Social Science Library Drop-in Tours and Bodleian Libraries Welcome/Refresher Webinars (Hilary Term 0th Week)

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Group of students walking through the SSL bookshelves on a tour of the library.

Drop-in tours

This week there will be two 30-minute tours of the Social Science Library for new visiting students, and any students who would like a “refresher” tour of the library:

  • Thursday 16th January, 3pm
  • Friday 17th January, 3pm

Drop in, no need to book.

A side ways views of a laptop, with a close up of hands typing on the keyboard. To the right is a plant in a pot.

Bodleian Libraries Welcome/Refresher Webinar

Welcome/Refresher webinars will also be taking place this week (0th week of Hilary term).

They will be hosted via Microsoft teams and are 30 minutes long. The content will be the same as that delivered to new undergraduate and visiting students in 0th week of Michaelmas term and is aimed at new incoming visiting students and existing undergraduate and taught-postgraduate students who would like a refresher.

The dates and times are:

  • Wednesday 15th January, 3pm – 3.30pm
  • Thursday 16th January, 10.30am – 11.00am
  • Friday 17th January, 1.30pm – 2pm

Registration is required via the booking links on the iSkills webpage. Students will require their Single Sign On credentials to book but, if this is still to be arranged, for visiting students for example, you can email the Information Skills Office and they will book a place for you.

New Years Resolutions Book Display 2025

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Happy New Year from all of us here at the Social Science Library. With the new year and an approaching new academic term, we have created a pop-up book display to help you discover some new hobbies that you may like to try.

Books on a variety of hobbies

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. We have put together a selection of books on a wide variety of subjects such as yoga, running, knitting, crochet and learning a new language. This book display can be found around the corner from the issue desk in the Social Science Library.

The wellbeing corner in the Social Science Library

Balance between work and hobbies is important. Did you know that we have a 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

Our Resource of the Month for January: Cite Them Right

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

Sarah Rhodes (Subject Consultant for International Development and Forced Migration) sat at a computer in the Social Science Library. Book shelves are in the background.

January’s Resource of the Month has been selected by Sarah Rhodes, Subject Consultant for International Development and Forced Migration.

An open laptop on a table with the words 'Cite Them Right' on the screen. Next to it is a cup of coffee and a pad and pen.

Sarah’s choice is Cite Them Right. It was chosen as a comprehensive yet easy to use tool which provides online support for students requiring assistance in referencing essay and dissertation sources correctly.

Overview

The Cite Them Right platform contains articles, tutorials and videos to guide students into common queries around referencing. Support includes choosing referencing styles; learning how to reference different formats including books, articles, digital, governmental and legal materials; and understanding why referencing is important. Students will also find sections on avoiding plagiarism; finding, evaluating and using source material; and the impact of Artificial Intelligence on academia.

Where can you access the resource

This resource is available to access via SOLO.

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

Book of the Month for January

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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.

Sarah Rhodes selecting a book from the SSL shelves.

January’s Book of the Month was selected by Sarah Rhodes, Subject Consultant for International Development and Forced Migration

Front cover of the book 'Authoritarian practices and humanitarian negotiations. with a rosette on the top which says 'SSL Book of the Month.'

Authoritarian practices and humanitarian negotiations

Edited by Andrew J Cummingham

Routledge, 2024

JC480.AUT 2024

It was chosen to highlight the challenges faced by humanitarian organisations in negotiating access to people in authoritarian states.

Book Overview

Utilising a wide variety of perspectives and examining a range of contexts, this book considers how humanitarians assess and engage with authoritarian practices and negotiate access to populations in danger.

Reviews

‘Delivering vital aid to crisis-affected people often hinges on complex humanitarian negotiations. By combining concrete operational examples with political theory, [this book] offers a deeper understanding and sharper analytical lens for aid practitioners and scholars grappling with these issues.’

Dr. Abby Stoddard, Founding partner of Humanitarian Outcomes.

How can I access it?

We have one lending copy of this book, which is located on our New Books Display Area (around the corner from our Issue Desk). Its shelfmark is JC480.AUT 2024. It is also available as an eBook which can be accessed from a Bodleian Library computer or use it 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.

SSL Vacation Opening Hours and Christmas Closure Period

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Clock in snow

From Sunday 15th December our opening hours will be:

Sunday: CLOSED

Monday – Friday: 9am – 7pm

Saturday: 10am – 6pm

We will be closed from Tuesday 24th December 2024 to Wednesday 1st January 2025 (dates inclusive).

Note that the library will close at 5pm on Monday 23rd December and re-open at 9am on Thursday 2nd January.

Bodleian Offsite Storage Requests and Scan & Deliver Requests: Christmas Downtime Period

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Cartoon drawing of a van with large books in the back of it.

