The University of St. Thomas

FAQ E-Reserves

Frequently Asked Questions about E-Reserves

General

Faculty


General

   

How do I use the Course Reserves search form?

In the CLICnet catalog, you can search either by your instructor's name or by the course designation (usually the department plus a number or the name of the course). 

To search by instructor, select "PROF/TA" from the "Search By" pull down menu and type the last name, first name (for example: Smith Jim). To search by course, select "COURSE" from the "Search By" pull down menu and type either the course designation (for example: THEO 101) or the course name (Introduction to Theology).

If an item is in electronic version, under Format on the right of the record, you will see  *ELECTRONIC COPY AVAILABLE*

 

Course Reserves login screen   

How do I login?

When you click the link for a particular reading in your search results, a login box will appear: use your regular UST username and password (same as for email or Blackboard).   If unable to get in, first verify that your username/password are correct, then try entering UST\  before your username:

 

If for any reason you cannot login, please call the IRT Help Desk 651-962-6230.

 

 

 

   

How can I view and print materials?

E-reserves primarily uses Adobe Acrobat PDF files. Most computers have Acrobat pre-installed. If not, you can get a free copy from Adobe. To print the item, use the print icon button on the Acrobat toolbar, not your web browser's print button.

A few documents may be in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint or other formats.  In these cases, you will need to save the file to your computer and run the file in the appropriate program. Microsoft provides free viewers if you don't happen to have one of these programs.

 

   

What can I do if the print on the screen is too large or too small?

On the Acrobat toolbar, use the + or - buttons to adjust the magnification. You can also select or type in a percentage.

 

   

My printouts are backwards or some of the pages are blank.  What do I do?

Check "Print as image" in the printer options box.

 

   

Why do files take so long to download?

The download time of an article depends on the file size, your Internet connection speed, and your computer. If you are using a modem and phone line, it will take more time than if you are using a cable modem or DSL connection.  You may want to consider printing these and other course materials on campus. 

 

   

My Internet connection uses a firewall. Can I use e-reserves?

In rare cases, library patrons accessing the Internet behind their company's firewall may not be able to access e-reserve items, due to that company's network security policy. DSL and cable modem users may experience the same problem in rare cases.  Contact your network administrator for help.

 

   My Safari browser won't let me view a reading. Now what?

For Mac users in the Safari browser, once you have located a reserve reading and click on a file to access it, occasionally the browser will prevent the file from loading.  Try turning off the browser's popup blocker by selecting the Safari link, then unchecking the "Block Popup Windows" entry

 

Faculty

   

I am teaching a course, how do I add a reading to e-reserves?

See our "How Can I Link to My Readings?" page for a decision tree designed to illustrate your options. Your library Reserves Coordinator can assist in setting up access to existing e-versions (from an online database or other source) and in making a digital scanned version of print versions you provide.  The Reserve Procedures for Faculty page has the forms faculty need to fill out to place items (print or electronic) on reserve.

 

   

How long can materials stay on Reserve?

Reserve materials are ordinarily removed at the end of the semester, so students may not be able to access them beyond that date. Due to copyright guidelines, articles and chapters/excerpts from books can only be on reserve for one semester (with some exceptions for long-out-of-print material). If needed for more than one semester, faculty must arrange with the publisher for permission.