Summer is almost here – Let’s go!

Posted by Catherine on 27 November, 2019

You’ve worked hard all year and the time is right to take a break from work, study and perhaps even the summer heat.

Personally, I love the summer – the long hot days and the balmy summer nights but I also love getting out of the City and heading to the beach. My favourite place to escape to is the Sunshine Coast with its gorgeous white sandy beaches and enticing blue waters. Just remember to swim between the flags and ‘slip, slop, slap, seek and slide’!

For those of you not so enamoured with the beach, the Sunshine Coast Hinterland can be absolutely breathtaking and a cooler area than the coast. Mary Cairncross Park has spectacular views across to the Glasshouse Mountains and beyond. They have a museum and environmental education section as well to learn about all the fabulous flora and fauna in this remarkable area.

The Gold Coast has its own natural beauty with its beautiful beaches and luscious hinterland as well as the added attraction of the theme parks for those adventure seekers.

If you’re looking to go a little further afield, why not check out our collection of travel guides at Kelvin Grove Library. There are online versions of some of the guides too so you can access them wherever you are (with an internet connection of course 😊).

What ever you do or wherever you go we wish you a safe and restful holiday break.

November 11 is Remembrance Day

Posted on 8 November, 2019

November 11 is Remembrance Day, which commemorates those who lost their lives in war, conflict and military service for Australia.

Traditionally, a silence is observed at 11am on the 11th of November, which comes from the “the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month”: the time and date that the armistice between the Allies and Germany ended the First World War in 1918.

Remembrance Day is also observed in other nations, sometimes by another name like Memorial Day or Veterans Day. The day is observed in the USA, Commonwealth countries including Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and many Caribbean nations, France, Belgium and Serbia.

Originally known as Armistice Day, Remembrance Day was first meant to commemorate those who died in WWI. But since WWII, the day came to include people who had died in later wars too.

Remembrance Day traditions generally focus on members of the armed forces and military who died in conflict, but other people may be commemorated too. Casualties of conflict or peacekeeping missions include civilian nurses and medical staff, members of auxiliary services (including women’s auxiliaries), humanitarian volunteers, war correspondents and police officers assisting in peacekeeping activities.

Red poppy flowers are used in Remembrance Day traditions, and are a common symbol of commemoration of those killed in conflict. Red poppies grew in the churned-up soil of the Western Front in WWI, and their bright red colour eerily evoked the spilled blood of fallen soldiers.

Remembrance Day ceremonies commonly include the Last Post bugle call, which was used on the battlefield to announce the end of the day’s activities and the time for sleep. It is now also used at remembrance ceremonies and military funerals to signify that the soldier’s duty has ended and they can rest in peace.

Take a moment to view the display at the Kelvin Grove Library on level 3 (pictured above) and feel free to borrow any displayed items.

Get your game on!

Posted by Catherine on 4 November, 2019

It’s time for International Games Week (IGW). IGW is an initiative “…around the world to reconnect communities through their libraries around the educational, recreational, and social value of all types of games.” https://games.ala.org/international-games-week/

Personally, I love playing games. Not with people’s feelings and emotions, but with a board and some tokens or some cards, or a bat and ball. I like games I play on my mobile device too, but not as much as the ones I play face to face. I love the strategizing where I’m trying to be the best zombie killer, the cooperative games where I’m helping to stop a pandemic from wiping out the world and the storyteller, who’s taking my character through a series of challenges imagined by the castle-master. I enjoy the team games like Pictionary or Charades that test my creativity and quick thinking and the more active ones like table tennis (I know that this is an Olympic sport, but the way my friends and I play, it’s a game) or Marco Polo (for those of you who don’t know what this is, see here for a definition/rules for game play). I’m not always the best player but I’m always willing to have a go.

QUT Library gets involved in the action too. At all the Libraries there are games to help you get your mind off your exam prep, relax a little and enjoy a bit of socialisation, ready for the next study session. The Law Library has chess, KG Library has giant Jenga and table tennis (Ping Pong) and GP Library has table tennis too! If the digital games really are more your thing, you can borrow Xbox or Playstation games to take home or use the Games Lab if you’re at KG Library. See which games are available in Library Search. So get your game on and get those endorphins flowing!

