Using the library

Welcome to this presentation on making the most of IT at the University of Edinburgh. Now, this presentation has been specifically designed for new distance-learning students to tell you more about the main computing, learning technology, and library services that are available to you during your time at the University. Now, all of the resources that are mentioned in this presentation have their own webpage, and we've pulled together a list of all of the useful topics and links on one single webpage. Now, you can access this by searching the University website for 'Making the Most of IT', by following the URL that you see on screen or by scanning the QR code that you can see on screen just now. We will also include this link and QR code as well as our contact details at the very end of this presentation. The main topics of this presentation include essential systems and software, computing services, library services, developing your digital skills, and how you can access help and support during your time at the University. So let's kick things off with the essential systems and software that you need to know about as a new student. Let's begin with your university card. Now, the University will try their best to post your new student card to your home address before the end of September 2025, if indeed you are starting your studies in September. Your student card allows you to identify yourself as a student, It's useful for accessing online resources. So, for example, it has your library number on the card. And also, you can use your student card to potentially access student deals and discounts. So it might be that there are some local cafes or restaurants in your home country that require student identification to benefit from deals and discounts. So hopefully, your card will come in helpful for that. Next up, let's talk about MyEd. Now, MyEd is the University's main web portal that allows quick and easy access to many systems. Instead of having to access and login to each system directly or individually, you can go through MyEd, which you should have used as part of your onboarding process within the University, to access these services. For example, you can use MyEd to access the virtual learning environments, your Microsoft 365 email and calendar account, library resources, timetable information, financial information and accounts, and student support services. Learn Ultra is the University's main Virtual Learning Environment, also referred to occasionally as a VLE. It is used to access course materials and activities. So these will include things like lecture slides, lecture recordings, discussion boards, blogs, assignments, and assessments. Now, each course should be using Learn, and what you'll generally find is that your instructor or lecturer will explain how they've set the course up and where you can find the resources. Generally speaking, most courses will look relatively similar as templates are used, but you will be using Learn Ultra across the board to access your student resources. Essentials courses can be accessed through Learn Ultra, and you will automatically be enrolled in several of these recommended courses. Now, these are optional, so they are non-credit-bearing courses. They are not mandatory, but they are carefully designed to help support your studies at the University. We have courses including digital skills and safety, research and library skills, exam bootcamp, and a really good course on sustainability. So if you're interested in doing a little bit of extra learning during your time at the University, then look out for our Essentials courses. Anthology Ally is embedded into your Learn Ultra courses and provides accessibility assistance. So with a single click of a button, you are easily able to choose alternative formats for your course content, which can be downloaded. Now, these will include things like ePub, electronic braille, audio, BeeLine Reader, and an immersive reader tool. Analytics are also built into Learn Ultra. Now, these learning analytics gather and analyse data to optimise your experience as a learner and help inform course design here at the University. These analytics let you view your activity, your progress, and your marks, and it can give you a way to help improve your study habits. Lecturers and the University use the data to enhance teaching strategies and to improve course content, which will then hopefully, in turn, improve your student outcomes and experiences. If you want to find out more about Learn's learning analytics, then you can head to the 'Learn for Students' SharePoint site. During your time at the University, you will have access to a wide range of collaboration tools. These are free to use and they are centrally supported by the University, which means if you have any problem using them, you can contact the Information Services helpline, and they should be able to provide assistance. These tools include things like Microsoft Teams, Miro, and Collaborate Ultra, and they're generally used for things like online meeting, teaching, webinars, and for research purposes. The University provides all staff and students with completely free access to Microsoft 365, also known as Office 365 for things like email, calendar, and to provide access to a wide range of web apps. You can access your Microsoft 365 account through MyEd or by visiting office365.ed.ac.uk and logging in with your login name, which should be your student number @ed.ac.uk. As well as being able to make use of these free-to-use online web apps, you can also download the full Microsoft Office desktop package if you prefer to use the desktop versions of these tools. So that will include things like Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The University provides a free download for all students, and this can be installed on up to five different devices completely free of charge. You can search the University website for 'Download Microsoft Office' to find out