Leganto and Course Materials!

Another option is Leganto/Course Materials! This is something that we both had heard of, but hadn’t considered the implications of until we talked to Rachel Haisley, the Resource Sharing (ILL) and Course Materials Manager at the University of Utah Marriott Library.

Leganto is when the library provides course materials set for a course, for free. Even if it is copyrighted, the library is able to find a way to get textbooks/books/other resources to you digitally, normally via Canvas. This could be through scans of chapters or eBook versions.

Leganto allows instructors to create personalized reading lists directly in Canvas, where students can easily access all of the material needed for their course, without having to fork over a chunk of money for them. The library works behind the scenes to gather, digitize and provide access to any books, articles, or other resources that class may need.

When we heard about this, our initial reaction was slight confusion. Why wasn’t everyone doing this? If embracing OERs is too daunting of a task or too much of a change, this seemed like the perfect middle ground, the gateway to more affordable and accessible learning materials.

There are many advantages to the Leganto system, and the top one that sticks out to us is lifting the financial burden of these resources off of students’ shoulders. Leganto is also integrated into Canvas, allowing students to access it anytime and anywhere without having to search for it, and is less daunting for professors because it is already integrated into the system they are using. Additionally, because of its digital format, it is a very accessible resource, with features such as text-to-speech, or the ability for teachers to include different media formats that appeal to students with diverse learning styles.

Of course, like any system, Leganto does come with challenges. One limitation is that it can be difficult and time consuming for professors to find resources that are relevant and beneficial for their courses, and while Leganto is a great tool for providing additional resources, it may not fully replace an actual textbook. However, with the help of people like Rachel, Leganto is a realistic and manageable option for professors hoping to cut down on student spending.