Skip to page navigation menu Skip entire header
Brown University
Skip 34 subheader links

Managing Course Reserves

Adding books, articles, videos, documents, and more to your reserves list

1. To add requests or resources to your reserves list, start by selecting the green Add button in the upper left corner of your reserves list.

select Add button

2. Next, you’ll be presented with a few options for adding requests

select Add button opens options dropdown menu
  1. Search the library– Use this option to search the library’s BruKnow catalog to place a request for an item that is held in the library’s current collection.
  2. Add from Favorites
  3. Upload files– Use this option to upload a PDF file from your computer. You may also add a brief citation when adding the request to your course.
  4. Add using DOI or ISBN– Enter a DOI or ISBN to search for and enter a request.
  5. Import references– Use this option to import requests from a file from a citation manager
  6. Manual entry– Use this option to add a manual citation for a request, such as, to place an article or excerpt scan request, to submit a purchase request, to add a weblink or to upload a PDF of a file.

Back to top

from dropdown menu select Search the Library option

1. Start by entering the title of a book, article or keyword into the search criteria field and then select the magnifying glass to search. In this example, we are searching for the book, Doing more digital humanities.

example showing book keywords, Doing more digital humanities

2. All results for your title or keyword will appear in the search results along with the item availability.

list of search results along with item availability

3. If you have a lot of search results, you can use the Filter option to limit your results by Resource Type or Availability.

Filter options by Resource Type or Availability

4. To add an item to your reserves list from your search results, you may hover your pointer/cursor over the item in your search results and look for a green button with a “+” to appear, or click on the item you would like to add and then select Add or Add & Edit from the list of options that appear in the citation to make further edits to your request.

select plus icon to add
select Add or Add & Edit from the list of options that appear in the citation

5. You’ll see that a request for the book, Doing more digital humanities, has now been added to the resource list.

If you are using a template with multiple sections, you may also drag and drop a resource from your search results into a given week or section.

Resources screen, displaying Doing more digital humanities

6. Continue adding requests until you have completed your list of course reserves.

Our system is currently configured to automatically publish your list so students can view it, and also automatically inform the library that you have submitted a reserves list for processing.

Back to top

Using the Manual Entry option to add requests

  • Add a manual citation for a request.
  • To place an article or excerpt scan request.
  • To submit a purchase request,
  • To add a weblink to something that’s online,
  • To upload a PDF of a file

1. To use the Manual entry option, select Add from the top left of your reading list and select Manual entry from the options displayed.

select Add button opens options dropdown menu, select Manual entry

2. To add requests using the Manual entry option, enter the title of the item or reading into the Title field and enter the type of item you are requesting into the Type field. Select Next to continue adding your citation.

Manual entry screen, enter Type and Title Title then select Next button

3. Next you’ll be presented with additional citation fields for your request. Only the Title and Type fields are required, so you may choose to continue adding citation information, or select Next to continue.

screen displaying additional citation fields

4. On the next page you’ll have some options for what section you would like to add the request to. If you are using multiple sections in your list, you can select a different section from the Add to section dropdown menu.

You may also choose to add a reading due date for the assignment in the Due date field, or add a Tag from the Tags section to let your students know if the reading is Essential or Optional.

After making your selections, select the Add button on the upper right to add the  request to your reserves list.

screen with more options, Add to selection, reading Due date, and Tags, then select Add button

5. You’ll see that a request for the book, The Digital Humanities: A Primer for Students and Scholars, has now been added to the list of resources.

Resource screen, displaying book The Digital Humanities: A Primer for Students and Scholars

6. Continue adding requests until you have completed your list of course reserves.

Our system is currently configured to automatically publish your list so students can view it, and also automatically inform the library that you have submitted a reserves list for processing.

Back to top

How to submit an article or excerpt scan request

Submitting a request to have an article or book excerpt scanned and added to your reserves list can be done by either using the Search the library option and searching for the item title, modifying it to an Article or Book chapter request, or by using the option for Manual entry and entering a citation for the item and what needs to be scanned.

Using the Search the library option

Use this option to request a scan from an item that is currently part of the library’s collection.

1. Go to Add from the top left of your reading list and select Search the library.

select Add button, then from dropdown menu select Search the library

2. Enter the title of the item that you are requesting a scan from. Locate the item from your search results, and select Add & Edit.

Search everything keywords, writing Beijing, select the search result, then select Add & Edit

3. Edit the item citation to change the item Type being requested from Book to Book Chapter.

change Type from Book to Book Chapter, in dropdown menu

4. After changing the item type, you’ll see that the Book title field has now changed to a Chapter title field. Enter the page range or chapter title that you would like scanned and click Save in the upper right corner of the citation.

enter chapter title then select Save button

5. Your request has successfully been submitted to receive an excerpt scan from the item, and your request will appear in your list as a Book Chapter request.

showing Resource, Introduction displayed in list

Back to top

Using Manual entry to submit a request

The Manual entry option can be used to submit requests for items that are not currently part of the library’s collection. These items can be items that you own a personal copy of that you will supply the library for scanning, or items that the library will need to purchase and scan.

