RLO: Working with Reading Lists Online

There are three steps to adding resources to your reading list:

1. Locate the RLO Bookmarking tool.
2. Search for the resources in Library Search or the internet and add them to your bookmarks.
3. Go to the RLO and add the bookmarked resources to your list.

There are different routes to locating the RLO Bookmarking tool depending on which web browser (Chrome, Edge or Safari) you are using and whether you are working on a university computer or your own device. 

Instructions for university laptops and PCs (Chrome and Microsoft Edge)

• In Chrome: the RLO Bookmarking tool is under Managed bookmarks > Staff > Bookmark to RLO.  If you don't see the Managed bookmarks option on your browser, click on the three dots in the top right hand corner of your screen, select Bookmarks and lists and Show Bookmarks Bar.
• In Microsoft Edge: it is under Managed Favourites > Staff > Bookmark to RLO. 
• Watch the below video for more help. 

Instructions for personal computers (Chrome and Edge)

• Login to RLO
• Click on the tab for My Bookmarks
• Click on the button to Install Bookmark Button
• Follow the instructions to add the Bookmark Button to your toolbar.

Talis instructions for adding the bookmark extension

Instructions for Macs and iPads (Safari)

The document below provides step by step advice and screenshots for installing the RLO Bookmarking tool if you are using Safari on a Mac or iPad.

Not all web pages can be bookmarked using the bookmarking tool available from Managed bookmarks on SHU devices. Web pages affected include gov.uk pages.

If you are having problems you may need to use an alternative method to bookmark resources.

Installing the browser extension will allow you to bookmark these web pages. Once installed the extension can be used in the same way as the bookmarking tool for all resources.

Instructions for Chrome and Microsoft Edge web browsers

• In your browser open RLO and sign in. https://shu.rl.talis.com/index.html
• Go to My bookmarks and click on Install Bookmarking Extension (depending on screen prompts you may need to do this once or twice).
• A tab or window will open for “Talis Aspire reading lists extension Click on Add to Chrome or Get [Microsoft Edge], and then Add extension in the dialog box that opens.

The Talis extension will now be available through the jigsaw piece extensions icon next to the address bar in your browser.  You can make sure it is always visible:

• In your browser click on the jigsaw piece Icon to see all extensions.
• In Chrome: Click on the Pin icon to the right of Talis.
• In Microsoft Edge: Click on the Show in toolbar icon to the right of Talis.

This is how the extension icons will look in the top right of Chrome and Edge browsers when Talis is installed and visible. (Browser updates may mean that your icons look a little different.) 

The first time you click on Talis you will be prompted to select your institution. You can now click on the Talis icon to bookmark items for RLOs.

• Search for the title in Library Search 
• Use the Refine my results options on the left-hand side limit to Books/eBooks.  Check Online availability to identify if an eBook is available.
• If the book is Essential and there is no multi-access electronic versions available in Library Search, you can still add it to your RLO.  We will check if there are eBook versions available to purchase when the reading list is Reviewed. If an eBook isn't available, your subject librarian will contact you to help identify alternative resources.
• Click on the title to display the full record in Library Search.  This is the page your students will be taken to. 
• Add the page to your Bookmarks using the RLO Bookmarking Tool (usually found under the Managed Bookmarks - Staff folder on your Bookmarks bar)
• Once the item has been selected it will generate the RLO Bookmark resource page. 

• If you are presented with more than one option for the title, choose the latest edition and the eBook version (if available).
• For eBooks, there should be a blue tick in the box in the bottom left hand corner of the screen. If this is not highlighted, go back and select an alternative from the list. 

• Click on the Create button
• This will create a bookmark to the required resource. Once you have created bookmarks to all the resources you wish to add, you can go to your reading list and add all your bookmarks using the Add Resource option. See here for instructions on how to Add Resources:

This video will demonstrate how you can add a book (either print or electronic), to your reading list.

Sometimes on Library Search you will find entries for  book reviews as well as an entry for the book itself. For example see below. Unless there is a good reason to direct students to the book review, it is recommended that you link to the actual book - either in print or electronic format.

 Activity: Try adding a print and an electronic book to one of your reading lists

This video will demonstrate how to add a journal article from library search. It also shows how to set the importance of an item (either Essential or Background), how to annotate an item, how to send a reading list to review and finally how to publish your reading list so that the students can see the resources you are recommending.

