Skip to main content

Accessing Course Reserves

What are Reserves?

“Reserves” are readings or media that are required for a course. Professors put items on reserve to ensure that those items are easily accessible to students.

Physical reserves can be borrowed for four hours at a time. Physical reserves cannot be requested online. Electronic reserves are available on your computer—you don’t need to go to the library in person to get them.

Looking up a physical reserve lets you see if it is already checked out. It also indicates which library it is at (Neilson, Hillyer or Josten), as well as the call number.

Getting Physical Reserves

  • Use the “Course Reserves” tab on the Libraries home page to search for items on physical reserve in the Libraries.
  • Make note of the call number and bring it to the appropriate service desk in Neilson, Hillyer or Josten library. This is the most efficient way to get the item in hand.
  • If you don’t have the item’s call number, give the course number and the title of the item to staff at the service desk, and they will be able to look up the item for you.

Accessing E-Reserves

  • Search e-reserves by course code, course name or instructor name.
  • Click the course you would like to access reserves for. Sign in using your Smith login if necessary.
  • Click on the title of the resource you want to access.
  • In the popup, click the “Permalink” provided for that resource.

You can also access e-reserves through a course’s Moodle page.

For Faculty

For procedures and deadlines for submitting reserves requests, see Course Reserves: Faculty Information.

Questions about Reserves?

Email: libraryreserves@smith.edu   
Call: 413-585-2910