Monthly Archives: February 2016

Send us your resource lists!

The Library is now accepting requests for new resource lists at any point in the year!

We’ll still have our annual deadlines to make sure your resource lists are ready in time for the start of each new semester, but now, to enable academics to send us lists whenever it’s convenient, we’ll create your resources lists (using Talis Aspire) at any time of year.

What information do we need?

For each resource list, we need:

  • a completed Resource List coversheet;
  • an annotated reading list or handbook with:
    • resources marked as ‘Essential’, ‘Recommended’ or ‘Further reading’;
    • any e-reserve requests highlighted;
    • any requests for specific editions, formats (print or electronic) or for additional copies if sufficient copies will not be provided using the default ratios.

What will the Library do?

We’ll create your resource list and, if the list is prioritised, process any e-reserve and course reserve requests. We’ll also make book recommendations based on the published ratios or on your notes provided. When the list is ready, we’ll hand it over to you for day-to-day management.

Send your lists to the Library

For more information, and to download the coversheet, visit the IS website: Resource Lists created by Library

When you’ve completed the coversheet and annotated your list, send them to Library.Learning@ed.ac.uk

And, as usual, if you have any questions about resource lists, please get in touch.

How to add both print and ebook copies to your resource list

Often you’ll find that the library holds both print and ebook copies of the book you’d like to add to your resource list.

Rather than bookmarking each of these separately, we’d recommend finding both the print and ebook listings in DiscoverEd and adding them to a single bookmark.

Follow the steps below, and your bookmark will show students the Library holdings and also provide a link to the ebook – win-win!

  1. Click to bookmark the print copy as usual;
  2. Add a new ‘Web address’ field;
  3. In a new tab, open the ebook (‘Online access’) listing in DiscoverEd and click to open the link to the ebook;
  4. Copy the URL of the ebook and add it to the ‘Web address’ field in your bookmark;
  5. Check the ‘Online Resource’ box is ticked;
  6. Save the bookmark.

If you’d like any assistance with your resource list, please email us at: library.learning@ed.ac.uk

Resource Lists reviews recap

This week, we’ve changed our reviews process, from automatically triggering a review every time you publish your list, to offering the option to have your list reviewed instead.

Why have we changed the process?

We hope that this will reduce the number of emails you receive from the Resource Lists service and lead to more focused attention on your list when you need it.

How do I request a review?

If you would like the Library to review your list, you can choose the option ‘Request review’; you will also be reminded that you have this option every time you publish your list.

There’s a short video showing how you can request a review here:

Requesting a review and publishing (video)

When should I request a review?

If you change the number of students on your course; request new acquisitions or ereserve in the ‘notes for library’ function; need your list to be linked to the hierarchy so you can add it to LEARN; or add new resources, we recommend sending your list for review to us. And if it’s a brand new list, we recommend selecting the ‘Review list’ option so we can give the list the once-over.

What will we do?

When we receive your review request, we will check prioritised items to see if the library holds enough copies and process any book recommendations for additional or new copies; check the ‘notes for library’ function; forward details of ‘Essential’ items to HUB; check links; and check the list is added to the hierarchy.

If you have any questions about reviews, please send us an email: library.learning@ed.ac.uk

Resource Lists: what does the library do when I request a review?

The Library will be notified when you request a review of your list. When we receive your review request, we will:

  • use expected student numbers and the priorities assigned to each item to check if sufficient numbers of copies are held, and, if necessary, process book recommendations for new or additional copies;
  • check for ‘Notes for library’ added to your list and pass any requests for new or additional copies or ereserve scans to the relevant team;
  • forward details of ‘Essential’ items to HUB and reserve teams;
  • check the links on your Resource List;
  • check the list is correctly linked to the course hierarchy (enabling you to add your Resource List to LEARN).

In addition, when the list is newly-created by the Course Organiser, the Library review will:

  • check items on the Resource List against existing Library holdings;
  • review the structure of your Resource List.

When we’ve finished the review:

  • We will send the Course Organiser a summary of actions taken. This includes details of current library holdings, any book recommendations made or any changes to broken links.
  • If the Resource List hasn’t already been published, the Course Organiser should publish the Resource List when ready.
  • Course Organisers will be notified when any new acquisitions arrive and are expected to add any new acquisitions to their Resource List themselves.
  • Course Organisers may be contacted by other Library teams for clarification on ereserve requests or updates on book recommendations made.

If you have any questions about reviews, please email us at library.learning@ed.ac.uk

When should I request a review for my Resource List?

This week, we’re covering different aspects of the review process, following the changes made to Resource Lists reviews on Monday: today we’re looking at when to request a review.

Course Organisers can request a review at any point throughout the academic year.

We recommend requesting a review if:

  • You have created a brand new Resource List;
  • You have added new resources to your Resource List;
  • You have changed the number of expected students;
  • You expect the Library to take action: for example, when you have added a ‘Note for library’ to request new or additional copies of (e)books, or ereserve scans;
  • You would like the Library to check the links on your Resource List and/or the Resource List’s structure;
  • You would like your Resource List to be linked to the course hierarchy (required to use the Resource List tool in LEARN).

If you are making minor updates to your list or editing the text, publish your list as usual without requesting a review.

If you have any questions about the changes to the review process, please email: library.learning@ed.ac.uk

Resource Lists: what is a review and how do I request one?

Course Organisers can ask the Library to review their Resource List throughout the academic year.

What is a review?

When a review is requested for a Resource List, the Library will check the list and any ‘notes for library’ you’ve added, make sure we have enough copies of core readings, pass on any ereserve requests or book recommendations to the relevant teams and notify HUB and reserve teams.

It is the responsibility of the Course Organiser to request a review if they would like the Library to take action. If only a few minor changes have been made to the list, and no follow up action is required from the Library, no review request is required.

How do I request a review?

Each time you publish your Resource List, you will be reminded that you have the option to request a review.

It is also possible to request a review without publishing a Resource List by selecting ‘Review List’ from the ‘Review’ options.

Watch a short video demonstration of how to request a review and publish

If you have any questions or feedback about the review process, please email us at: library.learning@ed.ac.uk

The Resource Lists review process – update

This week, we’ll be explaining more about the new review process on our blog – keep an eye out for more updates.

If you’ve been publishing your lists in the past couple of months, you’ll have noticed that this automatically triggers a ‘review’, sending an email to the Library Learning Services team to check your list. Sometimes, this can result in a spiral of automatically-generated review-related emails cluttering your inbox.

As the semester is now well underway, and the deadline for requesting new books through Resource Lists @ Edinburgh has passed, we’ve decided to switch this automatic review process off.

Manually request a review

You can still request a review of your list by selecting the ‘Review’ button on your list and choosing the option ‘Review List’. Each time you publish your Resource List, you will also be reminded that you have the option of requesting a review.

Both options will result in the Library being notified: we’ll check your lists and act on any ‘notes to library’ that you may have added.

Hopefully, this will result in fewer automated emails sent to you about reviews and more focused attention on your list, when you want it.

If you have any feedback on the review process, send us an email at: library.learning@ed.ac.uk