The HardiBlog

The Research Data Steward role was introduced to the University of Galway Library in May of last year. The role's primary purpose is to provide essential support and advice for research data management (RDM) and data governance across the research lifecycle. RDM consists of data tasks of planning and design, sourcing and collection, processing and analysis, and publishing and preservation, all through the lens of FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable) principles.  As the University of Galway Library's first Research Data Steward, I have been developing resources to support researchers, addressing gaps in RDM support and building a roadmap for its future. With progress being made in these areas, it was time to get the word out to University of Galway researchers by embarking on an RDM Roadshow to each school to introduce myself and speak on key updates. The goal of these Roadshows was two-fold: first, to provide an overview of RDM services and resources offer...

  IReL member access available until end December 2028 What is Embase AI? Embase AI is a conversational search feature generative AI that quickly delivers responses to  scientific questions while providing a fully traceable route to the reference data sources. Embase AI: • Provides concise responses to scientific queries. • Converts a natural language question into a working Embase query. • Responses are backed by citations to the source of the information, coming from Embase. • Synthesizes information from Embase into a tailored response. • Allows multiple follow-up questions Please see the following webpage for more information and FAQ:  What is Embase AI? Webinar sessions to introduce Embase AI will take place as follows:   Tuesday, 14 July 2026, 14:00-15:00 Thursday, 16 July 2026, 10:00-11:00   These webinars will provide an overview of Embase AI functionality and use cases. Both sessions will be recorded and made available afterwards.  Please click on ...

We are delighted to introduce Arushi Sharma from Project SCOIR (Trinity College Dublin), who will be the keynote speaker at our next Open Research Forum: “ University of Galway's Research Publishing Policy: Empowering our Research Community ” on 20 May 2026. Please join us to hear Arushi, along with Claire O’Connor and Martin Leahy, followed by a light lunch. Arushi Sharma is an Associate Researcher with Project SCOIR (Secondary rights, Copyright, Open access, Institutional policies, and Rights retention), where she has contributed to the development of the draft Research Outputs and Open Access Bill 2025.  Arushi has also engaged in discussions with policymakers and presented on rights retention and open research policy in academic settings. She also served as Communications Officer for Project SCOIR, supporting national-level engagement on open research and rights retention. She is also a PhD researcher in Law at Trinity College Dublin, where her research focuses on data protect...

  Thinking Machines and Gadgets a New Project at the Academic Writing Centre Starting in September 2027, the AWC team hope to work closely with our colleagues in MakerSpace and student volunteers to design and produce several 3-D gadgets that help with thinking and organising ideas about essays and assignments. These gadgets can be based on existing pedagogical theory or personal experience or a combination of the two. Gadgets will be designed with to help the user understand and take control over their writing and critical process. We hope that writers will enjoy physically engaging with some aspects of their work and, in turn, begin to see difficult writing tasks as a series of intriguing puzzles.   At this stage, we would love more people to be involved in the project and we would love to hear from staff and students alike. If you have an idea and would like to talk it over, please tell us about it via this form: Thinking Machines:  Contribution and Collaboration...

  From personal letters to manuscripts and signatures of prominent literary and political figures, handwritten material offers a direct connection to the people behind the records. This blog highlights four examples of handwriting from the archives, each reflecting a different historical moment and personal story. Mary Robinson signs the Presidential Oath On the 3 rd  of December 1990, Mary Robinson prepared to sign the presidential oath at her inauguration ceremony in Dublin Castle. Taoiseach Charles Haughey presented Robinson with a quill that once belonged to Éamon De Valera, which she used to sign the oath to begin her term as the seventh President of Ireland. Before signing the document, Robinson practiced using the quill on a separate page. Her handwritten signature captures a significant moment: the inauguration of Ireland’s first female president, marked using the quill of another pivotal figure in Irish history. 2. Lámhscríbhinní De hÍde Douglas Hyde, Ireland’s first ...

    Dervla Murphy was one of the foremost travel writers of her generation. . Beginning with her first book, Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle in 1965 , she wrote 26 books detailing her adventurous travels to distant and not-so distant parts of the globe. Her Irish Times obituary provides an overview of her fascinating and unconventional life. In addition to the print copies in our collection, the Library has recently acquired electronic versions of Dervla Murphy's travel books where available. These are listed with links below:  Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle Tibetan Foothold The Waiting Land: a spell in Nepal In Ethiopia with a Mule On a Shoestring to Coorg Where the Indus is Young: a writer in Baltistan A Place Apart: Ireland in the 1970s Eight Feet in the Andes Muddling through in Madagascar Tales from Two Cities: Travel of Another Sort Cameroon with Egbert The Ukimwi Road : From Kenya to Zimbabwe South from the Limpopo : Travels through South A...

Save the date  for our next Open Research Forum on  2 0   May  2026 ,   “ University of Galway's Research Publishing Policy: Empowering our Research Community ” . This event is hosted by  University  of Galway  Library  Research Services .      Agenda :  Wednesday, 20 May   12.00: Opening: Cillian Joy, Head of Library Research Services 12.05: Keynote: Arushi Sharma, Project SCOIR, Trinity College Dublin    12.25: Claire O'Connor,  Director of Planning and Institutional Research   12:35: Martin Leahy, Research Integrity Officer   12:45: Panel questions and responses, moderated by Jen Smith, Open Research Librarian   13:00: Light lunch     Venue:  Hardiman Building Seminar Room, THB-G010, University of Galway     Please register here for catering purposes:  registration link .   Topic   Research  publishing  attains  its highest st...