Wherever you get your readings from, direct from your supervisor, Moodle or Reading Lists Online (Leganto), it can be difficult to find the items. Do have a look at our Understanding iDiscover page.
Below, you'll find more information about Reading Lists Online and ebooks. If you have any problems with using the reading list platform, finding ebooks, or using any of the ebook platforms, current members of the college can contact our Academic Services Librarian, Sarah Burton.
If you discover we don't have a book on your reading lists that you need, email us or fill in the online recommendation form.
You may find your reading list is online, rather than on Moodle or in a Word document, but the initial link may be in Moodle. The platform is called Leganto, or Reading Lists Online. The platform is designed to be a one-stop-shop for readings, rather than on different pages in Moodle or in different documents in a Word or PDF format, making them easier to read. Each book entry will show you the physical item's availability in the libraries that hold it straightaway with live data as it integrates with iDiscover, the library catalogue.
There are tags which tell you if the reading is essential, recommended or further reading. It will also show you if there are scans available, with the PDF of the scan so you can download it or read it online there and then. There is also a tag for those readings you can access online, with the links you need to access them. So you can filter the lists to show you only the most essential reading or those you can access without going to a library. You can search them so you can find the exact reading you're looking for, especially useful for the longer lists! You may also find notes or comments on the reading if provided. Most of the time, these lists are created by librarians, so they should be thorough, accurate and user-friendly as they can be. However, it relies on libraries being provided with lists or the ones that can be found on Moodle, so do let the faculty library know if there are any missing and there is a function to report broken links.
You can find out more as there is a whole LibGuide dedicated to Leganto (Reading Lists Online). Below you will find one of the instructional videos, along with the video's transcript.
Whether you prefer to read physical books or not, there is no doubt that ebooks are handy when you're away from Cambridge, need a citation, for urgent reading, working after hours, or if you just want to read a chapter or so. All you need is your University login to access them; if you're off campus, you may have to follow a few extra steps before entering your login, logging in via 'your institution' or 'Shibboleth'. However we know they can also be confusing, frustrating or simply not available. To find out why books aren't available electronically, take a look at the ebooks LibGuide. There is also the added complication of the various platforms, sometimes even giving you a choice of platform, with their different functionality and allowances.
As a brief overview, here are my tips:
If you need an electronic copy of a book that isn't available as an ebook due to accessibility reasons, do contact the disability team at the University Library. You can find out all the information you need (and a whole lot more) on the LibGuide dedicated to ebooks. Below you will find an introductory video.