How do I structure the list by weeks or topics?

Reading Lists are organized into sections, which you can add or edit to meet your needs. You can create a section for each week of the semester, sections for separate topics, sections for required and recommended readings, different sections for books, videos, etc., or by default, just list all your materials in one section.

When you create a Reading List, you have the option to create one section titled Resources, or create a section for each week of the semester.

Whichever option you choose, you’ll be able to change the section name if you wish.

Adding a new section

Click the +Add button and choose New section.

Enter a title for your section and click Add.

Optional fields:

  • Add a description
  • Enter start and end dates to indicate when the material will be covered during the course
  • Not recommended: if using dates, control the visibility of the section by checking the box for “Display section during these dates only”
    • Note that the libraries don’t recommend using visibility dates because they can cause confusion for students
  • Add dropdown menu: By default, the section you create will be added to the end of your list, but if you already have other sections, you can add it elsewhere by selecting a different option from the Add dropdown menu

You can now add items to this section using the +Add button.

Editing a section

Open the section menu by clicking the three dots on the right next to that section title, and click Edit section.

You can change the section name, add or edit a description, or enter dates.

Moving a section (reorganizing the order of your sections)

Click Manage sections at the top of your list.

This will collapse all the sections and you’ll see a list of your section names.

Hover over the space to the left of the section name you want to move. A Drag button will appear.

Click and drag the section to its desired place in the section list.

Other options for managing sections

The same section menu you use to edit your section offers additional actions.

Select all items allows you to select all the items in the section and take bulk actions, such as deleting them.

Copy section makes a copy of the section which you can add to the current Reading List or one of your other lists. The “Copy into list” dropdown menu allows you to select which list, and you have the option to edit the section title.

Export section gives you options to export a list of all items in the section to Word, PDF, Excel, or other formats.

Print section allows you to print a paper list of all items in the section.

Delete section removes the section and all items within it from your lists.

Organizing items within sections

After you have added items to your list, you have options for moving and sorting them.

 

Move an individual item

Option 1:

To manually move an item, hover to the left of the title until the Drag button appears. Click and drag the item to move it elsewhere in your list.

Option 2:

Open the item menu to the right of the title.

Choose Move item.

In the pop-up window, choose the list and section where you want the item to appear, then click Move.

Sort items alphabetically by title or author

Open the list menu and choose Sort items within sections

The pop-up window gives you several options:

  • Sort by
    • Author or Title
  • Sort direction
    • Ascending (A-Z) or Descending (Z-A)

Once you’ve made your selections, check the box to confirm that you understand the change cannot be undone, then click Sort.