Ekstrom Library Course Reserves: Home

Bound copy: We allow up to 25 bound copy items at any one time per instructor per course. This includes books, bound journals (from Ekstrom only) and bound classroom documents. Journals are limited to 5 volumes per semester. No course packs or interlibrary loans may be placed on reserve. Textbooks may be placed on 2-hour closed reserve only.

Video: Videos may be placed on reserve at the West Service Desk of Ekstrom Library; please note that policies for media items differ from policies for other items. Maximum: 25 videos at any one time per instructor per course.

Electronic: Because most classes are already providing access to course reading materials through Blackboard, Ekstrom Library has discontinued this service.

Book Chapter/Print Articles: As of 2017 Ekstrom Library no longer carries hardcopy versions of Book Chapters or Articles. However you can reserve online versions via Ereserves.

Ereserve: This service is for UofL instructors teaching online and distance education courses. Reserves include links to full-text articles or book chapter selections. For more information please visit this guide: https://library.louisville.edu/distance/ereserves

Ekstrom Library requires all faculty placing items on course reserve to review the Fair Use Law and Fair Use Explanation published by the United States Copyright Office. For your convenience, a checklist is available to help you determine whether or not your selection is likely allowable under copyright law. For each reserve item, please print a copy of this checklist, fill it out and keep it for your records. It is not necessary to turn it in. All faculty will be required to verify that they are submitting their reserves in good faith by initialing their assent on the course reserve web form. The library reserves the right to refuse any course reserve request if it conflicts with the staff’s interpretation of copyright law.

Reserve Items may either be library-owned materials or legally obtained personal copies. Ekstrom library is not responsible for the loss or damage to personal copies

Please submit a course reserve request form at the beginning of every semester. No standing reserves are permitted.

Items wanted for less than three weeks will be considered holds and won't be processed as Reserves.

If you have any questions about course reserves, contact our course reserve specialist at 502.852.7589. If the specialist is unavailable and your question is urgent, you may call the Ekstrom Library West Service Desk at 502.852.6757 and ask for any staff member.

1. To request films to be placed on reserve, fill out the online wed form and submit any personal copies to the Access and User Services Desk at least Five Days Before the date the materials are needed by students.
2. Reserve items may either be library-owned materials, *legally-obtained personal copies (including rented materials), or materials which are originally created items. *Legal copies are tapes acquired by the instructor which include original distributor labels. Ekstrom Library cannot place personal copies of videos on reserve that are in violation of copyright law. Any items whose legality is in question will be returned to the owner.
3. Ekstrom Library is not responsible for damage to personal copies.
4. Materials may be placed on reserve for up to a full academic year. Items may not be placed on “indefinite” reserve. At the end of the semester specified on the Course Reserve form, materials will be promptly returned to the owner, or if it is a library owned item, returned to the stacks. Instructors may pick up personal copies at the end of the semester or they will be returned via campus mail.
5. Students must present a valid U of L student I.D. in order to use any reserve items. No exceptions will be made.

Last day for submitting course reserves: 

• Fall Semester: Monday after Thanksgiving break
• Spring Semester: March 31st

Materials submitted after these dates cannot be added for the current semester.

Ekstrom Library limits the number of items that a professor can place on reserve to 25 books and 25 DVDs.