ORLO (Oxford Reading Lists Online) is Oxford's tool for creating online reading lists. It is integrated with Canvas, providing students with direct access to their required reading lists from the VLE. Students report a strong preference for this way of sharing readings and you can also request scanning of files from the Bodleian Digitisation Service, to improve accessibility (all scanned files make use of Optical Character Recognition (OCR), which can be read by screen readers).

ORLO was launched in July 2018 with a number of early adopter departments, and has now been rolled out across the University. It is a separate service, managed by the Bodleian Libraries. If you want to know more about the tool, we recommend speaking to your department or college librarian, or more information and links to training sessions can be found on the ORLO LibGuides.

Notes:

ORLO is designed specifically to host digital reading lists and certain types of copyright-cleared digitised content. It is an entirely separate platform to Canvas, but can be displayed in your Canvas course(s) using the External Tool link in Modules. This effectively provides a 'window' into ORLO from Canvas, meaning that students do not have to navigate between different systems and course teachers can control how information is presented.
All members of the University with a Single Sign On (SSO) account can access reading lists in ORLO to ‘view only’, but all other roles, such as creating or publishing lists, will on be assigned as part of the official registration process. Please contact your subject librarian for details.

Key functionalities of ORLO

ORLO provides both academics and departmental administrators with a comprehensive environment in which to create and manage structured reading lists, including digitised content, in order to distribute these as effectively as possible to students.
Controlled workflows also ensure that the libraries responsible for fulfilling these lists (who ensure adequate availability of the required resources via the most appropriate channels) have clear visibility and can review lists as they are published to ensure the best service to the students.
The service is tightly integrated with both the Library Management System, ALEPH, and the University’s Resource Discovery service, SOLO, creating efficient transitions between services for academics, departmental staff, library staff and end users.

Advantages of using ORLO

For students

ORLO will help students to find their reading lists easily.
ORLO shows different format options, such as print and online, clearly.
Real time availability is provided within the reading list for printed items held in Oxford Libraries.
Electronic or online items include a link to full text which will work whether the student is on or off campus.

For academics

ORLO makes it easy to create smart looking, linked readings lists.
It is easy to request digitization of key book chapters or sections that are not yet available online.
Analytics show how your students are using your reading list.

Linking an ORLO list to a Canvas course

With a few clicks, academics can either embed entire lists or highlight specific sections of lists from ORLO in their Modules pages. Subsequently, when students access the VLE, they will be able to interact with their recommended reading, without leaving Canvas. The following instructions will direct you on how to embed lists, or sections of lists, in Canvas.

Adding a list, or section of a list to a Module:

1. Enter the relevant Canvas course by clicking through via the Dashboard.

2. Select Modules from the left-hand Course Navigation Menu.

3. Click the grey + icon above the relevant module to add an item.

4. From the drop-down menu, select External tool.

5. Select ORLO from the list of external tools provided.

6. If required, enter a new Page name. If you do not select a new page name, the default name that appears as the item name within your module will be: ORLO (Oxford Reading Lists / Talis Aspire).

7. Click Add item to save.

8. You will now see a window into ORLO, allowing you to find and embed your reading list.

9. Next, type the name of the required reading list in the search bar and select it when it appears.

10. On the right-hand side of the list search bar, you will find a drop-down menu displaying options to select the entire list, or one of its sections.

11. If you wish to embed the entire list into your Module, select The list, if you wish to embed a specific section, select that section.

12. Click the blue Save button.

Note: If you are unable to find a list, it may be because it is not yet published in ORLO. Contact the relevant librarian to resolve this issue.

13. Your list, or section of a list, will now automatically open when the link to this item is selected.