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Adding Library resources to Canvas

This guide provides information on linking and embedding Library resources in your Canvas course and ensuring copyright compliance.

Reading Lists

There are several options for getting permalinks for resources to put in your Canvas course. Permalinks are unique, stable, and persistent URLs that, when combined with the RMIT authenticating EZproxy address, give students direct access to resources both on- and off-campus.

decorative imageUsing the Canvas Reading List app is the preferred way to add links to resources in your course.

To learn how to use the Reading List app see the library guide Reading Lists @RMIT.

If you require assistance, or wish to request a training session, email: library.olt@rmit.edu.au

Benefits of Reading Lists for academics: 

  • Link students directly to learning materials, including non-library resources (e.g. YouTube videos or webpages)
  • Ensure copyright compliance 
  • You can easily request digitisation of material
  • Provides statistics on student usage 
  • Collect and store readings, then add them to courses whenever you want 
  • Easy to update and rollover lists each semester 
  • Collaborate with others to create reading lists

LibrarySearch

You can get reliable permalinks to any resources in LibrarySearch.  These links will take the student to the LibrarySearch record, and they can click through from here to find the book, article, or other resources.

To get a permalink from LibrarySearch

  1. Search for the resource in LibrarySearch.
  2. Click on the link icon for the item you would like to link to.

    image of LibrarySearch record
     
  3. Copy the link to Clipboard.

     
  4. Insert the link into the required location in your Canvas module, using the link function in the Canvas editor.image showing link icon in Canvas

Create your own

If you are not using Reading Lists and your Library subscribed resource does not appear in LibrarySearch, you can still create your own links to place in your Canvas modules.

Option 1 - Permalink

Many databases include a permalink or persistent link for individual records. If the permalink includes the RMIT authenticating EZproxy information needed to allow off-campus access, then you can simply copy and paste the permalink into your Canvas module.

Example of a permalink that includes RMIT Library EZproxy information:
image showing permalink from a database

Note: the permalink for an individual item is usually not the URL in the browser address bar. Look out for references to Permalinks within the item record.

Option 2 - Link Generator

Other databases may include a permalink but the link will not include the RMIT EZproxy information. For these examples, you can use the RMIT Library Link Generator which will add the EZproxy to the permalink URL.

Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) can also be submitted to the Link Generator. This is useful because the full text of some journal articles (for example Nature Publisher articles) may not include a 'permalink' but all scholarly papers will have a DOI, which you can find in the full text / PDF of the paper.