Exam time in the Library

Posted on 30 October, 2019

Exam time already and the library is here to help

The library is the ideal place to study and is open extended hours again during Swot Vac and Exams.

Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove Library opening hours

Monday – Saturday: 7am-2am
Sunday: 9am-2am.
Both Libraries will close at 10pm on Friday 15 November.

The Law Library has normal opening hours

Monday -Thursday: 8am-10pm
Friday: 8am-8pm
Saturday – Sunday: 10am-5pm

More detailed information about the Library extended opening hours and services can be found here

Research and referencing support is still available, particularly useful if you have any assessment extensions

Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove both have Drop in sessions, check here for times and places.

Students can also book individual sessions for help with researching and referencing, appointments can be booked here.

More information about support services can be found on your Digital Workplace/HiQ

A couple of last minute exam tips:

There are useful guides to help you prepare for exams on your Digital Workplace/HiQ
Selected past examinations papers can be browsed directly at QUT Readings: Examination Papers.

Good luck from everyone here at the QUT Library!

Open Access Week at QUT

Posted by David on 11 October, 2019

Guest blog by Professor Ginny Barbour, Director of the Australasian Open Access Strategy Group (AOASG) & Professor in the Division of Research and Innovation, QUT

As we head towards the end of October – we again turn our focus to a week dedicated to open access (OA). Now in its 11th year, International Open Access Week, 21-27 October, is a global, community-driven week of action aimed at opening up access to research. It has grown into a truly national and global celebration.

This year’s theme is “Open for whom? Equity in Open Knowledge.” As open access becomes increasingly the norm, the 2019 Open Access Week Advisory Committee poses the question, “Whose interests are being prioritized in the actions we take and in the platforms that we support? Whose voices are excluded? Are underrepresented groups included as full partners from the beginning? Are we supporting not only open access but also equitable participation in research communication?” Building upon last year’s theme, “Designing Equitable Foundations for Open Knowledge,” these questions will help us determine how emerging open systems for research will address inequities in the current system and ensure that we don’t unintentionally replicate and reinforce them.

There has been much discussion over the past year of open access news from Europe and elsewhere, and especially of Plan S. Open Access Week is a time to remind ourselves, however, that open access is not an end in itself; it is a means to an end – that of an equitable, efficient, and FAIR means of sharing scholarly information. For academics who publish openly the benefits are concrete. A better readership for open articles is not surprising, but the benefit of increased academic usage are also becoming clearer through more citations. Other benefits are of increased citations associated with posting of preprints and of data sharing. Critically, depositing in an OA repository such as QUT’s ePrints, is demonstrated to be the best way to boost citations. Furthermore, open articles are better connected into global systems for sharing information, which means that ultimately they can have wider societal impact. Depositing records and full text is the most important way that QUT researchers can comply with QUT’s open access policy and that of the two big Australian funders, ARC and NHMRC — all for free. But more than that, QUT’s repository allows anyone anywhere to access its research outputs.

QUT Library and others will be celebrating Open Access Week with a number of events. Once again we will bringing our popular Open Access Bike Tour to Gardens Point and Kelvin Grove campuses on Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 October. There will be OA giveaways, lucky dips, badges and more. Watch this short video of last year’s bike tour, and see below to find out when the Open Access Bike will be coming to a campus near you.

All are welcome to attend a webinar with an international focus on Monday 21 October, entitled Advancing Science in Indonesia: Current Global Research Practices. In addition to myself, the webinar features Professor Brian Nosek, the Executive Director of the Center for Open Science, Professor Simine Vazire from University of California, Davis and focuses on improving research practices in science.

On Wednesday 23 October we will be launching Hacky Hour at QUT: Skills for Open Research. Come along to The Pantry at 2:00pm and chat with an expert about skills for open research. Follow us on Twitter @GPHackyHour for details.

Join QUT IP & Innovation Research on Thursday 24 October for a thought-provoking symposium on Open Innovation. This free event, featuring speakers from a range of disciplines, will examine Open Education, Law, Culture, Open Cities, Additive Manufacturing, Agriculture, Robotics and more. Register here.