 Activity: Try adding a journal article to one of your reading lists

To book mark an audio or audio visual recording, you can follow the same principles as for bookmarking a printed resource

• Find the programme you are interested in on Library Search
• Click on the Bookmark to RLO link under the Managed Bookmarks - Staff folder in your Favourites bar
• Ensure resource type is set to Audio-Visual document
• 
• Click Create.
• This will create a bookmark to the required resource. Once you have created bookmarks to all the resources you wish to add, you can go to your reading list and add all your bookmarks using the Add Resource option. See here for instructions on how to Add Resources.

 It is good practice to offer a variety of resources on your reading list. Including non print resources such as videos and documentaries can make resources more accessible. The Box of Broadcasts (BoB) contains a permanent archive of content from nine channels: BBC1 London / BBC2 / BBC4 / ITV London / Channel 4 / More4 / Channel 5 / BBC Radio 4 / BBC Radio 4 Extra. It allows you to preview and save clips.

Access BoB from the A-Z Index of Databases, https://libguides.shu.ac.uk/az.php?a=b

You need to go to login, select your institution in the where are you from box (login using SHU username and password) and then follow the instructions to create an account.
BoB is Learning on Screen’s on demand TV and radio service for education.This academically-focused system allows staff and students to record programmes from over 75 free-to-air channels; and search our archive of over 2.2 million broadcasts.

Tutorials are available here

 Activity - If you haven't used BoB before, have a look at it. Try searching for your curriculum area.

To add items from you BoB account simply follow the steps below:

• You can either add a clip or a link to the whole programme.
• Log in to BoB and select the programme, clip or playlist you wish to add to your list.
• Click on the Share option, and copy the WAYFLESS link.
• Click on the Bookmark to RLO link under the Managed Bookmarks - Staff folder in your Favourites bar
• Remove the existing web address and paste in the web address you copied from BoB. OK the option to use this web address.
• Check the programme details are correct and, if necessary, add any additional information - make sure the blue online box is ticked.
• Click on 'Create'. 
• This will create a bookmark to the required resource. Once you have created bookmarks to all the resources you wish to add, you can go to your reading list and add all your bookmarks using the Add Resource option. See here for instructions on how to Add Resources.

This video shows how you can search Box of Broadcasts and add videos to your reading list.

• Find the website
• Click on the Bookmark to RLO link under the Managed Bookmarks - Staff folder in your Favourites bar
• Ensure resource type is set to Webpage
• Check the record to ensure that the correct web address is displayed in the Web address and the title is meaningful
• Click Create
• This will create a bookmark to the required resource. Once you have created bookmarks to all the resources you wish to add, you can go to your reading list and add all your bookmarks using the Add Resource option. See here for instructions on how to Add Resources.

UK Government web pages and some other web pages cannot be bookmarked using the Bookmark to RLO link.  These can still be bookmarked using the Talis RLO bookmarking browser extension.

• Find a record of the item in a supplier website such as Blackwells or Amazon click.
• Add it as a web resource (see above).
• When your list is ready you should publish it and Request Review.Lists will then be reviewed by Library staff and resources we don't have will be ordered if available. If there are any queries around obtaining items that are not in stock (such as if the item is out of print, or not available as a multi-access e-book), your subject librarian will contact you to discuss possible alternatives.

The reading list itself will only provide the students with the bibliographical details of the items. There is no indication of what is important to read or why a journal article is particularly useful for the topic under consideration. Students can be unclear as to what they should concentrate on or why something is useful. The 'set importance' option is important for both the student and the Library. For the student it helps them to prioritise their readings, and for the library to be able to order multi-user e-books for items identified as Essential.  Sheffield Hallam only use the Essential and Background options.

• Add the item to the reading list
• Click on the drop-down menu 'Importance not set' which appears next to the item
• Select the importance status 'Essential' or 'Background'

 Activity: If you have a reading list check to see if the importance status has been set. Select those that the students really need to engage with and mark these as Essential. Make the others Background.

 Activity: Read 

Croft, D (2018) What is a reading list for? A guide for module leaders on aligning reading with learning outcomes. p 8-9. Oxford Brookes University doi.org/10.24384/000531

This Edit menu options allow you to both move the item up and down and also add "Notes for your students" giving further information about the resource and how you would like them to use it - e.g. highlight specific chapters. It is good practice to annotate your reading list, to guide students and enable them to prioritise their reading.