Category Archives: Faculty

Welcome back to a new round of borrowing!

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We hope you’ve enjoyed the Christmas break as much as we did and are feeling ready for a new year. We’ve no doubt everyone is eager to return to the library and get borrowing!

From today, Monday 9th January, we resume term time borrowing limits:

  • Undergraduates and visiting students: 7 days (up to 15 items)
  • Research loans : 28 days (up to 15 items)
  • Short loans: 2 days

Vacation loans are due back next Monday 16th January so don’t forget to check under the bed for all those extra holiday books you had on loan. We look forward to seeing you all in the library soon.

Vacation loans & Season’s Greetings!

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Vacation loans start today – borrow up to 15 books. This increases to 20 books on Thursday 1 December and will include short loans. Everything is due back on Monday 16 January.

We hope everyone has a restful and Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! If you get fed up eating mince pies and drinking mulled wine (impossible though that sounds) don’t forget you can access many of our resources online. With your Single Sign On login, you can access all our ebook, ejournal and database subscriptions while away from Oxford.

Here’s the Bodleian tree all lit up for the final week of Term. Have a fantastic Christmas break everyone! bodleian-christmas-tree-2016

 

Laptop Security

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Unfortunately a laptop was recently stolen from a desk in the Upper Camera reading room. While this is not a common occurrence it is a sad reminder that theft does happen within the library. To minimise risk to your property and your research please take the following steps:

  • Lock your laptop to the desk handles with a Laptop cable lock.
  • Take your laptop with you even if you only move away for 15 minutes.
  • Install a free “Find My laptop Device” such as Prey, or enable the “Find my … ” on Apple devices.
  • Back up your work to the cloud or an external hard drive.

University Security and Thames Valley Police have been informed of this incident. We’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to keep belongings close and if you do notice anything odd or are concerned someone may be taking something that isn’t theirs please report it to library staff.

Trial until 17 Nov: Digital Downloads (The National Archives)

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Oxford researchers now have access to a trial of Digital Downloads from The National Archives (UK).

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The National Archives (TNA) is the official archive of the UK Government and for England and Wales, collecting documents dating back over 1,000 years. Digital Downloads provides full access to TNA’s digitised collection of millions of historical records relevant for medieval to modern history. Apparently 5% of the TNA records have been digitised so far, with more being added.

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digital-downloads-tna-british-army-war-diaries

The collections are very strong in military and naval history (e.g. service records), wills from 1384-1858, and migration history (e.g. alien’s registration cards 1918-1957).

Currently accessible collections include:

  • Aliens’ registration cards 1918-1957
  • British Army medal index cards 1914-1920
  • British Army nurses’ service records 1914-1918
  • British Army war diaries 1914-1922
  • Country court death duty registers 1796-1811
  • Durham Home Guard 1939-1945
  • Famous wills 1552-1854
  • French muster rolls from the Battle of Trafalgar 1805
  • Household Cavalry soldiers’ service records 1799-1920
  • Irish maps c1558-c1610
  • Logs and journals of ships of exploration 1757-1904
  • Looted art 1939-1961
  • Merchant seamen’s campaign medal records 1914-1918
  • Merchant seamen’s campaign medal records 1939-1945
  • Merchant shipping movement cards 1939-1945
  • Middlesex military service appeal tribunal 1916-1918
  • Naturalisation case papers 1801-1871
  • Prisoner of war interview reports 1914-1918
  • Recommendations for military honours and awards 1935-1990
  • Royal Air Force combat reports 1939-1945
  • Royal Air Force officers’ service records 1918-1919
  • Royal Air Force operations record books 1939-1945
  • Royal Flying Corps airmen
  • Royal Marines’ service records 1842-1925
  • Royal Naval Air Service officers
  • Royal Naval Air Service officers’ service records 1906-1918
  • Royal Naval Air Service ratings
  • Royal Naval Division service records 1914-1919
  • Royal Naval Reserve officers’ service records 1862-1964
  • Royal Naval Reserve personnel
  • Royal Naval Reserve service records 1860-1955
  • Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve service records 1903-1922
  • Royal Navy officers’ service record cards and files c1840-c1920
  • Royal Navy officers’ service records 1756-1931
  • Royal Navy ratings’ service records 1853-1928
  • Royal Navy unpaid pensions 1830-1860: claims by next of kin
  • Sir Anthony Eden’s private office papers 1935-1946
  • Victoria Cross registers 1856-1944
  • Victorian prisoners’ photograph albums 1872-1873
  • Wills 1384-1858
  • Wills of Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel 1786-1882
  • Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps service records 1917-1920
  • Women’s Royal Air Force service records 1918-1920
  • Women’s Royal Naval Service personnel

