Bodleian iSkills workshops in Week 1

Posted on by
Reply

Bodleian iSkills workshops aim to develop your skills in information discovery and scholarly communications, covering a variety of resources across a wide range of disciplines. They are primarily aimed at University of Oxford students and staff. Some workshops take place face-to-face, whilst others are run online.

The workshops are FREE but online booking is essential. A list of the sessions taking place this term can be found on the iSkills Workshops webpage.

Bodleian iSkills image on a laptop surrounded by a notebook, phone and cup with saucer and spoon.

Monday 28th April 2025 14:00-15:00

iSkills for Medicine: An introduction to designing a conference poster

Are you planning to present a poster at an upcoming conference, meeting or symposium? This introductory session will provide you with some top tips on how to create a poster presentation which will help you to communicate your research project and data effectively. There will be guidance on formatting, layout, content, use of text, references and images, as well as advice on printing and presenting your poster. This session will also provide help with locating resources such as templates, free-to-use images and poster guidelines. By the end of this online session you will be able to:

  • evaluate the effectiveness of templates, formatting, text and images;
  • plan, prepare and present your poster.

Format: Online teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions.

Location: Microsoft Teams

Monday 28th April 2025 15:30-17:00

iSkills for Medicine: Introduction to EndNote

Do you need help managing your references? Do you need help citing references in your documents? This online session will introduce you to EndNote, a subscription software programme which can help you to store, organise and retrieve your references and PDFs, as well as cite references in documents and create bibliographies quickly and easily. On completing the workshop you will be able to:

  • Understand the main features and benefits of EndNote
  • Set up an EndNote account
  • Import references from different sources into EndNote
  • Organise your references in EndNote
  • Insert citations into documents
  • Create a bibliography/reference list

Format: Online presentation and demonstration with time for questions.

Location: Microsoft Teams

Tuesday 29th April 2025 10:00-11:00

iSkills for Medicine: An introduction to science communication: Translating your research for a non-specialist audience

Are you looking to learn about the ways in which to transmit scientific ideas and make your research accessible to a non-specialist audience through a variety of mediums? This session will serve as an introduction to science communication and how it can be successfully incorporated into our roles. By the end of this session you will be able to:

  • define science communication and provide a list of examples;
  • explain why science communication is important for both our CPD and the public;
  • list ways in which we can all get involved in science communication.

Format: Online teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions.

Location: Microsoft Teams

Tuesday 29th April 2025 13:00-14:00

iSkills: Getting started in Oxford libraries

If you are new to the University of Oxford and want to find out more about the University’s network of libraries or have been at the University a while and would like a refresher, join us for this online introduction to understanding and accessing the libraries, their services and resources. By the end of the session, you will:

  • Be familiar with the network of Oxford libraries
  • Know the logins needed to access Bodleian Libraries services
  • Be able to conduct a search in SOLO (the University’s resource discovery tool), filter results and access online and print resources
  • Know how to manage your library account including loans and requests

Format: Live online session with a mixture of PowerPoint presentation, live demonstration and practical exercises.

Location: Microsoft Teams

Tuesday 29th April 2025 13:30-16:30

Referencing: Choosing and using software for referencing

Formatting your in text citations, footnotes and bibliography correctly for your thesis or publication is crucial. Reference management tools make this easier and save you time. This classroom-based session comprises a 30-minute presentation, which gives an overview of reference management tools. The rest of the session is dedicated to practical exercises at the computers, giving you the opportunity to try out four tools (RefWorks, EndNote, Zotero and Mendeley), so that you can work out which one is best for you. Library staff will be there to help and guide you, and answer any questions you might have. You can leave at any point once you have tried out the tools you want, and do not have to stay until the end. At the end of the session you will be able to: 

  • Understand how reference management works
  • Understand the advantages and disadvantages of a range of reference management tools
  • Add, edit and organise references using a number of different tools
  • Add references to documents and create bibliographies using a number of different tools
  • Make an informed decision about which reference management tool works best for you

Format: 30-minute presentation followed by practical exercises.