more about how to go about downloading the Office suite, but you will continue to have access to these desktop applications for your entire time whilst you study at the University and for a period of time after you graduate. Essentially, until you have access removed from your email account, you'll still be able to login and authenticate, and use these desktop apps. Your personalised teaching timetable can also be accessed through your Microsoft 365 account, which can be added to your phone, computer, or other mobile devices. Any changes to your timetable will be automatically updated within your personalised timetable, and you can access this through the calendar app. Alternatively, you can also view your timetable using Timetabler, which is located within the 'Studies' tab of MyEd. It is worth mentioning that timetables are batch updated, so you may find at the beginning of term, you will have your first few weeks' worth of courses populated in your calendar, and then there might be a slight delay before the rest of them are added, but it shouldn't take too long, and once you get into your studies, you should be able to see all of your timetable information within the Office 365 calendar app. Let's now look at the main computing services available to you as a new student. Let's begin with saving your files. Now, the University provides two main storage options for saving your files. You get a space on the University server known as your M Drive, and you get cloud storage through OneDrive, which is available as part of the University's Microsoft 365 account. Your personal University drive, the M Drive, provides you with two gigabytes of storage, and this is backed up by the University on a daily basis. This is particularly useful because if, for example, you were to delete a file, you would be able to contact the Information Services Group's helpline and hopefully retrieve the copy saved the previous day. Now, this isn't a guarantee, but it is likely that the helpline will be able to help you restore the previous day's contents of your M Drive. It is worth mentioning, though, that if you want to access the M Drive, you will need to map this drive to your personal device and connect to the University's network using the University VPN. We'll talk more about that later in this presentation. In addition to the M Drive, you also get access to OneDrive through the University's Microsoft 365 licence. This means that through your personal email account, you will get one terabyte of storage, which is 500 times more than you are given on the University M Drive. The biggest benefit of OneDrive is that you do not need to connect to the University network, you do not need to connect via VPN, and you can access your OneDrive files from any device, anywhere, anytime in the world. It is worth mentioning that OneDrive is a Microsoft Service, and therefore, if something happens with your files or you delete files and you want to try and retrieve them, you will need to contact Microsoft directly. The Information Services helpline won't be able to assist with that. It's always worth mentioning to look to backup your files in more than one place, particularly if they are crucial pieces of coursework. Azure virtual desktop provides remote access to specialist software applications that aren't actually installed on your device. So, for example, if during your studies, you're required to use AutoCAD, Blender, or EndNote, but you don't have a paid subscription or access on your computer, you can basically use these remotely on your device. If you want to find out more about Azure virtual desktop, just search the University website for 'Azure virtual desktop'. The University's lecture recording service is called Media Hopper Replay. Now, over 300 rooms across campus have been set up to record lectures and seminars. Depending on the room setup, recordings may include screen, video, and audio feeds. If your lecturer is using lecture recordings, then they will make you aware before they are recorded, and they'll also make you aware of how to access them once they have been published. It's worth mentioning that lectures are automatically subtitled, however, they may not be 100% accurate. Lecture recordings are particularly useful for revising for exam period and should not be used as a reason to not attend lectures. ELM, the Edinburgh (access to) Language Models, is a free-to-access AI tool that gives you safer, in-house access to the latest generative AI. You can log into the service using your University username and password, and it's worth mentioning that you should always use ELM responsibly and by following the University's guidelines on AI use. Information on ethical concerns and risks, guidance on AI use, and a link to student-focused ELM training sessions can be found at the top of any new chat within ELM. The University's free-to-use virtual private network, or VPN, creates a secure and encrypted off-campus connection between your device and the University network. Now, not only does it do things like hide passwords and provide an additional layer of security on your device, but it also allows you to access some restricted services. For example, if you're looking to access certain University library resources that are hidden behind a paywall, then you'll be required to connect to the University network, and because you're off campus, you'll need to do this using the University's VPN. It is worth mentioning that registration is required before use, and you should never use your same University password for the VPN. Full instructions on how to get registered and set up on your device can be found on the University website. Just simply search for 'VPN'. Now that we've covered the main computing services, I'm going to hand over to one of my colleagues from the library team who's going to run through the main library services available to you as an online, distance-learning student. [Member of Library Team] Welcome to this 'Making the Most