This guide walks you through how to add Bedford Collection content to your Canvas course using the VitalSource deep-linking tool. Whether you’re linking to the complete subscription, an individual book, or specific chapters and sections, this process will help you select the appropriate content and add it directly to your course modules.
Canvas Setup for Instructors
Link the Bedford Collection Subscription
The Bedford Collection subscription must be added to the course before you can create direct links to its individual books, chapters, or sections.
Log in to your Canvas account and go to your Dashboard.
Open the course where you want to add the Bedford Collection content.
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Choose Modules from the course navigation menu.
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At the top right of the Modules page, select + Module.
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Enter a name for the module and choose Add Module.
Use the + (add) button next to the new module’s name to add an item.
Open the dropdown menu and choose External Tool.
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After selecting this option, a list of all available tools will load. Select the VitalSource Deep Linking Tool.
⚠️ Note: If “VitalSource Deep Linking Tool” is unavailable, or you are unsure which tool to choose, contact your LMS administrator, bookstore manager, or the person responsible for configuring the VitalSource integration. The tool’s name may have been customized during setup. Search for the Bedford Collection subscription by entering “Bedford” or the appropriate SKU provided by Macmillan or your Bookstore Manager.
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Locate the correct Bedford Collection subscription and click Link to Subscription.
Review the selected material in the side panel and click Review & Submit.
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Confirm that the correct subscription is listed, and then select Add to Course.
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Click Add Item to create a deep link to the Bedford Collection subscription in your course.
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You will automatically return to the Canvas module. Confirm that the Bedford Collection subscription link was added successfully.
Add Direct Links to Bedford Content
After linking the Bedford Collection subscription, you can create direct links to individual books or specific chapters and sections. Choose the option that best fits your course.
| ⚠️ Important: You cannot create direct links to individual books, chapters, or sections until the Bedford Collection subscription has been linked to the course. Complete the steps in Link the Bedford Collection Subscription above before continuing. |
Link Directly to a Book
Open the Canvas module where you want the book link to appear.
Click the + (add) button next to the module’s name to add a new item.
From the dropdown menu, choose External Tool, and then select the VitalSource Deep Linking Tool, as described above.
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Search for the appropriate book and click Link to Book.
💡 Tip: You can add more than one book during this process. Review your selection in the side panel and click Review & Submit.
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Confirm that the correct titles are listed, and then click Add to Course.
After a few seconds, you will be redirected to the module. Verify that a separate link appears for each selected book.
Link to a Specific Page or Chapter
Open the Canvas module where you want the book link to appear.
Click the + (add) button next to the module’s name to add a new item.
From the dropdown menu, choose External Tool, and then select the VitalSource Deep Linking Tool, as described above.
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Search for the appropriate book and click Link to Specific Page to open its table of contents.
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Choose the chapter you want to link, or use the arrow next to the chapter title to view individual pages and sections.
💡 Tip: You can select multiple items at once. Each selection will create a separate link. -
Click Add Materials.
Review the selected materials in the side panel and click Review & Submit.
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Confirm that the correct chapters, pages, or sections are listed, and then click Add to Course.
After a few seconds, you will be redirected to the module. Verify that each selected item appears as a separate link.
Review and Organize the Links
After creating deep links to your course materials, we strongly recommend:
Confirm that all links appear in the correct Canvas module.
Publish the module and each item to make them visible to students.
Rename the links if clearer titles would help students identify the content.
Reorder the links as needed.
Open each link to verify that it launches the expected Bedford Collection content.
Access Instructions for Students
To prevent account and content-access issues, instruct students to access the Bedford Collection through Canvas and open the main subscription link before using any direct links to books, chapters, sections, or pages.
You can share the following steps with your students:
Log in to Canvas using your student credentials and open the appropriate course.
Locate and open the main Bedford Collection subscription link.
Follow any prompts to complete your account setup.
After successfully opening the Bedford Collection, return to the Canvas course.
Use the course links to access individual books, chapters, sections, or pages.
| Important: Students must open the main Bedford Collection subscription link before using a direct link to a book, chapter, section, or page. |
What Students Should Avoid
To prevent duplicate accounts and access issues, advise students:
Do not begin by signing in directly through the VitalSource Bookshelf website.
Do not create a separate Bookshelf account to access Bedford materials.
Do not redeem an access code unless the instructor or institution has confirmed that the course uses coded delivery.
Do not open a direct link to a book, chapter, section, or page before accessing the main Bedford Collection subscription link.
If a direct link does not open correctly, the student should return to the Canvas course, open the main Bedford Collection subscription link, complete any account prompts, and then try the direct link again.
If the issue continues, the student should contact their instructor or the VitalSource Support team.