Guides: Reading lists for staff: Introduction

About this guide

This guide shows academic staff the basics of managing their reading lists.

This facility is not available to students.

Introduction

Use your online reading lists to improve student satisfaction!

Easily create current and dynamic lists
Provide live resource links and real-time Library availability
Save time embedding links within Moodle
Seamlessly request or digitise new material

For more information about online lists, including interviews with academics who’ve successfully used our reading list software at other universities, take a look at https://talis.com/reading-lists/

Upcoming Library training for university staff

Please book onto a library session via the calendar, or go to our Eventbrite page to see the full list of upcoming dates and times.

The library regularly runs courses in the following areas:

Manage your own reading lists
Reinvigorating reading lists
Open research
Open Access publication
Making the most of Special Collections

Other sessions can be run on demand. Please email library@mmu.ac.uk:

Finding and using safe content for Moodle
Image conscious: find and use great images

You may also be interested in some of the open workshops that cover Endnote and more.

One to one updating sessions are also available for academic staff to refresh searching skills and learn about new databases. Contact library@mmu.ac.uk.

Embedding reading list sections in Moodle

Video
Transcript

This video will demonstrate how you can embed a reading list section from an associated library reading list directly within the content of a Moodle unit area. Please note that your list must be structured into sections to enable you to use this function. Click Turn editing on
Select Add an activity or resource from the relevant section. Click Reading list (new) and Add.
In section title, give your weekly reading list entry a name, in this case, the title is seminar reading. In the display box, you have two choices of how to display the resources, either ‘inline on the course page’ or ‘on a separate page’ will send the user to a new page. I’m going to select ‘on a separate page’, then ‘link to resource list or section’.
Sign in using your usual login details
Select the relevant year then use the drop down menu to select the section you wish to embed and click save
The reading list section will now appear. Use the bread crumb trail at the top of the screen to return to the course page.
The embedded reading list section link will now appear in the weekly section of Moodle. You will need to edit the links on an annual basis so they link to the correct year’s list.
For more help and information, please ask a member of staff in the Library or visit the Library website.

Embedding digitised material or individual reading list items in Moodle

Video
Transcript

This video will demonstrate how you can embed digitised material or individual items in Moodle. Click Turn editing on
Select Add an activity or resource from the relevant section. Click URL and Add.
Open a new tab and navigate the online reading lists to the reading list item you wish to add to Moodle. Select the 3 dashes action menu to the right of the item and select ‘Share item‘. Click the clipboard icon to copy the URL.
Paste the reference details and URL into the Moodle editing URL tab. Under ‘Appearance’ select ‘Open’. Click Save and Return to Course.
For more help and information, please ask a member of staff in the Library or visit the Library website.