Recommendations!!

We try to make sure our resources in the Library are current and as such your input is always valued.  If you have any recommendations for books, journals or DVDs we would love to hear from you.  Come and pay us a visit!!

Thank you from Leamington LRC!

 

The staff at Leamington LRC would like to say a big “Thank You” to all of those who helped us raise money for Children in Need last week. By donating and taking part in our ‘Guess the Number’ competition, you helped us raise £41.50 for the charity.

The correct number of pasta shells in the box was 520 and the lucky person with the closest guess won a big tin of chocolates. Enjoy!

posted by Sophie

The Turner Prize 2009

The winner of the Turner Prize 2009 will be announced in a fortnights time. Now in its 25th year, the Turner Prize is arguably the world’s most recognised and prestigious award for contemporary art. The prize is judged by an independent jury that changes annually.

Four artists are shortlisted and they present works in an exhibition normally held at Tate Britain before the winner is announced in December. The exhibition presents the very best of current British visual art with the intention of stimulating a lively exchange of opinions. The artists are not judged on their show at Tate – the decision is based on the work they were nominated for. The Turner Prize 2009 exhibition takes place at Tate Britain until 3rd January 2010.

The prize is awarded to an artist under fifty, born, living or working in Britain, for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation in the twelve months before 6 May 2009. The artists nominated for the 2009 Turner prize are Enrico David, Roger Hiorns, Lucy Skaer and Richard Wright. For biographical information about this year’s finalists, as well as an overview of the work for which they were nominated, visit:

http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/turnerprize/turnerprize2009/.

The Tate’s website also provides information about visiting the exhibition, background information about the prize, frequently asked questions and a list of jurors for the 2009 prize. There is also the opportunity for users to submit their own reviews and ideas about the art world in general.

The jury meets to decide the winner on 7 December 2009. The prize is awarded that evening in a ceremony broadcast live on Channel 4.

posted by Sophie

Warning: Studying can Seriously Affect your Grades!

 The Guardian reports that two American professors have finally provided proof that there is a direct link between the number of hours spent studying and the final grades that a student achieves.  Apparently, the most significant finding was that having a room-mate who owns a video game has a seriously detrimental affect on a student’s grades. See the full story at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2009/nov/17/studying-improbable-research?&CMP+EMCEDUEML376

Posted by Alison

 

 

Horse passports – are you and your horse up-to-date with the law?

 

All horses, ponies and donkeys need to have a horse passport to identify them.

The law changed on 1 July 2009, with the Directive EC 504/2008 requiring all owners to have their equine microchipped before applying for a passport.

If your animal is already microchipped you will still need a veterinary surgeon to verify that information on your passport application form. 

You are responsible for making sure you have an up-to-date horse passport so your horse can be identified. You could be fined up to £5000 if you don’t have one.

The passport must accompany the horse at all times unless stabled or at pasture, or moved on foot when the passport can be made available within 3 hours.

To find out more, visit www.direct.gov.uk/horsepassports

posted by Pippa

Centre for Alternative Technology – Free Entry November 2009 – March 2010

CAT (Centre for Alternative Technology) Visitor centre

 The Centre for Alternative Technology is built in an old slate quarry in the foothills of Snowdonia. The visitor centre has 7 acres of interactive displays, organic gardens, cafe, shop and adventure playground. The aim of the centre is to show people the impact they have on the environment, and help them take steps to reduce that impact whether it is through the big things, such as solar panels and green building methods or by the everyday details of life that can be made more sustainable such as installing energy saving light bulbs.

From November 2nd 2009 to March 27th 2010 entrance to the visitor centre is free as they are undertaking some changes to the centre.  Why not visit and see what we can do to help save the planet. For more information visit their website http://www.cat.org.uk

posted by Lucy

New Study Skills section at Leamington LRC

All of the Study Skills books have been shelved together in a new section of the library and can be found at the following class numbers:

Study skills: 001.42

Writing essays and assignments: 001.43

Data collection & questionnaire design: 001.433

Exam technique: 001.5

We hope that you will find this new section useful. If you need any help to find the books you need, please ask any member of the LRC staff!

posted by Sophie

Journals for arboriculturalists @ Moreton Morrell

The LRC has a range of journals covering different aspects of arboriculture.  They can be found on the shelves and the carousel behind Student Services. 

