Author Archives: rachelscanlon

Wellbeing Welcome Lunch

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The Radcliffe Science Library (RSL) hosted a marvellous networking lunch for staff who work in the area of Wellbeing from across the University on the 1st of October. The 49 attendees came from all corners of the University including all the divisions, the Students Union and GLAM. The RSL wellbeing lead, Rachel Scanlon, organised the event to meet with other colleagues working in the area of wellbeing, support and mental health for staff and students.

Photograph of three women smilling in a room with nature art and fairy lights.
While eating a tasty lunch colleagues chatted about their own wellbeing work. There were great discussions around what could improve staff wellbeing from book clubs to free food to nature walks. We were also able to highlight some of the great activities coming up in the Radcliffe Science Library all available on our Wellbeing Calendar. Many of our events are open to staff and students such as our upcoming Craft and Chat sessions, taking place on the first Tuesday of the month. Keep an eye on our calendar for upcoming events.

Two women sitting at a table smiling, with cups and plates in front of them.
Attendees were also impressed with our Wellbeing Room calling it “Just what we need”, “Welcoming” and “Really lovely”. We hope to build deeper relationships with our colleagues working in wellbeing, to learn from them and share our own experiences going forward.

Young asian woman smiling and holding a cup of coffee.

Wellbeing in the RSL

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We know Trinity Term can be very stressful with deadlines and exams.If you need a break you can always drop in to the Wellbeing Room. It has bean bags comfortable sofas and new nature inspired art. There are also a range of crafts and games available in the room to help you relax and refresh. Sometimes the room is booked for events, see someof the activities we have planned below, but you can drop in whenever the room is free. And it is always free for drop in between 2 and 5pm, weekdays.

Photograph of the RSL Wellbeing room showing a sofa bean bags and cushions.

Relax in our Wellbeing Room

Wellbeing Activities

It can be difficult to take time for yourself especially when you feel under pressure. To help  manage your stress and give you something to add to your diary the Radcliffe Science Library has arranged plenty of wellbeing activities during the term.

Along with our usual Lego Lunches (Wednesdays 1-2pm) we have also organised some experts to lead sessions for students on yoga on 14 May  09-10am, and origami on 9 May 13.00-14.00 and 23 May 13.00-14.00. Spaces are limited so remember to book your place.

Nature Walks

Due to popular demand we are repeating our bird song nature walk, this time in a morning slot to better hear the birds.Book your place on the walk 9.15-10.15, 30 April. If you prefer a lunch time strioll why not join our walk on 13 May 1-2pm. We’ll be concentrating on bees this time with handouts to help us identify which types are in the parks!

Free Tea& Coffee

Sometimes activities and classes aren’t of interest, and you just want a good tea or coffee. No booking needed just pop into the vending area in the Radcliffe Science Library on Wednesdays from 10am-12pm, during term, and get yourself a cuppa. We’ll be serving complimentary tea and coffee every Wednesday in term. You deserve it!

A picture of hot cups and biscuits. Written above is the text Time for a break? Pick up free coffee or tea in the Vending area of the RSL.To see the range of Wellbeing activities we are offering at the RSL check out our Wellbeing calendar. This shows all our activities both drop in and bookable.

Book Display – Kafka and Entomology and Species Decline

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Our latest book display showcases the extraordinarily diverse world of insects and their vital, but often overlooked, role in the ecology and continuing health of planet Earth. These books have been selected by colleagues in the Department of Biology, Oxford University Museum of Natural History and the Oxford Entomology Society.

Close up photograph of Kafka book display showing the books, The secret life of flies, Oxford Reads Kafka and The Hidden World.

Curious about Kafka and creepy crawlies, check out our book display on the lower-ground floor of the RSL.

This display is part of the University’s wider celebrations of the writer Franz Kafka and his seminal novella ‘The Metamorphosis’ (‘Die Verwandlung’). During May and June there will be related events around the University. In particular don’t miss the Bodleian’s major exhibition ‘Kafka: Making of an icon’ opening at the Weston Library on May 30th. To find out about this and all other Kafka related events, visit the Oxford Kafka 2024 website.