1. To use the Manual entry option to submit an article or excerpt request, select Add from the top left of your reading list and select Manual entry from the options displayed.

select Add button opens options dropdown menu, select Manual entry

2. Change the Type of item to either Book Chapter or Article from the dropdown list. In the field below, the Title or Chapter title field, enter the page range or chapter title of what you would like scanned. Select Next to continue.

Options screen, select Type of item and Chapter title, then select Next button

3. Next you’ll be presented with additional citation fields for your request. Only the Title and Type fields are required, so you may choose to continue adding additional citation information, or select Next to continue.

Options screen displaying additional citation fields, select Next button

4. On the next page you’ll have some options for what section you would like to add the request to. If you are using multiple sections in your list, you can select a different section from the Add to section dropdown menu.

You may also choose to add a reading due date for the assignment in the Due date field, or add a Tag from the Tags section to let your students know if the reading is Essential or Optional.

After making your selections, select the Add button on the upper right to add the request to your reserves list.

Options screen displaying Add to selection, reading Due date, and Tags, then select Add button

5. Your request has successfully been submitted to receive an excerpt scan from the item, and your request will appear in your list as a Book Chapter request. 

Resources screen, displaying Introduction

Back to top

Submit a purchase request from your reserves list

Items that are needed to be placed on course reserve which are not currently part of the library’s collection can be requested from a reserves list by following the steps below using the Manual entry option.

 To enter and submit a citation for an item that needs to be purchased.

1. To enter and submit a citation for an item that needs to be purchased, use the Manual entry option, by selecting Add from the top left of your reading list and selecting Manual entry from the options displayed.

select Add button opens options dropdown menu, select Manual entry

2. To add requests using the Manual entry option, enter the title of the item or reading into the Title field and enter the type of item you are requesting into the Type field. Select Next to continue adding your citation.

Options screen, select Type of item and Title, then select Next button

Next you’ll be presented with additional citation fields for your request. Only the Title and Type fields are required, so you may choose to continue adding citation information, or select Next to continue.

screen displaying additional citation information fields

4. On the next page you’ll have some options for what section you would like to add the request to. If you are using multiple sections in your list, you can select a different section from the Add to section dropdown menu.

You may also choose to add a reading due date for the assignment in the Due date field, or add a Tag from the Tags section to let your students know if the reading is Essential or Optional.

After making your selections, select the Add button on the upper right to add the  request to your reserves list.

Options screen displaying additional fields, Add to section, reading Due date, and Tags, then select Add button

5. You’ll see that a request for the book, The Digital Humanities: A Primer for Students and Scholars, has now been added to the list of resources.

Resource screen, displaying The Digital Humanities: A Primer for Students and Scholars

6. Continue adding any other purchase requests until you have completed your list of course reserves. Our reserves team will review your request, and work on acquiring the item for our collection, and placing a copy of the item on reserve for your course.

Our team will also reach out with any questions about your request, or notify you of any issues with supplying the item for your course.

Back to top

Using Upload files to add requests

1. To use this option, go to Add, and then select Upload files to upload a PDF file.

select Add button opens options dropdown menu, select Upload files

2. You can drag the file from your computer into the shaded area, or you can click on Click to browse for a file, to search your computer for a file and upload it.

select select to browse for a file

3. After selecting your file from your computer or dragging your file into the shaded area, enter the title of the reading into the Title field. You’ll see your uploaded file directly under this.

Select the appropriate Copyright information/ Fair Use question for the file that you are uploading and then select Next to continue.

file upload screen, select the appropriate Copyright information/ Fair Use option, then select Next button

4. On the next screen you can continue adding citation information for your file. Select Next to continue.

Options screen displaying additional citation information fields

5. On the next page you’ll have some options for what section you would like to add the request to. If you are using multiple sections in your list, you can select a different section from the Add to section dropdown menu.

You may also choose to add a reading due date for the assignment in the Due date field, or add a Tag from the Tags section to let your students know if the reading is Essential or Optional.

After making your selections, select the Add button on the upper right to add the  request to your reserves list.

Options screen displaying additional fields, Add to section, reading Due date, and Tags, then select Add button

6. Next, you’ll see that a citation for the introduction from the book, The Digital Humanities: A Primer for Students and Scholars, has now been added to the list of resources with a link to view the reading.

Resource screen, displaying The Digital Humanities: A Primer for Students and Scholars

7. Repeat these steps to add additional files to your reserves list.

Back to top

Adding Film Requests

Request films

To request a film be placed on reserve for your course, the process is the same as requesting any other item to be placed on reserve. Please follow the instructions on how to add a reserves request to request that a film be placed on reserve.

After your film requests have been submitted, our reserves team will review your requests and work on providing access. A reserves team member will reach out to inform you of any item requests that we are unable to supply.

