This article is designed to answer the most common queries we have around using Talis Engage. If your query is not answered here, please raise a support ticket and we will add your question and the response to this article.
Setup
Q: How can I enable Talis Engage for my tenancy?
A: You will need to raise a support ticket to request that Talis Engage is switched on. We will then enable this, after which your System Admins will be able to configure the setup from the Settings area.
Q: Can we test Talis Engage as library staff without making it live to all users?
A: Yes. You can request that access is initially limited to specific user roles within the system, such as System Administrators or Library Acquisitions.
Q: Will this affect Blackboard (or other VLE/LMS) integration?
A: No. Your VLE/LMS integration remains unchanged – lists can still be embedded as before.
Digitisations
Q: What copyright checks are in place for uploaded material?
If your institution uses Talis Aspire Copyright Clearance, then journal articles / books are subject to the same CLA/CA/CLL checks as the existing workflow. If you don't have this service or are using our DCS integration, uploads for these materials will need to be manually checked. We are aware that a new version of the DCS is currently being developed, and we have requested that they work with us to enable this functionality for DCS integration users.
Q: Do copyright checks detect previously uploaded chapters in the same module, as with Talis Aspire Copyright Clearance?
A: Yes. Any resources that goes through copyright check will appear in Talis Aspire Copyright Clearance with a full list of checks as usual, ie it's the same workflow.
Q: Will book chapters or articles be reported to the CLA, as they are in Talis Aspire Copyright Clearance?
A: Yes. For Talis Aspire Copyright Clearance users, reporting continues as part of the existing copyright process.
Q: For digitisations, is there a limit on how much we can upload?
A: Yes. If you enable copyright checks, relevant rules will be enforced. Individual file uploads are limited to 250MB.
Q: If a scan which has been copyright cleared is uploaded via Talis Engage, will the coversheet be attached as normal?
A: Yes it will, any materials uploaded via this route will meet all of your copyright obligations.
Q: Will my current digitised content move to Talis Engage?
A: Not currently. If this is a feature you'd like to see in future development, please suggest it in the Ideas Portal.
Q: Is there a way for libraries who don't use Talis Aspire Copyright Clearance to approve uploads before they go live, for copyright purposes?
A: Not at this time. If this would be useful, please share your feedback via our Ideas Portal.
Miscellaneous
Q: Talis Engage says 'Upload not allowed' - why is that?
A: It's likely that you've tried to upload a file against a resource where the 'View Online' button is already present; see this support article for more details
Q: My list item has no 'View Online' button but I don't see an option to upload a file.
A: It's likely that your list is not plugged into the hierarchy. This is necessary to ensure accurate checks of materials when they are covered by copyright reporting restrictions.
Q: How can I monitor which items users have uploaded?
A: We've added two new columns to the All List Items report. Column AN will show you where a file has been uploaded, and Column AO will indicate the format of the file.
Q: What happens to class comments on rollover?
A: New file copies are created on rollover, without comments. Original documents will retain their class comments.
Q: If I'm uploading an item against an already published list, does the list have to be re-published to make the upload visible?
A: No, as this is an edit to the resource rather than to the list content - new items, sections etc.
Q: Is OCR/text recognition embedded, or does it depend on the uploaded file?
We do check for embedded text (OCR) as part of the process.
Q: Will usage of Talis Engage be recorded in Advanced MIS?
A: Yes, it will.
Q: Do you plan to add compatibility with other file types to Talis Engage?
A: We plan to add support for ePubs in the second half of 2025, as this is a format that scores highly for accessibility. We will continue to monitor demand for other file types such as audiovisual resources.