Course Reserves in ALMA

Adding reading lists

Once you’ve created a Course, the next step is to add a Reading List. The Reading List is where you’ll add the physical and electronic items(Citations) needed to complete a course reserves request.

Three options for adding, sharing, or modifying readings lists are outlined below.

• Option 1: Adding a reading list to be used by a single course.
• Option 2: Adding a reading list to be used by multiple courses.
• Option 3: Duplicating a reading list for re-use in a new course.

After creating a Course (or identifying an existing Course to add a Reading List to), please follow the steps below.

1. Start in the "Courses" (Fulfillment > Course Reserves > Courses) screen.
2. Locate the Course for which you’d like to set up a Reading List.
3. Click on the ellipsis for the course, then select Reading List from the drop down menu to be taken to the course's reading list page.
   
4. On the "Course's Reading List" page, select Add Reading List on the right side of the screen.
   
5. This will open the "Add Reading List" window.
6. On the "Add Reading List" window, enter data for all four fields:
   
   • Code: Typically, enter the course code as it was entered in the associated course.
   • Status: Select the appropriate status for the reading list for your library's workflow.
     • "Being Prepared" means there is more work to do with the list, at a later time or by another staff member.
     • "Complete" means that after staff are finished with the reading list, work is complete.
   • Name: Typically, enter the course name as it was entered in the associated course.
   • Due Back Date: Alma should automatically populate the "due back date" to the date set in the associated course information.
7. Click Add and Close. The course and associated reading list are now created.

You can use the same reading list for multiple courses. For example, if your first-year writing courses all have shared core texts, but then professors are able to add supplementary materials on the topics of their choosing.

1. Create the Reading List for one of the courses that will use the list, following the steps outlined in Option 1 above. For the Code and Name in step 6, you'll select a code/name that describe the shared use of the list, rather than naming it for one specific course.
2. After the reading list is created, click on the ellipsis for the list you wish to associate with additional course(s), and select Associate this list with a course from the menu.
   
   (If you are associating the Reading List with a different course at a later date, you can locate the reading list through (Fulfillment > Course Reserves > Reading Lists). Your institution's reading lists will be listed on the All tab.)
3. The "Edit Reading List" window will open. Select the Associate Course option, and browse/search for the additional course(s) to associate with this list.
   
4. Select Save when you've finished associating additional courses with the reading list.

You can copy a reading list and apply it to another course. For example, if you are preparing the spring reserves during the fall semester, and a professor is putting many but not all of the same items back on reserves for the following semester. You want to create a new list for the spring course with the appropriate titles, but cannot reassign/adjust the fall list since it is still in use.

1. Search for the course that has the reading list you would like to copy.
2. Select the ellipsis for the course, select Copy Reading List from the drop down menu to be taken to a list of all of the available reading lists at your institution.
   
3. Select the checkbox for the list you want to copy and then Select.
   
4. After the list is selected, you will be returned to the course view. Select the ellipsis for the course, and then Reading List to view the copied list.
5. On the "Course's Reading List" page, notice that the code and name of the copied reading list have a number appended in parenthesis, example- (1).
   Select the course code to open the Reading List editing window.
   
6. Modify the code and name to reflect the course this list is assigned to, then Save.