Course Reserves

For Instructors

Getting Started

How to submit a reserve list

Use the Submission Form for all requests — initial lists, additions to an existing list, and semester retains. Include complete bibliographic information for each item; titles should match your syllabus exactly.

Deadlines and processing times

Lists received by the deadline are guaranteed to be available on the first day of class. Submit at least two weeks before the semester starts — the first 3–4 weeks of each term are the busiest period and a backlog is possible.

Processing may take longer if an item is currently checked out (we must wait for its return) or if the library does not own the item (it must be purchased first). You will be notified when your list is ready.

• Late submissions are processed in the order received. Instructors are notified when items become available.

E-reserves and eLC integration

Electronic reserves are hosted in eLC and accessible only to enrolled students in your course. You set the password — it must be unique and changed each semester. Distribute the password directly to your class; library staff are not able to provide e-reserve passwords.

To have reserves imported directly into your eLC course shell, select that option on the Submission Form.

Streaming media

The library can purchase streaming rights for video content to be used in your course. We suggest a maximum of 5 new streaming titles per course per semester.

See our Guidelines for Purchase of Streaming Rights for full details on eligible formats and the purchase process.

Extending a student's loan period

If a student needs to borrow an item beyond the standard loan period, contact us via email and let us know the student's name and the specific item — we'll note the authorization on the account.

Copyright

Copyright and fair use

Course reserve materials are broadly distributed to an entire class through a publicly accessible learning platform, which means copyright law applies directly. Fair use (Section 107) generally permits placing a single article or a single chapter from a work on reserve for one semester without seeking permission. Placing multiple chapters from the same book, reusing the same item semester after semester, or posting entire works typically requires permission or licensing.  Please see the USG Fair Use checklist for guidance. The UGA Libraries do not obtain copyright clearances on your behalf.

Before submitting, review the USG Copyright Policy, which includes a Fair Use Checklist. If your intended use falls outside fair use, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder — typically through the Copyright Clearance Center.

The Libraries reserve the right to limit the number of items on reserve for a given course based on copyright constraints.

For electronic reserves, also review the Additional Guidelines for Electronic Reserves from the Board of Regents.

For Students

Course reserves give you free, short-term access to required or recommended course materials. Search by course, instructor, or title — or check your eLC course shell for electronic items.

Search course reserves in GIL-Find.

Borrowing

Loan Periods

Physical items on course reserve can be checked out at the assigned location service desks with your UGA ID. You may have up to 2 reserve items checked out at a time.

Loan period for items may vary:

• 2 hours (library use only)  
• 4 hours (library use only)  
• 1 day                       
• 3 days                      
• 7 days                  

Please return items to the service desk — this will help us to get short loan items back into circulation and available for someone else to check out as quickly as possible

Renewals

2-hour and 4-hour items may be renewed once at the service desk if not in high demand. Renewals are not permitted for 1-day, 3-day, or 7-day items.

You must wait until the next day after returning an item before checking out the same item again.  This ensures that all students in the course have a chance to access it.

Electronic Reserves

Accessing e-reserves

Electronic reserves are available through your eLC course shell. You can download and print items from any campus computer or from home. A recent version of Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to open PDF files.

E-reserves are password protected. Your instructor sets and distributes the password — it changes each semester. If you have lost your password, contact your instructor. Library staff are not able to provide e-reserve passwords.

Common Questions

Study guide for the Georgia Constitution test

Search for POLTEST in GIL-Find. This returns a list of all study materials available for the Georgia Constitution test, including Georgia's Constitution and Government (6th ed.), available in print and online.

Additional information is available on the School of Public & International Affairs website.

I need more time with an item than the loan period allows

Ask your instructor to contact us directly. Instructors can authorize a specific student for an extended loan — library staff cannot grant extensions without that authorization.

Which Service Do I Need?

Not sure which service applies to your situation? This table summarizes the key differences.

Question	Course Reserves	Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
Who is it for?	An entire enrolled class - assigned by the instructor	An individual patron pursuing personal research
Where is the material accessed?	Through your eLC course - available to all class members	Delivered directly to your ILLiad account of inbox
Does UGA have to own the item?	Usually yes (or we obtain licensing/permission)	No - ILL specifically obtains items we don't own
Who is responsible for copyright compliance?	The Libraries evaluates and manages compliance on faculty's behalf	The individual patron is responsible; you acknowledge this at submission
Are materials made accessible?	Yes - WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance is standard practice	OCR is applied automatically; enhanced remediation is available upon request
Can I share the material with others?	No - restricted to enrolled students only	No - for your individual use only
Typical request lead time	Submit 2 weeks before semester start (faculty)	Articles: 24-28 hours; Books 3-7 business days

Submit Course Reserve Request

Submit an ILL Request