For even more entomology recommendations which include not only books but also articles, websites, and videos, take a look at the Kafka reading list available on ORLO

Finally, check out our display of bugs and beetles in the Radcliffe Science Library Entrance Hall!

 

DisplayBook cover of The earwig's tail: a modern bestiary of multi-legged legends

Barenbaum, M. (2009). The earwig’s tail: a modern bestiary of multi-legged legends.

Online book available. Find it on SOLO.

 

Book cover of Essential Entomology 2nd edition.

Cover image copyright Richard lewington

McGavin, G. (2023). Essential Entomology (2nd Edition).

Online book available. Find it on SOLO.

Book cover of Edible insects: future prospects for food and feed security

Cover photos, clockwise from top left: Women selling caterpillars in Bangui, Central African Republic (P. Vantomme) Gold-painted crickets on top of Belgian chocolates (P. Vantomme) Black soldier fly in a mass-rearing unit (L. Heaton) Appetizers prepared with insects (T. Calame) Coleoptera species used as a food colorant (A. Halloran) Palm weevil larvae (O. Ndoye)

Huis, A. (2013). Edible insects: future prospects for food and feed security.

Online book available. Find it on SOLO.

Book cover of The hidden world: how insects sustain life on Earth today and will shape our lives tomorrow.McGavin, G. (2023). The hidden world: how insects sustain life on Earth today and will shape our lives tomorrow.

Available in print at the RSL. Shelfmark: QL467.2 MCG 2023. Find it on SOLO.

 

Book cover of Silent Earth : averting the insect apocalypse.Goulson, D. (2022). Silent Earth : averting the insect apocalypse.

Available in print at the RSL. Shelfmark: QL496.4 GOU 2021. Find it on SOLO.

 

Book cover of the secret life of flies.McAlister, E. (2018). The secret life of flies.

Available in print at the RSL. Shelfmark: QL533 MCA 2017. Find it on SOLO.

Book cover of Insect lives: stories of mystery and romance from a hidden world.Hoyt, E. (1999). Insect lives: stories of mystery and romance from a hidden world.

Available in print at the RSL. Shelfmark: QL4633 HOY 1999. Find it on SOLO.

Book cover of Dragonflies.Corbet, P. S. (2008). Dragonflies.

Available in print at the RSL. Shelfmark: QL513.O2 COR 2008. Find it on SOLO.

Book cover of Endless forms: the secret world of wasps.Sumner, S. (2022). Endless forms: the secret world of wasps.

Available in print at the RSL sooon.

Book cover of A buzz in the meadow.

Illustrations copyright Louise Bird.

Goulson, D. (2015). A buzz in the meadow.

Available in print at the RSL. Shelfmark: QL467 GOU 2014. Find it on SOLO.

Photograph of book display showing a variety of books on insects.

Accessible lift out of order

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Accessible lift out of order

The accessible lift in the Radcliffe Science Library (RSL) is currently out of order. This means there is no level-access to the lower-ground floor and the Quiet Reading Room.

The small lift, which gives access to the Informal Reading Room and Group Study Rooms 2, 3 and 4, can accommodate smaller wheelchairs. For questions on accessing the library contact marija.babic@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

We apologise for the inconvenience and are working to fix this as a matter of urgency.

The Weston Library, the Social Science Library, and the Vere Harmsworth Library all have level access and bookable group study rooms.

Sign that says out of order

Lower-ground floor reopens

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Thank you to everyone for your patience last week. The lower-ground floor of the Radcliffe Science Library has now reopened. Our group study rooms, study carrells and Wellbeing Room are now opan and ready for use.

Photograph of Group Study Room 1 showing a desk surrounded by 6 chairs with a screen on the wall.

Group Study room 1 is open and available for bookings.

