New for Winter 2023: Social Annotation in the Library Reading List App in Quercus

As of the Winter 2023 term, the Library Reading List app in Quercus will have Social Annotation features enabled.

With Social Annotation in the Library Reading List app, students can now:

• Share comments, questions, and feedback by marking up course materials
• Annotate PDF files assigned by instructors in reading lists
• Communicate ideas with classmates
• Add private notes to PDFs

Additionally, PDFs hosted in the Library Reading List app will be able to be used as Read & Respond Assignments in Quercus, allowing instructors to further integrate the Library Reading List tool into their pedagogy.

Turning on Social Reading

Public Annotations are enabled by default in Library Reading List, but can be adjusted at the individual citation level.

To toggle Public Annotations on and off, view a citation, toggle the Public Annotation button between the grex X for off, and the green checkmark for on.

How do I start using this feature?

Contact the library at syllabus.service@library.utoronto.ca before getting started. Our office will guide you through the following instructions:

1. Enable the Library Readings List app on Quercus

2. Wait for a copyright-approved PDF for the citation  you’re assigning to be approved.

3. Browse to Assignments in the navigation menu on the left.

4. Click the +Assignment button and design your assignment. 

5. Under Submission Type, choose "External Tool" and then click "Find" to find the Library Reading List tool and select "Read and Respond Assignment" 

6. Select "Choose from your Resource List" and then select the copyright-approved PDF citation from your Reading List to create a new assignment (the drop-down list only includes citations with PDF files.)

⭐Note: We do not recommend you select "Upload a File.” Every PDF or file format must be checked for copyright compliance by library staff before it is made available for students. Waiting for the citation to be cleared for copyright and made available in your Library Reading List will be significantly faster than if you upload a PDF to the tool directly. 

7. Add the assignment title and instructions for the student and select the CREATE button on the lower-right corner of the page.

8. Finally, don't forget to select "Save and Publish" at the bottom of the Assignments page when you are redirected to Quercus.