Please note that while we do our best to provide access to all items requested, some materials may not be available in a format that the library can purchase, such as content that is exclusive to a streaming service.

Back to top

Reactivate film requests

To reactivate film requests that were previously on reserve for your course, please follow the instructions on reactivating a reserves list in Canvas or in Course Reserves for non-Canvas users of our service. 

There is no separate method to reactivate film requests, the entire reserves list must be reactivated. Film requests will not automatically reactivate when a Canvas page is created or reactivated.  All reactivated requests will be reviewed and activated again for the current semester after a reserves list has been reactivated.

Back to top

Creating new sections in your reading list

The Library’s Course Reserves service provides instructors with more options to organize and structure their reserves materials. You can create new Sections to list reserves materials by week, item type, etc.

1. While viewing your reserves list, to add a new section, go to Add and then select the option for New section.

select Add button opens options dropdown menu, select New section

2. In the Title field, enter the name of your section. In the example below, the section is titled “Movies”.

You may choose to enter some additional information such as an optional description and start and end dates for the section. Select Add to add the section to your list.

enter section Title, Movies, then select Add button

3. Your new section has been added to your list and can be seen listed underneath the original Resources section.

Movies section is added under Resources

4. To reorder sections, click on the section you wish to move and drag and drop to your desired location.

Movies section is highlighted, ready to be dragged and dropped

5. You may also edit section information by clicking on the ellipsis to the right of the section name and select Edit section.

select the ellipsis to the right of the section name and select Edit section

6. This opens a dialog box allowing you to change the title, dates, and description of the section. Click Save when you have made all of your changes.

change section title to Streaming movies, then select Save button

Back to top

Editing request citations

The Search the library tool automatically includes informational metadata from items in the Library’s BruKnow catalog into your request citation.

1. If you want to add more information to the item, click the ellipsis next to the item title and select Edit item. This will open a dialog box where you can edit the metadata.

Resources screen with list of items, select the ellipsis on the right of an item, select Edit item

2. Clicking on the citation will open the item information with additional editing options. Select from the different fields to edit the item citation information. Some editing options include:

  • Add a reading Due Date
  • Add or edit a URL
  • Add a note to the citation for students
  • Set dates for the visibility of the citation and item
  • Add a tag
  • Change the format type
  • Edit the item citation and metadata
two screens, one Resources list, another showing citation information options

3. After editing your citation, make sure to save your changes by selecting the Save button in the upper right corner of the citation.

Back to top

Delete a request citation

Citations for resources that are no longer needed in a reading list can be deleted directly from the item or resource citation.

1. Delete an item request citation from your reading list by clicking on the ellipsis to the right of the citation that you would like to delete and selecting Delete item.

Resources screen with list of items, select the ellipsis on the right of an item, select Delete item

2. Next, you’ll see a message pop up asking you to confirm deletion of the citation. Click Delete to continue with removing the citation from your list.

screen asking for confirmation to delete item

3. The citation has now been deleted and removed from your reserves list. This should be reflected immediately in your list of resources.

Resources screen, item has been removed from list

4. Continue these steps to remove any other citations from your reserves list that are no longer needed.

Back to top

Using tags

Tags is a feature within Course Reserves to inform your students of your preferences regarding an item.

Tags that are currently available for use within a request citation can be used to convey significance of a reading for your students:

  • Essential
  • Recommended
  • Optional
  • Lecture Readings

1. To add a tag to an item, while viewing the request citation in Course Reserves, select the ellipsis and select Edit item

2. From the options displayed, select Item actions. Towards the bottom of the section under Tags, select “Add tag” to view available tags and add one to your reading citation.

3. Click on the Tag that you would like to assign to your citation. After selecting the Tag, don’t forget to click Save.

4. Your citation has now been tagged, and you’ll see the Tag appear in the request citation when viewing it from your list.

5. Repeat these steps to add Tags to any other citations in your reserves list.

Back to top

Adding a deputy or collaborator to manage your list

To make someone a deputy or collaborator so that they can manage your reserves list on your behalf, please send your request to our reserves team at rock-reserves@brown.edu. There is currently no option for instructors to make someone a deputy/collaborator without staff assistance.

Back to top

1. To report a resource link as broken, select Full Details from the item citation to open the full item citation and resource links

select Full Details from the item citation

2. With the citation information displayed, go to the View Online section to view the resource links. More than one resource may be displayed if the Library has access to the resource via multiple vendors.

go to the View Online section

3. To report one of the resources as having a broken link, place your cursor on the citation for the “Mark as broken” link to appear. Select “Mark as broken” to report an issue with the resource. 

Select Mark as broken to report an issue with the resource. 

4. You may choose to add an optional comment to provide library staff with further information about the issue in the “Add a comment” field or upload a screenshot of the issue in the section below, Select “Confirm” to submit.

Select Confirm to submit

5. Our reserves team will receive the notification about the broken link and will work to resolve the issue. When the issue has been resolved, you’ll receive an email notification informing you that the link has been fixed and is now ready for access.

Back to top