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Services and Assistance > Accessing Items on Reserve for a Course (Course Reserves)
Items placed on reserve for a course are called course reserve items. Your instructor will let you know if the item is available online as an Electronic Course Reserve or if it is available in Hardcopy format at one of the University Library (UL) branch library locations:
Accessing eReserves
eReserves are available online to students 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When prompted,
please enter the eReserves password that was provided by your Instructor.
Tabs, Documents, and Folders
Once you have accepted the copyright statement you will be taken into the Course Reserves Page where you will
see several tabs. The most important of these is the Documents tab, which shows all the materials the Library
and your Instructor have made available to you.
To open any Document on the screen just click its title or icon
and it will open in a new window.
You may also see one or more folders on the Course Reserves Page as well. To open or close a folder you can click
on its title or icon, or you can use the provided link to open/close all folders with a single click. Each folder
can contain several sub-folders and Documents to help organize materials on the Course Reserves Page.
The Course Info tab and email Alerts
The Course Info tab has important information from your instructor regarding the eReserves website.
On this tab you can send an email to your instructor, see information about your Course eReserves Page, sign
up to receive email alerts, and view special announcements from your instructor and the University Libraries.
If you would like to receive an email message each time a Course eReserves Page is updated click on its
"Info" tab and then click the "Sign up for Email Alerts" link to open the subscription
window. In the new window enter your name and email address, and click the "Save" button to sign up.
You will receive a subscription notification immediately after your request is processed. Each email you receive
will include a link allows you to cancel the email alerts at any time.
Viewing and Printing Files
Documents on e-reserve vary greatly in size. If you are accessing e-reserves over a phone line, you may find that
larger files (such as PDF or PowerPoint) may take quite a while to download or print. Download times can also
increase during periods of heavy internet traffic. You may need to upgrade printer memory or drivers to effectively
print large files. You may also wish to consider using computers on campus to open and print very large files.
Files attached to a Document can be opened by clicking on the filename you wish to view. In most cases the file will open in a new browser window, where it can be viewed or printed.
Some files require a special plug-in before the file can be opened on your computer. If you don't have the proper plug-in installed you will be asked to save the file on your computer. If this happens you can use the link below to find the correct viewer for the file you are trying to open. After following the instructions provided by the software developer you can click on the filename again to view the file properly.
Hardcopy Course Reserves at the University Libraries
Like all items in the UNM University Libraries' collection,
course reserve items are listed in the LIBROS Online Catalog. From the main
page, follow the "Course Reserves" link. Then:
Enter either the name of the Course or the last name of the Instructor, depending upon which option you have
chosen. This link may take to you to a list from which you can choose a course or an instructor or it may take you
directly to the specific course or instructor which you have entered. When the specific course you are searching
for appears on the screen, a list of any items attached to that course will follow the course heading. If there
are no items following the course heading, it indicates that no materials have yet been placed on reserve for
that course.
From the list of items which follows the course heading, click on the title of the item for which you have been searching. You may need to scroll down the page to locate all the listed titles. The call number for the item will be listed in the center column. The desk staff can retrieve what you need more quickly if you know the item's call number before coming to the desk.
Before exiting the LIBROS Online Catalog, be sure to check the
location of the item to determine at which branch location the item is
located. Course reserve items are usually kept at the branch location most
related to the course you are taking.
Also, check the status of the item.
Loan Periods, Item Limits, and Fines
Loan periods are determined by the instructor who has placed the item on reserve. In a case where two faculty
members have requested that the same item be placed on reserve, the shortest requested loan period will be used.
Any exceptions must be approved by the instructor who placed the item on reserve. A written note from the
instructor must be presented for the loan period to be adjusted. A maximum of three course reserve items may be
checked by any patron at one time. Reserve items can be renewed only at the desk from which they were checked out.
The fine schedule for overdue materials is outlined on the Circulation Policies,
Loan Periods, and Fines page.
Returning Reserve Items
Reserve items must be returned to the service desk from which they were checked out. Items returned to any other
location will not be counted as returned until they are back in reserve (and so may accrue fines.)
Reserve items cannot be recalled or "saved." They are only checked out on a "first come,
first served" basis, and renewals may not be permitted if other patrons have requested the same material.