Student FAQ

General Information

• Are there reserve readings for every class?
  Readings are placed on reserve only at an instructor's request. The library does not automatically reserve required texts for all courses.
• Are all reserve materials available once classes have started?
  Unfortunately, instructors do not always turn in reserve requests early enough for library staff to have the materials ready by the first day of classes. Requests received by the stated due date (July for Fall semester, November for Spring semester) are guaranteed to be processed by the first day of classes. All requests are processed in the order received.
• Will all of the readings on a syllabus be on reserve?
  Only required readings are placed on reserve. Supplemental or additional readings are placed on reserve by an instructor's specific request, with the total number of items not exceeding fifty.
• Are copies of course syllabi kept on reserve?
  The library does not keep copies of syllabi on reserve. Students may obtain syllabi from their instructor or school.
• What should I do if the materials my professor said would be on reserve are not available?
  Students should notify their instructor so that they may contact the library's Course Reserves Unit and request that the item be put on reserve.
• How do I access course reserve materials?
  Some materials can be accessed directly from the ERes Course page, while others must be obtained at the Circulation Desk or through library databases. For detailed instructions, please see "Getting Started with ERes." To access ERes, students must obtain passwords from instructors.
• Whom do I contact if I have questions about Course Reserve?
  Please contact the HS/HSL Course Reserve Unit at 410-706-7928.

Electronic Reserve (ERes)

• Why do I need a password for the ERes system?
  Passwords are needed to access each course page in the EReserve system when articles are on reserve. Copyright protection laws necessitate that only students enrolled in the course view the online articles. If only books are on reserve, copyright laws do not apply, and therefore no password is needed.
• Where do I obtain a password for the ERes system?
  Instructors are responsible for giving students the password for the course. A student who has forgotten or lost his/her password, may obtain the password from staff at the HS/HSL Circulation Desk. The student must present the course syllabus as confirmation of enrollment in the class. Library staff cannot provide the student with the password without this confirmation.
• Can the electronic reserve system (ERes) be accessed off-campus?
  Yes, provided a student has a Library Barcode. Additionally, students will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on their computers to view and print scanned articles. Download Acrobat for free.
• Can I print items found in the ERes system?
  Yes. Scanned documents that have been posted to ERes or documents from other web sites that are available via a link in ERes can be printed directly from the system. If the required reading is from a book, students must borrow the book from the Circulation Desk.
• How do I print from EReserve in the library?
  Students can use their UMB1One card. For assistance with printing, stop by the Reference Desk located on the first floor of the library.

Obtaining items from the Circulation Desk

• How do I know if I need to obtain an item from the Circulation Desk?
  If the book or article citation ends with a call number (e.g. HV300.D67 1999 or HALL002) it must be obtained from the Circulation Desk. Clicking on the citation on the course page makes this clear; items with call numbers will display a new window with the citation and call number in large type and a message directing students to obtain the item from the Circulation Desk.
• What if I don't have my student I.D.?
  Students cannot check out reserve items without their I.D.'s.
• How many items can I check out at one time?
  Students may borrow up to five reserve items at one time.
• How long can I keep items checked out? Are there overdue fines?
  Reserve materials circulate within the library for two hours. Items returned after two hours are considered overdue and are fined $1.00 per hour or a fraction thereof, per item
• Can I keep reserve items overnight?
  All materials (except some instructors' personal copies) may be taken out of the library if they are checked out within one hour before the library closes and returned the next morning within one hour after the library opens.
• Can I return reserve materials in the book slots at the Circulation Desk or in the outdoor book drop?
  We ask that students not return items in the book slots or book drop due to the time-sensitive loan period. Students should give items directly to a staff member so that the items may be discharged immediately.
• Can I renew my reserve materials when the two hours have ended?
  Students may renew items only if another student has not requested them during the time they were checked out.
• Why do I have to check out certain journal articles from the Circulation Desk, while others can be accessed directly through ERes?
  Sometimes permission to scan and post articles cannot be obtained from the publisher or copyright holder. In these cases, we are usually restricted to placing a print copy of an article on reserve. The article is assigned a call number and may be checked out for a two hour, in-house use.
• Why are books and print articles arranged by call number instead of by instructor or course?
  Items are often used for more than one course and/or more than one instructor.