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Faculty Support LibGuide

Adding Library Resources to Canvas

All of our resources and tutorials can be integrated into the Canvas learning management system to make them available to your students at point-of-need.   

Additionally, we've made it even easier for your students to access library resources by embedding a library presence in every course in Canvas. Look for the "Library" tab in your course navigation menu.

A Persistent Link, or Persistent URL (PURL), is a constant, stable link to a document in a database that will not change over time, and will allow students to view the content off-campus. A PURL is also sometimes referred to as a durable link or a Permalink. 

One must use a PURL when linking to a document from Canvas. The content on our databases is provided by licensing agreements with publishers. Downloading a PDF and uploading it into your course is a violation of our copyright agreement. Also, views of downloaded content will not count towards our usage statistics, which we rely on to make informed decisions about database renewal.

The location of a PURL will differ from database to database. Sometimes you will find it in the article’s abstract or at the bottom of the page. Other times you will see a link in the right-hand column of the page. In some of our specialized databases, the PURL can be copied from the address bar of the browser. 

Discover where to find PURLs in specific databases by clicking here.

Link to an article’s Permalink in Canvas just as you would link to an external website.

A Persistent Link, or Persistent URL (PURL), is a constant, stable link to an Ebook that will not change over time, and will allow students to view the content off-campus. A PURL is also sometimes referred to as a durable link or a Permalink.

The Library provides access to thousands of streaming videos that can be embedded into your Canvas assignments, discussions, and modules. Coverage includes documentaries, feature films, and instructional videos. We provide access to licensed content (instant access) and On-Demand content (available upon request). 

Embedding a Films on Demand video in Canvas:

  1. Create a new announcement, discussion, assignment, or page – anywhere you see the “rich text editor” – for this example I’ll create a new discussion board prompt
  2. Open and edit my new discussion – now I see the rich text editor
  3. Look for the little symbol that looks like an “F” and click it
  4. Enter your search terms (ex: social media and marketing)
  5. Find a video, then click the “embed” dropdown menu
    1. Choose the size of the video (small, medium, or large)
  6. Save and Publish

Curriculum Builder is powered by LibSearch, the Library’s Discovery Service. Curriculum Builder allows you to create custom reading lists within your Canvas course modules, by simply searching and clicking. Take your courses to the next level by pointing students to scholarly articles, current news report, electronic reference books and more, in your weekly Canvas modules.

Adding a new reading list to your module in Canvas:

Consider: Will you create a new module in Canvas, or add your reading list to an existing module?

  1. Start in the module that you want to create a reading list in – click the plus sign in the top-right of the module to add new content.Add a new “external tool”
  2. Scroll down and select Curriculum Builder from the list of external tools
  3. Rename the reading list before clicking “add item”
    1. ex: Week 4 Reading List: Human Resources

Adding content to your reading list:

  1. Click on the unpublished reading list to edit it
  2. Click “continue without copying”
  3. Search for library content here as you would in LibSearch
  4. You’ll see the same limiters to help you narrow your search (for the most part)
    1. One limiter that is notably missing is “publication date range”
  5. Add library content to your reading list by selecting “add to reading list”
  6. Scroll back to the top of the search results and click “see current reading list” to review and manage your list
  7. Once you are finished, navigate back to your module and publish the reading list

​Managing your reading list:

  1. Click on the published reading list to edit it
  2. Divide your materials into folders, add external web links, annotate the resources, or add instructions to the reading list using the available features

How do I embed a LibGuide in Canvas?

  1. Start in the module that you want to create a LibGuide in – click the plus sign in the top-right of the module to add new content.
  2. Create a new announcement, discussion, assignment, or page (anywhere where you have access to the “rich text editor”) - for this example, I’ll create a new page
  3. Open and edit my new page – now I see the rich text editor
  4. Look for the little symbol that looks like a “V” and click it, then select “library content”
  5. Select the content you wish to embed.
    1. LibGuides Site: always select “LibGuides V2” (standard)
    2. Content type: usually select “Full LibGuide”
      1. One could optionally embed a single page or single content box from a LibGuide
    3. Guide: search or browse for the LibGuide you wish to embed
    4. Guide Page: usually the home page of the LibGuide
  6. Save and publish