SPACE Drop-In IT Suite

Finding it hard to get on a PC at Newcastle College?

Don't forget Newcastle College Library Services' second Drop-in IT suite in SPACE, the hexagonal building at the top of the main Ryehill Campus car park.

This Computer Centre has over 70 PCs available for use as and when you need them (no need to pre-book) - far more than are available in any of the Learner Zones - plus printing and a range of cut-price stationery to buy.

Opening hours are 10am - 2pm, Monday to Friday, plus there are also computer facilities, with expert help on-hand from the Brians, at PITS in the Main Library every day from 8:45am into the evening.

Harvard Referencing with Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word 2007 and 2010 both include tools to help you with Referencing - though annoyingly they don't include the Harvard style.

This Prezi shows you how to access and use these tools, and how to modify the results so they are in the correct format that you need to use at Newcastle College...:

Redirecting Your College Emails to Your Home Email Address

A few weeks back, I posted about the free College email accounts that you can get as a student at Newcastle College.

(Double-Click the image to enlarge)

If you already have another email address (eg with Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, etc), its easy to have these College emails automatically redirected to your existing personal account.

Wifi Access at Newcastle College Library

You can connect to the internet from your own laptop/ tablet PC or wifi-enabled SMART phone at either of Newcastle College Library's branches (and at various other locations around the campus).

To get access,

E-mailing List

(By Christopher S. Penn on Flickr.
Creative Commons)

Do you want us to remind you to renew your books BEFORE they go overdue?

NUS Student Discounts

Get the most out of being a Student, with the exclusive discounts available through National Union of Students' NUS Extra Card.

Top savings include 50% off Spotify's Premium Package, 25% off Odeon Cinema tickets, 25% off National Express coach travel and at least 20% off your food bill at Frankie & Benny's, Pizza Hut or Domino Pizza. You also get at least 5% off most purchases made on Amazon. A full list of the latest discounts is available here.

The NUS Extra Card costs £12 for 12 months - apply directly here or check out how much you could save with this online quiz.

To get involved with Newcastle College Student Union, visit their offices near the First Floor Refectory in Parsons Building; contact alicia.clovis@ncl-coll.ac.uk; follow @NclCollSU on Twitter; or find them on Facebook.

Referencing Revisited

Further to the earlier posting about Harvard Referencing, here's a Slideshare presentation with some worked examples (and appalling puns - sorry!) covering some of the more advanced rules and peculiarities of the referencing Standard that we use at Newcastle College...:

More resources to help you with Harvard Referencing are available here.

Research Using Open Access Academic Resources

In the past, students had to rely on Academic Journals for the latest research and scholastic information, however advances in digital technologies (and a backlash against the rising costs levied by journal publishers) mean that there is now an alternative.

Dissertations Archive

(by dolescum on Flickr.
Creative Commons)

To help students get some sense of the style, structure and standard necessary for their own Extended Project work, we are putting together an archive of previous students' Dissertations in the HE Study Room at Newcastle College Main Library.

So far we have examples of amongst the best work submitted for last year's Level 4, 5 and 6 Music, Sport Science, Child Care, Performing Arts and Engineering  courses, with more promised from lectures across the College.

If we don't yet have your subject, then feel free to nag your Tutor to send their copies over to the library, or you might try this Search Engine of other Institutional Repositories - type in your topic, then select "Thesis/Dissertation" from the Format menu on the left.

Donate Unwanted Books For Children In Need

Want to do something practical to help Children in Need?

Newcastle College's Learning Support Service are collecting new and used children’s and young adult books to donate to local charities the Great North Children's Hospital and Metro Radio's Cash4Kids appeal.

If you've any books that you want to pass on to sick and needy young people, please drop them off at Newcastle College Main Library.

Harvard Referencing Website

Here's a quick link to our Harvard Referencing Microsite, a web resource to show you how to construct Author-Date Citations and Reference List / Bibliography entries for virtually every source that you might use in your research.

Writing your Research Proposal

If you have to write a Dissertation or Extended Project this year, you may be asked to submit a Research Proposal. This is a justification for your work (ie proving why it is worth doing), a work-plan and evidence of your ability to plan and carry out the study.

Here are a few ideas of what you might include, and in what order...:

Accessing E-Resources at Newcastle College

Here's a quick video recap of how to access e-books, e-journals and other electronic research resources through Newcastle College's NCG Online VLE.

If you have any queries about the e-resources, please contact us at libraries@ncl-coll.ac.uk or ring (0191) 200 4018.

Handing-In Work Is Such A Bind

Congratulations if you've got your assignment finished! Now you just need to get it handed in...

Did you know that we offer a binding service at both the Main Library and Art Library?

HE Study Space

Need somewhere quiet to work at Newcastle College?

Don't forget there is a Silent Study Area upstairs in the Main Library, open to everyone. The staircase is near the Fiction section to the left of the Library Counter, if you were looking out towards the college piazza.

Additionally, there is the HE Study Space - a dedicated room for students on Level 4+ courses (though, off the record, we don't make a fuss if more mature FE students want to work in there too), complete with Wifi access, study carrels, group work tables and exemplar dissertations from former students.

You can find this room through the green doors to the right of the Main Entrance, near the magazine stands.

Harvard Referencing

Here's a cut-down version of the Referencing and Plagiarism presentation that I'm currently delivering to classes around Newcastle College. It explains all about Author-Date Citations and Reference Lists/Bibliographies, features some worked examples and contains at least two dreadful jokes.

If you think it would be useful for me to come and do the full version of this presentation with your class, please tell your tutor to drop me an email. Alternatively, if you are having trouble with referencing, then feel free to get in touch with me yourself. My contact details are at the foot of this blog.

More resources connected with Harvard Referencing are available here.

We're Hiring!

(by s_falkow on Flickr. Creative Commons)

Newcastle College Library Service is looking to appoint a part-time IT Customer Service Assistant to support students and staff in using the library computing facilities, services and resources effectively.

New Library Catalogue Coming Soon...

Over Reading Week, we've been busy at Newcastle College Library getting a new Library Catalogue installed.

This new system, which replaces Heritage, will bring back far more relevant results than ever before, and offers brand new features like letting you save or export your searches (so you don't have to keep running the same search over and over again), as well as letting you renew and reserve items online 24/7.

Best of all, there's no separate logon to remember - you'll access your library account with the same Username (s + Student Number) and Password that you use on Newcastle College PCs and NCG Online (so no more missing out the 's' at the start).

We're putting the finishing touches to the system now, and waiting for IT to set up the web address, so bear with us just a little longer - we think it will bring you a much better service....

In the meantime, please ring (0191) 200 4020 to renew your Library items from home.

Art Library Book Sale

Bag a bargain Botticelli, make off with a marked-down Matisse or pick up a cut-price Picasso...

... (...err, books that is!) at the Art Library Book Sale from 12noon on 5th November 2012, and all the rest of that week, at Newcastle College Mandela Building.

All sorts of Fashion, Art and Design books are featured, and prices start from just 50p!

Remember, Remember...

(By Tigerweet on Flickr. Creative Commons)

Since its Guy Fawkes' Night shortly, are you interested in going to a local Fireworks display?

Click here for a list of all the large Bonfire and Fireworks displays taking place around Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside over the next few days.

Have a sparkling weekend!


Tyne & Wear Fire and Rescue Service (2011) Organised Displays 2012 [Internet]. Available at:: http://www.twfire.gov.uk/community-safety/prevention/campaigns/fireworks/displays/ [Accessed: 31 Oct 2012].