#uniofsunlib

Studying for exams is hard work and can be stressful. Taking regular breaks is a good way to minimise stress and keep yourself energised and focused when you get back to work. At the University of Sunderland Libraries we have a great range of facilities to help you both work and relax, and our collections can be used for both of these too.

Why not take a break from studying and de-stress by watching something from our huge range of films and TV box sets on DVD? We have everything from Hollywood blockbusters to Swedish introspection, Disney to Dogme 95

Here’s a few suggestions from our collection:

Ghostbusters - Bill Murray battles ghosts, what more could anyone want?

Spirited Away - Miyazaki’s finest imaginative animated fantasy

Shaun of the Dead - Romance + zombies + comedy = rom-zom-com

WALL.E - Pixar classic about a lonely garbage-disposal robot.

Goldfinger - the quintessential Bond film.

An American in Paris - Minnelli musical with Gene Kelly as the titular American.

Inside Llewelyn Davis - The Coen’s take on the 60s New York folk scene.

Hogle, J. E. (2002) Cambridge companion to Gothic fiction. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.

The Gothic is a research topic which has been inspiring University of Sunderland staff and students for some time.  The growing portfolio of modules and companion library resources reflects this.

Walpole, H. et al. (1994) Four Gothic novels. Oxford : Oxford University Press.

Starting with MA modules LITM70 Gothic Cultures, LITM67 Irish Literature and the Supernatural and LITM25 Late Victorian Gothic: Dr Jekyll to Dorian Gray the demand for the Gothic has now spread to undergraduate modules with the introduction of ELL350 Modern Gothic.

University Library Services supports this teaching, learning and research in various different ways.  As well as providing library skills session to give awareness of all the tools that are on offer and information to use them effectively we have a range of books and ebooks on a huge range of topics related to the Gothic plus peer-reviewed academic journal articles found via search tools such as Discover coming from quality academic databases including JSTOR, Literary Reference Center Plus and more.

Punter, D. and Byron, G. (2004) The Gothic. Oxford : Blackwell.

As well as Gothic texts, analyses and criticism find research on Gothic art, architecture, fashion, culture, cinema, identities and more - it really is an excellent topic to explore across all areas and subjects in the library.

Beckett-Griffith, J. (2008) Gothic art now. Lewes : Ilex.

When studying Gothic modules you’ll find a wealth of information available on the free internet - from full text novels to creative writing forums, images to descriptions of gothic literary terms, study resources and blogs and even free online peer reviewed journals such as Le Fanu Studies and Irish Journal of Gothic and Horror Studies.

Monstrum is a new journal published by Spectral Visions Press - their aim as stated on their webpage is “to publish the best and most interesting articles about Gothic literature, monsters and the monstrous.”

A call for papers gives an insight into the content of the journal, with typically gothic themes such as the monstrous human, monstrous taxonomies and famous monsters - Frankenstein’s creature and Dracula of course.

Follow Monstrum on Facebook.

Today’s ‘Spectral Visions’ post comes courtesy of  University of Sunderland student Jenah Colledge who gives a unique insight into the inspiration and creativity that Spectral Visions and all it entails prompts, and what it means to Sunderland students.  Thanks Jenah for telling us your experience...

Check out more of Jenah’s work on her tumblr blog, SuperCreativelyLoudMe and on wordpress.

University of Sunderland English department has a history of encouraging creative writing students to flourish, for example previous publications include Asylum

Spectral Visions: the collection followed and with the launch of Spectral Visions Press at the University of Sunderland there is soon to be a Spectral Visions: grim fairy tales collection plus the launch of Monstrum journal.

Check out our library display of original artwork from talented Spectral Visions illustrator Neda Barani - now on show in the Murray Library upper level display cases. (See more of Neda’s work at her website).