Reading List of the Week – LGBTQ Resources, Manchester Metropolitan University
Our Reading List of the Week is from the ‘LGBTQ Resources’ campaign from Manchester Metropolitan University.
We are always interested to hear our Talis Aspire Reading Lists can be used to compile resources from outside modules, for example for campaigns and events running across the institution. Not only is this a useful way to present a list of resources, making them easy to access, online or through the library but is also accessible for students and staff who are used to using the system.
The library team told us that “during the summer term, our two MA librarianship placement students, Gemma and Christine, alongside Margaret worked to produce a guide for students and staff studying & researching LGBTQ topics.” This guide is found on the library website, click here to view it.
“For the first time, the Equality and Diversity team have published a guide for LGBT staff and students, with a welcome from the Senior Diversity Champion and a message from the Deputy Vice Chancellor. Print copies were given out during Welcome week and an electronic copy is available here.”
Two Talis Aspire Reading Lists were created to compile the resources:
LGBTQ DVDs and streamed broadcasts
LGBTQ books and e-resources
These are set out simply, with folders to break up the topics or genres. Many of the items are an online resource, or can be accessed through the library.
Here’s what Margaret Kendall, Senior Assistant Librarian said about the list, “When the students and I were working on the project, we decided to feature some of the electronic books on the books section of the LGBTQ resource guide so that people could follow the links to see them straightway (from home, from Crewe or All Saints campuses) & we could use visually attractive images of the book covers in the topic guide itself.
We used TARL for the longer list so that we could organise it by subject in alphabetical order to illustrate the range of titles for each subject area and so that from there, people could either click on a title to open an electronic book or to find the details in the library catalogue. The reading list has a selection of over 100 titles, far too long to list on a page on the topic guide itself, it would have looked dull & wouldn’t have had the huge advantage that TARL has of being interactive. The Table of Contents feature is also very helpful.
The LGBTQ Resource guide, new for this academic year, has already received 610 hits and we hope that as awareness of its existence increases and students get further into their studies, the reading lists will provide useful starting points for them. For example, I have recently shown the guide to some third year Film & Media Studies students working on their dissertations or final creative projects and received positive responses from both staff and students.”
It’s great to hear how lists can be created to share and promote content around wider subject areas, to help with studying, but also to present resources around personal areas that may affect students’ lives during their time at University.
Has your team created any lists that support campaigns or events at your institution? Send an email to rloftheweek@talis.com or tweet us the link, @Talis with the hashtag #ReadingListoftheweek
