Canvas Readings & Resources
Readings & Resources is a Canvas tool that organizes course materials and tracks student engagement. You can create a resource list in your Canvas course that makes course materials available for your students, places library items on course reserve, and initiates purchase requests for items the library doesn’t own.
Our team is ready to help you navigate Readings & Resources with staff support, an online guide, and video tutorials.
Online Materials
You can easily add online resources such as e-books, book chapters, articles, and streaming media to Readings & Resources from Library Search, a citation manager, the web or by uploading.
If you plan to require streaming films or e-books in your course, please email smuert@list.smu.edu first. We will make sure we have current access since many online licenses expire or limit the number of simultaneous users.
Library materials should be linked with Readings & Resources or permalinks rather than uploaded to Canvas. This ensures students can access materials off-campus and helps us track usage.
Course Reserves
Books, DVDs, music recordings, and other physical items can be placed on course reserve with Readings & Resources. Course reserves have short loan periods to ensure that required materials are available for your students. Once you add the items to your Readings & Resources list, library staff will process your request. Allow one week for processing at the beginning of a new term and two weekdays thereafter.
Course reserves are located at the main service desks in each library. Film and music reserves, as well as viewing and listening equipment, are in Hamon Arts Library.
Course reserves must comply with copyright. These items cannot be placed on course reserve:
- interlibrary loans
- course packs
- workbooks
- print photocopies
- instructor edition or advanced reader copies
Print Articles and Periodicals
To use an article that we have available in print, you can:
- scan the article, then upload it in Canvas. For copyright compliance, we recommend scanning no more than 15% of a journal issue. Or,
- place the print journal on course reserve.
Personal Items
To add your personally owned items to course reserves, contact library staff.
In-Class Use
If you only need library materials short term, such as a DVD to show in class, you don't need to place them on course reserve. Request the item in Library Search, and we will hold it at the library’s desk for you to borrow.
Special Collections
SMU Libraries has a wealth of primary source material that can be incorporated into your course. Our extensive collections can enhance your students’ learning experience during in-person visits or online through our Digital Collections. Contact Special Collections to learn how engaging with our collections can enhance student understanding of course material and broaden their viewpoints.
Request a Purchase
You can request purchases in Readings & Resources or by filling out a Purchase Request. We do not purchase individual articles that are not included in our current subscriptions. However, you can request a course pack from the SMU bookstore to get articles licensed for course use.