How to use Library resources in your UVA classes

Guidelines below will help you find the most reachable, accessible, and usable Library resources for the classroom. 

1. Link to digital content in the Library’s collections:
   • Instead of uploading a PDF to your Canvas site, a link will provide the most accessible materials.
   • Linking to an article or database? You’ll need to use the EZproxy link.
   • More information: Best Practices for Embedding Library Content in Canvas

2. For course readings not available digitally:

   There are a few options, when materials are not yet digital. 

   • Request a scan of Library-owned material. There may be limits to scans, depending on copyright status.
   • Contact your subject liaison to determine if it is possible to acquire an electronic copy of the text you’d like to assign.
   • Place a print copy of the material on physical reserve for students to access in person.
   • Require students to purchase the item as a course textbook.
   • If there is flexibility, try an alternative reading. Subject librarians are happy to help identify material that meets your requirements.
3. For video material:
   • Many items are available for streaming. Search in Virgo (you can limit by Resource Type “video” and “online”) or find out more about the Library’s streaming video content.
   • Alternately, in Virgo, locate the video you’d like to make available and click “Video reserve request.” Learn more about requesting video reserves.

Making sure your materials are reachable from off-Grounds 

There are two tools for getting access to materials available when you or your students aren’t physically at UVA. 

1. EZproxy link generator: When you provide a link to students, use a version that begins with “https://proxy1.library.virginia.edu/login?url=”. Learn more and use the Proxy Link Generator.
2. VPN, “UVA Anywhere”: This software is necessary to access many Library resources when the user is off campus. Learn more about UVA’s VPN. 

Library tools for document accessibility

Scan a document using Library scanners and OCR

The Library has several scanners with optical character recognition (OCR), which provides better accessibility than the image alone. See scanners and their locations. 

PDF remediation service for instructional scans

If your PDF was a scan provided by the UVA Library: The Library will help remediate older PDFs created by our instructional scanning department. Visit the request page in your Virgo account and select "PDF remediation request." 

Convert an existing document to a more usable format

SensusAccess document converter can remediate inaccessible documents such as image-only PDF files, scanned documents, pictures of text, LaTeX documents, and Microsoft PowerPoint presentations into more accessible formats.