of Libraries' introduction to the library resources and services available to students and staff at the University of Edinburgh. You can access the Library's resources and services through the University's MyEd portal, shown here on the left, or via the Library's own website, shown here on the right. These are preferred routes because they simplify access to online materials such as e-journals and e-books. By going via University pages, you will be taken on a login route, ensuring you're recognised as a member of the University of Edinburgh. On the left of this slide is a screenshot of the MyEd portal. When you're in MyEd, you'll find the relevant links are listed under the 'Studies' tab. In MyEd, the first link, 'Library', takes you to DiscoverEd, which is the Library's catalogue and discovery tool, which I'll talk more about shortly. The second link, 'Search and Access Library Resources', takes you to links for frequently used resources, and we'll look at that next. Many courses use the Library's Resource List service to present their reading lists. A resource list may be visible in your Learn course. Look in the 'Content' section, and in there, you should see an entry for library resources. Resource Lists also has its own website, where you can search for resources from any course you might be interested in. DiscoverEd is the Library's catalogue and discovery tool. So, if you want to find out what the Library holds in its collections, you should search DiscoverEd. This slide shows a screenshot of DiscoverEd. At the top right of the screen, there's a link to sign in using your University login. You can use DiscoverEd without signing in first, but by signing in, you will get better access to the online resources provided by the Library. It will also allow you to access and manage your library account, as well as to save searches and links. There may be times when you find you need access to material that the library doesn't hold in an online format, or doesn't hold at all in its collections. But if this happens, we can usually get the material for you. You can request scans from the Library's print holdings. Because of UK copyright laws, the Library can scan for you a maximum of one chapter per book or one journal article per issue, or 10% of the book or journal issue, whichever is greater. You can make scan requests from within the DiscoverEd record for the item you need. Scans from our print holdings are free of charge, and you'll get an email to tell you when the scan is ready to download. At this time, it is not possible to have the Library send a physical book to you in the mail. Two ways that you can request material that we don't already have are either by using our inter-library loan service or by requesting a book via our 'Request a Book' Service. With the inter-library loan service, we can get scans of items from other libraries on your behalf. To use the inter-library loan service, you will need to sign in to DiscoverEd where you'll find a link to the inter-library loan form at the top of the DiscoverEd homepage. After you complete the inter-library loan form, the item will usually be supplied to you within a few days as a scan sent to your University email address. If you're not based in Edinburgh, we cannot supply physical items to you via inter-library loan. Use the 'Request a Book' service to tell us when we do not have a book you require in our collection, and we will try to purchase it for the Library. By default, we will purchase an electronic version of the book. If it's only available in print, then that's the version we will get. But then you can request a scan of a key chapter. If you're based elsewhere in the United Kingdom, check the SCONUL Access scheme to find academic and research libraries located near you. Services available via the SCONUL Access scheme vary between institutions, but at least you could consult their print collections and study in their facilities. Finally, for next steps on brushing up on your information skills or for getting help. In the 'Essentials' section of Learn, there are online courses called LibSmart and LibSmart 2, which you can work through at your own pace. LibSmart 1 helps you think about information to use in an academic environment and how best to find it using the resources available to you here. There's also guidance on good practice and useful tools in the storing and referencing of academic literature. LibSmart 2 is a set of standalone modules on specific types of information resources for business or health, for example, or activities like using digital news or primary sources. Openly bookable training sessions are regularly presented by library staff. They range from making sense of your reading list and good referencing practices to using specialist databases for systematic reviews and the use of generative AI tools. These you can find and book onto using MyEd Events, where you can also book a personal consultation with the academic support librarian for your subject area, who will be happy to help with questions you have about the Library, its resources and services, including, for example, using reference management tools and developing literature search strategies. You can directly contact your academic support librarian to ask for help too. Contact details are on the Library website where you will also find subject guides with advice on library resources in a discipline-specific context. For getting help, you can also use a real-time chat tool called LibChat or contact our EdHelp team. LibChat can be used for any and all library-related questions. You'll see a 'LibChat' button on your webpage when you're searching DiscoverEd or if you go to the 'Library Help' webpage. EdHelp is the other primary source of answers to problems and questions about the Library and IT resources, as well as questions for student finance and student administration. [Andy] Let's now take a look at the digital skills programme. Now, digital skills encompass a wide