If you will be attending eResearch Australasia, be sure to come along to our session on Doing open access advocacy by stealth. Stephanie Bradbury, Manager Research Support Team, QUT Library, and I will be running this interactive workshop on Thursday 24 October from 11:40am-12:40pm.

Come along and get involved. For more details, follow @QUTLibrary on Twitter or email library.research@qut.edu.au.

Winners of the SAGE Higher Degree Research Student Publication Prize Announced

Posted by Sandra on 13 September, 2019

A paper on the challenges of visual place recognition for autonomous vehicles has taken out first place in the SAGE Higher Degree Research Student Publication Prize. Sourav Garg was awarded first prize and $1500 for his article, Semantic-geometric visual place recognition: a new perspective for reconciling opposing views, published in The International Journal of Robotics Research.

QUT Library has partnered with SAGE Publishing since 2014 to offer the SAGE Higher Degree Research Student Publication Prize. The prize is awarded to a Higher Degree Research (HDR) student, who is the lead author on a paper published in a peer reviewed journal with a Q1 or Q2 ranking. Aik Kai Tok, Library Sales Marketing Executive at SAGE Publishing said of their support for the award, “SAGE is globally committed to fostering healthy minds and cultures and to supporting both access to and output of the research community. In addition, SAGE invests time and funds in supporting the research community through sponsored awards and research outputs.”

QUT Library received a record number of entries to the prize this year. A panel of five judges, two academics and three librarians, evaluated the submissions on originality of the research, readability, and contribution of the applicant to the publication. Research Support Manager (Acting), Jennifer Hall, said that the calibre of entrants to the competition was extremely impressive, and that selecting the top three papers was no easy task for the judging panel.

Second place and $900 was awarded to Zhongtian Li for his paper, Corporate social responsibility employment narratives: a linguistic analysis, published in Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal. B.M.C. Randika Wimalasiri-Yapa was awarded third place and received $500 for her paper, Chikungunya virus in Asia-Pacific: a systematic review, published in the Open Access journal Emerging Microbes & Infections.

The awards were presented to the winners on 10 September. Sourav Garg, stuck at the airport in Tokyo due to monsoonal weather, attended via Skype. Sourav’s supervisor, Professor Michael Milford, accepted the award on his behalf.

QUT Library would like to thank SAGE for its ongoing sponsorship of the Higher Degree Research Student Publication Prize.

It’s Pride Month!

Posted by Catherine on 29 August, 2019

rainbow on blue background with white clouds

Pride Month is here! Celebrations at QUT kick off this Friday with Wear it Purple hosted by LTU, The Guild and Queer Collective and finish with QUT Guild Pride Fest from 23-27 September. See below for live events and check back in to the events page for updates including the Pride Fest program.

Looking to learn and grow? This article from ReachOut article is a good place to start: What is an LGBTQIA+ ally, and how can I be a good one? You may also want to attend Pronouns: a conversation to find out more about why people declare their pronouns, and how it can impact those around you.

Attend a Pride event at QUT:

Wear it Purple Day: Your chance to Stand Up and Stand Out for LGBTIQA+ young people. There’ll be stalls, Wear it Purple freebies, purple food and friendly folks who are open to chat. There will be a solidarity photo at 12:30pm.

Out and proud? Come and share the positive impact that your visibility has had on your (chosen) family, friends and community. Consider yourself an ally? This is your opportunity to put your words into action and connect with Ally Network members.

Friday 30 August, 10am – 2pm on both campuses. Find out more about how you can get involved.

Pronouns: a conversation: Have you noticed people declaring their pronouns, but not sure why? Come along to hear from the Queensland Aids Council (QuAC) and a panel of QUT speakers who will take us through why we use pronouns, the impact this can (and does) have at an individual level, and what is happening in this space internationally. Be part of the conversation about pronouns at QUT and have the opportunity to share your experience and ask questions.

Thursday 5 September, 12-1pm, OJW room, Gardens Point. Register to attend.

Diverse genders and sexualities research forum: Join us during Pride Month for our second showcase of QUT researchers working in the area of diverse genders and sexualities. Brief presentations will be followed by an opportunity for Q&A and networking.

Tuesday 17 September, 12pm-2pm, E Block, Kelvin Grove. Find out more and register via Eventbrite.

