Submitting Materials for Course Reserves FAQ

How long does it take for materials to be processed after I submit them?
Most reserve items are delivered to the Library for input during the first few days of each quarter. It can take up to one week for available items to make its way to the reserve shelf at that time. Any extra processing time you can provide by dropping off your materials early will assure they are available when your students need them.

During the rest of the quarter, three days lead-time is usually sufficient. Whenever materials are needed immediately, please notify the Reserve Department or post a prominent note on the Reserve Request Form or the reserve item itself.

What can I do to make it easier for my materials to be processed quickly?
Including as much information as possible is the easiest way to insure that we can process you materials quickly and efficiently as possible.

  • Include your name, email and class number on the Reserve Request Form with each group of items.

  • Include a copy of your syllabus indicating in what order the materials will be needed by your students throughout the term.

When is the best time to submit materials to be placed on reserve?
As reserve materials are processed in the order they are received, it is best to turn in your materials as early as possible. Allow a minimum of one week processing time around the start of the quarter. During the quarter, allow at least 3 business days processing time after submission.
How do I make sure the materials my students need first are available on time?
Reserve materials are normally processed in the order they are received. When leaving off materials at the beginning of the quarter, please indicate which materials will be needed for the first two weeks of class. Items not needed until later in the quarter should also be flagged, if possible, so the Reserve staff can more easily prioritize the backlog.
What can I do to make it easier for my students to find the right materials for my class?
In order to simplify reserve searches for your students, please submit a copy of your current syllabus at the beginning of each quarter. We will use it to more accurately catalog your materials, then add it to your reserve list so it will always be available.

Reserve materials are kept in closed stacks in call number order and can be requested at the Circulation Desk. Students can search OSCAR by professor/instructor or the Department/Course Name so that they can bring the call numbers to the Circulation Desk.

What do I have to do about copyright issues related to placing materials on reserve?
The use of reproductions of periodical articles, book chapters, etc., that are not in the public domain, is governed by the Fair Use provisions of the U. S. Copyright Law [sections 107 through 118 of the copyright act (title 17, U.S. Code)] and its supporting interpretations. Multiple copies of copyrighted material may be made for classroom use within certain requirements of brevity, spontaneity and cumulative effect. The library will assume that faculty members who submit reproductions for reserve use have prepared them within the terms of Fair Use. Faculty claiming fair use and requesting library staff to place materials on course reserve must complete and submit one Fair Use Checklist for each group of materials they deliver to the library. A checklist must be completed each term that the copyrighted materials are used.

If you have a compliance problem or need clarification, don't hesitate to contact the Reserve Department.

What type of materials may be placed on reserve?
In addition to books reserve items may be in any format that can be reasonably accommodated in the Reserve area (e.g., CD's, disks, videotapes, maps, etc.). ERes or Camino (Angel) are the preferred medium of distribution for individual reproductions of readings.

Any item from the Library's Main Stacks, Media, Periodicals and Government Documents areas as well as instructor owned items may be placed on reserve. Excluded are books from the Library's special collections, books from other libraries, Link+ and interlibrary loan. 

Exceptions can sometimes be arranged with the subject specialists to place books from the Reference collection on Reserve (for building use only).

How do I submit materials for reserve?
Please use our online Course Reserve Hard Copy Request Form, if your materials need to be paged or you plan on bringing your materials in person, include our printable request form.
The materials I want aren't owned by the Library. Can I request that they be purchased by the Library?
If the title you require for reserve is not in the Library's collection and costs no more than $70.00, the Reserve Specialist can place a rush order for you. Please bear in mind that it can take several weeks to receive a title that is difficult to locate, so please allow extra processing time for these materials. We will contact you if we are unable to obtain the materials on time.

If you would like the Library to purchase an item for reserve, you may submit a Book Request Form for each title.

How do I best contact the Reserve Department and how do I make sure they can contact me?
You may contact course reserve staff by phone at 408-554-5240 or email, libraryreserve@scu.edu.
You may also stop by the Circulation Desk and request that material be put on course reserve. Circulation Desk staff will show you where the Reserves Desk is located.

If a question arises regarding your submitted reserve materials (e.g., lost or incomplete materials, books on search or recall, delays in processing, etc.), a member of the Reserve Department will need to contact you. Please be sure to check your GroupWise e-mail regularly. If you want us to contact you at another e-mail address, please provide this address with your your request forms that you submit. E-mail is sometimes the only way, we have of communicating with many instructors, especially adjunct faculty.

How do I check to make sure the materials I submitted are available for my students?
Once adequate processing time has elapsed, please take a look at your reserve list in OSCAR and notify the Reserve Department if you would like to make any changes. It is quite easy to alter the data in an OSCAR reserve record to make it more recognizable to your students. To access your reserve list, search OSCAR for your name or your course number (as it appears in the Schedule of Classes, four letters + three digits).

If the items have been scanned into ERes, you can check your account by choosing your name or class from the appropriate pull-down list.