range of abilities, from basic computer literacy to more advanced competencies such as data analysis, coding, digital communication, and cybersecurity. These skills will enable you to effectively and safely use digital tools and platforms. Now, there are, of course, benefits for academic purposes of improving your digital skills. They help to streamline academic tasks such as research, data analysis, and creating and delivering presentations through the use of various software and online resources. There's also the preparation for life after university. Proficiency in digital skills meets the demands of modern workplaces, enhancing your competitiveness and adaptability in the job market. In order to help you develop your digital skills, the Digital Skills Design and Training Team is here to offer a wide programme of over 150 free-to-attend online webinars, a digital skills framework with over 800 unique resources, information on digital safety and citizenship, a six-month 'Developing your Data Skills' blended learning programme, and free access to over 23,000 courses through LinkedIn Learning. Our Digital Skills Framework brings together all of our digital skills development resources in one handy place. You can use the framework to self-assess your current level of digital capability, plan your development plan, and then access over 800 unique resources based on difficulty level, role, and digital capabilities. In addition to the resources that we offer as a team, the University also provides you with completely free access to LinkedIn Learning, which is the world's largest and leading online learning platform. Now, LinkedIn Learning normally costs around about £30 per month, but you will get completely free access for the entire time that you're a student at the University, and this allows you to access over 23,000 courses and a quarter of a million videos in business, creative, and technical skills. You'll be able to use LinkedIn Learning during your studies and also for a period of time after you graduate. All of the courses on LinkedIn Learning are available in high definition, so HD, multiple languages, they are fully transcribed, and you can search transcripts for videos or the entire course for keywords. They come with exercise files, and you'll also be issued with a certificate of completion once you complete a course. This can then be shared to LinkedIn Learning or downloaded and printed or shared online as a way of verifying your learning. Content can also be downloaded and viewed offline using the LinkedIn Learning mobile app, and the platform can be used to obtain professional certifications or work towards professional certifications from a range of different suppliers. The University has a dedicated information security team that provides advice, training, and support to help keep us safe online. They've provided these five top things to do from the get-go to help keep yourself safe online. First of all, make sure you choose and use unique passwords for each individual account. Rather helpfully, the University provides free access to the premium version of LastPass for password management. So if you're interested in this, just search for LastPass on the University website. If you receive an email that you are not quite sure if it's legit, make sure you read it carefully and avoid clicking on any links that would appear to be suspicious. Also, consider your digital footprint and social media usage. Remember that once you post something online, it's incredibly difficult to get that taken down. And even if it's deleted, it may still resurface sometime in the future. So be sure to treat other people with respect and give careful thought to your digital footprint when you are browsing online content. The Information Security Team also recommend that you install and use an antivirus programme and firewall on your device. Now, most devices nowadays have these installed by default, but it is definitely something that you should consider for your laptop or mobile device. Finally, make sure that you keep your devices and software applications up to date. The final section in this presentation is to do with help and support. If you require any help and support during your time at the University, then EdHelp is your place to go. Simply open up a web browser, search for EdHelp on the University website, and you can use this to help find answers to questions related to IT support, library services, learning and study resources, and finances. If you need further help and support, just remember that you can always find more information about each of the services on the University website. So that brings us to the end of this 'Making the Most of IT' presentation. Hopefully, this has been a useful way for you to learn more about the key services that you'll need to know about as a new online, distance-learning student at the University of Edinburgh. Remember that we have a dedicated 'Making the Most of IT' webpage, where you can find direct links to all of the services mentioned in this presentation and some of the other key services available to students across the University. You can search the University website for 'Making the Most of IT', or you can scan this QR code on screen or follow that short URL there. In addition to this, if you want to find out more about developing your digital skills, then just search the University website for 'Digital Skills and Training', or visit www.ed.ac.uk/is/skills. Finally, if you want any more information about anything covered in this presentation, or to find out more about how you can develop your digital skills or what we have to offer, then simply email is.skills@ed.ac.uk and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. It's also worth mentioning that we have a dedicated Instagram account, so you can find us, @uoedigiskills, if you want to give us a follow. All that's left is for me to wish you all the best during your time as a student at the University of Edinburgh.