Brisbane Pride March: In 2019 we will be joining with friends from UQ, Griffith, USQ and USC under a University Unity banner. Join us to march with your work mates, family and friends to demonstrate acceptance, unity, inclusivity and support for the LGBTIQA+ community. Be one of the first 100 people to register and you’ll receive a University Unity t-shirt to wear on the day.

Saturday 21 September, 9:30-11:30am, Fortitude Valley. Find out more and register your interest to receive updates.

Bi+ Visibility Picnic: Join QUT’s Pride Staff Network for a picnic to celebrate Bi+ Visibility Day. BYO lunch, scintillating conversation provided. Members of the bi+ community and allies are welcome to come along, share stories, raise awareness and celebrate bi+ sexuality.

Feel free to stay the whole time, drop in and say hello, or give us a wave from across the lawn.

Monday 23 September, 12-1pm, A Block lawn, Kelvin Grove.

Digital displays – flags of pride: Not technically an event, but informative and beautiful. Visit the Cube, Sphere and HiQ digital walls during Pride Month to learn about some of the more common pride flags and the meanings behind their designs.

Children’s Book Week

Posted on 21 August, 2019

CONGRATULATIONS to the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) 2019 Book of the Year Award winners and honour books! Gritty, contemporary themes are tackled by many books, challenging their readers to contemplate a range of important social issues.

You can access the CBCA website for the Winners, CBCA Short list and Notables list.

The Library has a lovely display of the CBCA books. All titles are available for loan and can be found in the Curriculum area on level 4 of R Block, Kelvin Grove Library.

We also have a Children’s Literature Library Subject Guide where you can read the shortlisted and winning books and follow the links to QUT Library’s online and print copies.

Enjoy Children’s Book Week and happy reading !

Children’s Book Week is coming!

Posted on 15 August, 2019

Reading is my secret power

The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) presents annual awards to books of literary merit, for outstanding contribution to Australian children’s literature. The winners are announced Friday 16 August with CBCA Book Week following from 17-23 August.

The QUT Kelvin Grove Library supports this event with a wonderful display of 2019 Shortlist and Notables titles in the Curriculum area on level 4 of R Block. These titles are available for loan. You can access the CBCA website for the announcement of the Winners, CBCA Short list and Notables list. The categories for book of the year are:

Book of the year: Older readers (ages 13-18 years)
Book of the year: Younger readers (ages 7-12 years)
Book of the year: Early childhood (ages 0-6 years)
Picture book of the year
Eve Pownall Award (factual material, ages 0-18 years)
New illustrator (ages 0-18 years)

Enjoy your secret power and we hope to see you in the Library soon!

Remixing Brisbane’s Past

Posted by Debbie on 2 August, 2019

If you stop in at the Kelvin Grove library, you might see our new display of items from the L’Estrange Collection showcasing life and photography at the turn of the century: kerosene darkroom lamps, photo negatives on glass and a wooden camera as big as a basketball. But if you pull out your smart device, you’ll discover a more contemporary dimension to the display.

The Library has added augmented reality layers to some photos in the exhibition, which you can access by downloading the Zappar app. The AR layers add movement, sound and contemporary context to the historical images, and new augmentations will be added over time so keep your eyes peeled.

Not that this is the first time the L’Estrange images have been remixed — QUT Librarian Greg Steele has adapted some of L’Estrange’s photos for the annual GIF IT UP competition, which you can find in QUT ePrints.

GIF IT Up is a great example of the creative reuse of digitised cultural heritage material. Some gifs bring life to static images, and others add depth and context to their image. Some are pure silly fun, others provide modern perspective or critique their subject.

Moustache by Nicholas Kreutzer from Philadelphia, United States Source: Mikas Petrauskas, George C. Stukas | Kauno miesto muziejus via Europeana

1991 by Zsolt Sarkozi from Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Source material: Oversize Coat for Christmas | John Heywood | V & A via Europeana

Solar System by Monash University Library from Melbourne, Australia

Source material: Transparent Solar System, displaying the planets with their orbits as known at the present day, by James Reynolds, 1844 | Monash University Library via Trove

All the L’Estrange collection images are in the public domain, so they’re free to be remixed, reused and transformed. We encourage you to use them creatively – and @ us when you post your creations online!