Have a great break!

Term is finishing up and the break is fast approaching. We hope you have a restful and relaxing break – but if you need to get in a bit of work, we have plenty of tips on how to access the RSL and our resources.

Girl reading ebook

Credit: Anna Demianenko, Unsplash

 Opening hours 

We are moving to vacation opening hours from Week 9, Monday 11 March.

The Library will be open:

Monday – Friday: 9am–7pm
Saturday: 10am–2pm 
Sunday: Closed 

Full details of library opening hours can be found here

While you’re away

While you’re away from Oxford, we have a wealth of online resources to enable you to continue your studies remotely.

SOLO

You can access the full text of many resources via SOLO when logged in with your Single Sign-On (SSO) ID – look for the green Online access icon to find these.

If a book you need is not available as an ebook, then we may be able to purchase one – complete the book recommendation form to put in your request.

SOLO database logo

Oxford Reading Lists Online (ORLO)

ORLO provides 24/7 access to reading lists from a range of devices via your Oxford Single Sign-On ID.

ORLO-logo

E-journals

All e-journals can be found on SOLO and BrowZine. BrowZine provides access to journals licensed by the Bodleian Libraries from 2005 onwards.

Browzine logo

Databases

All of Oxford’s databases are accessible via SOLO (filter by Databases under Resource Type) and also via Databases A-Z.

A-Z database

LibGuides

LibGuides list key subject-specific resources, including e-books, e-journals, databases and other resources available online. Check out our subject-specific LibGuides.

LibGuides logo

Happy holidays!

Check out our Resource of the Month – CAB Abstracts

The RSL has a huge collection of physical and electronic materials. We have so much that we wanted to shine a spotlight on some of our items, whether recently added or an existing collection item. The resources are recommended by our knowledgeable subject librarians, who are excited to show off parts of the collection for their subject.

Text that says resource of the month over small images of books, computer equipment and scientific equipment

This month’s selector is:

Ollie Bridle 

Subject Librarian – Life Sciences and Non-clinical Medicine
Subject Librarian for Biochemistry, Biology, Forestry, Pharmacology, Plant Sciences and Zoology

Photo of Ollie Bridle

Ollie has selected CAB Abstracts by CABI, available on SOLO

Brief Description 

CAB Abstracts is an applied life sciences database, providing over 10.4 million records. If you are researching topics touching on forestry, agriculture, crop science, environmental sciences or nature conservation and biodiversity, CAB Abstracts can be a fruitful place to search for literature. Here’s why:

  • It has wide, international coverage, with material from over 120 countries in 50 languages
  • Every record is provided with an English language abstract
  • Extensive grey literature content is included – including bulletins, annual reports, field notes and technical reports
  • Each record is professionally indexed with terms from the CAB Thesaurus to make comprehensive topic searching easier
A forest bathed in dappled sunlight

Credit: Manfred Antranias Zimmer, Pixabay

Who is this useful for? 

This resource is useful for students and researchers at any level who are researching topics in applied life sciences. It is particularly useful for those researching topics in forestry, agriculture and environmental sciences.

How can I access it? 

This database is available through SOLO. It is searched using the OVID database platform. To access it off campus, use the VPN or sign in to the journal platform with your Single Sign On (SSO).

ORA AI Collection

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning have existed as areas of research for many years but recently these areas have come to the forefront in research in many different disciplines. There are many departments and groups across the University of Oxford that are using and developing AI tools in their research. Many of these research projects have practical applications in medicine, the environment, business and many other areas of society.

Image shows many bubbles cascading out from a central, larger sphere.

Image created by Nidia Dias as part of the Visualising AI project launched by Google DeepMind. Free to use under the Unsplash License

The Bodleian Libraries have recently launched the ORA (Oxford Research Archive) collection on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning available from the homepage of ORA (Oxford Research Archive), the institutional repository for the University of Oxford.

The ORA AI collection gathers AI-related research on many journal articles, conference papers, working papers, preprints, and more – produced by the members of the University of Oxford and mostly available in full text on ORA. The ORA AI homepage also provides links to Oxford AI-related research activities and to research information included in a range of other platforms.

Image shows the sillouette of a human head with scientific symbols.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC 4.0

To mark the launch of the ORA AI collection, an event showcasing current research on AI and Machine Learning from DPhil students and early career researchers will be held on the 19th March, 10 -11.30am in the Taylor Institution.

Check out our Resource of the Month – ACM Digital Library

The RSL has a huge collection of physical and electronic materials. We have so much that we wanted to shine a spotlight on some of our items whether recently added or an existing collection item. The resources are recommended by our knowledgeable subject librarians who are excited to show off parts of the collection for their subject.

Text that says resource of the month over small images of books, computer equipment and scientific equipment

This month’s selector is:

Rachel Scanlon

Photograph of Rachel Scanlon

Rachel has selected ACM Digital Library by the Association for Computing Machinery, an association of computing professionals including educators and researchers, available on SOLO.

