Course materials services
The Libraries have a number of ways to help instructors deliver course materials to their students including course reserves, E-text(s), articles, media, open education resources and more.
Contact coursematerials@umn.edu to request a consultation.
Course materials options
Course reserves
Course reserves are instructor-selected materials made available to students through the Libraries free-of-charge.
Copyright permissions service
The copyright permissions service assists faculty and staff at the University of Minnesota in acquiring permissions to use copyrighted items in their scholarship, course websites, coursepacks, Libraries Course Reserve, and other University-related purposes.
Multi-use e-text(s)
Request that the Libraries purchase a multi-use e-text title, if available, for your course. View a list of online textbooks we have made available in the current semester.
Send your request to coursematerials@umn.edu or fill out the course materials request form.
Canvas integration
The University Libraries offers a number of ways to integrate library resources and services into Canvas. Using library resources in your Canvas course site saves students from paying for materials the Libraries already have available, and it ensures all students have access to the desired material.
Instructors also have access to update and modify the Library Course Materials page for their Canvas courses. Please see our Library Course Materials Guide for more information.
Digital video delivery service
Request that a video in the Libraries' collection be digitized for instructional purposes. Digitized videos are loaded into Kaltura for inclusion in Canvas and other course pages.
Course content consultation
Collaborate with the Libraries to find customized course content and materials already purchased through the University Libraries. The Libraries has access to thousands of full-text databases, journals, and e-books that can easily be added to your course environment. Use library content to save students money.
Media collections support
Find information about reserving, accessing and requesting a purchase of library media.
Open Educational Resources (OER)
Partnership for Affordable Learning Materials (PALM) grants
At the University Libraries, we have been working to increase the use of open textbooks, OER, and affordable course materials. Now, we are offering Partnership for Affordable Learning Materials (PALM) grants of up to $10,000 to faculty, instructors, and departments who will work with us to provide affordable course materials to our students, including creating new open textbooks or adopt/adapt and improve existing ones.
Open textbooks and open education resources
We can help you find freely available and openly licensed open textbooks and open educational resources for your course.
- Learn more about open educational resources (OER) and open textbooks
- See the list of University Libraries Publishing Services open textbooks.
- Visit the Open Textbook Library for a curated list of open textbooks from around the world.
Pressbooks
Pressbooks is simple self-service book production software. You can use Pressbooks to publish openly textbooks, syllabi, modules, and other course materials in multiple formats. You already have access to this tool by logging in with your U of M Internet ID and password. Pressbooks also makes it easy to publish your content with a Creative Commons license.