All Cambridge University Libraries courses

Need to find scientific literature and resources for your Part II dissertation or project? We've got you covered.

In this session, we will introduce you to breaking down your research question, developing your keywords or vocabulary for what you want to search for, before putting it all together using tried and tested techniques to get the best results quickly. We'll show you where to find relevant and reliable resources, how to navigate pesky paywalls and even how to hack Google...legally of course!

If you can't make our live sessions, everything we talk about (and a little bit more) is covered in our self-guided online course.

Want something a bit more advanced? Check out our Going further with your literature searching for your Biological Sciences dissertation or project workshop which will show more detailed searching, demonstrate how the reference manager Zotero can help you at Part II, as well as leaving lots of time for questions and troubleshooting.

This session discusses the benefits and challenges of maintaining an online presence as a researcher. Part of two sessions on this topic, this first session looks at setting up your academic persona and using academic platforms. Starting with exploring what comes up through a quick Google search all the way through to maintaining profiles on academic sites, we will look at the pros and cons of online engagement. This will include tools such as ORCID, and networking sites such as academia.edu and ResearchGate.

Participants should expect to have the opportunity to critically evaluate the various options presented in this session with the overall aim of being better informed when deciding where to invest their time and efforts when building an academic presence online.

This session discusses the benefits and challenges of maintaining an online presence as a researcher. Part of two sessions on this topic, this second session looks at using social media as a researcher. We will look at the practicalities and pros and cons of online engagement through tools such as Twitter/X, Mastodon, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Participants should expect to have the opportunity to critically evaluate the various options presented in this session with the overall aim of being better informed when deciding where to invest their time and efforts when building an academic presence online.

Using a reference manager is one of the best ways to look after crucial research literature, whether planning for a literature review or simply keeping track of developments in a particular discipline. This session will introduce Zotero, an open source reference manager tool.

Using live demonstrations, discussions, and troubleshooting common referencing issues, the session will give an in-depth look at how Zotero (and tools like it) can help maximise a research project workflow while also ensuring that critical resources and information are not lost at any point in the research process.

This short interactive module introduces you to Cambridge University Libraries and explains how to find resources for your subject. This module has a focus on the Biological Sciences strand of the Natural Sciences Tripos, and is suitable for anyone who is new to Cambridge.

You own your own research right? Well it depends...

This session will explore the sometimes complicated world of copyright and what can happen when publishing work through formal routes such as journals or through more informal routes such as pre-print servers. The session will also introduce concepts such as third party copyright and rights retention, as well as how licensing tools such as Creative Commons can be used to not only help maximise the reach of research but also navigating reusing other people's work.

In November 2021 UNESCO announced a Recommendation on Open Science to be adopted by member states. The Recommendation aims to define shared values and principles for open research and outline proposals to help facilitate the dissemination of research results to a wide audience.

As part of our Research Roundup series we will be holding a virtual brown bag lunchtime discussion on the Recommendation and what it could mean for local practice at Cambridge. Join us via Teams for an informal exploration of the Recommendation and share your thoughts with colleagues.

If you have any specific questions or areas you would like to discuss in the session please email Claire Sewell (ces43@cam.ac.uk) prior to the session.

Resources: UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science. You may also like to watch this webinar recording of a session on recommended actions for publishers to take regarding the Recommendation.

Most people have online profiles and, as a researchers, your online presence offers many rich opportunities. It is helpful to be aware of tools and tips that can help you boost your visibility online, as well as common mistakes to avoid.

In this course, you will:

• begin to develop your online research profile by making yourself visible to others in a way(s) that suits you.
• learn what an ORCID is and how to obtain one.
• learn what your Symplectic Elements account is for and begin to make it work for you
• review your current visibility and consider the next steps

You will receive the URL for the course in the confirmation email after booking.

