Edgewood Campus (Edminson Library)

 

                                                                 By Desmond Beharilal

                     The above structure is in the park at the entrance to Edgewood Campus.

My first day of deployment to the Edgewood Campus in April 2014 resulted in a scenic drive from Durban to Pietermaritzburg as I missed the onramp to Richmond Road from the N3 freeway. Since then, my daily drive to the Edminson Library (Edgewood Campus) is very often full of surprises. The approximately 34 km drive was never something I had admired or enjoyed over the past years as my mind was preoccupied with thoughts of my previous routes to work, especially the Westville Campus Library where I was employed for about 27 years.

Most library staff, especially at the Circulation Desk, are asked at least once in their career for directions to the library they work in. Edgewood Campus is located just off the N3 freeway, which makes it one of the most easily accessible campuses amongst the five UKZN Campuses. While the N3 freeway is noted for traffic congestion and speeding drivers, my little car chugs along n the slow lane  so to simply enjoy my drive to work. I do enjoy the different and changing daily sights like expensive vehicles broken down on the side of the road, large abnormal loads being transported, and I also enjoy the scent of my journey to work, such as the smell of burning tyres coming off large trucks, the smell of oil from smoky car engines and the scent of various industries, especially the bakery near the Edgewood Campus. Most days when there is a slight breeze, the library is filled with the scent of freshly baked vanilla flavoured biscuits or cakes.

Unfortunately, the parking area is a distance from the library and very inconvenient, especially if one needs to deliver or collect goods, but the walk to the library is equally as exciting as the drive. Bubbly students expressing themselves about various issues including their journeys to campus, couples snuggling in some places, and oh that delicious smell from the nearby bakery.

Amongst all these experiences, there is still a sense of peace and quietness. I was once in the middle of a student protest whereby security personnel and various police officers were having violent interactions with some protesting students. To ensure my safety, I walked towards a plantation of trees only to realise that I was entering a little park that resembles the famous Japanese Gardens in Durban.

I sat on a rock in the park and faced a structure that I had seen for the first time in the five years of being employed in the Edminson Library. My initial thought was to avoid the violence and seek refuge near this structure, which was constructed by fine arts students many years ago in conjunction with a NGO to promote peace amongst all students and staff at Edgewood Campus.

Over the years of working in the library, I was very skeptical about reading stories of people having weird experiences after they are afraid or stressed or even just listening to descriptive nightmares. As I sat waiting for calmness to prevail, my thoughts also wondered weirdly, what will the buildings look like if they were burnt, what injuries would anyone suffer, either broken legs or hands, etc. I was very focused on the structure in front of me yet at the same time hoping that I would not be seen in this park. The protest situation was taking rather a long time to calm down as the students, security, or policemen ran from one spot to the next. I thought about flying insects like butterflies and locusts, etc.

 After about an hour of waiting, I sensed some calmness around so I decided to return to the library. As I got off the rock, I saw a group of security personnel heading towards me so I decided to lie on the ground to avoid being seen. I placed my hands at the edge of the structure as though I was praying or worshipping God, raised my head to get a better view of the group of security staff and then a sudden thought crossed my mind as they looked in my direction, the chorus of a  song I remembered when I was much younger,” It’s just an illusion…funk…it up”.

 As I looked at the structure, (in the picture above), I realized that my thoughts were synchronized with the image of the structure which resembled a battlefield with buildings destroyed and injured people with missing limbs lying around, a voice in the distance calling for peace and unity. I stood up at the structure and felt like a Superhero who survived a brutal war as I looked down upon my soldiers who lay wounded on the battlefield and thought that those cowards who escaped will never be as strong again. As reality began to set in, I asked myself how much more time do I have left, as the battle rages I need more defense, so I needed to hurry back to the library. Before the illusion faded, I decided to take a photo of my place of refuge or illusion-creating sanctuary and return to work.

