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Place Course Materials on Reserve

 

This service is for instructors only. 

Placing Materials on Reserve

Placing relevant books, articles, and media on Course Reserves ensures that these items are available for all students enrolled in your course. You may place materials on reserve at the library that supports your program, at McKeldin Library (for 24/5 access), or on electronic reserves for 24/7 access from any location.

All requests should be placed using the appropriate form in ELMS, the University of Maryland's online learning management system (except for streaming media which should follow the instructions below).

If you have any concerns about the quality of materials on reserve please reach out to us at lib-askreserves@umd.edu and we are happy to help!

Placing Materials on Streaming Reserves

Placing relevant videos on Streaming Reserves provides streaming access to films through your ELMS course portal. All requests should adhere to our user agreement, and be backed by a pedagogical reason for the film to be included as part of the course material. Check out our copyright guidelines  below for more information.

All requests should be placed using the appropriate form in ELMS and the Library Streaming Media Module must be activated.

Electronic Reserves

The UMD Libraries provide online access to required readings requested by instructors within the Course Reserves module in ELMS. Materials for e-reserves can be provided in the following ways:

  • Reserves staff can link to the full text online via library databases, e-journals, or e-books.
  • Reserves staff can retrieve and scan excerpts from materials in the Libraries' print collection.
  • Instructors may upload their own files pending a brief review by Reserves staff for copyright compliance.
  • Instructors may provide a personal copy from which Reserves staff can scan a portion.
  • If a file is uploaded or photocopy provided, be sure to include the title page and notice of copyright (i.e. Library Journal © 1997 by Reed Elsevier Inc.).

Please note that in compliance with copyright guidelines, the University Libraries will remove all materials on e-reserves at the conclusion of the course.

Streaming Reserves

The UMD Libraries provide online access to required media requested by instructors within the Library Streaming Reserves module in ELMS. Materials for streaming can be provided in the following ways:

Reserves staff can make use of materials in the UMCP Libraries' media collection (i.e. items available from McKeldin Library, Performing Arts Library, etc.) 
OR
Instructors may provide a personal copy of a film/DVD for Reserves staff to use in streaming media (Note: This must be an instructor purchased copy or must have written permission from the copyright holder).

Please note that in compliance with copyright guidelines, the University Libraries will remove all materials on Streaming Reserves at the conclusion of the course.

Interested in reusing materials from a previous semester? Please follow the steps on How to Add Course Reserves add one item and let us know in the Notes field.

Books, Media, and Personal Copies

  • ​​​​​These materials are available for short-term loan (2 or 24 hours) from a designated library service desk; these items are held behind the desk to facilitate access and reduce possibility of loss/theft. 
  • Any UMCP or Shady Grove library material, as well as your personal copies, may be placed on reserve at the library of your choice. 
  • Please note that the UMD Libraries are not responsible for lost or damaged personal items.

Reserves materials remain available until 2 weeks following the end of the semester, after which all items are removed.

  • Library books are returned to the general collection, and personal copies may be picked up at the library service desk, returned through department delivery, or (at the instructor's request) held for a future semester.

Interested in reusing materials from a previous semester? Please see our tutorial for importing items from a current or previous semester.

We are able to make limited purchases for Course Reserves purposes in the event that the Libraries and the instructor do not own a copy of an item that is vital for the students enrolled in the course.

Please contact us at lib-askreserves@umd.edu if you have any questions. 

As an institution devoted to the creation, discovery, and dissemination of knowledge, the UMD Libraries are committed to complying with intellectual property laws. The UMD Libraries execute due diligence in respecting the rights of creators of copyrighted works while aiding faculty and staff in exercising the rights accorded to users under the “Fair Use” provision of U.S. copyright law while complying with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. In support of this philosophy, the following guidelines have been developed for making materials available through electronic reserves (e-reserves) and streaming media reserves.

