Online Reserve Information for Faculty

Requests and processing

Even though the Libraries' buildings are closed, we can still provide access to some materials through online resources.  Submit your request and we will let you know what resources we can provide!

• You can submit requests using our Course Materials Request Form.
• Email your reading list or syllabus to one of the online reserves sites: biomrsv@umn.edu for Health Sciences requests or wilsrsv@umn.edu for all other requests. If possible, please submit your list in the order in which students will reading the assignments.
• Faculty can build their own draft reserves page by following the Faculty Library Course Page Manual.  Online Reserves staff will help complete the page.
• Articles available through the Library's online journal subscriptions are posted to your course page as persistent links. To add them, we only need the article’s full citation.
• Please familiarize yourself with the General Principles for Fair Use in Education. For further information about copyright, see Copyright, Licenses, and Permissions below.
• Materials that you don't feel fall under fair use that will cost a copyright fee can also be included on an online reserve page. If you will be making such a request, please allow at least 4 weeks for processing, as copyright permission takes time to secure.

If you’re having trouble viewing your online reserve page or readings, please visit our FAQ page.

Copyright, licenses, and permissions

Conditions of Use: Materials may be copied and made available for course reserves under four common conditions:

• In the public domain; or
• Used with permission from the copyright holder; or
• Used under the provisions of a contract or license agreement , noting that agreements may differ from, and often take precedence over, what is allowed under copyright law; or
• Used under the provision of Fair Use (U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. Section 107), as outlined in the Classroom Guidelines or as determined using a case-by-case four-factor analysis.

Instructor responsibilities: Course reserve materials are routinely subject to controls that restrict access to registered students and their instructors. In some cases, materials may be made available after an assessment by the instructor that such a use is a fair use under copyright law. All such uses are based on the Libraries' General Principles of Fair Use in Education and Policy on Fair Use of Copyrighted Works.

When copyrighted works are used for reserves under the provisions of Fair Use (Section 107), instructors are responsible for:

• Ensuring all materials used support course-related teaching, scholarship, or research.
• Determining, on a case-by-case basis, whether the use of a copyrighted work requires permission or qualifies as fair use. Such a determination requires a working knowledge of the principles & applications of fair use. University Libraries staff can provide some consultation on the relevant issues. Educational information on fair use, and an online tool for documenting fair use analysis, are available on our site.
• Making arrangements for permissions when they are needed.
• Copying only the amount of a material needed to accomplish the specific educational purpose. In consultation with library staff, instructors will determine any limits on the amount of material to be used.