Requests from Bodleian Offsite Storage

The last delivery for items requested from Bodleian Offsite Storage to the Social Science Library before our Christmas closure, will be the afternoon of Friday 20th December.

To ensure the items you require arrive in this delivery, requests should be placed before 10.30am on Friday 20th December.

Deliveries will recommence in the new year when we re-open (from Thursday 2nd January).

Requests can still be requested on SOLO during the library closure period, they just won’t be fetched and processed until we are open again in the New Year.

Staff member scanning a book

Scan & Deliver

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.

Please note that the Scan & Deliver request form on SOLO will close at 5pm on Tuesday 17th December. Please ensure you place any requests required before the Christmas closure period by this deadline. The request form will reopen at 9am on Thursday 2nd December.

A wooden floor with the words 'SSL Christmas Closure Period' on it. Below are parcels, stars, baubles, dried orange segments and greenery.

We will be closed from Tuesday 24th December 2024 to Wednesday 1st January 2025 (dates inclusive).

Note that the library will close at 5pm on Monday 23rd December and re-open at 9am on Thursday 2nd January.

 

Bodleian iSkills workshops in Week 9 and 10

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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.

Monday 9 December

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.

Who is this session for? Students, staff and researchers from MSD and OUH.
Format: Online using Microsoft Teams.

Tuesday 10 December

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.

Who is this session for? Students, staff and researchers from MSD and OUH.
Format: Online using Microsoft Teams.

Wednesday 11 December

10:30-12:00 iSkills for Medicine: Introduction to Zotero
An introduction to the functionality of Zotero, a software programme used to manage references and create bibliographies. The workshop will cover:

  • understanding the main features and benefits of Zotero;
  • setting up a Zotero account;
  • importing references from different sources into Zotero;
  • organising your references in Zotero;
  • inserting citations into documents;
  • and creating a bibliography/reference list.

Who is this session for? Students, staff and researchers from MSD and OUH.
Format: Online using Microsoft Teams.

14:00-15:00 iSkills for Medicine: Literature Searching – Getting Started
Puzzled by PICO? Daunted by databases? Baffled by Boolean? This one-hour 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;
  • and make use of Boolean operators (ANDs/ORs) in your structured searches.

Who is this session for? Students, staff and researchers from MSD and OUH.
Format: Online using Microsoft Teams.

Tuesday 17 December

10:00-11:30 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

Library PC upgrade: Monday 9th to Wednesday 11th December

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An image of the main reader PC area in the Social Science Library

Between Monday 9th to Wednesday 11th December the library’s reader PCs will be replaced with newer models.

Due to low usage, the number of PCs in the main Reader PC area will be reduced to 16.

Some PCs will remain available throughout the work, either in the main Reader PC area, or in the Information Skills Training Room.

Please ask staff if you need any help finding an available PC.

Our Book of the month choice for December

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

December’s Book of the month is:

Front cover of the book 'Cryones: Збірка зовсім недитячих дитячих історій / A collection of not-at-all childish children’s stories' on top of it is a rosette with 'SSL Book of the Month' on it.

Cryones: Збірка зовсім недитячих дитячих історій / A collection of not-at-all childish children’s stories

The children involved in Gen.Ukrainian

Kyiv: Gen.Ukrainian, 2024

Shelfmark: HQ792.U38.CRY 2024

The Book of the Month for December will be distressing for some. It manifests the lived experience of war for children, in their own pictures, stories and words. Cryones came out of Gen.Ukrainian, a project to help Ukraine’s children heal through art. It presents pictures and stories from contemporary Ukrainian children.

Book Overview

The title ‘Cryones’ is a mixture of the English words ‘crayon’, and ‘cry ones’. It refers to Gen.Ukrainian’s rehabilitation of Ukrainian children who have suffered psychological trauma, through art therapy. Gen.Ukrainian is a non-governmental organisation that was set up in 2022: it strives to heal children who have experienced the horrors of the Russian invasion first-hand. Cryones was published as a testament both to the creativity of Ukrainian children, and the reality of their suffering. Oksana Lebedieva, one of the project’s leaders, emphasises that the book’s authors and artists are the children who came to Gen.Ukrainian: the adults only organised the material and production.

Cryones offers a series of stories in pictures, drawings, collages and texts, made by their child-authors. One of these authors is Katya, a talented gymnast from Maripol’, known to the father she lost as людина пружина, or ‘the little human spring’. Another is Luka, consoled by a new friendship with a dog called Red. The children tell profoundly tragic stories – and yet they finish the book with their visions of a bright, peaceful future. Ukrainian texts are translated into English, while the pictures speak for themselves.

How can I access it?

You can currently find this book around the corner from our Issue Desk, above our New Books display. This title is for library use only and its shelfmark is HQ792.U38.CRY 2024

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