There is a collection of books in the Edminson library that are available for students to prepare lessons for Junior phase teacher training. Some of these books make one recall one’s childhood days when educators read books to us or forced us to read books so that we could enjoy stretching our imaginations to explore places and characters in such stories. Some of us progressed with such imaginations, either excelling in the technical or academic fields of our choice while others remain in their imaginative worlds waiting for a return ticket to reality. Those educators were some of my Superheroes.Thirty-four kilometres may not seem far with some modern vehicles as compared to the older slower vehicles which make such a trip seems to take a lifetime of driving to such destinationsay you all enjoy the journey to your destinations to work , home or just a place of peace.

 

Your academic journey through e-books

By Jillian Viljoen

As you are aware, technological advancement and increased access to information has improved exponentially globally. You simply go online and search and Voila! … What you are looking for appears on your screen wherever you are. The UKZN library endeavours to keep abreast of these technological trends and has increased the e-book collection. You can access these books remotely 24/7 by following the guide at https://libguides.ukzn.ac.za/c.php?g=1043478&p=7643366.

Let’s look at e-books addressing academic life. Academic life can be challenging and we need assistance to cope with these challenges in order to succeed. The library e-books can assist with this.

As an undergraduate student:

• When first entering University life, how will you cope with the unknowns? A survival guide for academic life is available.
• Stress and anxiety is common in academia. It is normal to feel overwhelmed with the demands of deadlines, assignments, exams, etc. Coping skills and stress management is possible.
• The correct format of assignment writing is important. There are resources available to assist with this.
• Study skills are a vital part of academic life.
• Becoming a critical thinker is equally important.

Once you have completed your undergraduate qualification, what happens next? Do you decide to find employment or pursue postgraduate studies?

If you pursue postgraduate studies:

• 
  No matter which field you specialise in, an understanding of research methodology is important.
  The basic fundamentals remain the same and are applied to your particular research. There are many resources to assist with this.
• As an international student pursuing a Masters qualification, there is assistance for you as well. All researchers are accommodated, no matter who they are or where they come from.
• Mastering your PhD is no easy feat, and the pursuit of a postdoctoral qualification is to be equally commended.
• If you need to do presentations at conferences, we got you covered.

 The e-book collection covers many topics. Assistance in academic life is just one of many subject areas

and disciplines covered in this ever growing collection.

 If you are looking for books which are:    

• Accessible anytime, anywhere,
• Multidisciplinary,
• Accessible at no extra cost via the Global Protect Client access, and
• Selected specifically to meet your research needs,

 Look no further than the UKZN library e-book collection.

This is one of the many library gateways to your academic success.

The benefits of using the library electronic resources

 

                                                                     By Jillian Viljoen

How often do you browse the internet? Do you usually find what you are looking for? Google has made access to information so simple and convenient. All you need is data and you’re good to go.

When conducting research at the University, where do you source your information from? Do you know what tools to use to effectively search for information? The library offers trainings on accessing and the use of the electronic resources. This training is advertised on the University notices and subject librarians are available to provide you with the necessary skills to utilize the electronic resources effectively.

 What are electronic resources?

Electronic resources are materials in digital format which are accessed electronically or online. Some examples are e-books or e-journals.

 What are the benefits of using these electronic resources?

• 
  Multi-user access means that more than one person can access the resources at a time, unlike print material where the number of copies are limited.
• The speed at which you gain access to information is almost instantaneous. You type in your search terms and you get an immediate result.
• The functionality of the electronic resources allows you to browse and search for relevant information in various ways and on different platforms. You can search on the library catalogue or on the databases.
• The content includes different formats, for example, e-books, videos, articles, etc. This allows you to explore various formats related to your search.
•  You are able to access these resources 24/7 on any mobile device so you have access to them wherever you are.
• They save space as, once you have completed using them, you simply exit and do not have to store them as you would a print format. You can print or download in many instances.
• Access to electronic resources is convenient. You choose when and how to access them.
•   You save time and money because you have access to the content without having to travel to a physical library building. You also find what you are looking for almost immediately. Your search result list is comprehensive.

