Ask the Library: Why are Course Reading lists important and what resources should I include?

The University Library supports access to course reading materials for students via the Course Readings tool in MyUni. This tool allows you to share learning materials with students, including readings, videos, textbooks and more. As semester 2 approaches, we encourage staff to create or roll over their readings lists as early as possible. Publishing a list sends it to the University Library, where staff can confirm the availability of materials for you. This saves you time and ensures we know what you need  - and if we don’t know, we can’t source it for you!  

Why are reading lists important? 

Resource accessibility: A complete, well-curated reading list created in the Course Readings MyUni tool ensures students can access required materials promptly, and you can keep track easily of what readings you have assigned.  

Effective Learning: When students know what to read, they can prepare adequately for classes, discussions, and assignments. Listing all required and recommended reading material in a Course Readings list improves the student experience as it makes it easier for them to plan what they need to read and when throughout the semester. 

Library Acquisition: Whether it’s textbooks, journal articles, or multimedia resources, having a clear list simplifies the acquisition process. By knowing which materials are needed, librarians can check availability of those resources and source digital access (if available, purchase physical copies and keep track of which resources are being used and needed.  

What should teaching staff include in reading lists? 

Short answer: You can add all types of resources to a reading list. But here are some below we specifically want to mention. 

Textbooks: List all required textbooks and/or required readings and use appropriate tags. This allows the Library to track textbook requirements, provide eBook access where available and move physical items to our High Use collection. Please include Open Educational Resources if you are using these in your course as a textbook.  

Multimedia resources: Don’t forget to add videos, documentaries, or other multimedia content.  If you plan to use Kanopy videos, include them in the reading list. The Library can then check availability of these titles and source them if possible.  

Third-party copyright material: If you are wanting to supply third-party copyright material for students to read or view during semester, add them to a reading list. This is the only way to ensure compliance with the University’s Copyright Policy. This type of material should not be shared with students in any other way (i.e. uploaded in a MyUni course). 

The University Library has created an Introduction to Course Readings MyUni course which provides step-by-step instructions on how to create a reading list, add items, review, publish and share. Please look through this course to become familiar with the new Course Readings interface or if you need a refresher. Any questions, please contact the University Library.  

Remember, a comprehensive reading list benefits everyone—students, teaching staff, and librarians.