one giant step: talis aspire - a case study from the university of nottingham

Sunday, April 9, 2023 1Event Name and Venue

Talis Aspire Reading Lists:

One giant step – a case study from the University of Nottingham

Chris Middleton

Head of Academic Library Services

Sunday, April 9, 2023 Event Name and Venue 2

Outline• In the beginning – the vision• The first ten years• The transformation

• Tenancy setup• File conversion• Roll out

• The learning curve• List creation• Permissions• Work flows

• Next steps• Roll out phase 2 (and 3)• Overseas campuses• TADC


Vision• Staff and students on all campuses of the University of Nottingham have simple and seamless

access to recommended texts on both the web and through mobile devices.

• Academic teaching staff are able to create and maintain the lists with the minimum of effort.

• Library staff are alerted to amended lists and to new resource requirements as they arise.

• University managers have access to comprehensive statistical information.

04/09/23 Event Name and Venue 4


The first ten years….


Issues• The Loughborough Online Reading Lists system has been live since 2003. • We have not upgraded the software in line with LORLS developments due to a high level of customisation• Our administrative interface is not user friendly and this has directly inhibited academics from maintaining their own lists.

• 2,563 live lists out of a possible 4,064 active modules • Over 1000 lists hidden• 1689 (66%) < 50 items• 683 (27%) 51-200 items• 166 (6%) 201-500 items• 25 (1%) 501-1400 items


Timeline 2009 - 2012• 2009 became aware of Talis Aspire. Alerted Senior Management Team to

possible migration within span of three year plan.

• 2012 commenced campaign for TA

February 2012 paper to IS SMT


Benefits• Opportunity to move from a system that is lagging to a product that is now an industry standard.

• To embed this within our applications to make the service leading edge.• Improved NSS scores through better design and usability.

• More focussed and structured lists to improve the staff and student experience. • A higher percentage of reading lists being more accurate and up-to-date.

• Greater ownership of online lists by academic staff.• Access to lists and item availability via mobile devices.


Transformation timeline 2012 (1)• February: paper to Senior Management Team

• April: lunchtime session with Mark Bush. Senior library staff and academics invited

• May (end of): agreement to go ahead

• June: preliminary set-up and configuration decisions, data conversion analysis

• July: order completed, project manager assigned, Basecamp project management commenced

• 31 July LORLS locked down and data sent for conversion


Transformation timeline 2012 (2)• August: gained access to tenancy, work continued on conversion

• Reactivated working group

• Planned academic workshops

• Message of the day

• Moodle newsletter

• Web page

• Letter from PVC Teaching and Learning to Heads of Schools and Deans

• September: academic workshops, final list conversion, opt-in Moodle block

• Session 2012/13: no updating of old lists, worked on new lists


MESSAGE SENT ON BEHALF OF PROFESSOR XXXXXXXX

Please forward to academic staff in your School

Dear Colleague

I am pleased to inform you that during the 2012/13 academic session we are launching a new online reading lists system to UK campuses.

The NSS (Library Sources and Services provision) revealed that significant numbers of students found that access to key resources was

insufficient. The new online system which provides comprehensive reading lists with direct links to the library catalogue will make significant

improvements to library services for students. The new system has been developed by Talis Aspire, the market leader in the provision of online

reading lists, which is in use in over 40 UK institutions.

The key benefits of the new reading list system, which will be accessed via Moodle, are:

· The facility to easily build and update reading lists online using a simple “drag and drop” function

· The ability to save resources in one place from a variety of sources, including library catalogues, external websites, journal articles and

multimedia

· The provision of samples of structured lists for ease of use

· A visually appealing student interface, with real-time indication of library availability and direct links to online texts and bookseller sites

· Library staff receive automatic alerts to list amendments to facilitate resource acquisition

Information Services have set up a series of workshops to help academic colleagues to familiarise themselves with the new system. Please

follow the link below to register for a place.

https://workspace.nottingham.ac.uk/display/ISVLEI/Introduction+to+the+new+Reading+Lists+system

We also wish to establish a network of faculty champions to facilitate the smooth adoption of the new reading lists. If you are interested in

pioneering the use of the system, please contact Chris Middleton, Head of Academic Services on [email protected]

Thank you for your valuable support in the launch of this exciting new development.

Professor XXXXXXX


What caught us out/learning curve?

• Time

• Permissions

• Workflows (aligning new and old)

• Spreading the word


What next?• 2013/14:

• Opt-out Moodle block

• Teaching and Learning strategy

• Reading list strategy

• Enhanced use of shibboleth

• 2014/15:

• Roll out to China and Malaysia

• TADC?

one giant step: talis aspire - a case study from the university of nottingham

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