Reading and resource lists
What are reading List/resource List solutions?
These are essentially ‘curation’ tools. Academics (with the help of librarians) create online resource lists - commonly by module or course. There is usually flexibility to create lists in a number of different formats e.g. by topic or by week of study. Resources may be further categorized by priority such as ‘essential’ or background’ reading.
Resource list solutions offer direct integration with library mangement systems and discovery solutions.
Online resource lists will contain direct links to content (in the case of digital content such as journal articles, ebooks, ebook chapters, web pages etc.). In the case of print materials they will usually direct link to a library catalogue showing current holdings and availability.
In this respect, online resource lists are perceived to challenge the traditional learning method of self-discovery of resources as they lead students directly to specific content to support their learning.
In the UK and other countries such as Australia and New Zealand older ‘course reserve’ modules have almost entirely replaced by more comprehensive Reading List solutions such as Talis Aspire, Ex Libris Leganto or Kortext Keylinks. Reading list solutions are increasingly adopted in the US and worldwide.
Reading list / resource list systems in the UK
- Talis Aspire (Talis-Part of Technology from Sage)
- BLUECloud Course Lists (SirsiDynix)
- eReserve Plus (eReserve Pty Ltd)
- KeyLinks (Kortext)
- Leganto (ExLibris,Part of Clarivate)
In addition Blackwell offer a service that enables lecturers and others to submit reading list details and as a result enable ordering of books on the list from Blackwell - Readinglists.co.uk
However, this is not a reading list solution as per the others listed above, rather a reading list specific acquisitions workflow.
Resource engagement software
Resource list providers increasingly now add either separate platforms or additional functionality to allow students to engage with resources and collaborate with peers and teaching staff. Examples of these include:
Talis Elevate is a separate priced add-on module to the Aspire reading / resource list platform designed to facilitate peer to peer engagement with resources.
Leganto Social Reading
In response to the development of Elevate, Leganto has introduced “social reading” functionality to their reading list platform allowing students to:
- Share comments, questions, and feedback by marking up course materials
- Annotate PDF files assigned by the instructor
- Communicate ideas with classmates
- Add private notes
Defunct reading list systems
There are a number of now defunct reading list systems that were used in UK HE. Some of these were commercial products, some were open source systems and others were in-house software created by individual institutions.
Examples of such systems are listed below:
Curriculum Builder (EBSCO)
EBSCO ceased to offer their reading list solution Curriculum Builder as a new product in 2023 and the system will be deactivated by end of 2024.
EARL (Easy Access to Resource Lists)
An in-house system developed by York University in 2013.York subsequently awarded a contact to ExLibris for the Leganto Reading List system in 2017.
Learnbuild
Ceased to operate circa 2012
List8D
This Open source reading list system was developed by the University of Kent as an Information Environment Programme funded by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC). Following the end of the project, List8D was replaced at Kent by Talis Aspire.
LORLS (Loughborough University)LORLS (Loughborough Online Reading List System)
An in-house reading list management system developed by the Systems Team at Loughborough University Library and made available as open source. Whilst the system is still available to download as open source it is no longer being actively developed by Loughborough and the University subsequently moved to Talis Aspire.
MyReading
‘MyReading was an in-house systems project from the Computing & Library Services department of University of Huddersfield to develop and implement an online reading list system.
Rebus:list
A reading list solution provided by PTFS Europe. This was purchased by the Copyright Licensing Agency and Kortext in 2017 and subsequently relaunched as Keylinks.
Telstar (Technology Enhanced Learning supporting Students to achieve Academic Rigour)
An open source solution developed by the Open University. No longer used by OU or actively developed.
unilibri
This was a cloud hosted reading list solution. No longer available or in business.