Major research universities around the world are increasingly harnessing the power of data analytics to enhance their libraries’ operational efficiencies, optimize resource allocation and improve student outcomes. Using data-driven tools, libraries are refining collections more intelligently, delivering student savings, and providing novel ways to support their users.
One way that research university libraries have been supporting students in recent years is with a digital reading list management system such as Leganto from Ex Libris, part of Clarivate. These lists surface core course reading materials from the library’s collection, making it easier for students to understand what’s already freely available through the library and how to access it.
Integration and automation courtesy of Alma
Leganto builds on the rich foundation of the Alma library management system for easy access to the library’s collection. With a simple implementation period of just 90 days, this resource list solution enables libraries to streamline their collaboration with instructors, optimize resource allocation, facilitate seamless integration with other academic systems, and quantify their impact on student savings and academic success.
As one Director of Library Enterprise Systems at a prominent research university put it, “We needed an enterprise system to support our course materials with a consistent process… Leganto had exactly what we needed.”
Personalizing the learning experience
One of Leganto’s many standout benefits is its integration with other campus systems. These integrations create optimal workflows, saving valuable staff time and ensuring consistent user experiences at every location. Automatic updates across all connected solutions, including the learning management system and Alma, simplify processes and eliminate the need for manual adjustments.
Once fully implemented, Leganto empowers libraries to create dynamic reading lists for every course each semester. These reading lists can then be customized by faculty members, creating thousands of unique and enriched course lists year after year.
Reducing student educational costs
In a bid to enhance affordability for students, faculty are substituting high-cost textbooks with resources that are already freely available in the library’s collection. The collaborative nature of Leganto supports this shift by promoting synergy between faculty and subject librarians. This cooperative approach aids in improving student access to resources and success rates.
Leganto not only streamlines course materials, it also provides invaluable data insights for informed collection decisions.
Libraries can identify:
- Which resources in each course list are covered by the existing collection,
- Which are frequently used by students, and
- Which additional materials students require.
This data-driven approach significantly impacts library collection decisions, budget considerations and strategic planning.
Quantifying a library’s impact
Another critical benefit of Leganto is its ability to quantify student savings, demonstrating the library’s value to the campus community beyond mere anecdotal evidence.
During a single academic year at one university, over 53,000 library-provided materials were used, serving more than 73,000 students. With the average textbook costing $90, the library calculated that using Leganto to generate course lists that draw from the library’s collection saved students more than $6.1 million in just one year.
The significance of these savings for students is substantial, and the ability to demonstrate such impact resonates powerfully with university stakeholders. By harnessing data to quantify the value the library adds to the academic ecosystem, libraries can more effectively advocate for more support and resources.
By providing libraries with the tools to demonstrate their impact on student savings and inform collection decisions, Leganto is leading the way in the transformation of academic libraries. It’s through this kind of innovation and seamless integration that libraries can continue to assert their vital role in universities, moving both the library and their institution forward in this fast-paced digital age.
Contact Ex Libris integrated library system to discuss how your library can drive better teaching and learning outcomes.