  1. Prerequisites to Posting Materials: UMD Libraries will make materials available on e-reserves or streaming media reserves only at the request of the instructor in support of a University of Maryland course. The materials should be related to the educational goals of the course, and the University or the instructor should own a lawful copy of the materials. Single copies of copyrighted materials made by or for an instructor for use in teaching will also be accepted for e-reserves.
  2. Access: ELMS limits access to e-reserves for a particular course to students enrolled in that course, the instructor, and a course administrator. There is no cost to access e-reserves.

What materials may be posted: Materials may be made available through e-reserves consistent with copyright law; e.g., when:

  1. Copyright of the materials is owned by the instructor (e.g., course syllabi, lectures) or the University (works prepared under sponsored research agreements, University committee reports); or
  2. Materials have entered the public domain or are not protected by copyright (e.g., works created by U.S. government employees in the scope of their employment); or
  3. Owner of copyright has given permission for the materials to be made available through e-reserves or streaming media reserves; or
  4. Materials are made available under a license that authorizes the University to make them available through e-reserves and streaming media reserves either by linking, uploading or streaming the material; or
  5. Use of the materials qualifies as a "Fair Use" under copyright law; or
  6. The material is in an obsolete format and an equivalent copy is not commercially available at a reasonable cost.

Fair Use: The instructor should make an initial assessment about whether use of the requested material qualifies as fair use. Reserves Staff and/or the Office of General Counsel are available to assist. If fair use does not apply and a third party holds copyright of the material, permission must be sought before posting the materials to e-reserves.

Fair use determination requires consideration of four factors: the purpose of the use, the nature of the material, the amount of the material to be posted, and the effect on the market of posting the material. The UMD Libraries recommend that instructors use a fair use checklist, such as the one developed by Columbia University's Copyright Advisory Services, to assist with making this determination.

The UMD Libraries reserve the right to refuse to post materials if it believes the proposed use, or the materials themselves, would not comply with U.S. copyright law or if it believes that the proposed use would be problematic (not fair or licensed). Media is also digitized for the inclusion of captions for accessibility purposes.

Posting Requirements: The following copyright information should be included in each file posted to e-reserves:

  1. E-Reserves Warning: NOTICE: The materials provided in this e-reserve may be protected by copyright law. (Title 17 US Code). You may print a copy of e-reserve materials for your personal study, reading, research, or education. Reproducing, distributing, modifying and/or making derivative works based on the materials posted to this e-reserve for any other purposes may be an infringement of the owner's copyright and subject you to civil and criminal liability as well as potential action by the University.
  2. Streaming Warning: NOTICE: The materials provided in this streaming reserve may be protected by copyright law. (Title 17 US Code). You may view a copy of streaming reserve materials for your personal study, research, or education. Reproducing, distributing, modifying and/or making derivative works based on this material for any other purposes may be an infringement of the owner's copyright and subject you to civil and criminal liability as well as potential action by the University.
  3. Attributions: The following information will be included with each posting:
    1. When the original work includes a copyright notice, that copyright notice will be included with the material posted on e-reserve.
    2. Appropriate bibliographic information to identify the copyrighted work.

Removal of Materials: the UMD Libraries will remove all materials from e-reserves and streaming reserves at the conclusion of the course. A copy of the reserves materials may be retained for students who need continued access to complete the course.

For questions about e-reserves, contact Reserves Staff at lib-askreserves@umd.edu. For more information about copyright and fair use, visit the UMD Libraries’ copyright guide.

 

*Please note: items may appear in lower resolution due to copyright restrictions. 
 

Please submit your requests as early as possible to ensure timely access to course materials. We've improved our average turnaround time to 3 days for e-reserves and 5 days for books and media, and one week for streaming media.

High volume at the beginning of the semester and the nature/availability of materials may result in occasional delays.

We do our best to fill all requests by their needed dates, however for best results submit requests on the following schedule:

  • Fall/Spring semester - Three weeks prior to the start of the semester. 
  • Winter semester - First week in December
  • Summer semester - By the end of May (Purchasing blackout may apply in June/July)

You may monitor the status of your requests in ELMS and subscribe to emails alerting you as requested items become available.


Contact Course Reserves Staff at your library branch
Not sure who to contact? Contact us at lib-askreserves@umd.edu

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