Location: IT Services, 7-19 Banbury Road, Oxon, OX2 6NN

Thursday 1st May 2025 10:00-11:30

iSkills: Discovering archives and modern manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries

This workshop will introduce participants to the key catalogues and finding aids for post-1800 archives and manuscripts at the Bodleian Libraries. In particular the session will focus on Bodleian Archives & Manuscripts, the online catalogue for post-1800 archives and manuscripts. The session will also briefly introduce some of the major UK online gateways for discovering archives. The topics covered include:

  • How to use the Bodleian Archives & Manuscripts online catalogue
  • Other printed archive catalogues in the Bodleian Libraries
  • Major subject areas covered in Bodleian archives and modern manuscripts
  • National archive gateways

The workshop will include a question and answer session with Bodleian archivists.

This session does not cover:

  • Pre-1800 manuscripts (Medieval and Early Modern periods).
  • Manuscripts in Middle Eastern, Semitic, and Asian languages

Format: Classroom-based presentation with a question and answer session.

Location: Weston Library Lecture Theatre. Weston Library, Broad Street, OX1 3BG

Thursday 1st May 2025 13:30-14:30

iSkills for Medicine: Literature searching – getting started

Puzzled by PICO? Daunted by databases? Baffled by Boolean? This one-hour online introductory class will offer top tips and advice on how to find literature to answer a research question. No prior experience necessary! Together, we will break down a question into the PICO format, put together a structured search, and try it out in PubMed. By the end of this session, you will be able to:

  • Explain what structured searching is, and when to use it
  • Break your research question down into searchable concepts
  • Make use of Boolean operators (ANDs/ORs) in your structured searches

Format: Online teacher-led presentation with opportunities for questions.

Location: Microsoft Teams

Our Term time opening hours begin on Tuesday 22nd April

Posted on by
Reply
A wall clock hung up on a wall.

On Tuesday 22nd April  (Tuesday of 0th Week of Trinity Term), our Term time opening hours will begin.

From this date the library will be open:

Monday – Friday  9:00 – 22:00

Saturday  10:00 – 18:00

Sunday 11:00 – 19:00

Please note that we will be closed for the Easter break as follows:

  • Friday 18th April: CLOSED
  • Saturday 19th April: CLOSED
  • Sunday 20th April: CLOSED

We will re-open on Monday 21st April from 9am – 7pm.

Oracles, Omens and Answers Book Display

Posted on by
Reply

To tie in with the Weston Library exhibition on Oracles, Omens and Answers, we have created a pop-up book display.

A display of books in the Social Science Library to tie in with the Oracles, Omens and Answers exhibition in the Weston Library.

The exhibition in the Weston Library (which runs until 27th April 2025) looks at several time periods and traverses the world, looking at ways that people tried to find answers to some of life’s questions.

The book display in the SSL includes books on the concept of divination as well as books on the anthropological studies of the practices that are displayed in the Weston Library exhibition.

This book display contains books from the Collections Storage Facility (CSF) and the Social Science Library’s own collection. The items from CSF are for use in the library only and cannot be borrowed. The SSL items are loanable.

You can find out more about this, and upcoming exhibitions in the Weston Library on the Visit Bodleian website.

Spring Wellbeing Book Display

Posted on by
Reply

Spring has arrived at the Social Science Library! It is a wonderful time of year to spend outdoors exploring the world around us.

A display of Spring themed books in the Social Science Library.

The team at the Social Science Library have put together a book display on the subject of Spring Wellbeing and getting out into nature! This display includes books on nature walks around Oxford, seasonal recipes and gardening, just to name a few.

These books are on loan to us from the Collections Storage Facility (CSF). They are for use in the library only and cannot be borrowed. This book display can be found around the corner from the issue desk in the Social Science Library.

