This document provides an overview of essential library skills, including the different types of resources available for studies such as books, web pages, newspapers, and journals. It discusses how to use reading lists to find relevant books and journals, and the library subject guides to find information for assignments. It also covers how to search the library catalog and databases like Summon to find journal articles, books, and other resources, and how to log in to your library account to view loans and renew books online. Tips are provided on conducting effective searches and refining search results.

1. Essential Library Skills
SES1242/SES1244
http:// unihub.mdx.ac.uk / study / library
http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/
study/library/

2. Today we are going to cover...
• Different types of resources available for your
studies
• Using your reading lists to find books and
journals
• Finding information for your assignments
• Using the Library subject guides and online
referencing guide

3. Thinking about resources

4. Types of information
Exercise 1:
1. Each group will be given a pack of cards
2. The cards contain the names of 4 different
resources
3. Match together the correct: Resource Type +
Definition+ “Good for” + “Not so good for”
Time: 5mins

5. Books
What are they:
A written or printed work of fiction or fact.
May be electronic.
Good for:
Clear overview
Not so good for:
Up to date information

6. Web pages
What are they:
An information resource which can be
easily created by anyone on any topic.
Electronic.
Good for:
Very up to date information
Not so good for:
Accurate and reliable
information

7. Newspapers
What are they:
A regular publication containing current
events, informative articles, diverse features
and advertising.
May be electronic.
Good for:
Daily information
Not so good for:
Balanced and well researched information

8. Journals
What are they:
A regular publication containing
articles on a particular academic
subject.
Presents new research.
Good for:
Latest research,
critically reviewed by experts
Not so good for:
Broad overview of a subject

9. Where can you find them?
Where are the Sport books?
1st floor wing
(right)
3rd floor
1st floor
Online

10. Reading lists

12. Reading lists
Exercise 2:
Login to MyUniHub> My Study
Use your module reading lists for SES1242 or
SES1244, and SES1243 to answer the
questions on the worksheet

13. Books on the shelf
612.044 HAY, 612.044 WIL, 613.7 SPO

14. Making A Request

15. Making A Request
Student number
Date of birth DDMMYY

16. Renewing Books Online
Use the ‘Login to My
Library Account’ option
to see what items you
have on loan and to
renew them
N.B. You will not be
able to renew
requested books

17. Logging in to My Account
Student number
Date of birth DDMMYY

18. Renewing Books Online

19. Finding journal articles using Summon
Exercise 3:
• To find an article on a
particular topic...
• Try Summon to search
the Library’s online
resources and the
catalogue in one go
• Access Summon from
myUniHub

20. Finding resources
myUniHub> My Study > My Library
Select Summon and search
for information for your
Literature Review task

21. Search tips
• Keep it simple! Can you summarise the topic
in just a few words?

22. Refine your search

23. If you have too many results...
• Add more keywords (narrow)
• Be more specific (sprinting vs. running)
• Use phrase searches (“penalty kicks”)
• Add limits, e.g. date

24. If you have too few results...
• Use synonyms (football or soccer)
• Be less specific (martial arts vs. Judo)
• Split up phrases
• Use tricks like truncation* = swim* finds
swim, swimmer, swimming etc

25. Library Subject Guides

26. Referencing

27. Need help?
• Librarians in the Specialist Zone (1st floor) core
hours Monday – Friday
• Ask a Librarian http://askalibrarian.mdx.ac.uk/
• SES Library Subject Guide
http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/sport

28. Images
• Rugby image from Wikimedia Commons licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share
Alike 3.0 Unported license.