UHI Library Blog

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Search smarter with Lean Library

02/18/2025

Kasia Szostak

Streamline your access to academic resources & get a chance to win an llama plushie!

The UHI Library team is giving away five cuddly llamas 🦙 🦙 🦙 🦙 🦙 to students who try out the Lean Library browser extension and share their feedback.

What's Lean Library?

Lean Library is a browser extension integrated with UHI library resources to make it easier to access articles, journals and databases, particularly when you are studying off campus.

Top 5 benefits of the Lean Library:

Gives you instant access to UHI library resources

Displays results from UHI Library & JSTOR alongside Google Scholar results

Finds free & legal Open Access alternatives

Before you buy that book on Amazon, Lean Library checks if an eBook version is available through the library, saving you time and money

Provides easy access to library help & guidance when you need it

What other students are saying?

“Over the last few days, I have done a ridiculous amount of research. It has made opening the research articles so much easier and I haven't had to sign in to individual websites or spend time finding the university in dropdown lists that it's always at the bottom of. It tells me immediately when UHI has access (or doesn't) so I am not wasting time with abstracts to articles I can't access.”

“Makes searching for articles so much easier! And when I search in Google Scholar it let's me see results from the UHI library search as well as quick links to the content I have access to!”

How to Enter:

1. Install the Lean Library browser extension: Download Lean Library

2. Check out our Lean Library guide to discover all its features: Library Extension - your own research assistant

3. Take our quick quiz and share your experience Lean Library Challange

Competition closes March 31st, 2025. Open to current UHI students only. Five winners will be randomly selected and notified via their UHI email.

Good luck! 🍀

Online Resources, Research , Academic journals

Subjects

Engineering

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Aircraft Engineering

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Civil engineering

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Electrical Engineering

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Energy Engineering

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Online Resources

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Research

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Academic journals

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By Month

February 2025

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January 2025

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November 2024

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Recent Posts

Search smarter with Lean Library

Streamline your access to academic resources & get a chance to win an llama plushie! The UHI Library team is giving away five cuddly llamas 🦙 🦙 🦙 🦙 🦙 to students who try out the Lean Library browser extension and share their feedback. What's Lean Library?Lean Library is a browser extension integrated with UHI library resources to make it easier to access articles, journals and databases, particularly when you are studying off campus. Top 5 benefits of the Lean Library: Gives you instant access to UHI library resources Displays results from UHI Library & JSTOR alongside Google Scholar results Finds free & legal Open Access alternatives Before you buy that book on Amazon, Lean Library checks if an eBook version is available through the library, saving you time and money Provides easy access to library help & guidance when you need it What other students are saying?“Over the last few days, I have done a ridiculous amount of research. It has made opening the research articles so much easier and I haven't had to sign in to individual websites or spend time finding the university in dropdown lists that it's always at the bottom of. It tells me immediately when UHI has access (or doesn't) so I am not wasting time with abstracts to articles I can't access.”“Makes searching for articles so much easier! And when I search in Google Scholar it let's me see results from the UHI library search as well as quick links to the content I have access to!” How to Enter:1. Install the Lean Library browser extension: Download Lean Library2. Check out our Lean Library guide to discover all its features: Library Extension - your own research assistant3. Take our quick quiz and share your experience Lean Library ChallangeCompetition closes March 31st, 2025. Open to current UHI students only. Five winners will be randomly selected and notified via their UHI email.Good luck! 🍀...

Library Resource of the Month: Knovel

Whether you're studying to become a chemical, civil, construction, or mechanical engineer, Knovel provides access to the same resources and tools used by professionals to solve engineering problems. Or if you're like me, maybe you just want to design a bike (check out this Knovel video) I’m tempted to try it —perhaps I’ll even add a built-in book rack to mine! With UHI Library's subscription to Knovel, you have access to:Comprehensive resourceFull-text handbooks, manuals, conference proceedings, case studies and much more.Essential Engineering Tools:Material Property Search, Interactive Grapghs, Property Table Data, Equations with worked examples, Periodic Table, and even a Unit Conventer (perfect for converting your caffeine intake from cups to litres during those late-night study sessions!).Create your personal Knovel account with your UHI credentials to unlock even more features:Print & download content for offline use Save & organise your favourite titles, search queries, and content you need to access frequently to complete projects.Create shared folders to collaborate with other Knovel users on.Add notes & highlights to contentAccess a customisable engineering newsfeed that focuses on topics relevant to your field.Getting startedLogin using this link: Knovel Engineering Technical Reference and Analytics ToolsCollection of authoritative full-text Science, Engineering and Technology references, containing over 1,000 resources from more than 40 international publishers and learned societies. Includes a selection of interactive data analysis tools together with an engineering specific search engine. Register for an account and unlock your full engineering potential!Watch this quick start video or download the Knovel Quick Start guide. Explore all the tools and how to use them: Knovel Tutorial Videos. Good luck with your engineering projects! Let us know what you're designing in the comments below—whether it’s a ground breaking structure or just a better bike than mine! ...