If you would like to take a break and read one of these books, why not make use of the Wellbeing Corner in the SSL? Located behind the reader PC area is a space where readers can take some time to relax while visiting the library. In our Wellbeing Corner you will find:

  • Mindful colouring books and colouring pencils
  • Puzzle books
  • Origami material and instructions guides and books
  • Jigsaw puzzle

Bodleian iSkills Workshop in Week 12

Posted on by
Reply

Bodleian iSkills workshops aim to develop your skills in information discovery and scholarly communications, covering a variety of resources across a wide range of disciplines. They are primarily aimed at University of Oxford students and staff. Some workshops take place face-to-face, whilst others are run online.

The workshops are FREE but online booking is essential. A list of the sessions taking place this term can be found on the iSkills Workshops webpage.

Bodleian iSkills image on a laptop surrounded by a notebook, phone and cup with saucer and spoon.

Thursday 10th April 2025 14:30-16:00

Open Scholarship: Fundamentals of open access

Are you baffled by open, confused by embargoes? Does the mention of the colour gold or green catapult you into a realm of perplexed irritation? Come to this session, where we’ll break down open access and all its many jargon terms, confusing publishing structures and hint at the advantages you can reap by publishing open.

  • What is open access? Key terms – Gold, Green, Article Processing Charges
  • Where to get more information and help
  • Where to look for open access material
  • Useful tools to assist you in publishing open access

If you’re not in a position to attend a workshop you could also find similar information on our e-learning course, ‘Open Scholarship: Digital Induction to Open Access (MSD)‘.

Format: Online presentation with time to get answers to your questions.

Location: Microsoft Teams

Our Resource of the Month for April: Anthropological Fieldwork Online

Posted on by
Reply

Each month, one of our Subject Librarians chooses an electronic resource which they feel will be of interest to you.

Helen Worrell (Subject Consultant for Anthropology) sat a computer in the Social Science Library.

April’s Resource of the Month has been selected by Helen Worrell, Subject Consultant for Anthropology.

An open laptop on a table. On the screen are the words 'Anthropological Fieldwork Online.' Next to it are a cup of coffee and a notebook and pen.

Helen’s choice is Anthropological Fieldwork Online.

Overview

Anthropological Fieldwork Online brings the fieldwork underpinning the great ethnographies of the early 20th century into the digital world. This fully indexed, primary source database unfolds the historical development of anthropology from a global perspective, bringing together the work of early scholars who shaped the theories and methods students learn about, critique and re-shape today. 

Where can you access the resource

Anthropological Fieldwork Online available to access via SOLO.

A Single-Sign-On (SSO) is required to access this database remotely, as it is restricted to Oxford University students and staff members.

Our Book of the Month choice for April

Posted on by
Reply

The SSL ‘Book of the Month’ feature highlights a book in our collection that has been chosen by one of our Subject Consultants. This may be a recent addition to our stock or an existing item that we would like to share with you.

Helen Worrell (Subject Consultant for Anthropology, selecting a book from the SSL shelves.

April’s Book of the Month was selected by Helen Worrell, Subject Consultant for Anthropology.

The front cover of the book 'Translating worlds, defending land : collaborations for indigenous rights and environmental politics in Amazonia.' A rosette is on the top which says 'SSL Book of the Month' on it.


Casey High

Translating worlds, defending land : collaborations for indigenous rights and environmental politics in Amazonia

Stanford University Press, 2025

Available as an eBook via SOLO

Book Overview

This book is a result of long term fieldwork in Amazonian Ecuador, the author critically explores collaboration as a method for engagement with indigenous communities. It expands on the scholarly debates around engaged anthropology and who ethnography is for. This ethnography is a key contribution to the understanding of the process of anthropological research and the communities they engage with. 

Reviews

“Casey High offers us a brilliant ethnography in the form of fluid and intimate writing, which makes the book a page turner. What we see in these pages is the inauguration of a new line of anthropological reflection, in which collaboration between anthropologists and Indigenous people ceases to be a simple method and becomes the very object of analysis.”

Aparecida Vilaça, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

“In this thought-provoking meditation on the dynamics of collaboration, Casey High explores what it means for anthropology and anthropologists when our epistemic partners start doing ethnography their own way, for their own ends.”

