Farewell...

And so, sadly, this is Goodbye from the LibraryRichard blog.

(by Myklovetide on Flickr. Creative Commons)

Newcastle College Library Catalogue

Our new Online Catalogue is now live on the web!

This means you can now easily Search for, and Reserve, resources from Newcastle College Library via any PC, Smart Phone or internet-enabled device, 24/7.

And because the new system links directly to your College account, you can also easily Renew library loans, Save searches (eg the recommended books for a particular module on your Reading List) or Share them with others, like never before.

All you need to do is

Christmas Library Opening Hours 2012

Main Library

Monday 17th December : 9.00am - 4.00pm

Tuesday 18th December : 9.00am - 4.00pm

Wednesday 19th December : 9.00am - 4.00pm
Thursday 20th December : 9.00am - 4.00pm

Friday 21st December : CLOSED

Monday 24th December : CLOSED
Tuesday 25th December : CLOSED
Wednesday 26th December : CLOSED
Thursday 27th December : CLOSED

Friday 28th December : CLOSED

Monday 31st December : CLOSED

Tuesday 1st January : CLOSED

Wednesday 2nd January : 9.00am - 4.00pm
Thursday 3rd January : 9.00am - 4.00pm
Friday 4th January : 9.00am - 4.00pm

The Art Library and SPACE IT Centre are CLOSED throughout the Christmas break. 

Normal hours resume on Monday 7th January 2013

You can return items by posting them through the Main Library Letterbox when we are closed.

Renew items via our online Library Catalogue (find out how here); by ringing (0191) 200 4020 and leaving a message (including your ID number) on our Answerphone; or by emailing libraries@ncl-coll.ac.uk.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, from all at Newcastle College Library Services!

Harvard Web-CITE

Just in case you need it over the Christmas break, here's the link to our Harvard Referencing Microsite, which demonstrates how to write Author-Date Citations and Reference List / Bibliography entries for virtually every sourceyou might use in research.

Accessing Newcastle College e-Library

e-Library is Newcastle College Library's collection of e-books, electronic journals and specially selected online resources to help you with your assignments.

The Research and Study Support page of this blog has links to the most popular resources, but here's a recap of how to access the full collection if you need additional quality-assessed information for your College work ...:

Topping Up Printer Credits

The P-Counter Machine

At the start of the term, your Newcastle College Student IT account was pre-loaded with 50 free printing credits, meaning you could print off 50 sides of A4 paper in black and white for free.

If you haven't already done so, you might be running out by now and if you try and print off your assignment without topping up, your work wont be released from the print queue.

Topping up is easy -

Amazon.co.uk Discount Finder

Just in time for Christmas, why not try this Amazon Discount Finder...:

Automatic Harvard Referencing Generator

Take the drudgery out of Referencing...:

Free e-Books From Your Local Public Library

In addition to using Newcastle College's e-book collections (available from MyiLibrary and ebrary), plus Google Books, you can also access electronic and even audio books through local Public Libraries.

Here's how...:

Renew Your IT Password

Remember setting up your College IT / NCG Online password when you started back in September - changing it from your 6-digit Date of Birth to something else?

You need to update your password every 90 days - a period that is due to expire shortly. If you haven't already reset your password by then, you won’t be able to use NCG Online from home to do any College work over the holidays,.

To get around the problem,

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.