Collections which will display on the site but which will not be accessible to anybody who does not have Ancestry.com or findmypast accounts, include:

  • Alien arrivals
  • Alien entry books
  • British Army and militia 1760-1915
  • Census records
  • Crime, prisons and punishment 1770-1935
  • First World War soldiers’ service and pension records
  • Prisoners of war: selected records 1715-1945
  • Railway employment records 1833-1956
  • Royal Air Force airmen service records 1912-1939

The trial ends on 17 November. Feedback should be sent to isabel.holowaty@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

Also of interest:

Ancestry.com freely available in Oxford Central Library (& other public libraries)

digital-downloads-tna-wills

KeepCups now permitted in RadCam and Bodleian Library

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KeepCups

KeepCups are now allowed in the Radcliffe Camera, Gladstone Link and Old Bodleian Library (except Duke Humfrey’s Library). Readers can bring hot drinks into the library – something requested as part of the recent Reader Survey – using KeepCups.

KeepCups are the only permitted vessel for bringing in hot drinks, no other containers are allowed. These are designed to be sealable and safe, ensuring we continue to keep our library clean and safe! Library users can buy KeepCups at a discounted price from some Bodleian Libraries (e.g. SSL and PTFL). They’re also available at normal retail price from the Bodleian Shops.

No other food or drink may be consumed in the library, apart from bottled water in a sealable container and hot drinks in a KeepCup.

PCAS changes

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PCAS accounts are changing

From 6 September, PCAS accounts are changing. The way in which readers sign in to their accounts will switch; the new log in will use the Bodleian Libraries username and password (which is also used to login to reading room PCs and Bodleian Libraries WiFi:  http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/using/passwords). Existing PCAS accounts will need to be updated and an online portal and library staff will be available to facilitate this.

The Libraries are also replacing existing copiers with machines that offer a greener and more reliable service. For full information please see our PCAS Development pages.

During the implementation phase there will be no Printing, Copying and Scanning services from Friday 26th August until Monday 5th September inclusive.

We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause. Library staff will be on hand to answer any questions

The Radcliffe Camera and Bodleian library will begin the transition this week, and the Upper Camera Reading Room will close on two mornings to accommodate the work. Key dates for these buildings are as follows:

Thursday 25 August

Printing, copying and scanning will be suspended from 5pm when the devices will be taken out of service.

Friday 26 August

Removal of current PCAS machines:

  • The Upper Camera will be closed until 1pm. We will open as soon as the machines have been removed, by 1pm latest. If you require a book during this time please speak to library staff.
  • Some general disruption across the site.

Wednesday 31 August

Installation of new PCAS machines

  • The Upper Camera will be closed until 1pm. We will open as soon as the machines have been removed, by 1pm latest. If you require a book during this time please speak to library staff.
  • Some general disruption across the site.

Tuesday 6 September

PCAS will be re-launched. Users will access the new system using their Bodleian Libraries account details. Please see our PCAS Development page for information on changes to PCAS accounts and how credit can be transferred from accounts used on the old system.

What do I need to do?
Please ensure you know your PCAS username and password so you can transfer your account from 6th September at our online portal. Details will be advertised from 6th September. New users will automatically have an account set up for them. If you forget your username after Thursday 25th August please email pcas@bodleian.ox.ac.uk. for help.

If you have any questions please come and speak to library staff, visit our PCAS Development pages or contact pcas@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.

SOLO maintenance: 12-15 August 2016

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SOLO will be undergoing essential maintenance from 5pm Friday 12th August to 9am Monday 15th August 2016. SOLO will still be available but will have limited functionality:

  • SOLO-logoFind & Request tab (location information) will not display.
  • Viewing and renewing loans will not be possible.
  • Placing requests will not be possible.
  • Self-issue machine will not work.

Access to e-resources will be unaffected; readers will still be able to view ebooks and online journal articles.

To search for books and journals held in Oxford, use COPAC – though bear in mind that it will not display the up-to-date status of a book, e.g. when it is due back from loan.

Apologies in advance for the inconvenience caused. Do contact library staff if you need any help.

HFL book moves in GL complete

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We have finished our book moves in the Gladstone Link!

Last week staff worked hard to create more space on the shelves to allow for growth in the collection.

Re-spaced books UGL

More space has been created on each shelf

What’s changed:

  • HFL sequence S-Z now in the Lower Gladstone Link.
  • HC-R sequence in Upper Gladstone Link has been pulled back into the space left by the S-Z section, relieving the tightly packed shelves.

All our signage has been updated to reflect these small changes.