1. PRS1002
Essential Library Skills
Postgraduate Course Feedback
Alison Randall
October 2013

2. Today we will look at…
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Types of resources available
Using the Library pages on MyUniHub
The Library Catalogue
Finding books in the Library
Accessing journals
Your Library subject guide
Useful databases
Your online reading lists

3. Library facilities

4. Types of resources

5. Types of resources
Exercise 1:
1.Each group will be given a pack of cards
2.Cards show the names of 4 resource types
3.Match together the correct: Resource Type +
Definition + “Good for” + “Not so good for”

11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e32kaa9TzeE

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. Using the Library pages on
MyUniHub
Log in to MyUniHub
My Study
My Library

17. Library Catalogue

18. Finding books on the Catalogue
How to search:
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Keyword search
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A-Z search
Exercise 2:
• Try to find this book on the Library
Catalogue:
Ball, D. J. (2006) Environmental health
policy. Open University Press

19. Reserving an item

20. Reserving an item
Student number
Date of birth DDMMYY

21. Collecting a reserved item
• Check your Middlesex e-mail.
• Write down the 6-figure reference number in
the e-mail.
• Go to the Reservations shelves.
• Remember to borrow the book!

22. Renewing your loans

23. Finding books in the Library
610.73 BUR, 610.73 CLI, 610.7301 NUR

24. Where are the Environmental
Health books?
Environmental chemistry
Environmental law
Food safety
Health & Safety law
Health promotion
Virology
577.14
344.42046
363.192
344.420465
613
579.2
2nd floor, 2nd Floor (Law Wing), 3rd Floor

25. Finding books in the Library
Exercise 3:
• 6 volunteers
• Direct them into the correct shelf order
• Use the main number, then the decimal
number, then the three letters

26. Accessing journals
This is a journal reference from a reading list:
Nawrocka, D., Parker, T. (2009). Finding the connection:
environmental management systems and environmental
performance. Journal of Cleaner Production 17, (6), p. 601607.
Exercise 4:
Can you identify the following parts of the reference?
Author, Date, Title of article, Journal Title, Volume,
Issue, Page Numbers

27. Accessing journals
• To find a specific article, search the Library
Catalogue for the journal title.
• You can do a Keyword search or an A-Z search
• There will be a blue link to the available issues.
• Make sure you’re logged in to MyUniHub!

28. Accessing journals
Exercise 5:
Using the Library Catalogue, try to find this
journal article....
Nawrocka, D., Parker, T. (2009). Finding the
connection: environmental management
systems and environmental performance.
Journal of Cleaner Production 17, (6), p.
601-607.

29. Library Subject Guide

30. Useful databases
Library Subject Guide for
Public Health, Risk, Safety & Environment
Resources
Finding articles / Using databases

31. Useful databases
Barbour
Lexis Library
Science Direct

32. Your online reading lists

33. Need help?
• Librarians in the Specialist Zone (1st floor) Monday-Friday
11am - 3pm
• Ask a Librarian http://askalibrarian.mdx.ac.uk/
• Library Subject Guide for Public Health, Risk, Safety &
Environment http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/prs