Ambassador and help raise awareness of the digital resources available at Oxford!

Gale is a global publisher of digital archives and other library resources such as eBooks.

The Gale Ambassador Scheme might be of interest to graduates using Cengage / Gale resources (Times Digital Archive, ECCO, State Paper Online, etc) and who are in Oxford 2020-21. It offers paid business experience with a global publisher.

Gale Ambassadors are paid £250 for a 6 month period of set activities, plus the role is also great for your CV…

  • Business experience – work directly with staff at a global publisher
  • Get published on our company blog – creating great, shareable evidence of your work
  • Run your own marketing activities – refine copy and post placement to make successful use of social media
  • Speak at subject society events and lectures – public speaking experience is always great for a CV
  • Discover more primary sources for your own essays – potentially improving your grades
  • Opportunities for in-house work experience with a global publisher

The deadline for applications is Sunday 6th December 2020.

Applications are made online at the Gale Ambassadors site. Full training will be provided in January 2021 for successful applicants ahead of the participating in the scheme.

Example blog posts from previous Gale Ambassadors are at:

Welcome to the HFL!

Welcome, new History students! We’re here to help you get started with finding your way around our libraries and finding the books and online resources on your reading list.

Make a start with this online video introduction to the Bodleian Libraries, and visit our welcome page for new students.

Next, check out our handy online guide to the History Faculty Library, which is the main lending library for history collections in the Bodleian. We’re based in the Radcliffe Camera, so we’re easy to find! Although sadly we can’t show you around the library in person this year, on this induction LibGuide you can take a video tour of the HFL, filmed and guided by our friendly library staff. The guide also contains information on how to book a desk slot, borrowing books, and printing.

You can also find useful information and answers to frequently asked questions on the Library Assistant app for Oxford freshers.

With Covid-19, there are some changes to the libraries, services and resources for the upcoming term. You will still be able to access the material you need and you can also access a wide range of ebooks and electronic resources online from the comfort of your own room.

For the most up-to-date information, please check out the Bodleian’s website.

If you get need any help or have any questions then please get in touch with us via email: library.history@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

POSTPONED – Disability History Hackathon and networking lunch on 23 April 2020

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, this event is postponed for the time being. We fully intend to run it so watch this space and keep safe! 19 March 2020

Disability History Hackathon and lunch
9.45am-1.30pm, 23 April 2020

History Faculty, George Street

Calling students and researchers of Oxford University. Are you interested in disability history? Do you like hunting down research materials? Join a group of volunteers at the Disability History Hackathon on 23 April to find resources for a Disability History Resources LibGuide.

After a brief training session on advanced Google searches, you will work individually or in small groups work on locating research resources (databases, archives, websites, etc.) on a particular aspect of disability history. You will create brief descriptions for each resource which will then added to the Disability History Resources LibGuide at a later stage. We expect to spend up to 2 hours on the Hackathon with a break in between. This will be followed by a lunch where you can meet and network with others.

What do you need to bring?

A laptop; (ideally) Eduroam wifi account; interest in, knowledge of and enthusiasm in disability resources and/or disability history.

What will you get out of it?

Learn search tips from a professional librarian; discover relevant research materials; network with other researchers; be a contributor to the Disability History Resource LibGuide; free refreshments.

After the Hackathon we will have the annual disability history networking lunch.  All are welcome to come, meet each other and share ideas.

If you want to attend the Hackathon and/or the lunch, please email Cheryl Birdseye (cheryl.birdseye@history.ox.ac.uk) by 12:00, Wednesday 15 April 2020. All rooms are accessible. More information about the day, slides used, etc. will be shared with participants in advance. Let us know if you have any particular requirements (including dietary requirements).

Maps and Mapping for Historians

Sheldon Tapestry Map of Oxfordshire

Sheldon Tapestry Map of Oxfordshire

Wed. 12 Feb. 3-4pm, Bahari Room, Weston Library

Please assemble by 2.55pm at the latest at security point, Parks Road entrance, having stored any bags in £1 lockers first.

Digital mapping with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is widely used both in academia and commercially. The first part of the talk will focus on how GIS can be useful for Historic research with examples of how students can incorporate their own data onto a map and create interactive web maps which can help tell a story in engaging and novel ways.