Narrative CVs provide space for candidates to elaborate on their contributions to the research community that go beyond traditional outputs such as publications. The hope is that, by encouraging candidates to provide evidence for, and selection panels to consider, qualities that promote good research cultures, such as open research practice, we will start to select candidates who demonstrate this in addition to their traditional research contributions. What does this mean for researchers at Cambridge? This session will introduce some of the current formats of narrative CVs being used or considered by funding bodies in the UK and Europe and the implications for researchers, and recruiters and selectors of researchers who might use them. Since the format is still very much under development in the sector, the session will provide an opportunity for participants to discuss and feed back on what they see as the benefits and challenges of narrative CVs. The workshop leaders will feed the outcome of this session into relevant discussions happening nationally around the development and adoption of narrative CVs.

From fair dealing to sharing your research online it seems that nothing with copyright is ever simple. There are few black and white rules about copyright but there can be serious consequences for getting things wrong! This session will cover the basics of UK copyright law and how these impact researchers such as dealing with third party materials, seeking permissions and how to manage risk.

Please note: This session will be offered, either online or in person, in Michaelmas, Lent and Easter terms.

Copyright law is a complex field with direct relevance for researchers who need to protect their own intellectual work and use work written by others, and most importantly must avoid accidentally infringing copyright. This course provides you with basic knowledge you can apply to your research practice.

The course covers:

• fundamentals of copyright and why it’s important
• what to do if you want to use someone else’s work
• how to protect and share your own work
• how licenses can be used to make it easier to reuse works

You will receive the URL for the course in the confirmation email after booking.

"Copyright, Plagiarism, and all that jazz" is an introduction to real world music copyright. Music copyright can be complex and confusing, but by the end of this course, you will have a better idea of its benefits, and what copyright can do for you as a musician, as well as a clearer idea of what you can and can't do with regard to music copyright. The course deals primarily with sheet music, but also looks briefly at rights in audio and visual material, and copyright infringement's close cousin plagiarism. Looking at day to day problems, all of which have arisen at the UL, the session lasts for about an hour.

We also look at HEPML, a game changer for staff and students in what it allows you to copy and use. It provides a musical equivalent to the CLA licence; but what difference does it really make? And how do you use it? Come along to find out more.

This session will help researchers explore academic literature through discussing key skills such as critical evaluation, structural reading, effective note-taking, and getting started with writing.

Ever wondered what lies behind the scenes of the Music Department at the UL? Following a quick tour of the open stacks, Music Department staff will take you to delve into the odd architecture of South Court, say hello to our elephants, meet some of our rarest and tiniest books, and discover why music librarians sometimes need to be good detectives. There’ll also be a guide to finding music, for those who haven’t used our card catalogues before.

This session is designed for anyone who would like to learn more about how to read academic literature. This hour long workshop explores reading techniques, article structures and productive reading, while also providing techniques you can use to tackle your weekly readings.

Learning critical reading skills is a useful way to make better notes from what you have read and can help you to organise and plan what you read. This session will help you to put these skills to good use and become more confident at reading academic literature.

• Nervous or intimidated about visiting the UL for the first time?
• Don’t know where to begin with a Literature search?
• Want to discuss your Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan?

Book a buddy!

Email disability@cam.ac.uk to arrange a session. Tell us what you need help with and we’ll match you with a member of library staff who can show you what you need to know, whether it’s searching the catalogue, using Electronic Legal Deposit, finding open shelf books or something else entirely.

When we asked Master's students what aspect of Cambridge University Libraries they would they have benefited from additional training on, the tips and tricks for using iDiscover (Cambridge’s online catalogue) came out as number one.

This event is aimed at giving new Master’s students some of the tools they need to get the most out of Cambridge University Libraries before starting their courses.

In the first part of this session (around 20 minutes) staff from the University Library’s reference department will give a general introduction to iDiscover, demonstrate some little-known features and give some tips on effective search strategies.

Following on from this there will be some shorter talks from subject specialists in other University Library departments offering advice on working with Rare Books, Music titles, Maps and iDiscover and foreign languages.

Part of the session will be dedicated to answering questions from participants.

