Gardening in schools - a vital tool for children's learning

New research published by the RHS today shows gardening helps children acquire the essential skills they need to fulfill their potential and make a positive contribution to society as a whole.

The report found that gardening helped children to:

• Become stronger, more active learners capable of thinking independently
• Adapt their skills and knowledge to new challenges
• Gain a more resilient, confident and responsible approach to life
• Learn vital job skills such as presentation skills, communication and team work

Roderic Bowen Library & Archives @ Lampeter

The Special Collections comprise the University's oldest printed books (1470-1850) and manuscripts (the earliest from the thirteenth century), given to Lampeter from 1822 onwards. The subject coverage is very wide. In addition to major collections of the classics, theology and philosophy, there is much history, literature, politics, archaeology, architecture and travel, as well as fine illustrated books and a substantial collection of Wales-associated material from the former Welsh Library and the Cenarth Collection (acquired in 1904). Early Welsh bibles, prayer books, hymnals, catechisms, sermons and ballads, as well as Welsh translations of religious classics such as John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress are well represented.

Imaging the Bible in Wales

Biblical Artwork from Wales 1825–1975

The images included in this on-line collection have been collected as a research database for the Imaging the Bible in Wales Project (2005-8). For more about the project please visit the project website. Many of the images were photographed specifically for the project and include artworks from places of worship in Wales. In addition, further images have been included from public and private collections. Links to other online resources and references for further reading have also been included. Although this database is not a complete inventory of such material, it is hoped that these artworks will form the basis for further investigation and research

Newton’s lost theological works

The Newton research project has made all the ‘lost’ theological writings of Sir Isaac Newton available for free online; this is now one of the largest online collections of writings of any individual. The website includes a tour where visitors can read short summaries on Newton’s views on religion and science, his character and troubled mind, his life and character and his views on Biblical prophecy.

Gathering the jewels / Casglu'r tlysau

Gathering the Jewels features over 30,000 images of objects, books, letters, aerial photographs and other items from museums, archives and libraries throughout Wales

Mae Casglu'r Tlysau yn cynnwys dros 30,000 o ddelweddau o wrthrychau, llyfrau, llythyrau, awyrluniau ac eitemau eraill o amgueddfeydd, archifdai a llyfrgelloedd ledled Cymru.

Britain's only Prime Ministerial Library

St Deiniol's Library has been recognised as the most important research library and collection in Wales after the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. The Library boasts an outstanding collection of more than 250,000 books, journals and pamphlets on a wide range of subjects but specialising in our core subject areas of Theology and Victorian Studies. This unique collection is kept up-to-date with the latest publications which readers can browse on the open shelves.

The heart of the Library is Gladstone’s own collection of over 32,000 items. Many of his books contain his annotations, some of which are extremely detailed. In addition to his books, the Library houses most of Gladstone’s non-political correspondence, speeches and papers which are administered by the Flintshire Record Office.

St. Deiniol's Libray was founded by William Ewart Gladstone, arguably Britains' greatest Prime Minister, in 1894. It is the only Prime Miniterial Library in the UK and is unique in being a residential library with facilities for overnight stays or retreats for some personal study time.

Cardiff Central Library

The Sunday Times Travel magazine has named Cardiff Central Library as one of the six best libraries in the world. It is the only library in the UK to feature on the list and only one of two from Europe. The city library joins an elite list of six, which The Times have called the 'six of the best', they include:

Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt
Stephen A Schwarzman Building, New York
Customs House, Sydney
Kyoto International Manga Museum, Japan
Denmark's National Library, Copenhagen

J G Ballard Archive

The archive of J G Ballard, one of the most visionary British writers of the 20th century, has been acquired by the nation through the Acceptance in Lieu (AIL) scheme and allocated to the Library.

Y Cwad: Aseiniad / Ystafelloedd Astudio i Grŵp

O ganlyniad i’r gwaith adnewyddu, bydd Derbynfa’r Brifysgol yn symud dros dro i’r Cwad yn ystod gwyliau’r haf. Caiff y broses o gyflwyno aseiniadau a chadw ystafelloedd astudio ei rheoli o'r Llyfrgell rhwng 9 Mehefin a thymor yr hydref.

I gyflwyno unrhyw aseiniadau, neu i holi am gadw’r ystafelloedd astudio grŵp, ewch i Fan Gwybodaeth y Llyfrgell.

