Reserves & Digitization

Please contact reserves@iwu.edu to request Canvas e-reserves by the deadlines listed above. When making requests please include your reading list and syllabus in your email, with complete citation information for journal articles, books, book chapters, etc. This information helps us expedite your request so it is ready as soon as possible.

For all Canvas courses, we strongly encourage faculty to use a permalink pointing to the online content we subscribe to (i.e., articles, book chapters, books, etc.) so we can accurately track usage of our electronic collections. We base our decisions about subscriptions on usage, so using permalinks gives us the information we need to make data-informed decisions for best use of our budget. (In other words, please show us you use it, or you may lose it.)

If we don't have online access to the content you need, we can supply a pdf of the material from the library’s physical collection for you to post to your Canvas course page. No more than 20% of the total page number from a book, work of prose or play can be scanned for uploading to Canvas. If the library does not own or have access to the material, you will need to provide the material to the library, or the library can purchase.

If you have any questions, please contact reserves@iwu.edu .

Physical reserves are hard copies of books, journals, dvd's, and cd's, set aside for use by a specific class. They are shelved at the Library Services Desk for the semester during which they are needed, checked out to students for two hours, and are for use within the library only. Students and instructors must check out physical reserve items at the Library Services Desk.

To request print reserves, or arrange for the drop off of personal copies, email Katy Ritter or call (309) 556-3172. Please include your reading list or syllabus in your email, with complete citation information. Title, author, and call number are required. This information helps us expedite your request so it is ready as soon as possible.

Please keep in mind the following guidelines:

• Physical copies obtained through interlibrary loan cannot be placed on reserve. Only library owned material or instructor owned personal copies may be used. Photocopies of journal articles and small selections from books obtained through interlibrary loan may be placed on physical reserve.
• Dubbed or copied DVDs, CDs, VHS or audio cassettes cannot be placed on physical reserve. This includes programs recorded from television or material taken from the internet.
• No more than 20% of the total page number from a book, work of prose or play can be photocopied for physical reserve.
• Instructor owned copies are allowed one-time use. For future use Reserves will contact your liaison librarian for purchase or seek permission for use.

If you plan to use streaming film/media not available through our streaming video resources, please let your library liaison know immediately what titles you will need. Procuring streaming rights for educational use sometimes takes up to 6-8 weeks, so the sooner we know your plans, the better we are able to locate the best person or company to contact on your behalf. 

Please note that we have moved to mediated access to Kanopy films. This will help us control our costs and provide a means to track usage in courses. 

The Ames Library, in collaboration with the Office of Student Accessibility Services, offers a variety of ways we support students needing special accommodations with course materials. If there is a student who may qualify for this service, Please contact Student Accessibility Services (accessibility@iwu.edu). For more information on how we support students with disabilities, visit The Ames Library Assistive Services page.