Economics & Public Policy Extra

http://www.bl.uk/notices/industrialactionmay.html

British Library Labs Competition Live

Calling all researchers and developers!

Propose an innovative and transformative project that answers a research question using the British Library’s digital collections / data and if your idea is chosen, the Labs team will work with you to make it happen and you could win a prize of up to £3,000.

From the digitisation of thousands of books, newspapers and manuscripts, the collecting of UK websites, bird sounds or location data for our maps, over the last two decades we’ve been faithfully amassing a vast and wide-ranging digital collection for the nation. What remains elusive however is understanding what researchers need in place in order to unlock the potential for new discoveries within these fascinating and diverse digital collections. The Labs competition is designed to attract scholars, explorers and trailblazers to the Library who see the potential for new and innovative research lurking within these immense digital collections. Through soliciting innovative and transformative projects utilising this content you will be giving us a steer as to the types of platforms, arrangements, services and tools needed to surface it. We’ll even throw the Library’s resources behind you to make your idea a reality.

To find out more, visit the competition pages http://labs.bl.uk/Competition+2013 (deadline for submission of ideas is the 26 June 2013), sign up to the wiki,  express your interest and participate in one of the related events, virtually (17 May 2013, 1500 GMT), hack event in London on the 28 and 29 May, 2013 or one of our roadshow events.

“As you may know, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has funded a new national service that will consolidate and incorporate four established data services and websites:

• Economic and Social Data Service (ESDS)
• Census.ac.uk
• Secure Data Service (SDS)
• Survey Question Bank (SQB)

This week the new UK Data Service launched its website, which will affect how you find and access data and related resources. Most notably:

• The ESDS website will remain during the transition, however content there will not be maintained and could become out of date.
• These remaining websites will have automatic redirects to the new UK Data Service website, however those redirects may not exactly match the pages you currently use.
• Survey Question Bank (SQB)

We encourage you to visit the UK Data Service website and get acquainted with what you can find there. Here are the main links you should be aware of. All links are live as of Friday 22 March 2013:

We appreciate your patience as we transition services to the UK Data Service. We also encourage you to read the FAQs for answers to specific questions and concerns that will affect regular users. As always, get in touch if you need personal support.”

“Members of the Public & Commercial Services Union (PCS) have voted for a one day strike on Wednesday 20 March 2013 over changes to pay, pensions and working conditions in the public sector.

The British Library at St Pancras plans to be open as usual for visitors to its public areas and exhibition galleries, but there is likely to be significant disruption to our Reading Room services with the potential of late opening and some rooms likely to remain closed.

Further, we may only be able to facilitate a maximum of five requests per person in Reading Rooms that are open on 20 March, and no transfers will be possible between Reading Rooms in St Pancras. There may also be delays in the delivery of collection items held off-site.

Although every effort will be made to maintain opening hours of available rooms until 20.00, there is a possibility of early closure at 17.00.

We plan to open the Boston Spa Reading Room and the Newspaper Library at Colindale but there may be disruption to our services.

We urge all Readers to check any changes to the Library’s opening hours and available services. We will keep you updated on our website – please see the home page at  www.bl.uk“

20^th Feb, 2-3pm, 66/72 Gower Street, B.01 – Graduate School Cluster Room
Sources of socio-economic data

 27^th Feb, 2-3pm, 66/72 Gower Street, B.01 – Graduate School Cluster Room
Legal sources for human rights

6^th Mar, 2-3pm, 1-19 Torrington Place, 113 – Public Cluster
Nexis UK (newspaper database)

Would you like to know more about how to find books, journal articles, etc.?

If so, why not come along to the following training sessions.  No need to book, just turn up.

Tuesday 22nd Jan, Chadwick 2.33 – Public Cluster
1pm-2pm Legal resources for non-lawyers

 Wednesday 23rd Jan, Chadwick 2.33 – Public Cluster
12pm-1pm Introduction to Explore
1pm-2pm Resources for Arts & Humanities

 Friday 25th Jan, Chadwick 2.33 – Public Cluster
12pm-1pm Introduction to Explore
1pm-2pm Resources for Social & Historical Sciences

Please note that places will be allocated on a first come basis, but if demand is high we will run further sessions.

Want to know more about finding books, journal articles and more for your essays?

We’re offering the following training during reading week.  No need to book, just turn up.

• Tuesday 6th Nov, Science Library, ground floor cluster
  1-2pm Searching Explore – Basic Session
  2pm-3.30pm Legal Resources for Non-lawyers
• Wednesday 7th Nov, Science Library, ground floor cluster
  1-2pm Searching Explore – Basic Session
• Thursday 8th Nov, Foster Court Cluster
  1-2pm Searching Explore – Basic Session
  2pm-3.30pm Resources for Arts and Humanities
• Friday 9th Nov, Foster Court Cluster
  11am-12.30pm Resources for Social and Historical Sciences

Please note that places will be allocated on a first come basis, but if demand is high we will run further sessions.

By completing a brief questionnaire on Economists Online you will be helping us to improve the service.  To compensate you for your time (5 to 10 minutes), we will donate €2 to the International Red Cross.  Please click on the following link to access the questionnaire: http://www.pleiadesurvey.nl/cgi-bin/webSurvey.cgi?LOGIN_CODE=hidugeyu

Please note that the Main and Science libraries will be closed for Easter from 17:00 Wednesday 4th April and will re-open at 08:45 on Thursday 12th April.

If you require a place to study, Senate House Library will be open on the 5th, 10th and 11th April.

Several of our medical libraries, which traditionally offer ‘out of hours’ access to readers anyway, will continue to do as normal over Easter and our web pages are up to date on that front – http://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/sites.shtml