The presentations may be recorded to be made available at a later date, but this recording will only include footage of library staff. No video of student participants or their questions will be retained.

Cambridge University Library's Reader Services team are here to help! Book a video or voice call with one of our experienced team members and we can help you to get the most out of our services. These are sessions with staff from the Reader Services team which can be tailored to your needs, whether it's help finding your books or help with a literature search. We'll tell you about how the Library is enabling learning while keeping you safe through the UL's Click and Collect, Scan and Deliver and Book-a-visit services, as well as give you tips on finding resources through iDiscover and on how to access online resources.

When you have booked please email reference@lib.cam.ac.uk with any specific queries you would like to ask, this will help us assign your call to an appropriate member of our team. We will contact you to arrange a call using Microsoft TEAMS.

If you would prefer another date and/or time, please let us know and we can arrange this for you.

The Map Department contains some 1,100,000 maps, both British and foreign, several thousand atlases and other material. This session, based in the Map Room, is designed to give an overview of holdings and guidelines for accessing and using them.

A guided tour through the open stacks and Anderson Room (Music Reading Room) at the University Library. This will provide an overview of the wealth of music materials held here, and how to find them.

• Nervous or intimidated about visiting the UL for the first time?
• Don’t know where to begin with a Literature search?
• Can never find the books you need on the open shelves?
• Want to learn what extra support the UL can offer?

Book a buddy!

Email disability@cam.ac.uk to arrange a session. Tell us what you need help with and we’ll match you with a member of library staff who can show you what you need to know, whether it’s searching the catalogue, using Electronic Legal Deposit, finding open shelf books or something else entirely. You are welcome to attend by yourself or alongside the student that you assist.

The University Library is operating differently during these unprecedented times, but your Reader Services team are still here to assist you. Whether you need specific help, or just want a rundown of our latest services, book a video call with a member of the team today!

Calls are available Monday to Friday from 10.30 - 12.30 and 14.00 - 16.00

To book a call, please email reference@lib.cam.ac.uk with the following information

• Preferred date and time
• A brief description of what you would like to talk about

The University Library holds over 9 million physical items and provides access to millions of online resources. In this session an experienced member of UL staff will show you the basics to get you started.

The tour will include:

• A brief introduction to iDiscover - your main tool for locating resources in the UL and other University of Cambridge Libraries
• A tour of the physical spaces including the Main Reading Room and Open bookstacks
• Demonstrations of how to locate the physical items you need and brief explanations of Electronic Legal Deposit and E-Resource access
• We'll show you where the important things are such as toilets, Tea Room, and comfortable areas to work
• We'll answer any questions you may have
• We'll make sure that by the end of the tour you will know where to go to find help

• Are you a new undergrad who is intimidated by the thought of entering the UL?
• Are you a second or third year who has never set foot in the UL and is embarrassed to admit that you don't know what you're doing?
• Have you been struggling on your own and just need a few tips and tricks to get what you need?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions then this tour is for you!

Finding the UL intimidating and confusing is perfectly normal. It is also normal for undergraduates to only use the UL for the first time in their third year, so you are definitely not alone!

On this tour a friendly member of our Reader Services team will show you around, explain the UL's unique way of shelving books, explain what Electronic Legal Deposit is and answer any questions you may have. Most importantly we will show you where to go if you find you need help.

Don't suffer in silence! Help is here!

The University of Cambridge has over 100 libraries, with the UL alone housing over 9 million items, and this doesn't include the plethora of electronic items available on and off campus.

If you are feeling overwhelmed and aren't really sure how to search for and access the items on your reading list then this session is for you!

We will cover

• Understanding a reference
• Understanding what kind of material is available , both physical and electronic, and how to access them
• A guided tour of some of our search platforms including iDiscover and the A-Z database index
• A few tips on searching beyond your reading list

The course will be led by members of the University Library's Reference Team who will provide friendly instruction and who will be able to answer any questions you may have.