Reading Lists Online

The Library implemented a new reading lists management system in the summer of 2011. This is available to academic staff and students of Queen Mary, University of London at http://lists.library.qmul.ac.uk. 

This is a web-based system designed to manage reading lists through a single online application:

• It gives academics the ability to create, manage, and maintain lists using simple drag and drop functions, and to make these lists available to students;

• It gives academics the ability to add digitised content to their lists and carries out a series of checks to ensure copyright compliance;

• It provides students with easy access to relevant lists, and to materials on those lists, through links to the Library catalogue, electronic books and journals, and other resources;

• It allows Library staff to review lists, acquire materials to resource these lists, and ensure that materials are accurately described and discoverable.

This system is designed to improve communication between academics and the Library with respect to reading lists material: we want to match reading lists material to resources held in the library to improve student satisfaction in terms of resource availability and accessibility.  It is in line with the College’s strategic objectives of enhancing the creation and dissemination of knowledge, and underlines the Library’s commitment to improving the student experience at Queen Mary, University of London.

The implementation of this new system has received strong support from Susan Dilly, Vice-Principal for Teaching and Learning.  We are also working closely with the Deans for Taught Programmes and their Advisory Boards, and with the Centre for Academic and Professional Development to promote the use of the system amongst academic staff and students.  Feedback received during drop-in sessions delivered to students to promote the system has been very favourable.  

For more information and to see other institutions using the system, as well as to exchange information with the developers of the system and academics from other institutions, please check the developer’s web site at http://www.talisaspire.com/.

Reading Lists Online now includes a digitised content module.  You can upload pdfs of scanned material through your lists when in edit mode and the system carries out a series of checks to ensure they are copyright compliant.  You can also upload and verify compliance independently of Reading Lists Online at http://content.talisaspire.com/ .

For further information, or if you wish to be involved by getting your lists and/or digitised content on the system, please send an email to library-rlo@qmul.ac.uk.

Below are guides on how to create reading lists using the online reading lists management system and how to link your lists to QMPlus with plug in applications. 

Creating Reading Lists in TALIS RLO [PDF 732KB]  /  Linking Reading Lists Online [PDF 549KB]