• Arboriculture Journal – International Journal of Urban Forestry
• Arboricultural Association Newsletter (www.trees.org.uk)- published four times a year
• Broadleaf – magazine of  The Woodland Trust – published twice a year
• Essential Arb
• Forest Life – by the Forestry Commission
• Forestry Journal – published monthly
• Quarterly Journal of Forestry – official publication of the Royal Forestry Society – published four times a year
• Tree News – published by the Tree Council (www.treecouncil.org.uk) – published twice a year
• Woodland Heritage Journal – published yearly

We also receive regular information from “The Tree Advice Trust” who provide an Arboricultural advisory and information service covering:

• Arboricultural Practice notes
• Tree Damage Alerts
• Assistance with Arboricultural reading

There are some copies of Arboriculture and Urban Forestry (Scientific Journal of the International Society of Arboriculture) from 2001 to 2007.

So as the nights draw in and the days get colder, pop into the LRC at Moreton Morrell and settle down with some interesting reading.

Posted by Cathy

Extinction: Where Will It Stop?

The 2009 edition of the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species was released yesterday, and the news wasn’t good: out of 47,677 assessed species, 17,291 (36 percent) are threatened with extinction.

These include 21% of all known mammals, 30% of amphibians, 70% of plants and 35% of invertebrates. The breakdown of the endangered species’ status on the new IUCN list is as follows:

• Extinct: 809
• Extinct in the Wild: 66
• Critically Endangered: 3,325 (of these, 257 species are listed as “possibly extinct”)
• Endangered: 4,891
• Vulnerable (to extinction): 9,075
• Near Threatened: 3,650

Last year’s list assessed 44,838 species; information on more than 2,800 additional species has been added in 2009. This includes more than 1,300 previously unassessed dragonflies and damselflies, of which the IUCN recently completed a major new study.

Amphibians seem to be facing the greatest threat, with 1,895 of 6,285 assessed species in danger of extinction. One amphibian species, the Kihansi Spray Toad (Nectophrynoides asperginis), has been moved from the IUCN’s critically endangered list and is considered extinct in the wild. This toad was only found in the Kihamsi Falls area of Tanzania and its population has crashed from a high of about 17,000 in recent years. Conservationists suggest that this is as a result of a dam being constructed upstream from the toad’s habitat, which resulted in a 90% reduction in the flow of water.

“These results are just the tip of the iceberg,” said Craig Hilton-Taylor, manager of the IUCN Red List Unit, in a prepared statement. “There are many more millions [of species] out there which could be under serious threat.”

For further information, visit www.iucn.org

posted by Kathy & Sophie

Books for Sale @ Moreton Morrell

Come and check out the variety of second hand books we have for sale in the LRC at the Moreton Morrell site – these cover a host of subjects including Accounting, Agriculture, Animals, Business, Construction, Crops, Engineering, Horses, Horticulture, Marketing – the list goes on. 

We also have a large number of fiction books for sale too – all starting from as little as twenty pence!!! 

Grab a bargain.  See for yourself – opposite the Horticultural section on the ground floor!

Posted by Claire

Building Construction Handbook

The Building Construction Handbook provides extensive coverage of building construction practice, processes and techniques, representing established procedures as well as those associated with recent amendments to the Building Regulations, British and European Standards and other related references. This approach, combined with the presentation of information in a highly illustrated and unique visual style, has proven this text to be a vital learning resource for thousands of building construction students, and an essential reference for professionals.

The sixth edition has been updated and expanded to take into account many aspects of the new and revised Building Regulations and associated Approved Documents as applied to working practice; in particular, construction requirements for conserving and economising energy and reducing atmospheric pollution (as this relates to Building Regulations Part L Conservation of fuel and power).

This new edition also develops existing topics, including adaptation of buildings to ensure compatibility for the disabled, further details of masonry construction, applications of steel reinforcement to concrete, steel framed housing principles, sound insulation and additional details of structural glazing. Throughout, reference to supplementary regulations and standards are provided for further reading, and where appropriate, design calculations are included. Online lecture resources are provided, with power point slides available for a selection of topics, featuring essential illustrations for use with presentations and handouts.

