Instructors and Instructional Support Staff
Course Reserves
The Course Reserves application now allows you to:
- Easily add articles, books, web links and media resources
- Create a single list with all your course materials
- Get a hyperlink for your course materials that is accessible only to students enrolled in your course
- Reactivate readings in future terms quickly
- Let us worry about copyright. We’ll do the work for you.
Getting Started
1. Log into Connect with your CWL login.
2. Click on "Library" in the top right navigation
3. Click on the desired course under "My Course Reserves."
4. You can also access Course Reserves from any course in Connect by clicking on Course Reserves in the left-hand column. By default, the Course Reserves link in the left-hand column is hidden from your students but can be revealed using the following instructions. If your course in Connect is missing the Course Reserves link, you may need to manually add it using the following instructions.
5. By default, instructors are subscribed to Course Reserves notifications but you can change this by clicking on "Manage E-mail Subscription." Students can add their e-mail if they want to be notified of new course readings. A new notification will be sent every time an item becomes available
Adding Items in Course Reserves
1. Choose 'Add Reserve items' from the tabs available at the top
2. Select the relevant material type: Article, Book or Book Chapter, DVD/CD and Streaming Media, Web Resource. If you wish to post a PDF created from a print item under Fair Dealing, please follow the separate instructions below
3. Use the supplied form to fill out some basic information about the item you would like to request. The Course Reserves application will search available library resources. For items that may have multiple editions or translations, try to provide more precise information such as an ISBN, Call Number or Library Catalogue URL
4. The Course Reserves application will provide the most relevant results. You can always preview an item in a new tab/window to verify that it is the one that you want. Once you locate the item that you want, click on Select
5. The Course Reserves application will automatically enter information into the reserve request form for you. Please note that you must scroll to the bottom of the form and click on "Submit item" in order to finalize your request. There are a number of actions that you can undertake in the reserve request form including:
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- For physical items (e.g. print books), you must select a Loan Period from the drop-down tab on the top right
- If desired, you can edit the item information (e.g. add a book chapter title, change page numbers, etc)
- You can assign tags to organize your readings to help guide your students (e.g. Week 01, Week 02, Required, Recommended, Term Project, etc). Please note that tags work best if they are short. You can assign multiple tags by separating them with a comma (e.g. Week 01, Recommended). Tags will appear as cloud above your course reading list. The Tag cloud is listed alphanumerically and the size of the tag depends on how many times you have used it.
- By default, items will be made available for complete term dates of your course. You can change the dates to make items available earlier or to appear only later in the term. You cannot extend items beyond the default end date.
- Please use the Notes fields to write messages to Library staff. These notes will not be viewable to your students
6. If you do not locate the item you're looking for, Search in Summon (UBC Library's search engine) to open up a new tab/window in your browser. Once you have more information about your item, you can search for it again in the Course Reserves application
8. If you cannot locate your item in your first search, you can also click on "Manual form entry." Please provide as much detail as possible so that Library staff can process your request as quickly as possible. If you are bringing in a personal reserve item, please indicate this in the Notes field for the Library Reserve staff
Posting PDFs Created from Print Resources
It is possible for the Library to post PDFs of course readings created from print resources for your students under Fair Dealing. If a PDF does not qualify for Fair Dealing, we will ensure that all material has cleared copyright before releasing them to your students and will obtain all necessary permissions on your behalf.
Please send your PDFs to permissions.office@ubc.ca using the secure campus Fileshare tool at http://fileshare.arts.ubc.ca/. Please include your Course Code and Section, Term and the name of the Primary Instructor (e.g. ENGL100-976, 2013W1, Jane Smith) in the comments field. Your PDF should include a full citation of the source. If you did not obtain the PDF from a book or journal in the library, please indicate whether or not you own the item.
Most PDFs will be made available within two weeks but the timeline may be subject to extended delays with certain publishers. We recommend that you submit PDFs 6-8 weeks before you wish to use them for course instruction to be on the safe side.
The Library may not be able to support large selections from an individual resource. Please see our Fair Dealing requirements for more information about what is readily possible. If this should happen, the library may recommend that you assign the item as a textbook or place the item on physical reserve at the library branch.
If you require assistance creating a PDF from a library resource, please see our separate instructions.