 With all these benefits, does it not make sense to learn the necessary skills to access the electronic resources which are freely and readily available to you? You can also access these electronic resources freely, without using your data, by installing Global Protect Client.

 Contact a subject librarian today, to find out how you can access and use these resources.

 

Library Trivia

 

                                                                     By Jillian Viljoen

Are you familiar with the board game Monopoly? The money is fake but isn’t is great being a real estate tycoon, even if it’s only a game.

 How about the game “Clue” with all those interesting characters just waiting to commit a fictional murder? The whodunit aspect of the game is interesting as it tests your sleuthing skills to reveal what happened. And who doesn’t like trying to solve an intriguing fictional murder mystery once in a while?

Trivial Pursuit is a challenging board game with various categories which test your general knowledge and teach you some interesting facts which you may not have been aware of. Playing a game and learning at the same time is a bonus.

 If you were to be tested on your library knowledge, how would you fare? Why not put your general knowledge to the test with a simple library trivia. Let’s get started …

    1.   What is the University of KwaZulu-Natal library web address?              Answer

     2.    Which App allows you to access the library resources without using your data?         Answer

    3. Who are the library staff who provide training on the use of electronic resources?         Answer

    4.Which resources assist with subject-related queries?      Answer

           5. Which LibGuide contains step-by-step guides to assist with research and information                                searches?         Answer

          6. Where are online copies of theses/dissertations accessible?              Answer

          7. Name the electronic resources where articles are located?              Answer 

        8. When you are not on campus, how would you access the electronic resources?         Answer

         9. What are the library services during lockdown?  Answer

        10. Where would you find links to the free electronic resources?              Answer

What was your score out of 10 for the library trivia? How well do you know your library and its resources? These 10 questions and many others can be answered by contacting the library staff and making use of the resources at your disposal. Knowing what resources are available and how to use them is the foundation for research from undergraduate to postgraduate level.

 Hopefully this library trivia encouraged you to get to know your library if you have not done so. If you answered most or all of the questions correctly, you are well on your way to an enriching research experience with the library as your support and guide.

A random fact about a library …

Did you know that bats can be a library’s best friend?

“The Joanina Library at the University of Coimbra in Portugal has a number of bats in residency, but no one is calling for an exterminator as the bats prey on insects that could damage book pages. Staff drape tables with coverings overnight and clean up the guano in the morning.”

 How strange, a bit creepy, yet interesting. I am not sure if this idea will be adopted at the University of KwaZulu-Natal library. What do you think?

Controlling the nerves during online presentations

 

By Shorba Harkhu

My palms are cold and sweaty, and I can feel the pounding of my heart in my chest. I hope the tenseness in my voice does not carry through. Thank goodness they cannot see my trembling hands. But … wait a minute this is not one of my bad dreams. These anxious moments and uneasiness occur quite often when I have to present an online session.

You may ask yourself why this is so, as I am not presenting before a live audience. I am not in a room full of beady eyes staring at me who are making me feel incredibly uncomfortable. Neither do I have toworry about making eye contact with my audience. Then why are the virtual presentations so unnerving. Gershman (2020) states that pre-Covid we could rely on the audience response to confirm that our message was being received. In virtual presentations, however, we lack audience feedback and we don’t see body language. Furthermore, virtual presentations lend themselves to different types of distractions, technical glitches and creepy “I-feel-like-I’m-just-talking-to-myself” moments (Kelakos, 2020).

How do we overcome feelings of anxiety and nervousness during a presentation? Kelakos (2020) offers these valuable points:

·       Use breathing techniques. A common problem for anxious presenters, is talking too quickly, a shaky voice and running out of breath. Clayton (2020) advises one to take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth, then a normal breath. Regulating your breathing is a great way to stop saying “erm” and “um” when presenting (Clayton, 2020).

·       Make friends with your camera. Kelakos (2020) suggests that we schedule a solo Zoom meeting and talk to the camera as if we are talking to our best friend. She further states that the more you practice this, the more relaxed you will be (Kelakos, 2020).

