Every year, the University of Stirling invites students to take part in the Jisc Digital Experience Insights Survey—a national initiative designed to understand how you use technology in your studies, how it supports your learning, and what digital skills you’re developing along the way.
This post will concentrate on the feedback we received about the library and library resources, and what we can do to make your experience better.
From First-Year to final thesis: How the library supports your academic success
Whether you’re a new undergraduate, masters or PGR student, the Library is here to help— we offer a wealth of resources, expert guidance, and self-help tools to support your research and writing and to make studying just a little bit easier.
Finding reliable resources for assignments
Research can be daunting, especially when you’re unsure where to begin. It can also be difficult in the beginning to evaluate, manage, curate, and organise your research. That’s where the library steps in. From accessing journal articles and ebooks to navigating databases (Available from our A-Z) and citation tools (RefWorks, Cite Them Rite available from your portal), our services are designed to help you find trustworthy, scholarly materials for your coursework and research projects and help you critically approach information in terms of provenance, relevance, value and credibility.
During the mandatory Library and Canvas Essentials session for new students, our staff outlined how students can use Library Search to locate books, articles, and digital content. They also demonstrated how to use filters to narrow results and access materials in alternative formats for accessibility. During this session they showed how to use all of services provided by the wider Information Services and not just the library.
Explore our digital collections
- A–Z of Resources
Our A-Z of resources covers the databases that you can access. - E-Books
Access thousands of academic journals and e-books anytime, anywhere. Perfect for deep research or quick reference. You can start your searching using LibrarySearch. - On-line Journals
Use LibrarySearch or an individual database for journal articles. If you are interested in the content of a particular journal, or just want to check that we have access to it, you can use LibrarySearch and/or the Journals tab within LibrarySearch.
Get what you need, when you need it
Document Delivery Service & Article Requests
Can’t find a resource? We’ll try to source it for you, whenever possible. Our document delivery and article request services will get content to you as quickly as we can.
Self-Help Tools: Subject guides and UniDesk Self-Service portal
- Library Subject Guides Tailored Library Subject guides for your subject area, packed with recommended resources and tips to help you succeed. These guides help you identify key databases, and strategies relevant to your field.
- RefWorks & CiteThemRight Manage your references with ease and you can try to ensure your citations are accurate. Access this via the Resources tab on your portal.
- UniDesk Self-Service Portal This should become your go-to for reporting issues, requesting software, and accessing FAQs. It’s available 24/7 and is especially useful for troubleshooting or finding quick answers. You can access UniDesk from the left hand navigation on the portal, or via the UniDesk tile on the university app.
Friendly faces at the Information Centre
- Helpful Library staff
Our library team are always ready to assist—whether you need help finding resources or navigating databases plus much more. - Helpful IT staff – If you have any IT questions just visit the IT desk at the Information Centre, they can help with connecting to Wi-Fi, your Canvas enquiries, software and apps for your own devices, the Uni App, Cyber Security, your network account and password, your digital skills, signposting to online training
- Book an appointment with your subject specialist
You can also get one-to-one support from your subject librarian. Perfect for in-depth queries or research advice. email library@stir.ac.uk to ask a question or to book an appointment.
Studying in the library
- Zoning
Our library is Zoned to allow students to pick the type of study environment they prefer. Level 2 (entry level) is zoned for group study and social study. Level 3 is for quiet study and Level 4 is zoned for silent study. - Study Space
Level 2 has a mixture of group study desks with display screens you can connect your device to, height adjustable desks, and docking monitors that you can use your own laptop or borrow one of our laptops.
Level 3 has a mixture of group study desks, and individual study desks with and without PCs. We have an area where you can adjust the lighting outside the Jisc Innovation Suite, if you prefer to study in lower lighting. This floor also has 2 bookable group study rooms
Level 4 is designated for silent study. There are desks with PCs and without and there are also 8 bookable group study rooms, and 2 training rooms. - There is also a policy on campus to allow students to use any space as study space Empty Space = Study Space
As you approach the end of your studies, the Library becomes even more vital. From accessing specialised software via AppsAnywhere, the Library supports your academic and technical needs. If you have picked your topic and you just don’t know where to start with your research, reach out to the library and we can help you to get started.
The library is more than a building – it’s a place for learning, collaboration studying and getting support. Start exploring today and make the most of these incredible resources!