Skip to main content

Reading Lists: a guide to creating and maintaining your reading list: Step 1 Getting started

A guide for University of Plymouth staff

Introduction

Leganto is Plymouth's new reading list management system. It provides an efficient and easy way to compile and publish reading lists. Fully integrated with Primo and Moodle, it provides students with easy access to all course materials through a single interface.

With Leganto, you can assemble materials of all types; physical & e-books, online or digitised book chapters, scholarly articles, videos, images, electronic resources and any other type of material, to create a flexible and interactive reading list.

What is expected of Academics?

​What is expected of Academics?

  1. The University Minimum Online Module Presence Requirements state that every module should have an online reading list.  https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/about-us/teaching-and-learning/guidance-and-resources/designing-programmes-and-modules
  2. Each list should have a named member of academic staff as ‘owner’ of the list.  This will allow them to create and edit lists, and enable the Library to follow up any issues
  3. Staff should follow the Best Practice Guidelines in this LibGuide to create a high quality reading list that will guide and direct students’ learning 
  4. Staff should review or update lists annually to ensure currency of content
  5. Online reading lists should be the definitive list, above pre-validation lists or lists in module handbooks, because of their greater interactive capabilities to enrich the student experience
  6. Consult your Information Specialist for advice on appropriate available resources

What is a good reading list?

Reading lists Best Practice Guidelines

- Naming your list  -   include the module code in the list name so that is easy to find and recognisable to students

-Structure lists to guide students’ learning -  recommend key texts and background reading, use weeks or themes/topics. 

- Keep lists current –  use the most recent edition of a title. If you use an older edition add a note to explain why. Update and review your lists on a regular basis

- Keep lists relevant – Identify core journals and databases to support students’ wider learning rather than listing everything that is available

- Manage students' expectations - if an item is unobtainable (e.g. out of print), you should consider if it is really necessary to include it. We would recommend that resources students cannot easily or freely obtain should not be included on  Reading lists

- Use E-Resources to increase access for as many students as possible -e.g. e-books, e-journal articles, Copyright Cleared Content. Your Information Specialist would be happy to advise

- Use innovative technology or resources to make lists active - e.g. video clips from Box of Broadcasts, YouTube

- Consider the length of the list - With lengthy lists students are not always sure what to priorotise. In addition, maintaining lists with hundreds of items is onerous on the Academic!