There are two ways you can tell us what you need:

For individual orders of books please use the Library Resources Request Form.

Or send complete module/course reading lists to your Learning and Research Librarian and include:

• course name and code
• number of students
• campus (i.e., Canterbury/Medway/Salomons)
• date the items are needed by
• any additional information to assist with resourcing (e.g., are students taught remotely, or on placement for lengthy periods of time)

Please indicate in the reading list the reading level - Essential (must read), Recommended (should read) and Background (could read) as this helps inform how many copies the library buys.

We will order an ebook version where possible (not all titles are available as library ebooks) and the most recent edition, please make it clear on the reading list if you need an earlier edition.

You can request a scan via the scanning service if you only need one chapter or a journal article.

Talk to your Learning and Research Librarian about any new journals or databases relevant to your course.

Send reading lists to us at least 6-8 weeks in advance of the start of teaching, to allow time to order, catalogue and process items. The library team will try our best to order the resources you need and will contact you with any queries.

If you are recommending that students purchase specific items, then please contact CCCU University Bookshop.

The length of reading lists varies according to discipline, but reading lists shouldn’t be too long as this can be overwhelming for students.

Tip - Consider breaking the list down into topics or week-by-week reading.

Tip - Indicating the reading level of a text into Essential (must read), Recommended (should read) and Background (could read) helps students to prioritise their reading.

Reading lists are often predominately books or articles but you might want to consider adding other formats such as multimedia, which cater to a variety of learning styles and can be beneficial for sensory-impaired or neurodiverse students.

Here are some examples of other formats that could be included:

• Films that are available via the streaming service Kanopy or via physical DVDs
• TV and Radio Content which is available via Box of Broadcasts (available via LibrarySearch)
• YouTube/TedTalks
• Primary sources and artefacts in special collections and archives (e.g., see LLR’s collections)

Tip – For subject-specific inspiration look at the subject guide for your area.

Providing full details of the resource, in the referencing style relevant to your discipline, helps students to find the correct information.

Tip – Use Cite Them Right to check that references are in the appropriate referencing style.

One element of decolonising the curriculum is to provide a broad perspective of voices in set readings. The closing our gap checklist asks if your module has a reading list and resources that contain a diverse range of authors from different races, ethnicities and perspectives.

Tip – Talk to your Learning and Research Librarian about decolonising and diversifying your course reading lists.

Tip - Consider translations and multilingual resources. Look for translated works or resources that may be available in other languages.

Tip – The Decolonising@Lincoln: Library Toolkit lists some questions which provide a helpful starting point for discussions when reviewing a reading list.

Tip - Involve colleagues and students in the process of reviewing and revising reading lists. Engage in conversations about the materials and actively seek out feedback to improve the lists and ensure that they are more inclusive.