Open access week on tour at QUT

Posted by Sandra on 15 October, 2018

Guest blog by Ginny Barbour, Director of the Australasian Open Access Strategy Group & Professor at the Division of Research and Commercialisation,
Office of Research Ethics & Integrity QUT

As we head towards the end of October – we turn our focus to a week dedicated to open access (OA). Now in its 10th year, OA week has grown into a truly national and global celebration. It is an opportunity for everyone working in OA to reflect on successes and recent developments, announce new initiatives, and to consider the future.

What is the week about, and what does it mean for QUT staff and academics? This year signals a return to a core purpose of open access; to reduce inequity in access to information. The year’s theme is: “designing the equitable foundations for open knowledge”. The theme indicates a need for purposeful thinking about the next steps for OA, to ensure that everyone benefits – authors, readers, the wider academic community and beyond. 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.

QUT has had a truly momentous year with its repository passing 25 million downloads. QUT’s ePrints repository is the most successful repository in Australia. It has more than 86,000 items, more than 70% of which are full text. 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 — all for free. But more than that, QUT’s repository allows anyone anywhere to access its research. The 25th millionth download highlights the equitable theme of OA Week, with the download coming from Namibia.

QUT also supports the work of the Australasian Open Access Strategy Group (AOASG), a group which QUT co-founded and which works for national strategies on OA as well as supporting the OA community in Australasia.

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. 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.

QUT Library will be taking a roadshow around the QUT campuses in OA week to spread the word. Find out when the Open Access Bike will be coming to a campus near you!

What the world needs now…

Posted by Sandra on 3 September, 2018

The Brisbane Writers Festival begins this month with a plethora of events and activities happening around the city.

This year’s theme is What the world needs now and in keeping with that, QUT Library wants to celebrate with a little bit of understanding and history.

We thought we’d put the spotlight on some of our own Brisbane authors, and showcase what it was like growing up here in Brisvegas. If you didn’t start your life here, get a great picture by reading some of our top Brisbane author picks:

Rebecca Sparrow (2003) The Girl most Likely: A Novel

Nick Earls (1996) Zigzag Street

David Malouf (1975) Johnno

Nicole Watson (2011) The Boundary

If fashion is your passion, don’t miss out on seeing QUT’s Vice Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) Professor Suzi Darbyshire who will be chairing an ‘in conversation’ Brisbane Writers Festival event at the State Library with author of The Devil Wears Prada, Lauren Weisberger on Friday 7th September.

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Relax & catch your breath between exams

Posted by Sandra on 14 June, 2018

You know when the words stop making sense on the page and you’re re-reading the same sentence again and again – it’s unlikely you’re taking anything in… your brain’s fried, it’s time to take a break….

QUT has some great distractions from the real world – so here are some ways to have a quick refresh, so you can get back to the books.

Have a game of table tennis – there’s a table in the courtyard on level 2 (entry level) at the KG Library
Take a walk around the Brisbane Botanical Gardens, just a hop skip and jump from the GP library
Head halfway across the Goodwill Bridge, have a coffee, and sit and watch as cyclists wreak havoc on pedestrians
Head up to the garden level of P Block (level 6,The Cube) at GP and stretch out on a bench for a power nap
Take a walk around the QUT Art Museum, a new exhibition begins on Saturday 16 June – Abstraction: Celebrating Australian Women Abstract Artists.
Get to the Games Lab at KG library and play a retro classic
Have a walk around the bookshops at either campus and pick up something great to enjoy over the break.
Go for an indoor swim – one-off rates are available at campus fitness centres.
If you’ve got a great spot and can’t bear to leave the library we have some great video streaming options (EduTV & Kanopy)

Don’t keep history a mystery

Posted by Sandra on 23 May, 2018

This month we celebrate National Reconciliation Week.

The theme for 2018 is Don’t keep history a mystery, and aims to highlight some of the lesser known aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, histories, cultures, and achievements. It’s calling on all Australians to ask the question: What are some of the things I don’t know about our shared history?

On Thursday 31 May there’ll be a free screening of the movie, We Don’t Need a Map on level 2 of the Library/HiQ, R Block, KG. Everyone’s welcome, and popcorn will be provided!

We Don’t Need a Map is a thought provoking look at Australia’s relationship with the Southern Cross, from its significance to indigenous Australians to its adoption as a national symbol.

There are a number of other activities happening around campus including the Inter-uni Reconciliation Cup against Griffith Uni, and the first Vice-Chancellor’s Forum for the year with guest speaker, Stan Grant.

Check out more QUT Reconciliation Week activities here and find other community and national Reconciliation Week events here.

Summer Series Two – Summer reading

Posted by Gabrielle on 2 December, 2014

‘2012-205 Reading’ by Denise Krebs (CC BY 2.0)

The QUT Library is ready and willing to enable a Summer spent reading in the hammock or by the pool.

