The Business Blog @ Sunderland University Library

uosliboffcampus: Sign up for a library webinar at...

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:31:42 +0100

Sign up for a library webinar at http://tinyurl.com/uls-webinars

Dawsonera E-Books: new features...new blog post

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:57:31 +0100

Dawsonera E-Books: new features...new blog post:

Dawsonera E-Books: new features

There are even more reasons to use e-books now with new features from Dawsonera. The main change I want to point out is the new look e-reader, but first a quick word on what you’ll see if you search within the Dawsonera site:

There are Enhanced Search Results that allow you to refine and it is easier to tell which content is within Sunderland subscriptions (there is a green padlock symbol which denotes this (a purple padlock means that the title is not within our subscription).

Now onto the new online e-reader. It seems a bit more intuitive, with improved navigation using side arrows, and the search and notes features in their own tabs beside the contents menu.

The print and copy buttons have moved to the top right of the e-reader and when you hover over them it indicates how much more you can print or copy (remember this is restricted due to copyright).

Don’t forget, we recommend that you start your search for e-books on the Library Catalogue.

The great thing about using the Library Catalogue is it too enables you to search across all of our providers at once, easily refine your searches and receive results that you can be sure are within our subscription.

If you’ve had a chance to use the new Dawsonera interface, let us know what you think, and if you have any questions about how to use the new features get in touch with us.

New look for some of our e-books...

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:50:25 +0100

If you’ve been using e-books recently you may have noticed that Dawsonera, one of the suppliers of our e-books has a new look and some new features. This week I’ll focus on the great ways you can use the new interface.

Meet the Off-Campus Library Support Team

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:49:44 +0100

Meet the Off-Campus Library Support Team:

Sunderland Uni Library created this quick Tout video.

Resource of the month: Passport (Euromonitor International)

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:53:32 +0100

What is Passport?

Passport is Euromonitor International’s global market analysis database, which analyses the industry in countries around the world.

What types of information does Passport cover?

1) Industry data - multi-country relational database of market and category sizes, market shares, distribution patterns, sales forecasts and other measurements relevant to each sector.

2) Country reports - in-depth analysis reports on both developed and emerging national markets. Each report provides qualitative commentary on sales trends, new product and marketing developments, consumer preferences, national company and brand competition and market strategies, and the views and assumptions underlying national sales forecasts.

3) Global reports assessing the key issues affecting international market performance, with a focus on important developments by product sector and big picture competition strategy.

4) Company profiles - analytical profiles of the top international players in the industry, compiled in a standardised format for cross analysis.

5) Comment - articles and presentations on key themes and discussion topics around the dynamics of the category.

How can I access Passport?

Passport is available both on and off campus. Log in to DISCOVER (with your University ID and password)

click on the A-Z menu at the top left hand side of the screen.

Select the resources tab. This is an alphabetical list of ALL the databases we subscribe to, across ALL subject areas, so you will need to know the name of the database you want to search for. In this example we are going to look at Passport (Euromonitor International).

Whenever you access Passport you are required to accept the terms and conditions (for academic use only). Click on the ‘accept’ button.

Passport covers a wide range of industries, from consumer appliances to travel and tourism, and features global reports, analysis, company profiles, statistics and podcasts. It also contains information on over 220 countries, including population data, consumer trends and statistics on economy, finance and trade.

If you are new to Passport, there are some really useful introductory videos on the ‘help’ page that you should watch before you get started.

Passport is a great source of information, for your academic research and for future employability (to research industries, markets and companies you’d like to work in when you graduate). Passport is also used by many global businesses for their research, so it’s good experience for you to know how to search it…and looks great on your CV too!

Updated powerpoint for distance learning students

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:13:18 +0000

As many business and tourism students study at a distance, either as independent learners, or at partner organisations around the world, I thought you would find this presentation that our Distance Services Librarian, Leanne, has developed.

If you are at all confused about where to start accessing e-resources, then Take a look at this updates presentation which includes audio.

It is also available to download from the Library Web Page.

If you are a distance learner, you should check out all the other useful posts on the Off Campus Blog: http://uosliboffcampus.tumblr.com/

Budget 2013 - highlights of the coverage and analysis

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:32:29 +0000

As you will be aware, if you turned on the TV, listened to the radio, picked up a newspaper or went online, yesterday was Budget day.

Most UK newspapers and news channels publish special budget reports, explaining and analysing the Chancellor’s budget policies. These are a useful resources to help us understand the implications of the budget for the UK economy, tax system, retail sector etc. as well as how we might be affected personally.

