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Course Reserves Policy

  • Our course reserves collection is course related materials and high use items that support the university’s academic programs
  • All materials placed on course reserve will be at the request of UH instructors for non-commercial, educational use by students
  • Course reserves may not be used to create, replace, or substitute anthologies, compilations, or collective works
    • Work with the UH bookstore to create readings/course packs
    • We will not place course packs or articles included in course packs on reserve
  • Whenever possible, course reserve materials will be those purchased or licensed by the Libraries
    • Materials not owned by the Libraries will be rush ordered, but timely acquisition cannot be guaranteed
  • Please provide original or first generation copies of hard copies to be placed on course reserve, with minimal black margins or center stripe. Originals must be 8.5 x 11 inches or smaller with no holes or staples
  • We will not charge for using course reserves. Authorized users may view, download, or print copies from the reserves system (Ares), available via Canvas

How to submit reserve requests

  1. Complete a reserves request form
    • Provide full and accurate information in order to avoid delays
    • Requests submitted without a full citation may be returned without being processed
  2. Submit the reserves request form
    • Course reserve materials are processed on a first come, first served basis
    • Processing may take up to 3 weeks during peak times. Peak times include the first 3 weeks of the semester, mid-terms, and finals
    • During off-peak times, processing may take 3-5 days from the submission date
    • Avoid last minute requests. Your materials may not be available in time for your desired date
  3. Confirm that materials are on reserve before creating assignments.
  4. We will provide access to course reserve materials for the semester
    • You must re-submit requests for each semester if you are using the same reserve materials

Materials that may be placed on course reserve

We do not provide print copies of journal articles, selected readings, quizzes, homework notes, tests, or any other materials that we find reasonable for electronic formatting.

Books

  • For books that we own:
    • 2 chapters or 20% may be made available electronically
  • For books we do not own:
    • 1 chapter or 10% of the book may be made electronically
    • We will make an effort to attempt to purchase the title if we do not own it, at your request
  • Personal copies of books may be placed on reserve by request
    • The University of Houston Libraries is not responsible for items that are lost, damaged or stolen
  • Books borrowed from another library or via an interlibrary loan request will not be placed on reserve

Videos, DVDs, and sound recordings

  • Original and purchased copies of videos, DVDs, and other sound recordings may be placed on reserve
    • VHS tapes or burned DVDs will not be accepted
  • Videos, DVDs, and sound recordings produced by the instructor during or in conjunction with UH instruction may be reproduced at the discretion of the instructor and placed on reserve
  • Videos, DVDs and sound recordings produced by students as a result of an instructor’s assignment will not be placed on reserve or duplicated without permission from the student

CDs and computer disks

Journal articles

  • Journal articles from either print or electronic resources may be placed on reserve
  • Personal print copies of journal articles will be accepted
  • Reserves will not request articles through interlibrary loan

Homework, course notes and textbooks

  • Homework submitted from students must have written permission from the student author to be posted
  • Class notes must have a title and handwritten notes must be accompanied by copyright permission from the author
  • Pictures and graphs must have full citation and copyright permission to be posted electronically
  • Consumable tests will not be made available electronically (e.g. workbooks, exercises, standardized tests, test booklets, etc.)
  • Only one chapter of textbooks may be made available electronically for students at a time, with only two chapters of any one work being made available for the whole semester

Additional items

  • Three dimensional items, slides, photographs and equipment may be placed on reserve
    • Submission of these items may be rejected if their maintenance will cause an unreasonable amount of additional work for library staff
    • The head of Information & Access Services or the library coordinators will make the final decision concerning the items in question

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