You may be unaware of QUT Library’s extensive holdings of recreational reading material — both fiction and non-fiction — that is yours to borrow. So come and stock up so you can simply move from one book to the next without leaving your comfy spot. Whether it be literary classics, latest award winners or easy reads then the QUT Library has something to suit everyone.

Here are some classic summer-themed books to get you started:

To kill a mockingbird / Harper Lee. A young girl growing up in an Alabama town in the 1930s learns of injustice and violence when her father, a widowed lawyer, defends a black man falsely accused of rape — from Worldcat. Deceptively simple, this is one of my all time favourite books that I re-read every year!

The great Gatsby / F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald which follows a cast of characters living in the fictional town of West Egg on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922. The story primarily concerns the young and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his quixotic passion and obsession for the beautiful former debutante Daisy Buchana. — from Wikipedia.

Let the great world spin / Colum McCann. Award-winner Let the Great World Spin is a novel laced together by several different narratives, spanning from a waspy Park Avenue wife of a judge to a hooker to an Irish immigrant. The common thread? All characters are centered in New York City, summer blazing, while the Vietnam War rages on abroad. Despite the chaos abroad and on US soil, the city comes to a standstill when onlookers spot a man begin to walk on a tightrope between the World Trade Center towers. — from flavourwire

Atonement / Ian McEwan. In 1935, 13-year-old fledgling writer Briony Tallis and her family live a life of wealth and privilege in their enormous mansion. On the warmest day of the year, the country estate takes on an unsettling hothouse atmosphere, stoking Briony’s vivid imagination. Robbie Turner, the educated son of the family’s housekeeper, carries a torch for Briony’s headstrong older sister Cecilia. He hopes that Cecilia has comparable feelings. All it will take is one spark for this relationship to combust. When it does, Briony — who has a crush on Robbie — is compelled to interfere. She goes so far as to accuse Robbie of a crime he did not commit. Cecilia and Robbie declare their love for each other, but, ultimately, he is arrested. Briony bears false witness and the course of three lives is changed forever. — from Wikipedia

Come and browse the shelves or search for particular titles using the Library catalogue.

And if an eBook reader is on your Christmas list, then you’ll be pleased to know that many titles are available for loan as eBooks, or audiobooks, downloadable from the Library website. So you don’t even have to interrupt your lolling to restock your reading material!

Let us know your favourite summer-themed book or a book you re-read every year!

Summer Series One – Movies & TV

Posted by Gabrielle on 27 November, 2014

Movies on the beach anyone?
‘Sunbathing?’ by david reid (CC BY 2.0)

Welcome to the first post in our Summer Series highlighting the fun and frivolous offerings of the QUT Library for you to utilise this summer!

Summer and catching up on movies you’ve missed throughout the year or finally getting around to seeing some classics from your ‘one day’ list go hand-in-hand. So come on in (in person or online) and check out the QUT Library’s extensive movie collection.

Browse the movie collection in person at Kelvin Grove Level 4 at call number range 791.43 or search for a particular film you’re after in the Catalogue or in Quickfind.

New titles of 2014 releases include The secret life of Walter Mitty; The Railway man; and Kill your darlings. As well as the DVDs, many titles are streamed online so you don’t even have to leave home! These streaming films are available to all staff and students.

If you’re not sure where to start or what to watch – how about a summer themed classic such as Grease; Jaws; Endless Summer; or Dirty Dancing?

In addition to feature films, the QUT Library also has TV series for loan. TV Marathon here you come! Recent award winning series such as Game of Thrones; True Detective and House of Cards can be found alongside classics such as the The Sopranos and Buffy on the shelves of Level 4, Kelvin Grove Library. As well as shows for the grown-ups, the Library also has Children’s Television Programs for loan as well.

And remember, if you can’t get to Kelvin Grove campus where most of these are located, you can place a Hold and get items sent to your home campus at Caboolture or Gardens Point to pick up there!

Let us know your favourite Summer-themed movie in the comments below!

Bloom of doom

Posted by Gabrielle on 24 October, 2014

Exams! by Jan Smith
(CC BY 2.0)

Poor Jacarandas. In Queensland they’re a signal that end of year exams are upon us and as such, the blooms strike fear, panic and desperation in students’ hearts and their beauty largely goes unappreciated.

So, what can you do once the mass of purple fills the skies – and carpets the paths – to survive exam madness?

Firstly, know your enemy. There are many different types of exams: multiple choice; short answer; and open book just to name a few. Each has different performance requirements and therefore, a different preparation strategy. Studywell has lots of exam advice including how to identify what you’re facing and how to prepare for each different exam type.
Double check the basics. Well before the day, check the exam timetable and then check it again. Know where you’re going, what time and work out how you’re going to get there. Exam rooms are usually in different places than your lectures so check the campus map and familiarise yourself with where you need to go.
Formulate a plan of attack. Put in place strategies to organise your time and organise your notes. Gather all the information you need together – lecture notes, recordings of lectures, textbooks, readings, quizzes, lab reports – before you start studying to make sure you have all the information at hand.
Phone a friend. Study with a buddy or form a study group. You’ll help keep each other motivated and can quiz each other and share techniques for revising.
Eat and Sleep. Good nutrition and staying hydrated are key to performing at your best – as easy as it would be to fall into the trap of takeaway and caffeine. Plan to get adequate sleep in your study schedule as your brain’s retention and retrieval performance will be hampered by inadequate zzz’s.
Don’t panic. It’s easy to start to feel overwhelmed, even if you have a good study plan in place. Here’s some strategies to combat exam anxiety and don’t be afraid to talk to someone if it all starts getting too much.

