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Introduction to the Library: Academic Staff

Resource lists and purchasing new resources

Online Resource Lists 

All modules will generally have a resource list of resources recommended by the module leader.  These lists are made available to students via our Leganto resource lists platform and linked to the module on Blackboard.  You can find out more about the resource lists system from our dedicated guide. 

Resource lists, directly linked from within Blackboard, make it easy for students to access recommended reading as they provide dynamic links to the specific resources you have recommended to your students.  Where the material is available online, students have a single link to click to access it.

What can resource lists include? 

You can put links to just about any resource on your reading list; it doesn’t just have to be resources we provide in the library. Your resource list can contain items that we have in stock in the Library, items that you'd like us to order, online books and journal articles available via the Library's subscriptions, LinkedIn Learning courses, and freely-available online material such as videos and blogs. 

Remember that if you need your students to read a specific chapter or journal article, that we don’t have available in electronic format, you can use a digitisation scheme to arrange for a scanned document to be added to the list. You can find out more about digitisation from the resource list guide mentioned above.

How to find your lists

You can find your module resource lists from: 

  • The module page on Blackboard

  • From the library home page; look for the resource lists button 

  • From this direct link (you will need to sign in to see the lists you are associated with)

Module leads are the owners and editors of their online resource lists and can update lists at any point in the academic year.   It's really important to review your lists each year and to make sure that you've identified a 'reading preference' for each item on the list as we use that to determine how many copies of the books should be purchased for the Library.  You can find out more about how new items are added to the Library from the next tab on this page.

Contact information 

For help or advice about content for your resource lists email your Academic Librarian. For help with technical issues relating to reading list management contact readinglists@derby.ac.uk 

 

Resource Lists Driven Acquisitions

Collection development is driven via the Library purchasing directly from resource lists; a process called Resource List Driven Acquisition (RLDA)..

Adding titles to resource lists is the main way new items are purchased so it’s important that you add new books to your lists to help build the library collection. We have a designated budget for these items and try to purchase eBooks where they are available and additional print copies to ensure access.   The number of items purchased is determined by a set of criteria based on:

  • reading preference (set by the module lead against each item on the list)
  • the number of students on the module
  • the cost of the item (print and eBooks have a maximum price set)

You can find out more about how we purchase eBooks here 

There are several other ways we buy resources for the Library,  listed below.
 

  • Multi Reservations - If you're struggling to get hold of one one of our print books - reserve it.  We will purchase more copies if we see reservations get to a certain point.  This service is open to staff and students at the University.
     
  • Demand Driven Acquisitions - When you're browsing the eBook supplier platforms, if you try to access a book we don't own yet, we have systems in place that may purchase the book and you'll be able to access it seamlessly and instantly.
    We have a dedicated guide with more information about how to search for eBooks that includes links to our Ebook Suppliers. You can find it here.
     
  • Scan and Deliver - Scan and Deliver is our digital service for staff and students. This service enables you to request a digital copy of any chapter or article that the Library holds in print.
     
  • Request to your Academic Librarian - the Academic Librarians and the Research & Publication Practice team have small budgets to purchase items to help build the wider library collection.  This might include resources you need for your own research or titles that may not be required for resource lists.  Contact your Academic Librarian for more information.