New Books January 2024
The following is a list of new books received by the Library during January. More complete listings for the year can be found on our website’s new books page
Happy LGBTQIA+ History Month!
February is Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Queer, Intersex and Asexual (and all the other strands of sexual and gender diversity) awareness month. I will be posting regularly here on the Library blog about the history of how the understanding of sexual diversity developed since the concept of sexuality was discovered or perhaps invented in the nineteenth century, through the fight to develop greater awareness, tolerance and freedoms for all people throughout the twentieth century and then looking at the state of LGBTQIA+ rights today.
Celebrating LGBTQIA+ artists
I’d like to start this LGBTQIA+ History Month with a focus on some largely forgotten LGBTQIA+ artists. There are several art exhibitions featuring works by LGBTQIA+ artists that you can visit between February and April 2024, including several in London and one in nearby Chichester you could visit, any of which will make for a pleasant day out.
Student led change: the last three years
We were delighted last year to report that a full four years after we first received Customer Service Excellence Standard recognition, our award had been fully reviewed and re-accredited but we have not stood still.
Plug in and play
You have your laptop set up just the way you like it; it’s light and portable, but you crave a full-sized screen and keyboard when you settle in for a proper study session. We hear you! That’s why we bring you the best of all possible worlds with desktop computers you can plug your devices into and enjoy the use of a mouse, full-size keyboard and a monitor so large it had to be made curved for you to be able to see everything from side to side without moving! It’s the best of all possible worlds: the power and customizability of your own device with the luxury of a dedicated, modern desktop setup.
“Sounds beyond music” talk postponed
We regret Dr John Kannenberg’s talk this evening, “Sounds Beyond Music”, has been postponed due to unforeseeable circumstances. John hopes to reschedule his talk shortly.
Children’s literacy volunteering opportunity
Are you considering a career working with children – perhaps as a teacher or learning support worker? Don’t miss the exciting upcoming opportunity to read to local children and the children of our current students during Global Week in March. Read a story to a group of children in the Library and help engage their imaginations in a creative artwork exercise afterwards. You will be able to choose the book you read, and full training and support will be given.
Vending a little joy
Working early or late has some benefits – there’s always space to spread out, it’s quieter, so you can concentrate without distractions, and it’s a good time to wander over to the Library and get stuck into some serious study. Yet, you need to stay hydrated and fed even when you’ve exhausted your snack box and the local coffee shops have closed (or not yet opened). Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered.
Student Led Change – 2024 update
It’s amazing how much we’ve changed since you joined us (unless you’ve just joined us, in which case we are busy changing even as I type this!). We are always keen to hear what our clients think and want, and we are forever watching to spot what you find challenging. Our ongoing Customer Service Excellence Standard recognition shows our ongoing commitment to delivering the best service possible as our staff “go the extra mile” and embed enhancements to your Library experience across the board. So, what’s gotten better?
A helping hand with heavy books
Anyone can injure themselves and find it difficult to carry books around, and while we make as many books available electronically as possible, a few books remain only available in print, while some people prefer to read from printed books, particularly when they study for extended periods. Often, academic books tend to be the sort of heavy book with which you can prop open a door or build a small bunker.
Happily, between our postal loans, wheeled book trolleys, and click and collect service, both our print and electronic books are easily available to everyone.
