Welcome to the Apprentices

Welcome to the new apprentice students who started at ITB today!

We look forward to seeing you in the library over the coming term. You can use the online catalogue to search for library books, journals etc.

As well as text books, the library has a wide variety of fiction books, hobbies and leisure books, biographies etc. Pop in to read the newspaper, book a PC for an hour, learn a language with the audio-visual resources, watch a DVD (with headphones!) or plan a holiday with the travel books.

It's your library. Use it!

Reading Week

It is Reading Week at ITB; a good chance to do some last-minute revision before the exams. This year ITB Library has been rezoned to allow different students to study in the way that best suits them – whether you wish to do group study (in the green zone), individual study (in the orange zone) or study in silence (in the red zone). Find your ideal spot and make use of your library!

You can search for library books, journals etc. on the library catalogue; or use the computers to access past exam papers , Moodle, library subject resources etc. Past exam papers can only be accessed on-campus.

We are open:

• Tues 4^th Jan ..... 9.15am – 8.00pm
• Wed 5^th Jan ..... 9.15am – 8.00pm
• Thurs 6^th Jan ..... 9.15am – 8.00pm
• Fri 7^th Jan ..... 9.15am – 5.00pm

Revision can be a stressful time. Here are a few tips that may help you to prepare:

• Study in a comfortable place; be sure it is warm and bright
• Study a little bit each day
• Look at past exam papers
• Ask a friend to test you on what you have studied
• Include all your subjects, even the ones you don’t like so much
• Find time for exercise and relaxation each day

And most important of all: stay positive!

The big snow... of January 1814

Our recent weather is not unprecedented in Dublin 15. Infact Fingal Archives record a letter from 1814 when Thomas Rogers, an overseer trying to clear the roads of snow, beseeched Edward Hardiman, a member of the Board, to send him some assistance.

19th January 1814

Sir,
This day there were 104 soldiers 4 officers and 8 non-commissioned [men] sent to the road to assist in clearing away the snow. They came between Twelve o’clock and evening, which together with the men I had employed, made Four hundred and Twenty-one men. I am as far as the Corner of Santry wall and this day cut through nine feet deep of snow sixteen feet wide and had to cast it over the hedges-and what to do at Santry I know not it surpasses anything you could think of almost higher than the wall in places. I must employ carts to carry a part of it away the other end of the road is clear for coaches to Cloghran but when I will have done I can’t inform you but you may rest assured that as for Economy or diligence I can do no more than I am doing night and day – there was snow yesterday and last night…its extremely hard to clear it away now occasioned by the trampling of men & cattle…and the carts
and the carriages going on it harden it so that it requires pickaxes to raise that part of it when we come to it…The cost will be great – am in much need of money, beg to hear from you,

your obedient servant,

Thomas Rogers.

Find this, and other wonderful historical records from our locality, in the Fingal Archives and Local History Library!

Holiday reading

Christmas is coming and even the most diligent student needs a break over the holidays! So, why not borrow a good book from the library?

We have some great biographies, from Bob Dylan to Brian O’Driscoll, from Mary Robinson to Robert deNiro, from Bill Cullen to Andy Warhol, and many more.

Or start your new resolutions early, maybe yoga or digitial photography , kayaking...

Or choose from hundreds of fiction books including thrillers, modern classics, who-dunnits, cyber-themed, sci-fi and lots of others besides!

Showcasing ITB students

Congradulations to the Creative Digital Media students who held a showcase of their work yesterday evening.

If you missed the event you can see some of their work here!

The Library on Moodle

Between assignments and exam preparation December is a busy time for most ITB students! If you need a hand getting started, check out the new library page on Moodle.

It is divided into subject resources and information literacy resources. The subject resources include relevant class numbers, books, print journals, online journals and other online resources. The information literacy resources are study guides, referencing guides etc.

These resources are created with you in mind - so we would love to hear your suggestions for additional websites, gateways or other resources.
Let us know at: aine.lynch@itb.ie

Snow access

As #snowmageddon descends on us, some of you may not make it into college. Here are some useful tips for snowed-in students!

Renew your books from home:

• Go to the library catalogue: http://blanchlib.itb.ie
• Click on View Your Patron Record
• In the three boxes, enter your name, your student number and your PIN (if you don't know your PIN, see below)
  
• Click on Items Currently on Loan
• Select the books you wish to renew by ticking the appropriate box
• Click on Renew Selected Items
• Note the new due dates

*NB: books can only be renewed twice. Books that are late cannot be renewed and books that have been reserved cannot be renewed.


Set your library PIN:
A library PIN is a Personal Identification Number or Password. If you do not have a PIN in your account you can set it as follows:

• Go to the library catalogue: http://blanchlib.itb.ie
• Click on View Your Patron Record
• In the first two boxes, enter your name and your student number
• Leave the third box blank and click Submit
• You will be prompted to create a PIN; enter it twice (and make sure it is something you will remember!)

*NB: if you have trouble creating a PIN it may be because you already have a PIN in your account since last year. If so, email aine.lynch@itb.ie with specific details of the problem


Accessing the databases from home

• Go to the library catalogue: http://blanchlib.itb.ie
• Click on Databases and Other Resources
• Click on Browse Online Databases
• Click on ITB Library Databases
• On the top right-hand side of the page, click on off-campus
• You will be brought to a similiar page
• Click on the name of the database you wish to use
• Enter your name, student number and PIN to proceed