Presenter: Heidi Clough

The second part of the class will focus on the Bodleian map collection which houses 1.5 million maps. From the Universe to the ground beneath our feet and from Ambridge to Zanzibar we have maps of everywhere, and all these maps are available for study. We have in our collections the oldest single sheet map of the Country as well as one of the most important agriculture maps with the plan of the field systems around Laxton from 1635. These and other beautiful and important maps are on display in our Talking Maps exhibition.

Tour leader: Stuart Ackland

Please note that there is limited availability. Email Isabel.holowaty@bodleian.ox.ac.uk if you are interested.

 

Researching Archives training session

NEW SESSION ADDED! This session will also run Tue 25 Feb, 2-3.30pm.

Are you looking to level up your researching skills? Want to start your archival research and don’t know when to start? This session, run by Weston Library Senior Archivist Lucy McCann is for you!

Fri 28 February, 2-3.30pm

Lecture Theatre, Weston Library

This session provides an introduction to using archives for research and will cover

  • defining archives
  • archival arrangement
  • the practicalities of working with archival material
  • finding relevant archives
  • archives in the Bodleian, the University and further afield
  • web archives

No need to book. Just turn up.

Postgrads: Book now for the Humanities Research Fair Mon 27 January 2-5pm

After last term’s cancellation, here is a reminder that bookings for the re-scheduled Humanities Research Fair for postgraduates are now open.

The Fair will take place on Monday 27 January 2-5pm, South School, Exam Schools, OX1 4BG (map).

This free event is an excellent opportunity for Humanities postgraduate students to gain a wider perspective on the wealth and riches of research sources available for your field of study.

In a single place you get to meet lots of experts at the same time. You can learn about resources you may not yet have yet considered and meet the curators of collections who can guide you towards relevant material or useful finding tools.

Secure your goody bag and book a place now.

The format of the Fair encourages you to explore and discover new materials at your own pace, to be curious, to network and to make connections to experts and their peers while also learning about creative use of sources in Digital Humanities.

 

40+ stalls

  • Special collections (archives & early printed books, maps, museums)
  • Topical stalls (e.g. resources for English literature, Theology, History, Modern Languages, Biography)
  • Geographical stalls (e.g. US studies, Latin American, Far & Near Eastern, European)
  • General resources (e.g. Information skills, SOLO, Open Access, Digital Humanities, Top 10 Tips from a Graduate)
  • Take part in the live historical printing with the Centre for the Study of the Book
  • Relax with a cup of tea at the Student Wellbeing stall and try your hand at fiendish Bodleian jigsaw puzzle

A series of talks on Digital Humanities will accompany the Fair.

If you have any enquiries, please email humanitiesresearchfair@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

Humanities Research Fair for Postgraduates 29 November 3-5pm – bookings now open

Humanities postgraduates, come and join us the Humanities Research Fair on Friday 29 November 2019, 3-5pm, Exam Schools.

The Fair is an excellent opportunity for you to gain a wider perspective on the wealth and riches of research sources available for your field of study.

At the Fair you can learn about resources you may not yet have yet considered and meet the curators of collections who can guide you towards relevant material or useful finding tools. Over 40 stalls will cover many areas:

  • Special collections (archives & early printed books, maps, museums)
  • Topical stalls (e.g. resources for English literature, Theology, History, Modern Languages, Biography)
  • Geographical stalls (e.g. US studies, Latin American, Far & Near Eastern, European)
  • General resources (e.g. Information skills, Open Access, Digital Humanities, Top 10 Tips from a Graduate)

The format of the Fair encourages you to explore and discover new materials at your own pace, to be curious, to network and to make connections to experts and their peers while also learning about creative use of sources in Digital Humanities.

More details of contributors will be publicised in due course.

Talks

A series of 15 minutes talks will accompany the Fair. They will cover topics such as

  • TORCH: an introduction to interdiscplinary reseach in the Humanities
  • Gale Cengage’s Digital Scholar Lab
  • Text Encoding Initiatives (TEI) the Humanities
  • Top 10 Tips from Graduates

Gale Ambassador Scheme – Deadline extended to 15th July!

The deadline for Gale’s Ambassador Scheme has been extended to Monday 15th July!

Don’t know what the Ambassador Scheme is? See our blog post here!

This is a paid opportunity to gain experience with a Global Publisher, working with such resources as the Times Digital Archive, Eighteenth-Century Collections Online and State Papers Online. Apply today at the Gale Ambassadors Site