·       Interact with your audience. Before your training, talk with your participants. Ask them questions, in the chat or otherwise and engage with them as much as possible.

·       Don’t be a perfectionist. You are bound to make mistakes or forget information. The more human and real you project yourself to be, the more your audience is going to connect with you (Kelakos, 2020)

Hanson further (2016) points out that we need to make friends with the pause. When you’re feeling anxious, you might want to finish your presentation as soon as possible. If you talk too fast, your audience might not remember anything. Pausing can be a great tool for giving your audience a chance to process what you’ve said, as well as giving you the opportunity to catch your breath.

I have also discovered that writing down key points and explanations (aka a lesson plan) helps. Those hard to explain terms like the dreaded Boolean operators and H-index can all be penned to paper. Anytime you feel stuck during your presentation, glance up at your notes to remember what you have to say.

Finally planning, preparation and rehearsing before a training session is key. This will undoubtedly help to curb the nerves.

How do you counteract the nerves? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. 

 

 

 

 Reference List

 

CLAYTON, D. 2020. Presentation skills: don’t forget to breathe! [Online]. Available: https://simplyamazingtraining.co.uk/blog/presentation-skills-dont-forget-breathe [Accessed].

GERSHMAN, S. 2020. Yes, virtual presenting is weird [Online]. Available: https://hbr.org/2020/11/yes-virtual-presenting-is-weird [Accessed].

HANSON, J. 2016. How to keep your audience engaged during an online presentation [Online]. Available: https://visme.co/blog/engage-audience-online-presentation/ [Accessed].

KELAKOS, E. 2020. 5 ways to beat Zoom Performance Anxiety (ZPA) [Online]. Available: https://theelenigroup.com/2020/06/5-ways-to-beat-zoom-performance-anxiety-zpa/ [Accessed].

 

ResearchSpace … your gateway to UKZN research

                                     

                                                                      By Jillian Viljoen

The digital age is here to stay. This all too familiar expression has led to the creation of digital repositories and information systems for managing and storing digital content which can be accessed remotely.

 Institutional repositories are now a staple and as such, the University of KwaZulu-Natal library maintains a growing digital collection of research in a repository called ResearchSpace. The ResearchSpace LibGuide  contains guidelines on the content available and how to access it.

 

ResearchSpace is accessible from the library’s page, https://library.ukzn.ac.za/.

 

So, what is ResearchSpace and how does it benefit you, the researcher?

ResearchSpace is the institutional repository of the University of KwaZulu-Natal which was developed to increase the visibility, availability and impact of its research output. It was also created to disseminate and manage digital materials created by researchers of the institution.

 

The above definition simply means that your research in terms of masters and doctoral theses and articles, etc. (copyright permitting) is stored in digital format on ResearchSpace and can be freely accessed by the UKZN community as well as external researchers the world over as this is an open access platform.

Open access refers to free, unrestricted online access to research content. This means that more researchers will be able to view your research, which increases your research visibility. This is positive for your research profile as it means more readers, more potential collaborators, more citations for your work and more recognition for you and UKZN.

 

So your research adds to the national and global research output value. Did you know that? You are a very valuable asset to the institution and the library ensures that you receive the recognition that you deserve for your efforts.

 If you received financial aid from sponsors for your research, they can view your completed research online.

 If you ever wondered what happens to your research once you have completed and submitted it, now you know. The library ensures that your research is stored permanently and is made freely accessible to the world. You and your research will never be forgotten.

Visit the ResearchSpace web site. You never know whose research you may find.

 

The stage of academic life

 

By Jillian Viljoen

 “All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages”.  This is an excerpt from William Shakespeare’s play, “As you like it, Act II, Scene VII”; a monologue spoken by Jacques, https://shakespeare.folger.edu/downloads/pdf/as-you-like-it_PDF_FolgerShakespeare.pdf

 This excerpt may be familiar to students studying drama or English. For those of us who are unfamiliar with this monologue, it outlines what Shakespeare refers to as the seven stages of life, from birth until death. It follows the growth and experiences of an individual throughout his life. The tone of the monologue is somewhat melancholy because it conveys a beginning of life which is helpless. The individual transitions through various stages which seem somewhat normal and successful, and then returns to helplessness towards the end of his life. The world is referred to as a stage as if we are staging a show where we are all actors in a play. The entrances and exits refer to birth and death. When you read through the whole monologue, you are left wondering “What now? Is this truly how life begins and ends?”

