Paper is an interesting material. It shares many properties with the wood it is made from, being flexible in thin sheets and strong in compression in bulk. It is this combination of properties that makes paper engineering such a fascinating art and science.

We’ve really enjoyed hosting the paper sculpture and pop-up craft exhibition by Derek (Mac) Mccullough, which is now moving to the Eldon building but you can still enjoy images of the exhibits on the Library website.

We’re bringing back our ever popular referencing drop-ins! We answer referencing questions by email, online chat, face to face at the Library skills drop-in and you can even book appointments to sit down with a a librarian and a long list of referencing questions. Yet, what we’ve found, year in and year out, is that we see more of you when we pop up in another part of the Library than we ever get to come to us.

Whether it is the colourful banner, the smiling librarians in plain view, or the sight of so many other people stopping by to offload their referencing woes and come away feeling better, we’re not sure. What we do know is that you like them, so we’re popping up again next week! Look out for our stand in the Library Atrium from 11 am – 3 pm between 13 – 24 November.

If you are using primary historical sources in your studies, join our Gale primary sources reps at their drop-in running in the Libary Atrium today between 11 am and 3 pm. Jo and Charlotte will be offering tailored advice on finding the best evidence for your research from the extensive and diverse collections of primary sources available.

There are many free downloads for the Google Chrome web browser. Some of the plug-ins and extensions available from the Chrome Web Store render the web easier to read and understand, particularly if you struggle with large blocks of text or distracting side bar images.

Love lists?  Use them to manage your projects.  Add list items, reorder and reprioritise tasks, colour-code, tag, debate, add checklists and move them to other lists.  Group them on boards and link boards together, with entire boards full of sub-project lists. The possibilities are endless… a little like my ‘to do’ list.

Surprisingly few people know that the University Library is also home to the University Archive. From its earliest days as a municipal college of technology, through its polytechnic years, and on to the present day as a leading modern university, the institution that became the University of Portsmouth has been at the heart of the city. Discover our local history, from photographs and architectural plans to course brochures and marketing pamphlets to minute books.

Sometimes your eyes need a break from staring at a screen. Sometimes it’s just nice to listen and learn while you are on the go or doing something else. Sometimes you might want to hear the sound of a librarian chatting about the best resources for your subject and how to get the most from them.

Whatever the reason, the Library is now on SoundCloud, with our Faculty Librarians offering series of micro podcasts, each just a minute or so long but following on from one another to comprehensively cover topics close to your heart, from how to get the most from business reports to how you can switch from expensive subscription streaming services to our free indie movie and documentary streaming service Kanopy and save!