Brief Description

The ACM Digital Library brings together full text access to the full range of ACM publications including journals, conference proceedings technical magazines and books. It also includes publications from select publishers with over 3.5million publications in the library.  ACM is the world’s largest computing society and their content covers the latest developments in areas of

  • Security and privacy
  • Computational theory and algorithms
  • Machine learning and natural language processing
  • Software engineering and programming
  • And more.

The ACM journals also have great open access credentials. Oxford has agreed a read and publish deal with ACM that allows all Oxford affiliated corresponding authors to publish open access in all gold and hybrid ACM journals. Research articles and conference proceedings are covered. Authors are asked to use an Oxford email address. Please choose CC BY and list Oxford as your affiliation.

Person standing in front of a screen showing the faces of many different people.

ACM provides great opportunities for networking and collaboration.

The people section is a great resource for finding experts and potential collaborators. There are filters on geography and subject so you can find the best people to work with.

The conferences section has proceedings from more than 170 computing conferences, symposia  and workshops with content from renowned experts in various computer science disciplines.

Image of ACM Digital Library website home page.

Who is this useful for?

Researchers, DPhils and postdocs in the field of Computer Science particularly those looking to find collaborative colleagues. It is also useful for other scientists looking to develop skills and knowledge in computing.

How can I access it?

This database is available through SOLO. To access it off campus use the VPN or sign in to the journal platform with your Single Sign On (SSO).

Research Data Management

Making your Data do More

Scientific research often revolves around dealing with data. This could be analysing existing data for new insights, tracking down data in publications or online databases, or creating entirely new data sets through lab, clinic and field work. It’s the data that helps you test hypotheses and provides the supporting evidence for conclusions in published papers and theses.

Graphic of various graphs and charts showing different data

Data comes in many forms

Data comes in all different forms from DNA sequences and mass spectrometer readings to interviews with patients, software code and rock samples. Whatever the data, making sure you have good systems in place to manage that data can help ensure that your data is :

Safe – keeping backups and storing data securely can help prevent loss of vital research and avoid running into legal problems when dealing with sensitive data.

Reusable – making sure that data is well documented and in standardised formats can ensure that it continues to be meaningful and reusable by yourself and others.

Shared – Although not all research data can be shared, making data available in online repositories and archives can help speed up scientific research and save money by removing the need to recreate existing data sets and allowing others to analyse data in new and different ways.

Preserved – Archiving data in repositories can ensure that data being generated now can be fully available to the scientists of the future.

Reliable – Data management can improve confidence in the reliability of data and help to demonstrate ethical research practice and research reproducibility.

Citable – Just like a journal article, a dataset can be cited. By sharing and making data sets citable you’ll get credit and recognition for data as another valuable research output in its own right.

Research data management helps you embed sound data management practices into your work. However, getting started can be a bit daunting. Fortunately, the University of Oxford provides you with a whole range of support in this area.

Working together, the Bodleian Libraries, IT Services, Research Services and other groups around the University provide the resources, tools, information and training you need. To help provide guidance to researchers, the University has recently published its latest University of Oxford Research Data Management Policy. This policy is supported by the redeveloped Research Data Oxford (RDO) website which now offers improved access to all the information you need about research data management at the University.

If you’re new to research data management, start here for a gentle and friendly introduction – https://researchdata.ox.ac.uk/new-start-here. Or, even quicker, you can watch the one minute introduction to Research Data Management below.

Still got questions? No problem! We have a dedicated team that can answer research data management questions – researchdata@ox.ac.uk

New Resource – Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science

Text reads New resource over a range of scientific, computer and book related imagesNew online resource

Exciting news for all those interested in the field of Biology and Experimental Psychology, we have now arranged access to a new online resource, the Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science by Shackelford and Weekes–Shackelford.

What is it?

This comprehensive, twelve volume reference work reflects the interdisciplinary influences on evolutionary psychology and serves as a major resource for its history, scientific contributors and theories.  It offers the full breadth of an area that is the forefront of behavioural thinking and investigation.

Photograph of four different humanoid skulls with annotations.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

Who is this for?

This resource will be of interest to Students and researchers in Biology and Experimental Psychology.

How can I access it?

This book is available through SOLO.  To access this off campus use the VPN or sign in to the journal platform with your Single Sign On (SSO).

 

Oxford Reading Lists Online (ORLO)

ORLO (Oxford Reading Lists Online) logo

  1. Reading Lists:

    Reading lists are collections of materials such as books, chapters, journal articles, and more, recommended by your tutor for your studies. These lists can be distributed in print or electronically through platforms like email, Canvas, or ORLO.

  2. Oxford Reading Lists Online (ORLO):

    ORLO is an online system for accessing reading lists at the University of Oxford. It offers features such as checking the availability of print items in the library, accessing full-text electronic resources using ‘View Online’ buttons, and aiding time efficiency in your studies.