UHI Library FAQs part one: Talis Resource Lists

Get the Most Out of Talis Reading Lists Talis Module Resource Lists provide university students with easy access to the resources they need for their courses. Here's a quick overview of the key features and how to make the most of this helpful platform:Finding Your Reading Lists Accessing your reading lists is simple - just search for the module title or code on the Talis website. Accessing Resources One of the best things about Talis is how it seamlessly integrates both physical and digital resources. You can quickly see which books are available in the library, and you'll find direct links to access any online materials like eBooks, journal articles, and websites. Creating a User Profile By creating a free Talis user profile with your UHI email, you'll unlock additional features like the ability to: Add personal notes to any list item Set reading intentions (e.g. "will read," "reading now," "have read") Save lists for easy future access To create a profile, go to Talis Resorce Lists and log in with your student email and password. When you log in for the first time, select "Create User Profile" and follow the on-screen instructions. Once you've completed the form, set your profile to "Private" and save the changes. Features:Table of Contents The table of contents feature makes easy to navigate long reading lists. You can quickly jump to specific sections, like the resources for a particular week. Filtering Lists Talis offers various filtering options to customise your view. For example, if you're studying off-campus, you can choose to only see resources that are available online. You can also filter the list to show the items you've marked with specific reading intentions or the ones you've added personal notes to. Exporting Lists Need to download or share your reading list? Talis allows you to export it in various formats like PDF and Word. Reporting IssuesIf you ever come across a broken link or other problem with a resource, you can report it directly from the Talis platform. You can report anonymously but if you leave your contact details, we’ll let you know when the issue is fixed, and you can access the resource again! Take advantage of Talis features to stay organised, access materials efficiently, and get the most out of your studies....

Welcome to UHI Library

Shh... We're Blogging! 😊 A warm welcome from the UHI Library staff! Whether you're just joining the UHI or returning for another year, we hope our new blog will help you get to know your library a little better. To get you started, here are some tips and information to help you find resources for your studies and discover our services: Finding Your Library Each UHI library is unique, from Shetland to Argyll, the Hebrides to Elgin, and Oban to Perth. Wherever you are, you can access a range of resources and library support. Visit our Local Library Guide to find information about each UHI library, including opening hours and contact details. Joining the Library and Checking Out Books Once you're enrolled in your course, you're ready to use the library services: Go to Library Search Click the "Sign In" button in the top right corner Access your account using your student number and password In your account, you can: View and renew borrowed items Review your borrowing history (enable this feature in your profile) Create lists to organise your reading Use the search box to find books, eBooks, journals, and articles. Access online resources directly from the search page by clicking "View Full Text" or "View eBook" buttons. To borrow a print copy, click "Place Hold" to reserve it for pickup at your local library. Distance learning students can also request a Postal Loan. To learn more about finding resources using Library Search, watch our short video here. Visit our LibGuides homepage and choose your topic to: Learn how to find books and journals Access resources online View short videos on using library systems and resources Explore subject guides highlighting resources in your area of study Need to Chat with Us? No problem – you can ask us anything! During term time, from 9 am to 5 pm, our friendly librarians from all UHI libraries are happy to answer your questions via our LiveChatservice. This means you'll benefit from the collective expertise of librarians across the entire UHI library team!!! Last year, we answered over 1,000 questions throughLiveChat, and our users seem to love it! Here are some comments from students who used this service: "As always brilliant support from lib chat - a happy customer" "Quick and easy to use." "Really good way to get things resolved promptly." Outside of our operating hours you can submit a question using a quick form, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Have a great year, and don't forget to subscribe to stay in the loop with all our blog updates. We'll be sharing everything from hidden library treasures to pro tips on researching, new features, databases, and all things library-related! ...