Borrow, borrow, borrow!

All three SMU Libraries have quick and easy to use self-service kiosks, where you can issue, renew and return our books/DVDs/videos yourself!

Make the most of our free resources - undergraduates can borrow up to 15 items at any one time, postgraduates 20, and staff 30.

So why not try self-service the next time you visit us, and if you need any help just ask a member of Library staff!

New e-books available

Check out our new selection of e-books covering a wide variety of subject areas. Over 400 titles have been added to the collection and you can locate them via the Library catalogue or the A-Z listing of e-books on the Library webpages . They can be accessed from home as well as on-campus.

Calling all freshers...

...come and visit the Library stand this Friday at Freshers Fayre to have a chat with us about all the services & resources we have to offer you to help with your studies, plus we are giving away chocolate!! See you there...

Getting to know your library

Have you looked at our Library Guide yet? It’s available online and can be accessed from the Library Website (www.smu.ac.uk/library). Just look for the link down the left hand side of the Library Web Pages (you might need to scroll down the page to see it). The Library Guide has information about loan periods, borrowing rights, fines, renewals, reservations and other Library services, so it’s well worth a look!

You can find out about your campus Library by clicking on the link to Dynevor Library, Owen Library or Townhill Library on the homepage. This is where you’ll find the contact details for your library, as well as opening hours and even a virtual tour.

Happy birthday Agatha Christie!

Yes, it seems to be everyone’s birthday this month. If she was still alive, Queen of Crime, Dame Agatha Christie, would have been 120 years old today. The writer, who gave us both Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, was born in Torquay on the 15th September 1890. Find out more about Dame Agatha on her official website (http://www.agathachristie.com/) and check out the BBC Archive pages for interviews and features (http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/agatha_christie/). For more scholarly analysis, the databases JSTOR and Literature Online, which are accessible from the Library Web pages, have a number of journal articles on the subject of detective fiction and Christie in particular.

You’ll find a selection of books by Agatha Christie, including her autobiography, in Townhill Library at shelf mark 823.912. To find out more about Torquay, try the Great Britain travel section at shelf mark 914.1 in Owen Library on the Mount Pleasant campus. Please check the Library Website for our opening hours.

Happy birthday TES!

The Times Educational Supplement is 100 years old this month. Take a look at the very first issue, published 6th September 1910, by following the link on the TES Connect website: http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6057545.

TES will celebrate its centenary over the next 12 months by looking back at education news over the years. There will be a weekly look through the archives and every month TES will focus on a topic that has been constantly debated since its launch.

TES is available to read in Townhill Library, where you’ll find the latest issue on the ground floor and back copies on the first floor landing. If you prefer, you can read articles online via TES Connect (http://www.tes.co.uk/), which also has free classroom resources to download and a number of community forums to contribute to if you so desire. Well worth a look!

International Literacy Day

Today is International Literacy Day. Why not celebrate by borrowing a book from your nearest SMU Library? Or go mad and borrow a few! Undergraduates can borrow up to 15 at a time and postgraduates can have up to 20. You’ll find books covering all sorts of topics on offer in the three libraries, so why not take this opportunity to browse around outside you subject area?

You can find out more about International Literacy Day 2010, which focuses on Literacy and Gender, on UNESCO’s website: http://tinyurl.com/2apydj8.

New read aloud feature on some databases

Our EBSCO databases – Business Source Premier, CINAHL Plus, Education Research Complete, GreenFILE, PsycARTICLES and SPORTDiscus – have a brand new look and some exciting features ready for the new academic year. One development means that you’ll be able to listen to some journal articles being read aloud through your computer. You’ll even have the option to choose the accent you hear – British, American or Australian! A similar feature is available on Art Full Text.

To listen to an article on any of these databases, simply look for one that is available in HTML Full-Text. Click on the HTML option and look for the Listen option at the top of the article. You’ll need headphones to use this feature in the Library. You can bring your own, or buy them at the Library counter. As ever, if you have any trouble, please ask a librarian for help.

Hospitality law made simple...

If you're a hospitality student looking for a quick and easy information resource to help you make sense of the industry's legislation minefield, then why not try one of our newest databases, Accommodation Know-How. All the industry regulations and guidance you will need are at your fingertips in one easy to use legislation checklist, which includes:

• Health & Safety law
• Marketing law
• Premises and building regulations
• Food hygiene
• Consumer protection
• Disability discrimination
• Working time regulations
• Tax advice and guidance

You can also read all the latest industry news and features, join the discussion forum, or get advice about setting up your own hospitality business. Check out this great resource now from the A-Z list of databases on our library website.