The Handbook is an invaluable reference for students. It consolidates several years of study material into one comprehensive volume, suitable for a wide range of building and construction courses, including NVQs in Construction and the Built Environment, BTEC Nationals and Higher Nationals in Building Services Engineering, Construction and Civil Engineering, as well as construction related undergraduate degrees (such as Built Environment, Civil Engineering, Building Surveying, Construction Management, Quantity Surveying, Building, Architectural Technology and Facilities Management) and professional examinations.

Available from the LRC

This book is stocked at Moreton Morrell, Pershore and Rugby LRC’s. To check the availablity why not use the College AquaBrowser system? If you are unsure of how to use AquaBrowser you might fine this video tutorial helpful.

Working in the construction industry

If you enjoy being part of a team, or like to work with machines, you might want to consider a career in construction. Find out more on what skills you need, opportunities and how to get help in finding a job.

About the construction industry

The construction industry can offer jobs for all kinds of people aged 16 and upwards. You could find yourself building or repairing offices, houses, shops, roads and bridges. There are over 700 jobs in this sector. You could start at a junior level and work your way up to be a surveyor, manager or supervisor.

Jobs in the construction sector

A building project needs many people with lots of different skills. You could be a roofer, a scaffolder or a steel fixer.

You can train to be a crane driver, a road worker or a quarry operative. If you are good at sorting things out you could be a site manager, planner or office staff.

Advantages of working in construction

There are many advantages to working in construction. For example:

• excellent opportunities – there are still a variety of jobs available in the construction industry
• safety standards – many of the jobs are manual and good companies will always provide training to keep you safe and well
• equality – nearly 200,000 women work in this sector and there are good jobs for everyone
• good pay and opportunities – if you work hard you can move up the career ladder and could even set up your own business
• full training – you can train on the job or go to college; It’s your choice

More Information

To find out more information about a career in the construction industry why not visit the Construction Skills website.

New Codes of Practice on Equine Diseases for 2010

Each year, the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) updates and publishes Codes of Practice on:

Venereally transmitted bacterial diseases caused by the contagious equine metritis organism CEMO, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA); Equine herpesvirus (EHV); Equine coital exanthema (ECE); Equine infectious anaemia (EIA); Guidelines on Strangles.

Any of the above diseases can have serious consequences for horse and pony breeding. They can compromise welfare, disrupt breeding activity, cause economic loss to mare and stallion owners and are costly to deal with.

The Codes of Practice set out minimum recommendations for the prevention of these diseases and for their control, should they occur, during horse or pony breeding activities. The recommendations apply to all breeds of horse and pony, and to both natural mating and AI.

 Copies are available FREE from MM LRC, whilst stocks last. 

Download your own copy from http://www.hblb.org.uk/sndFile.php?fileID=58

posted by Steph

Book Swap

Engineering and motor vehicle e-books at the LRCs

The LRC now has 11 engineering and motor vehicle e-books that can be accessed via the library catalogue on the LRC Intranet pages or through the following the link: http://webopac.warkscol.ac.uk/vs/List.csp?SearchT1=engineering&Index1=Keywords&Database=1&BoolOp2=AND&SearchT2=motor+vehicle&Index2=Keywords&BoolOp3=AND&SearchT3=&Index3=Keywords&Year1=&Year2=&PublicationType=EBOOK&Price1=0&Price2=99999&Profile=Default&NumberToRetrieve=50&OpacLanguage=eng&SearchMethod=Find_3&SearchTerm1=engineering&SearchTerm2=motor+vehicle&SearchTerm3=&PreviousList=Start&PageType=Start&EncodedRequest=*09*2C1*2E*D6o*A3p*83QZ*A8*1C*9D*90j&WebPageNr=1&WebAction=NewSearch&StartValue=1&RowRepeat=2&MyChannelCount=

Here is a selection of the titles available:

Light and Heavy Vehicle Technology

 By M. J. Nunney

4th edition

 

 

ISO 9000 Quality Systems Handbook

 By David Hoyle

 6th edition

 

 

 17th Edition IEE Wiring Regulations : inspection, testing and certification

 By Brian Scadden

 6th edition

 

 

 Power Generation Handbook

 By Philip Kiameh

 

 

 

posted by Sophie