Timelines
- Links to electronic journal articles licensed by the Library will be made available instantly
- Please allow up to 2 weeks for Library staff to process requests for print books or other physical items
- Requests for PDF uploads made under Fair Dealing may take up to 2 weeks but may be subject to longer timelines. Please see the separate guidelines for PDF uploads for full details
- Items that are not currently held by the Library may take 2 to 3 months to order and process
- Web resources will be reviewed by Library staff to ensure compliance with site terms of service and will be made available within 2-3 days
Viewing Course Reserve Items
1. You can view your course reserve items under the Course Home tab. A persistent URL to your course reserve readings is available for you to distribute to your students outside of Connect. You can circulate this e-mail This URL is specific to your course and will prompt your students to log in with their CWL. As an added security measure, this URL will not work for anyone who is not enrolled in your course.
2. If you have used tags to organize your readings, these will appear above your course readings. Please note that these are organized alphabetically and numerically. Tags with greater numbers of items will appear larger.
3. The Reserve Items view allows you to track and access individual items. You can rearrange the order of items on this list by dragging and dropping them. When you are satisfied with the order of your items, you can click on the "Save Order" button to the top right of the Reserve Items menu
4. You can link to your item by clicking on the title or by clicking on "View" under the right-hand action column
5. At the right of the individual item record, you have a number of instructor actions
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- You can view which students have "read" an item. Please note that this only tracks whether students have used the Course Reserves application to view the item record. It does not track whether they have downloaded or accessed the item
- Clicking on "PURL" will provide you with a persistent URL for an individual item
- Clicking on "Edit" will take you back to the item form. This field only appears while an item is being processed by Library staff. You can change item details including the availability dates for the item, use Notes to leave messages for library staff, and cancel your item request
6. Instructors can switch to Student Mode at the top left to verify how students see items on course reserve
Deleting Items in Course Reserves
You can delete items from the Course Home tab using the following instructions while in Instructor Mode:
1. In the Reserve Items list, click on the title of the item you wish to remove.
2. This will bring up the item record. Click on "Edit this item"
3. At the bottom of the editable item record, click on "Delete Item" and confirm that you wish to delete the item.
Status Messages
The "Status" column allows you to track the progress of each item
Electronic Items Status Messages
- After inputting an electronic item request in the Course Reserves application, the link will become live and the message will state "Item Available on Electronic Reserve"
- Items entered before the start of your course will have the status "Item Activation Pending" until the start of term.
Print Items Status Messages
- The first status message will read "Awaiting Reserves Processing"
- After the library reserve staff have received your request, you may see statuses such as "In Stacks Searching" or "In Recall Processing"
- When the item has been processed and is ready for students to borrow, the status message changes to "Item Available at Reserve Desk"
- For personal reserve items, the corresponding message that will display in the status column is "Awaiting Supply by Instructor"
- Please note that students will only be able to view reserve items in the "Student Mode" of the Course Reserves application once the items are available
Other Status Messages
- A requested reserve item may be cancelled by the Library, in which case the status message will read "Item Cancelled by Staff." Please see the course reserves policy page for reasons and examples
- Once an individual item's expiry date is reached, the status message will read "Item Removed from Reserves"
Importing Items From a Previous Course
If you previously had items on reserve with the Library, please contact your branch reserve to have them copy previous course items into your new course.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need to log into Connect?
The Library uses Connect to verify that students are properly enrolled in your course. You can take a direct URL to your course reading list and circulate it to your students on other learning management systems, websites, via e-mail or even in your print syllabus. By restricting access to registered students, we can provide better and more targeted services such as providing access to licensed library resources and PDFs created from print materials under Fair Dealing.
My students cannot see readings in Library Course Reserves
Readings will only be available to students once they have been processed and made available. Please see timelines for more information. Readings will be activated at your courses default start date and will not be released to students before the start date.
If a student has recently added your course, please allow time for Library Course Reserves to update your course enrollment information. This happens each night so your student should have access the next day.
If your students are having difficulty locating the Library Course Reserves, we recommend that you first circulate the direct persistent URL to your course readings. This is located in the beige box above your Reserve Items and will only work for students actively enrolled in your course.
If you are still experiencing difficulty, please contact your Library Branch Reserve desk for more assistance.
Can I get Access for TAs, Secondary Instructors and Program Assistants?
Library Course Reserves communicates with Connect to ensure that all individuals with instructor, TA, and instructional support staff roles will also have access to manage readings. If you have just added an individual, please allow the system to update over night.
If you are not teaching a course in Connect, there are two options to request access.
Option 1
Contact your Connect support person and request access for secondary instructors, TAs, and other support staff. To locate your contact, please visit the following list of Connect help desks and select your Faculty.
Option 2
The primary instructor can contact your branch reserve to request access for secondary instructors, TAs, and other support staff.
