This could be accomplished by adding a "Show Toolbar" option within the Resource Panel Menu along with a corresponding one click keyboard shortcut which could be used to toggle this option on or off. This option could also be controlled through a single mouse click within any empty space of the panel’s main text area. All other elements to the left or right of the toolbar would remain (e.g., Book Cover Icon, Reference Box) as well as the Panel Tab above it and (if selected) the Locator Bar below it.

This option is needed because the Resource Panel Toolbar has continued to grow with each new feature added. These new features have of course been very helpful, but the toolbar has become so filled with buttons that it now represents a distraction to some users as they attempt to focus on resource text directly below it. In addition to the full toolbar, it is possible for a single new button to represent a significant distraction on its own depending on its design and a user’s particular eye sensitivities. (An example for me would be the new Multiview Resources three vertical line button, a good feature but very distracting button.)

Hiding the Resource Panel Toolbar would allow users to comfortably focus on resource text as they study within a multi-tiled layout while still having the functionality of the toolbar available with one click. The current Reading View mode does not represent a viable alternative to this suggestion. It is excellent for reading long articles or passages of a single resource, but efficient and full use of the program requires operating within a normal multi-tiled, multi-paneled workspace much of the time.