Wishing you all the best of luck this exam period and be assured, one day you will be able to gaze upon the Jacarandas with fondness rather than loathing.

Light! End of the tunnel!

Posted by Gabrielle on 20 October, 2014

You’re nearly there minifig! ‘Small Climb’ by Black Zack
(CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

The weather’s warming up, and all that sunshine is like a beacon of hope – it’s almost the end of semester! You’ve already handed in a few assignments and things are rolling along. To make sure you keep the momentum going, here are a few tips:

Use the Assignment Calculator to help manage your time on these last assessments.
Set some time aside for each of your assessment pieces. A weekly planner is available here.
If you aren’t sure about your assignment task, talk to your tutor or lecturer about what is required.
Ask someone at the Library Helpdesk to show you our online learning resources and help you find information.
Book a Study Solutions appointment for a 25 minute one-on-one appointment to talk about your assignment.
Check out your faculty’s peer assistance program to talk to another student about your study.

Time can slip away quickly. For best results with less stress, start early, work consistently and finish strong!

Access all areas with Open Access Week

Posted by Gabrielle on 15 October, 2014

Get involved in International Open Access Week

Join QUT Library to celebrate Open Access Week, a global event that runs from 20–26 October. Now in its eighth year, Open Access Week promotes free, immediate, online access to the results of scholarly research and the right to use and reuse those results. Universities around the world are holding events to celebrate this and to draw attention to the many benefits that arise from ‘open access’ research outputs. QUT Library will be running three events — please come along to one or more of these events and participate in the celebrations.

Accelerating Research with Open Access

On Monday 20 October, join a panel of three QUT academics talking about why they support open access. Panellists are Dr Nic Suzor (Faculty of Law); Professor Marilyn Campbell (Faculty of Education); and Professor Debra Anderson (Faculty of Health). The session will include an afternoon tea in celebration of International Open Access Week. V714, Library, Gardens Point, 2.00–3.00pm Please RSVP here.

How to Get Published

On Wednesday 22 October, the session will be aimed at HDR students and early career researchers and will cover the process of publishing in academic journals and things to consider when choosing where to publish. The session will also include a discussion about the trend towards open access publishing in academia. What are the benefits? What are the pitfalls that early career researchers need to watch out for? The session will include a morning tea in celebration of International Open Access Week. OJ Wordsworth Room, Level 12, S Block, Gardens Point, 9.30–10.30am Please RSVP here.

Distinguish Yourself as a Researcher — Get an ORCID

At the session on Thursday 23 October, find out what an ORCID is, why all researchers need one and how it will save you time in the future. The session will show you how to register for an ORCID and what to do with it. Be ahead of your peer group and get up to speed with ORCID now. The session will include a morning tea in celebration of International Open Access Week. IHBI Seminar Room, Kelvin Grove, 9.30–10.30am Please RSVP here.

We look forward to seeing you there. Questions? Contact your Liaison Librarian.

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Finding Female Role Models in STEM

Posted by Ellen on 14 October, 2014

Ada Lovelace, 1836 by Margaret Sarah Carpenter (Public domain via Wikimedia Commons)

The 14th of October is Ada Lovelace day, an international celebration of the achievements of women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). The day also aims to raise the profile of women in STEM and in doing so, hopefully create new role models within these fields.

Who was Ada?

Ada Lovelace was born Ada Gordon in 1815, the only child of Romantic poet Lord Byron and his wife Annabella Milbanke. She is considered by many to be the world’s first computer programmer, having written the first algorithm intended to be processed by a machine – Charles Babbage’s analytical engine. Charles Babbage called her “the Enchantress of Numbers”. Find out more about Ada Lovelace here.

Some ideas on how to find out more and get involved:

In March this year as part of an NPR special series on women in tech, women innovators across the globe live tweeted their days using #NPRWIT. Some women involved included a master inventor from IBM and a technology executive from American Express. Check out what they had to say.

Glamour magazine recently profiled 35 women under 35 who are changing the tech industry. Have a read and get inspired.

As part of Ada Lovelace Day 2012, Wikimedia UK held a Women in Science themed Wikipedia edit-a-thon. Why not have your own edit-a-thon? Have a look at the Women in technology and Women scientists categories on Wikipedia and see if there are any articles you think need editing, or even any you think are missing and want to add.

Share a story about a woman, or women in STEM whose achievements you admire, and read other people’s stories.

And, why not leave us a comment? We’d love to hear about the women in STEM who inspire you.