Follow these links to some of the analysis and coverage of the 2013 budget:

Off Campus Library Services: How, Where, What? Share your library experience on video

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:39:11 +0000

Off Campus Library Services: How, Where, What? Share your library experience on video:

uosliboffcampus:

Throughout March, library staff have been making short videos (the shortest has been 15 seconds) to tell you about our libraries, where they are based, what we do and how you can you can use our services.

This is an example of one of the video’s we’ve made:

Students all over the world use…

Welcome to Open Education Week!

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 17:04:13 +0000

Open Education Week is taking place from 11-15 March 2013 online and in locally hosted events around the world. The purpose of Open Education Week is to raise awareness of the open education movement and opportunities it creates in teaching and learning worldwide.

We’re big fans of open access learning here on the Business Blog, so here’s a reminder that there’s lots and lots of guides, YouTube clips and online tutorials freely available on the library website here

For example, here’s a short tutorial to help you identify keywords you can use when searching library e-resources.

Search tips tutorial

New features on the Library Catalogue

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:20:48 +0000

uossportsblog:

A couple of new business e-books...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 12:06:24 +0000

Marketing plans for services: a complete guide by M. McDonald et al.

The Financial Times guide to strategy: how to create, pursue and deliver a winning strategy by Richard Koch

University of Sunderland students and staff can access these ebooks with their User ID and password. Click on the links above or visit the Library Catalogue.

Why e-books are great for students...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 11:56:31 +0000

Why e-books are great for students...:

Why e-books are great for students…

Aside from being available to read online 24 hours a day and really easy to use, many of the online e-books have some additional features that are make your life as a student easier. One of my favourites is the ability to make notes on ebooks:

This example is one of our books provided by Dawsonera. The notes tool is on the left menu. You can leave a note on any page.

Next time you log into the e-book you’ll be able to see links to all the pages you’ve made notes - this makes it easy to find information you need again.

Have you used the Notes tool? Tell us what you find useful about e-books.

Logging in to Discover: here's how...

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 09:52:04 +0000

Fascinating Facts about Fairtrade

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:59:00 +0000

It‘s Fairtrade Fortnight (Go Further for Fairtrade, 27 February to 10 March 2013) and the Fairtrade Foundation have announced increased sales in 2012, showing public support for and business interest in Fairtrade goes on expanding and deepening.

The Fairtrade Foundation’s new CEO Michael Gidney says: “Fairtrade sales continue to confound expectation in the midst of the current tough economic climate. The UK public have developed a lasting appetite for food and goods traded on fairer terms with producers, and forward thinking businesses are responding energetically to this by providing a wider range of products.”

Sales of sugar in 2012 grew 35%

Estimated retail sales of Fairtrade products in 2012 reached £1.57 billion, a 19% increase on sales of £1.32 bn in 2011. Cocoa, sugar and bananas have all seen significant growth at respectively 21%, 35% and 15% increase over 2011. Wine, gold and herbs and spices have all grown. Areas that have remained steady include coffee, tea and cotton. Critically, this means a significant increase in Fairtrade Premiums, the extra that producers receive for business or social development, in 2012 compared with 2011.

2012 saw several major initiatives in the chocolate category - Maltesers’ switch to Fairtrade, the introduction of Bubbly by Cadbury Dairy Milk, and the roll-out of the full range of Green & Black’s bars – that have resulted in the impressive growth of 21% in Fairtrade cocoa and also contributed to strong growth in Fairtrade sugar sales. Growth in sugar sales was further boosted by Morrison’s converting all their own label range to Tate &Lyle Fairtrade sugar and Ben & Jerry’s completing the conversion of their full range to Fairtrade. Bananas growth was mainly driven by the Co-operative switching all their bananas to Fairtrade.

Meanwhile, Fairtrade companies like Divine Chocolate, Cafédirect, Traidcraft and Equal Exchange have brought out new products and Fairtrade got another boost during the London 2012 Games when Fairtrade wine, tea, coffee, chocolate, sugar and bananas were served at all Olympic venues.

· People in the UK drank 2 billion cups of Fairtrade coffee, ate 1.3 billion bananas and drank 3.2 billion cups of tea in 2012!

· Britain leads the world on Fairtrade. The Fairtrade system currently works with 1.24 million people - farmers and workers - across more than 66 developing countries

· 78% of people in the UK say that recognise the FAIRTRADE Mark (source: TNS 2012) The FAIRTRADE Mark is the world’s most recognized ethical label, according Globescan research conducted our behalf in 2011.