In order to expedite the process, please supply the username for the staff member in Connect. To obtain the username, please do the following:
- Have the user log into Connect
- Click on the person icon to the left on your name in the very top left corner
- In the drop down menu, click on Settings
- Click on Personal Information
- Click on Edit Personal Information
- Under 2. Account Information, copy the username and paste it into your message to Library Course Reserves
The type of item I want to add isn't listed as an option
This system was designed to meet the broadest requirements of the university, but it can handle most document types. These may include but are not limited to: theses and dissertations, laws, statutes, business cases, and reports. If you already have a PDF, please follow the separate instructions for posting a PDF.
If the item has a persistent URL to a library database, we recommend that you:
1. Add the item using the Web Resource button.
2. You will be asked to supply a Title and URL.
3. If you want library staff to add additional information such as author, pages, or section, you can include this in the Notes field.
4. Click on Submit. Your item will be activated within 2 business days.
If the item is available as a print item through the library, we recommend that you:
1. Try adding the item as a book.
2. If the item does not turn up in your search, you can use the Manual Form Entry to add item details and library staff will process the item on your behalf.
3. If you are looking for an item with multiple volumes, you will be required to specify more item details such as the volume title.
If the item is missing a persistent URL or is otherwise unavailable through the library, we recommend that you:
1. Try adding the item as a book or article.
2. You will be required to search for the item but once you return no results, you can click on Manual Form Entry.
3. Type in your item details. Please use the Notes field to communicate specific item details with library staff so that they can assist you in locating an item.
4. The library will contact you concerning your item request.
The link to Library Course Reserves is hidden by default. If you wish to unhide it, please click on the down arrow next to "Library Course Reserves."
This will lead to a dropdown menu. Select "Show Link" to make Library Course Reserves visible to your students.
Course Reserves does not appear in my course in Connect at all
If the Course Reserves application does not appear in your Connect course, you may need to manually activate the application. This error only happens when a course has been manually created in Connect (e.g. merged course sections, non-credit courses, etc.).
1. Log into Connect and select your course.
2. Click on the " + " icon in the left menu and in this drop down, choose "Tool Link"
3. In the new screen where you can name your new Tool Link (ie: Library Course Reserves), Select the tool Type: Ares Course Reserves from the drop down list, Click the checkbox to make the tool Available to Users and finally Click "Submit". 
4. Make sure to click on the new "Library Course Reserves" link in your left-hand column in order to activate the Course Reserves application.
My students cannot access the course reserves
If your students do not see your course under the "My Course Reserves" area under the Library tab, it's possible that an error has prevented the Library Course Reserves application from properly detecting their enrollment. This may occur when a course is manually created in Connect or course sections are merged. Currently the only way to fix this is to have the students log into your course in Connect and click on "Library Courses Reserves" in the left-hand column. Once they have done this, they will be able to access the Course Reserves through the Library tab and through any persistent URL that you circulate to them. If you are not offering your course through Connect, please contact your Library Course Reserves branch for assistance.
My students cannot see course reserves items but I can
Items will only be visible to students after they are available. If an item is still being processed, it will not be visible to students. Students will not be able to access items until the term begins. If you have changed the default availability of an item, it will not be visible to students until the date you indicated the item was to be available. If you wish to change the availability of an item:
1. In the Reserve Items list, click on the title of the item you wish to edit.
2. This will bring up the item record. Click on "Edit this item"
3. Scroll to the bottom of the item record and change the availability date of an item.
When I click on a hyperlink to a course reading, I get an error message
If you or your students encounter any errors accessing a library resource, it is possible that an electronic resource is unavailable. Please contact your Library Course Reserve branch immediately for assistance.
I need help creating a PDF of a short excerpt from Library print resource
The Library can assist with the creation of PDFs from Library-owned print resources. We will strive to process these requests as quickly as possible. If you wish to expedite your request and have the technology and necessary to copy the resource, we do recommend that you supply us with the PDF file using the instructions above or send us the paper copy via campus mail to Scholarly Communications & Copyright in Koerner Library.
For requests to scan the item:
1. Locate and select the item.
2. In the Item Information form, please add the following:
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- chapter title (if relevant)
- inclusive pages
- in the notes field, please specify that you would like a PDF.
3. Submit your request.
The Library may not be able to support large selections from an individual resource. Please see our Fair Dealing requirements for more information about what is readily possible.
Can I post my lecture slides, notes or handouts in Library Course Reserves?
We currently do not accept PDFs of lecture slides, notes or handouts. These files should be posted directly within your course site in the learning management system. If you require assistance checking or clearing permissions related to lecture notes, slides or handouts, please contact ubc-copyright@interchange.ubc.ca
Getting Help with Library Course Reserves in Connect
Course reserves support is provided by your department's Library branch. In the “Instructor mode” in each course there is a “Need Help” tab. Reserves processing locations will be mapped to course codes and a targeted message will appear in the “Need Help” tab.