  3. Accessing ORLO:

    You can find your course’s reading list through the ORLO homepage or your course’s Canvas site. If your course isn’t on ORLO, you can contact your Subject Librarian or email orlo@bodleian.ox.ac.uk for assistance. Note that most ORLO lists are private and require an Oxford Single Sign On (SSO) for access.

    Two students are sitting at a desk reading text books

    photo (c) John Cairns

  4. Tips for Using ORLO:

    • Download and Export: You can download an ORLO list in PDF format with retained links or as a RIS file for citation management.
    • Reading Intentions and Notes: Set private reading intentions to plan your studies and add personal notes to items.
    • Filter and Search: Use filters and the search bar to quickly find specific readings or types of resources.
    • Save Lists: Save lists to your profile for future reference, even after the academic year ends.
    • Report Broken Links: If ‘View Online’ links are broken, you can report them and get notified when they’re fixed (click the three dots on the far right of the reading list item and select ‘Report broken link’).
    • View Other Formats: Check book details and explore alternative editions through SOLO.
    • Access Digitised Content: Some lists include digitized chapters or articles from Bodleian Libraries, accessible through ‘View Online’ buttons.

For more information see the Bodleian Libraries page on Reading Lists.

Check out our Resource of the Month – IEEE Xplore

The RSL has a huge collection of physical and electronic materials. We have so much that we wanted to shine a spotlight on some of our items whether recently added or an existing collection item. The resources are recommended by our knowledgeable subject librarians who are excited to show off parts of the collection for their subject.

Text that says resource of the month over small images of books, computer equipment and scientific equipment

This month’s selector is:

Alessandra Vetrugno

Photograph of Alessandra Vetrugno holding a laptop

Alessandra Vetrugno

Ale has selected IEEE Xplore

Brief Description

IEEE Xplore is a digital library and online platform provided by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). It provides access to more than 5 million documents including journals articles, conference publications, standards, and other resources in the fields of electrical engineering, electronics, computer science, and related disciplines. The platform offers powerful search and discovery tools to find and access its content efficiently.

Circuit board interface

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Who is this useful for?

The platform is primarily useful for students, researchers, and academics the fields of electrical engineering, electronics, computer science, biotechnology, power and energy, and other technologies. It is also relevant for researchers in other areas with an interest for technology-related research and education.

How can I access it?

The IEEE Xplore platform is available through the Oxford Libraries catalogue SOLO. To access it off campus use the University VPN or sign into the platform via SOLO with your Single Sign On (SSO).

While you’re away from Oxford – summer vacation 2023

Radcliffe Science Library staff would like to wish you a great summer vacation, and look forward to welcoming you back to the newly refurbished RSL in Michaelmas term.

While you’re away from Oxford, we have a wealth of online resources to enable you to continue your studies remotely.

SOLO

You can access the full text of many resources via SOLO when logged in with your Single Sign-On (SSO) ID – look for the green Online access icon to find these.

SOLO logo

E-books

The Bodleian Libraries have a large number of e-books which can be accessed via SOLO as detailed above.

If a book you need is not available as an e-book, then we may be able to purchase one – complete the book recommendation form to put in your request.

Oxford Reading Lists Online (ORLO)

ORLO provides 24/7 access to reading lists from a range of devices via your Oxford Single Sign-On ID.

ORLO logo

E-journals

All e-journals can be found on SOLO.
BrowZine provides access to journals licensed by the Bodleian Libraries from compatible publishers from 2005 onwards.

Browzine logo

Databases

All of Oxford’s databases are accessible via SOLO (filter by Databases under Resource Type) and also via Databases A-Z.

LibGuides

LibGuides list key subject-specific resources, including e-books, e-journals, databases and other resources available online.

Key LibGuides for science and medicine:

BrowZine

BrowZine is a tool that brings together online journals from multiple publishers and platforms. It allows seamless access to content licensed by the Bodleian Libraries including 1000s of articles and 100s of platforms. It has been integrated with SOLO so with one click you can

  • Download a PDF of the article
  • Go to the article on the web
  • View the contents page of the that journal issue

If you prefer to access content on your phone or tablet you may prefer to use the BrowZine app. This can be downloaded from the Android and Apple App Stores and can be used on All iPads, iPhones and iPod Touches with iOS v8.x+ ; Android Tablets and Smartphones with OS v4.1+ and on Kindle Fire HD Tablets.

Browzine logo

Try the App

Getting the app is very easy. Simply,

  • Download the BrowZine App from the app store for your device
  • Choose Library (select University of Oxford)
  • Login with your Single Sign On (SSO)
  • And start browsing 100s of journals

Additional Features

But wait there’s more… If you set up a personal account on BrowZine you gain access to additional features. My Bookshelf can be used to track your favourite journals and you can save your favourite article in My Articles.