University of St. Thomas
IN-26: Innovation C

The University Libraries, in partnership with STELAR, implemented a new Canvas learning management system add-on called Resource Lists for connecting students to affordable course materials. This allows instructors to utilize existing library content and additional services when delivering course materials in Canvas. By bringing together services which the University Libraries, STELAR, the Campus book store and the Copyright Clearance Center offer, Resource Lists provide students a more affordable and seamless experience. This allows addition of physical books, videos, e-books, electronic articles, streaming media, scanned documents to one central list delivered online through Canvas, where students are receiving the rest of their course content. Instructors can manage assignment of course materials whenever it is convenient; during course development or during the course of their daily work. By making use of the Libraries’ subscriptions and holdings, this implementation ensures students are not charged for readings that the university libraries already provide. According to the PIRG report “Fixing the Broken Textbook Market," affordability increases likelihood of engagement with materials and improved student success (1). This system is a one-stop shop which combined many disparate methods instructors use to assign and deliver course readings. Finally, the Resource Lists system provides metrics on how students are engaging with each reading, allowing instructors to adjust their course readings based on what is most engaging.

This Resource Lists Canvas add-on resulted in increased affordability for students who were part of the spring pilot which consisted of 15 faculty in 19 courses, and which reached 289 students using a total of 579 course materials citations. Students in the pilot saved $22,260 in total, or an average of $77 per student per course. The pilot also showed how resource consumption could be greatly reduced: just counting electronic articles and electronic book chapters that were assigned, and conservatively assuming they averaged 15 pages in length, we avoided using 64,980 pages of printer paper, or the equivalent of 130 reams or 13 boxes. The online delivery system also reduces resource consumption associated with needing to get to and from the library to check out physical materials on Course Reserve. Following a successful pilot phase, the Resource Lists add-on will now be available university-wide to all instructors who use Canvas.

Source:
(1) U.S. PIRG Education Fund and the Student PIRGS. (2014). Fixing the Broken Textbook Market. Retrieved from https://uspirg.org/reports/usp/fixing-broken-textbook-market

"Embracing Change and Innovation with Resource Lists," https://www.stthomas.edu/libraries/showcase/resource-lists/

Resource Lists at the University of St. Thomas went live in January, 2018.