Answered By Library Staff
Last Updated: Feb 06, 2025     Views: 209

E-reserves, or eReserves, stands for "electronic reserves." If a student, you will typically find e-reserve content in your Blackboard course as either a file or link to access.

Sometimes, libraries will have online systems that help faculty manage e-reserves content, but TCC's Library does not at this time. However, the TCC Library does help manage subscriptions to materials such as streaming videos that have been requested for classroom usage and managing physical reserves and some librarian liaisons can help in the scanning/digitizing of materials and/or navigating copyright around e-reserve creation or collection. 

Links to e-reserve material might be library resources that require you to have MyTCC access, or are resources found online for free. 

For more information on this issue targeted to faculty, please see the box below, copied from this tab of the Copyright Guide. 

Reserves & E-Reserves

Faculty or departments may place reserve textbooks or other materials in the library for student use. Please contact the campus location where you would like the physical reserves to be housed. More information about the reserves process can also be found on our Library Information for Faculty research guide, under the Services tab. 

E-reserves, or electronic reserves, is content that comes from copyrighted material usually, and is meant to be other required or supplemental reading beyond a textbook. It is typically a copy from a portion of a work or a copy of the entire work (if fair use, permission, or licensing applies) that is uploaded to an online course or through an online system where only specific enrolled students have access to that material. It does not necessarily include linking to content found freely accessible online, such as news articles, though many still call that content "e-reserves" for continuity for students. If you need help navigating whether or not you need a license or permission for scanned material (ie "copies") to be posted, please contact the Access Services Office.

The following are a few guidelines for the library's involvement with electronic course reserves: 

  • We can help faculty find and evaluate electronic resources, such Open Educational Resources and articles from our databases. While we welcome resource suggestions, we cannot commit to purchasing textbooks or other required reading due to budgetary restrictions. 
  • We offer copyright guidance and education to help faculty make a fair use assessment. The Access Services Office can also help in obtaining copyright clearance if necessary for reserves material. We are happy to assist with the process, however any ultimate fair use assessment and use decision will remain with the faculty/poster. Library employees cannot commit to creating scans for faculty. 
  • While we do help students find resources, we will refer all student issues about course reserves, textbooks, and other course materials to faculty.

Any questions or concerns about electronic reserves, Open Educational Resources, copyright, or alternative resources can be referred to your Subject Liaison Librarian, or one of your campus librarians.

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