Gellir prynu cardiau EMOS yn y Siop a'r Llyfrgell.

The Quad: Assignments / Group Study Rooms

Due to refurbishment work, the University Reception will be temporarily located in The Quad over the summer vacation. Assignment submission and study room bookings will be managed from the Library from 9th June until the Autumn Term.

To submit any assignments, or enquire about booking the group study rooms, please call at the Library Information Point.

EMOS cards can be purchased from the Shop and the Library.

BFI InView - British history through the lens

Carefully selected from the vast holdings of the BFI National Archive, InView's Collections capture diverse perspectives on events, developments and debates, and are supported by informative and authoritative commentary by BFI curators and other specialists. Explore and download rarely seen government films, written documents, newsreels, TVdocumentaries, discussion programmes, parliamentary recordings and much more in an indispensable resource for any study into the recent history of Britain.

BFI Inview is a great multimedia resource, free to UK FE and HE.Log in with your University Athens Account.

Eich Awgrymiadau

Diolch i bawb am eich awgrymiadau. Y mis hwn rydym yn canolbwyntio ar rai o’r awgrymiadau sydd wedi dod i law ar gyfer y Llyfrgell:

“Rhagor o oleuadau / gwell goleuo”: Ar hyn o bryd rydym yn ymchwilio i’r opsiynau ar gyfer gwella’r golau yn y Llyfrgell gydag Adran Ystadau’r Brifysgol.

“Rhagor o fyrddau i weithio arnynt”: Byddwn yn ystyried y lle sydd ar gael yn y Llyfrgell er mwyn gweld a oes unrhyw le addas ar gyfer rhagor o fyrddau astudio. Mae amrywiaeth o fyrddau astudio a seddau ar gael yn y Cwad hefyd, gan gynnwys ystafelloedd astudio grŵp y gellir eu cadw, cyfrifiaduron personol a mynediad rhyngrwyd di-wifrai.

Cofiwch ddweud eich dweud – peidiwch ag anghofio bod arolwg y Ganolfan Adnoddau Dysgu yn parhau tan 30 Mehefin! Llenwch eich ymateb yn awr er mwyn cael cyfle i ennill gwobr gwerth £50 .

Your Suggestions

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. This month we are focussing on some of the suggestions we have received for the Library:

“More lights / better lighting”: We are currently investigating options for improving the lighting in the Library with the University’s Estates Department.

“More tables to work at”: We will look at the space available in the Library to see if there is anywhere suitable to accommodate more study tables. A variety of study tables and seating is also available in The Quad, including bookable group study rooms, desktop PCs and wireless Internet access.

Don’t forget to have your say – remember our LRC Survey is running until June 30th! Fill in your response now to be in with a chance of winning £50 in our prize draw.

Eavesdropping on the past – a new online source for researchers

Today sees the launch of the John Johnson Collection: An Archive of Printed Ephemera, the product of a unique partnership between JISC’s Digitisation Programme, the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, and ProQuest to conserve, catalogue and digitise more than 65,000 items drawn from the collection.

The collection is available free of charge to all UK universities, further education institutions, schools and public libraries.

Cyfnodau Benthyca dros yr Haf

O ddydd Gwener 11 Mehefin, bydd y rhan fwyaf o eitemau ar gael i’w benthyca dros wyliau’r Haf, i’w dychwelyd ddydd Mercher 29 Medi 2010. Bydd y cyfnodau benthyca arferol yn berthnasol i’r eitemau Band Melyn, gliniaduron a cyfrifiaduron rhwydiadur.

Bydd y cyfnodau benthyca arferol yn gweithredu o ran pob eitem yn y casgliadau Gwyddor Iechyd tan 23 Gorffennaf. O 23 Gorffennaf, bydd llyfrau Gwyddor Iechyd ar gael i’w benthyca hyd at ddydd Mercher 1 Medi 2010.

Summer loan periods

From Friday 11th June, most items can be taken out over the Summer vacation, and will be issued until Wednesday 29th September 2010. Yellow Band items, laptops and netbook computers will be subject to the usual loan periods.

The usual loan periods apply to all items in the Health Science collections until 23rd July. From 23rd July, Health Science books can be borrowed until Wednesday 1st September 2010.