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.

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Get help with your assignments without leaving your couch!

Posted by Gabrielle on 10 October, 2014

For the times when you aren’t able to visit our Library Helpdesk on campus, we offer an online chat service, Chat to a Librarian.

You can use Chat to a Librarian during semester at these times:

Monday – Friday: 10am – 9.45pm
Weekends and Public Holidays: 12pm – 4.45pm

To get started, just hit the chat button on the QUT Library home page and fill in some basic information. One of our friendly librarians will be ready and waiting to answer your question.

You can use the chat service to get help with finding information for your assignment, assistance using databases, and advice on referencing.

If you need help outside the times the chat service is open (but you still want to stay at home in your pajamas), we have loads of information to help you anytime that you need it:

To find the answers to some common library questions, try the AskQUT Library FAQ.
For help with referencing, try QUT cite|write
There are some great tips on assignment research and writing available on Studywell.

We look forward to chatting with you soon.

Got visitors? Things to see and do at QUT

Posted by Rowena on 18 July, 2014

Are your family or friends visiting for graduation or to help you get ready for your first semester? Are you just looking for something different to do around campus? There are plenty of free or reasonably priced cultural activities available on our QUT campuses. Below is a list of my favourites. Please let me know what I have missed!

Gardens Point

Senator Waters visits the Cube by Greens MPs (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

The Cube – Check out one of the world’s largest digital interactive learning and display spaces. The Cube is fun (and educational) for visitors of all ages.

Gardens Theatre – Experience the vibe of a wonderful live performance in our very own theatre.

QUT Art Museum – Enjoy exciting exhibitions featuring artists of local, national and international importance. Participate in art programs suitable for a variety of audiences.

William Robinson Gallery – Be inspired by the William Robinson Collection, various temporary exhibitions and an archive of Robinson’s art.

Kelvin Grove

Kelvin Grove Markets by Charles Strebor (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Kelvin Grove Urban Village – Not just great food (and coffee), the KG Urban Village also offers plenty of fun social and cultural events.

La Boite Theatre Company Roundhouse Theatre – Renowned for its intimacy, accessibility and imaginative staging capabilities, the auditorium is a modern and expanded copy of the original La Boite Theatre at Hale Street.

And of course, don’t forget to visit our beautiful Library buildings on each campus!

Get ready for study

Posted by Kelly on 14 July, 2014

New in Semester 2? Welcome! Returning after Semester 1? Welcome back!

Whether you are new to QUT or returning refreshed from break and ready to tackle another semester, QUT Library has plenty to offer you. Now is the time to:

Attend a short workshop about writing, researching or referencing.
Plan your weekly schedule and organise your readings so you can stay ahead with your study all semester.
Print off some handy templates for note-taking, and get some tips for writing, working in teams and preparing for exams.
Brush up on referencing and citing skills with QUT cite|write.
Do an online research and study skills tutorial in your own time and at your own pace.
Get your questions answered by one of our friendly Library Helpdesk staff.
Book a Study Solutions appointment to get individual assistance with that first assignment (bookings open soon, appointments start from week 3).
Enter your assignment deadlines into Assignment Calculator to generate suggested timelines that will help you get things done on time and with less stress. And there are links to heaps of useful resources!
For everything else you need to know for the start of semester, visit QUT’s orientation guide.

We look forward to meeting you in the Library and helping you get off to a brilliant start!

Level 6 of Gardens Point Library is getting a makeover

Posted by Ellen on 11 July, 2014

Berry Hard Work by JD Hancock (CC by 2.0)

There are some changes happening on level 6 of Gardens Point Library.

Individual study spaces will replace group study spaces, and there will be more power outlets for your laptops and other mobile devices making it easier for you to study solo.

Work will begin on the new space soon. From the 14th of July you will no longer be able to book the group study rooms on level 6. If you’re after a book, the collection on this level will still be accessible while work is happening.