If the Scottish weather makes your holiday plans more Lanzarote than Largs, then learning the local language can help your holiday run smoothly. Tell Me More and Transparent Language Online are two online tools – available free to library members – which help you do just that.

Ooh la la!  You might already know that we have an e-resource called UK Newsstand, which grants you access to loads of archived newspapers –  but our e-resource of the month is its more exotic sibling,  Newsstand International!
Research the stories that interest you more fully, with a huge variety of global newspapers, and if you’re feeling particularly clever, why not try reading stories in one of the 17 available languages?

If you’ve been inspired by Previously… Scotland’s History Festival to delve into your family history, we are happy to help you continue your journey into the past! Your library is a natural place to start researching your family history, and accordingly, we have several excellent resources for you to use to unravel the mysteries of your family’s past!

And similarly, the fantastic e-resource formerly known as Byki has been rebranded and is now known as Transparent Language Online.  It can still be accessed via our Your Library site, or by clicking this link, with your established login details.  Once you have logged in, you can choose to try the updated version, or stick with the classic Byki.

New to the UK?  Is the fear of the Life in Great Britain test looming over your head?  We know that life can be both intimidating AND expensive when you are new to a country, and that’s why we’ve teamed up with 220soft to give all of our members free access to Life in Great Britain.  Head on over to our e-resources page and select Life in Great Britain, where you will be prompted to create an account (it won’t take a minute.)

Oxgangs welcomed some very special guests on the 30th of August, when visitors from Zambia came to explore the library.  Theresa Chilufya, the deputy head of Chipembi Girls’ School, and her colleague Hegger Mudenda travelled with students Genevieve Hoare and Exillia Kabbudula, and enjoyed a tour of Oxgangs library, where they were all given membership cards and shown how to use the services available on Your Library.  Students at Chipembi school are not as lucky with regards to books and resources  as we are here in Edinburgh, so our visitors considered Oxgangs to be something of an “Aladdi

Just a wee reminder that Edinburgh City Libraries are holding a demonstration of the Life in Great Britain online resource tomorrow between 3.30-5pm at McDonald Road Library, 2 McDonald Road, Edinburgh, EH7 4LU. Come along and find out how you can access this free resource from work, home or the library.

It’s back to school time – and the kids don’t have to be the only ones getting new stationery!  Maybe you’ve got a bit more time on your hands?  Here at the council, we’re offering a series of diverse and affordable classes that start in September, for learners aged 16 and up.