 

When we examine our academic life, what do we see? Do we have a beginning of helplessness and an ending which is much the same? It is true that we experience a sense of helplessness at the outset. Unfamiliarity creates anxiety and uncertainty. We slowly start investigating and exploring our options to navigate our way to get on track with our academic pursuits.  Dedication, sacrifice and discipline become the order of the day; we want to succeed and make the necessary adjustments to do so.

 

Our academic life has its challenges. No two days are the same. We are inundated with so many changes, rules and dynamics. The curriculum and social setting are completely different to the school environment. We are acutely aware that we need to modify our lives to accommodate what is sometimes a juggling or balancing act to meet our deadlines. A survival guide via the library, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ukzn-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5900318

 

In our academic life, after years of consistency and diligence, what is the end result? Helplessness? … No. The helplessness which we experienced at the onset is replaced with a sense of accomplishment; a completed qualification. A qualification which, hopefully, broadens our scope of possibility in terms of employment and self-worth. A library resource to assist with anxiety and stress management,

  http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=ebe612c5-7bcf-4535-a5dc-6ac6c8a5843a%40pdc-v-sessmgr03&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=1483585&db=nlebk

 

If academic life is a stage, how are you playing your role? What will the end of your act be? Only you can answer that question. The choice is yours.

Your library tool kit

 

By Jillian Viljoen

Traversing the academic terrain can be daunting, mystifying, unnerving and sometimes overwhelming. Imagine boarding a plane to your chosen destination. You trust that the pilot has the necessary navigation instruments to get you there. But along the way, there are unanticipated occurrences; turbulence, a flock of birds flying directly in the flight path, a thunder storm, fog. These unexpected obstacles would result in the pilot having to alter the flight plan until it is safe to return to the original course. Your academic journey is sometimes like that but there are library resources available to assist you on our way so that you eventually end up at your chosen destination.

 

The resources are at your disposal via the library home page, https://library.ukzn.ac.za/. Don’t forget to  check for updates on the library services. Subject librarians, https://library.ukzn.ac.za/contact-subject-librarians/, are available to assist with queries via email, Zoom, Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams. Make an appointment with one of them for assistance with information searches on the library catalogue and databases. Scheduled trainings on the use of the electronic resources are also posted on the University Notices so keep an eye out for those notices. Join a group training or have a one-on-one training. It’s your choice.

 

The friendly library staff will assist you when you visit the physical facilities. Don’t forget to wear your  mask and sanitise. No mask, no entry.

 

When accessing the electronic resources, ensure that you have Global Protect Client installed on your mobile device, https://y9i7u2z7.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Global-Protect-Installation-For-VPN-Access.pdf. Cost-saving for you because you can access the resources absolutely free via this facility. Save your data. What a bargain! And 24/7 access to electronic resources.

 

There are LibGuides, https://libguides.ukzn.ac.za/, for specific disciplines which provide helpful tips to assist you with discipline related information. If you need quick access to step-by-step guides to access the online resources, visit the UKZN Online Library Training Guide, https://libguides.ukzn.ac.za/c.php?g=1043478.

 

In your downtime, check out our blogs, https://libwebteam.blogspot.com/2021/08/. There are interesting topics and you can engage by posting comments anonymously to give aor

 

These options AND SO MUCH MORE are available to you whenever you need them. Loads of resources. Loads of services. Loads of options. Loads of help. Grab your library tool kit and start your academic engine. You are in for an eventful ride... Let’s get started.

 Learning how to effectively use the library resources and services is a good place to start your academic journey. Your flight plan may have twists and turns but the library will help to keep you on course to eventually reach your final destination, wherever it may be.