More good news for researchers of business information!

As readers of this blog will know, SMU Library is currently running a free trial for the Key Note business information database until 7th March 2012. We have now also arranged to run a concurrent, free trial for Passport GMID until 8th March 2012.

Passport GMID is a global market information database and analysis tool containing comprehensive data and reports across all industries, countries and consumers.
Subscribers use the system to support a wide range of business functions and research projects:

Industry analysis
Export and market entry strategies
Trend monitoring
Company analysis
Country profiling
Consumer and household profiling
Lifestyle analysis
Modelling and forecasting
General business reference

A Passport GMID subscription includes:
10 million internationally comparable market statistics on industries, countries and consumers.
18,000 full text market reports, company reports and country reports.
Expert analyst comment on emerging industry trends, country trends and consumer trends.
Details of thousands of information sources to aid further research.
Powerful data analysis functions allowing users to customise data for specific needs.

To access Passport GMID, go to the business subject pages on the library website. Click on the Databases tab in the top left corner of the screen and then find Passport GMID in the alphabetical listing.

We currently subscribe to Datamonitor360 for marketing and company information. Why not compare this service to Key Note and Passport GMID? Never has so much business data been available to SMU library users at the mere touch of a button or two ...

A fitting tribute...

On Wednesday 8th February at 5.00pm, the Library at Dynevor was officially re-named 'The Griffith Library at Dynevor,' in memory of Art & Design lecturer Sue Griffith. It was a well attended and fitting celebration / commemoration. If you missed the event, the accompanying exhibition of artwork by women artists will be on display for a little while longer in the Library and main foyer of the Dynevor Centre. We've also got a permanent commemorative plaque next to the Library counter, which includes a lovely quote from Sue about libraries...

Love your SMU Library on Valentine's day!

We are offering SMU students and staff the opportunity to win a lovely box of chocolates in our Valentine's prize draw! All you have to do is 'Like' us on our Library Facebook page, 'Follow' us on our Library Twitter site or join our Library Blog!

You have until 21st February to do so, after which we will pick one lucky winner at random. We will also include in the draw all SMU students and staff who already like, follow or have joined our blog previously.

Lastly, of course by following us via our Facebook, Twitter or Blog pages in the future you will also find out lots more about the library service and resources that we have to offer you! What's not to love about our libraries :-)

Try our new library catalogue!

Take a look at the library website http://apollo.smu.ac.uk/library/index.asp?page=newCat&newCatPage=home as we’re currently trialling the new version of our library catalogue - Prism 3. It includes some new features such as the display of book jackets. Feel free to leave any feedback using the link provided.

Librarian wins folk music awards!

Singer June Tabor, who once worked as a librarian in London, last evening won four prizes at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards at The Lowry theatre in Salford - congratulations June!

For more on this story, see the link to the BBC news website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-16954049

Happy birthday Mr Dickens!

Today is the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens' birth. There will be events held all over the world this year to celebrate the bicentenary. You can find out more on the Dickens 2012 website. Closer to home, though, why not come in to Townhill Library and borrow one of his novels from us? It's a good excuse to re-visit an old favourite, or a chance to find out what all the fuss is about. Claire Tomalin was in the news last week suggesting that Dickens is too challenging for modern children, but that's not the case for us at Swansea Met! The author's depictions of injustice and the inequalities between rich and poor in society are still relevant today. And not just that, but he's a funny guy. Really! There's real comedy to be found amongst the tragedy and that's what makes a Dickens novel such a great read. Come in and try one.

We'd love you to share your favourite Dickens novel with us, so get in touch if you've got any recommendations for other readers. It's got to be Great Expectations for me. "What larks, Pip!"

Congratulations Suzanne!

Hello again! My name is Suzanne Taylor and I’m the subject librarian for Performance & Literature, Counselling & Psychology and Educational Studies. I’m also studying for a MSc (Econ) in Information & Library Studies, via a distance learning course with Aberystwyth University.

After a nail biting couple of months, I’ve received confirmation that I’ve passed my final assignments, equivalent to a Postgraduate Diploma, and am now a qualified Assistant Librarian. It has been lovely to delete ‘trainee’ from my email signature and to have a new sign for the office door!

The coursework has been challenging at times, especially as when I started, I hadn’t written an assignment for more than fifteen years! It’s also made me appreciate just how difficult it can be to balance studying with working full-time and having a life outside work.

Although I could stop now, I’m going to carry on and complete my degree. So, in future, if you see me laden down with books or typing furiously I’ll probably be tackling my dissertation. Wish me luck....only 15,000 words to go.....