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Services for Faculty: Electronic Reserves

One of the services the University Library provides is Electronic Reserves.

What are Electronic Reserves?

Instead of placing a paper copy on reserve an electronic copy can be made available via the Library Catalog for your students. Paper reserves of course can still be done.

How do I request an item be placed on Electronic Reserve?

You simply request this from the Circulation Department. Presently the easiest way is to email the Access Services Librarian, Gilles Poitras gpoitras@ggu.edu.

Please include as much information as possible. Please do not use abbreviations as these often delay the processing; after all we may not be an expert in your field and not likely to know what something like JOIS stands for.

How long does it take to get an item on reserve?

We urge you to request items at least two weeks in advance. We can process things quicker depending on our work flow but cannot guarantee it will be available when needed. In some cases it may take longer to obtain a copy on Interlibrary Loan. Click here to learn more about our Interlibrary Loan service.

If you get the request to us well ahead of time we will process it as fast as we can so it will be ready well before it is needed. One faculty member has been getting her lists to us months ahead of time.

How does the Library obtain the items?

If the item is available on the web or in one of our databases we will link directly to it or provide a link to the database with tips on searching for the item.

If the item is not in one of the databases we can scan a copy here in the collection, borrow your copy and scan it, or request a photocopy on Interlibrary Loan which we will then scan.

How do my students/I access these documents?

You go to the library catalog at the bottom of the left column there are links for Course Reserves.

Search by course number or instructor name. In a reserve list if the item is available electronically clicking on the title will take you to a screen that includes the link to the electronic version. Clicking on the link will usually bring up a dialog box asking for a name and ID number. Filling those out will display the reserve item.

How long will the electronic reserve items be available?

The TEACH Act requires that electronically delivered resources be made available only during the term. We will make the items 'inactive' on our system before the term starts. This means they will be invisible until we make them 'active' at the beginning of the term. At the end of the term we will make them 'inactive' again. The items will still be there for the next time you teach the class, just not visible. To learn more about the TEACH Act, click on this link.

How do I directly link to items on reserves from my web page?

It is advisable not to link to each item but rather to add one link for your class reserve list. To do this search by course number. In the address bar of your browser you will see the URL that points to the class. Copy this URL and use it in the link on your web page. Be sure to test it before you upload the revised page.

Restrictions on Electronic Reserves.

We cannot put a substantial portion of a book on electronic reserve unless you obtain written permission to do so from the copyright holder, usually the publisher. We can put chapters from a book, essays and magazine articles on electronic reserve. To learn more about copyright policies, see our Copyright Policy page.

For further information please contact Gilles Poitras gpoitras@ggu.edu in Access Services in the Golden Gate University Library.

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Services for Faculty: Electronic Reserves