Students
Course reserves are learning materials made available by your course instructor. They may include electronic articles, books and DVDs and even websites. Many course reserves are electronic but some materials may require you to come to the Library to borrow the item. Physical course reserves are made available for a shortened loan period to ensure access for all students.
Getting Started
1. Log into Connect
2. Click on "Library" in the top right navigation
3. Click on the desired course under "My Course Reserves."
4. You can also access Course Reserves from any course in Connect by clicking on Course Reserves in the left-hand column.
5. You can add your e-mail if you want to be notified of new course readings by clicking on "Manage E-mail Subscription." and submitting your e-mail. A new notification will be sent every time an item becomes available
Viewing Course Reserve Items
1. Your list of course readings is in the order submitted by your course instructor. The item list include Title, Author, Call Number (if on physical reserve at your library branch), and Tag.
2. Clicking on any title will take you to a record with further information about an item. You can connect to electronic items from this page or link to the item record to see if it is available at your library branch.
3. If your instructor has assigned tags (e.g. "Week 2," "Group 1," "Project 3"), you may click on the tag to limit the list to just those readings. You may also assign your own personal tags to readings. Please note that you must clear the filter to return to the full list of course readings.
Getting Help
If you need assistance, you can click on the Need Help tab. The Library provides two levels of support for Course Reserves in Connect:
1. Course Reserves support is provided by the appropriate Library locations and support units.
- e.g. For a Biology course, the help tab will direct you to: “Contact your local Library Reserve Staff at Woodward Library: woodward.reserve@ubc.ca”
2. For problems with the application and bug reports, Library Course Reserves support can be reached at: course-support@library.ubc.ca
General
- Instructors can place digital and physical course support items on Library reserve
- Loan periods may be shortened if more than one faculty member requests the same item or book or if the Library Reserves staff otherwise deem it necessary
- Unused items may be removed from the short term loan at the discretion of Library Reserves Staff
Physical Course Reserve Loan Regulations
- Borrowing privileges are limited to UBC students and faculty
- Extended loans may be allowed for material not in demand or required for courses
- 1, 3 and 7 day loans are due at closing time on the due date
- 2 hour loans are due in 2 hours except if borrowed within 2 hours of closing, then due time is 60 minutes after opening the next day
- Course reserves must be returned directly to the Library branch where they were borrowed
Course Reserve Fines
- 1, 3 & 7 day loans: $5 a day to a maximum of $30 per item
- 2 hour loans: $1 an hour
- Lost charges are added for items more than 28 days overdue
Digital Course Support Items
- Digital Course Support Items can be made available through Library Course Reserves in Connect. Access is restricted to students actively enrolled in your course.
- Links to licensed items available in the Library’s digital collections (e.g. electronic journal articles, e-books, streaming videos, etc.) can be made available immediately
- Links to appropriately licensed online articles and websites will be made available once library staff have verified the site’s terms of service and copyright notice. Please ensure that you are linking to an authorized rights holder.
- Some resources in the Library’s digital collections are not licensed for instruction and will require permission to be placed on Reserve. You will be notified by Library staff if this additional step is required for any item you request
- For questions regarding digital copyright, licensing or permissions, please consult the Copyright website (http://copyright.ubc.ca/) or contact the Scholarly Communications & Copyright office (ubc-copyright@interchange.ubc.ca)
Physical Course Support Items
- Items in the Library’s physical collections (e.g. books, DVDs, CDs, etc.) can be requested for short-term loan to ensure students have access through the Ares reserve management system or by completing the online form
- Items in the Library’s physical collections will be processed and made available within 14 days
- Items that are not currently held by the Library may be requested through the manual submission form in Library Course Reserves in Connect or by completing the online form but may take 2 to 3 months to order and process
- Items in the physical collections may be placed on 2 hour, 1 day, 3 day or 7 day loan
- Personal copies of items can be made available through Library Reserves by submitting the manual form through the Library Course Reserves in Connect and by notifying Library Reserve staff in the item Notes field. The item will be processed and made available within 14 days of receiving the item at the Library branch. This includes non-traditional items (e.g. geological samples)
- Library Reserves does not accept photocopied chapters or articles due to Copyright restrictions. You may request these items through the manual submission form in the Library Course Reserves in Connect. Permission may take 4-6 weeks or longer to process. Please have a clean copy ready to be made available as a digital copy through Library Course Reserves in Connect.