Stuart Kirsch, University of Michigan

“Narrating in Waorani lands (that are also Ecuadorian), this strong and delicate ethnography also narrates us. Relentlessly written from a ‘complex we’ the stories it tells make it clear that ‘we’ have interlocutors and are interlocutors and that therefore, ‘we’ tell stories about ‘them’ that are also about ‘us’… ethnographic relations as moebius strip!”

Marisol de la Cadena, University of California, Davis

How can I access it?

This title is available as an eBook which can be accessed from any Bodleian Library computer or used remotely, by logging on to SOLO with your SSO.

Image of an open book with the pages curled to form a love heart

What would your SSL Book of the Month be? Do you have a favourite book in our collection? If so, we would love to know what it is. Add a comment below or email us.

Take the SSL home with you: ways to access library materials remotely

Posted on by
Reply
A house in surrounded by a green field. A blue sky with the text "Take the SSL home with you"

If you are an Oxford University student or staff member and need to access library resources while you are away from Oxford, follow our tips below:

Remote access via SOLO

An open laptop with a book on top of it

Access e-books, e-journals and databases remotely by logging in to SOLO with your Single Sign On (SSO) Take a look at the Bodleian Libraries SOLO Guide for further information.

Live Chat

The Bodleian Live Chat box.

For help with finding and using items on SOLO, you can also get assistance via SOLO Live Chat.

This service is staffed from Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm (apart from during our Easter closure period – see below)

Look for the chat box to the right of the SOLO webpage.

eBooks

Our eBook Subject & Research Guide has lots of information on how to access and use Oxford University eBooks.

ORLO (Oxford Reading Lists Online)

An open laptop with a red book beside it with glasses on top of it.

Most postgraduate reading lists are available on Oxford Reading Lists Online ORLO and scans, online articles and e-books can be accessed there. Take a look at the ORLO reading lists webpage for further information.

Scan & Deliver

An image of the Book Scanner in the Social Science Library.

Scan & Deliver is a free electronic document delivery service which enables you to obtain scans of book chapters or journal articles via email from the Bodleian Libraries’ print collections.

An open laptop on a table with a notebook beside it. Text on the laptop reads "Further Information".

For more information on the above, and to find out about further resources available remotely, consult the Bodleian Libraries Online and Remote Access webpage.

Questions, need help?

A person holding a blue speech bubble with a question mark on it.

Any questions, just get in touch with us!

Email: ssl@bodleian.ox.ac.uk

Telephone: 01865 271093

Hilary Term Vacation Opening Hours

A red alarm clock.

Our opening hours for the vacation (starting on Sunday 23rd March) are on our website homepage.

Easter Closure Period notice on a wooden background with yellow tulips and small eggs surrounding it.

We will be closed from Friday 18th April – Sunday 20th April (inclusive)

Note that the library will close at 7pm on Friday 18th April and re-open at 9am on Monday 21st April.

Women’s History Month 2025

Posted on by
1

As the calendar changes from February to March, our pop-up book display changes along with it. This month is Women’s History Month, with International Women’s Day falling on 8th March 2025.

A display of books about women's history and books about important women in the Social Sciences.

The display includes several books on Women’s History in general. It also includes a selection of books written by, or on the subject of, prominent women in the different Social Science fields that you find in the SSL.

The books in this display are a mixture of physical books and eBooks. Some books are loanable and others are for use in the library only. If you are unsure, please ask a member of staff. The display was put together from the SSL’s own collection and also includes several items from the Collections Storage Facility. The display can be found around the corner from the Issue desk in the SSL and it will be up for the entire month of March.

International Women’s Day falls on 8th March every year. The theme for this year is Accelerate Action, with the purpose of accelerating action for gender equality.

If you would like to find out more information about Women’s History Month or International Women’s Day, why not have a look at the International Women’s Day website. If you would like information on where to access other resources on Women’s History, why not check out the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies LibGuide.