Unfortunately there is still a small bit of work ongoing on in the lower-ground floor. The break out area and the staircase accessing it will be out of use for Monday and Tuesday of this week. (25 and 26 March).

We apologise for the inconvenience.

RSL Wellbeing Programme HT

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Wellbeing during your studies can be affected by many things from your workload, to your accommodation to your relationships. The Oxford SU and the Counselling Service can offer help and advice on some of these big issues.

Sometimes just taking a break and doing something you find fun and relaxing can help with your wellbeing, whether it’s talking with friends, taking a walk or just resting. We recently shared a post about our regular wellbeing programme, feel free to drop into any of those events when they are on, like the Nature Walk on Monday 5 February.

We also have a range of special events from free hot chocolate to Craft events for DPhils coming up. Check out what we have planned in the RSL Wellbeing Calendar HT 2024. There’s also information about other wellbeing activities throughout the libraries on the Bodleian Libraries website. Keep an eye on our social media and posters in the library for updates on what’s coming next.

RSL Portraiture – Abdus Salam

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Abdus Salam – Theoretical Physicist Nobel Prize for Physics (1926- 1996) 

Abdus Salam broke many barriers to become the first Muslim Pakistani to win a Nobel Prize for science. He lived in Oxford.

About Abdus Salam:

Further resources:

Find the full list of the pioneering members of the scientific community featured in our portraiture on our previous blog post.

RSL Portraiture – Dame Louise Johnson and Charlotte Trower

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Dame Louise Johnson – biophysicist and structural biologist (1940 – 2012)

Louise Johnson is an inspiring female scientist described as one of the pioneering spirits of protein crystallography and structural enzymology, and remembered for her kindness and mentoring.

About Louise Johnson:

 Further resources:

Charlotte Trower – botanical artist (1855-1928)

Charlotte Trower, “a gifted botanical watercolourist”, was known as an amateur botanist. During her time, amateur botany and flower painting were undervalued and not worthy of being part of natural history. Yet, in collaboration with other amateur botanists, her sister Alice and George Claridge Druce, she produced detailed drawings that have contributed to our contemporary knowledge of the flora of the British Isles.

About Charlotte Trower:

About the illustrations:

  • The Oxford Ragwort, 1 May 1907, first illustration produced by Charlotte Trower after she and her sister began their association with G.C.Druce. The original is held in the Sherardian Library of Plant Taxonomy, Bodleian libraries. Shelfmark: Oxford Ragwort MS Sherard 428, f.12.
  • Monkey Orchid 7 June 1907 was produced by Charlotte Trower. The Monkey Orchid was discovered by G.C. Druce. He kept the precise location secret from his collaborators and only revealed the site to the Trower Sisters many years later. The original is held in the Sherardian Library of Plant Taxonomy, Bodleian Libraries. Shelfmark: Monkey Orchid MS Sherard 439, f.27.
  • Search Trower paintings Index (ox.ac.uk)

Find the full list of the pioneering members of the scientific community featured in our portraiture on our previous blog post.

RSL Portraiture – Nikolaas Tinbergen and Oliver Sacks

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Nikolaas Tinbergen – ethologist, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1907-1988)

We celebrate Nikolaas Tinbergen for his illustrious contributions in the field of ethology alongside his lifelong battle with depression.

About Nikolaas Tinbergen:

 Further resources:

 Oliver Sacks –neurologist and author (1933-2015) 

Oliver Sacks is one of the few scientists whose work became well-known through his published accounts of neurological case stories, particularly the adaptation of his book ‘Awakenings’ into a film starring famous American actors. He was also a man who lived at a time when he had to hide his homosexuality for fear of imprisonment or chemical castration. We are grateful to his foundation for allowing us to include this eminent Oxford alumnus in our portraiture.

About Oliver Sacks:

 Further resources:

Find the full list of the pioneering members of the scientific community featured in our portraiture on our previous blog post.