· 80% of people say it is important to them that companies contribute to poverty reduction and community development, according to Globescan researchconducted our behalf in 2011

· Fairtrade accounts for 10% of all tea sold in the UK , just over 27% of all roast and ground retail coffee is Fairtrade certified and 12% of chocolate confectionery sold in the UK is Fairtrade certified. In the Hot Chocolate category, over 70% of sales are Fairtrade certified.

· Globally, Fairtrade producers received a total of approx 53 million GBP as additional Fairtrade Premium in 2010-11

The Fairtrade Foundation says 2013 is already off to a good start, with more businesses ‘going further for Fairtrade’ like Divine Chocolate launching their Bee Happy range, the Co-operative switching all their roses to Fairtrade, and Kit Kat 2-finger going Fairtrade, nearly trebling the company’s purchases of cocoa and sugar on Fairtrade terms.

The Fairtrade Foundation remains ambitious for the future, and today publishes the Fairtrade Foundation’s new three-year strategy, Unlocking the Power of the Many, to take the UK Fairtrade market beyond £2 billion by 2015. “Together – producers, businesses and the UK public – we hold incredible power to deliver even greater impact and wider change,” he says. “Let’s use it. Let’s unlock that power and change trade for good.”

Read more about the Make Food Fair campaign here

(Source: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/)

The Library Roadshow is coming to Reg Vardy!

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:05:04 +0000

Are you a business, tourism, law or psychology student…or researcher…or academic? Want to find ebooks to help you with your assignments or access academic journal articles and impress your lecturers with your brilliant range of references? Do know your Keynote from your Euromonitor, or your Lexis from your JustCite??

Join us in the Reg Vardy Cafe on Monday 25th Feb, from 10am when your Liaison Librarians will be on hand to help you with this and much more…

Oh…and we’ll be bringing lots of sweets!

Hope to see you then.

Spotlight: Tourism Journals via Discover (and open access)

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 12:02:38 +0000

Students on tourism programmes have access to journals such as Annals of Tourism Research, Tourism Management and Tourist Studies, to name but a few.

These journals and many others are available through DISCOVER. You can either search directly for journal titles in the A-Z list as illustrated below or you can do a keyword search for articles.

When you search the A-Z list for Tourism journals you’ll notice Discover also finds quite a few that are on the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). This means that you can read them online without having to log-in.

Access Discover through the Library Web Page.

Tourist Home
By Jon Matthies
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmatthies/6740115207/

London Campus - meet your business & tourism librarian

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 12:24:36 +0000

Hello, I’m working at our London Campus today and tomorrow. I’m here to welcome students who are registering on their courses this week. The ‘library welcome’ sessions enable you to get off to a good start finding books, e-books, academic journals and specialist information resources for your studies.

In between these sessions, I’ll be ‘hot-desking’ in the London Campus Library (on the 4th floor). Whether you are a new or existing London Campus student, why not come and say ‘hi’ and ask me any library questions you might have. For example:

locate and access ebooks using the Library Catalogue
how to use keywords to find journal articles on DISCOVER
discover whether a journal title is within our online subscriptions
find company reports, financial information, market and sector analysis or news articles
find other ways you can obtain information that isn’t available electronically

Don’t worry if you miss me when I’m in London this week, my contact details are here and you can also email the library at library@sunderland.ac.uk - whatever your question library staff are here to help you.

A warm welcome on a chilly day!

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:16:15 +0000

Hello and welcome to all new business and tourism students starting your studies in the next couple of weeks, either in Sunderland or at our University of Sunderland London Campus.

I’m Becky, your business and tourism librarian. Here are my contact details. Ask me for help with finding business and tourism information for your studies. I look forward to hearing from you!

Look out for more useful information coming your way over the next few weeks. We’ll be tweeting using #librarywelcome so if you’re a Twitter user look out for our tweets

Is your assignment ready to collect? Tips for speedy collection of your work at the library desk

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 10:18:22 +0000

Is your assignment ready to collect? Tips for speedy collection of your work at the library desk:

Collecting assignments or feedback from the library desk can be just as easy as handing in assignments. Here are some tips to help you:

Has your lecturer has told you that your marked assignment is at the library to pick up? Caveat: when a batch of assignments is returned to us, there will be…

All snowed in?

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 10:13:15 +0000

All snowed in?:

This picture of St. Peter’s Campus was tweeted over the weekend, by our off-campus librarian. The scene is much the same all over the UK right now. If snow angels and snow men don’t appeal to you and you’d rather be curled up in the warm with a good book we’ve got a huge selection of e-books you can read right now without leaving the comfort of your home!

Just have a look on the library catalogue to see what’s available in your subject, choose your book, log in and start reading. If you’re new to ebooks have a look at this online video that tells you all you need to get started.