Course Reserves

Log into PITTCat to locate reserves

 

NOTE: If you are off campus and will be using e-reserves you need to log into the SSLVPN and THEN access e-reserves.

Locating Print Course Reserve Materials

Print reserve items can be searched online using the Course Reserve function of PITTCat:

  • Connect to PITTCat
  • From the PITTCat main screen choose Course Reserve
  • Items can be searched by instructor's name, by department, or by course title/number
  • Make your selections using the drop down boxes then click Search
  • Click on an entry from the results list to see a full record, including call number (which you'll need), for that item
Click here to connect to PITTCat

Once you have located the items you need, write the call number for the item on a slip of paper (provided at the Reserve Desk).

Give the slip to one of the staff at the Reserve Desk, who will retrieve the item(s) for you.

If you have trouble locating reserve materials for your class please ask one of the reserve staff for assistance.

Locating Electronic Course Reserve Materials

Like print, electronic reserve items can be searched online using the Course Reserve function of PITTCat:

 

  • NOTE: If you are off campus you must first log into the SSLVPN and THEN proceed to PITTCat.
  • Connect to PITTCat
  • From the PITTCat main screen choose Course Reserve
  • Items can be searched by instructor's name, by department, or by course title/number
  • Make your selections using the drop down boxes then click Search
  • Click on the E-Reserves entry from the results list
  • Click on the E-Items: E-Reserves Link
  • Enter the password that has been provided by the instructor

Click here to connect to PITTCat

 

Guidelines for Using Print Course Reserve Materials

Borrower must have a valid ID card.

Only two library-owned reserve items may be checked out at one time.

Items placed on two-hour reserve may be checked out overnight two hours before the library closes, and must be returned the following morning when the library opens.

Personal copies of reserve materials provided by instructors may not leave the library under any conditions unless the instructor so designates.

Fines for reserve items are $1.80 per hour per item for two-hour loans and $1.00 per day per item for 3-day and 7-day loan periods.

There is no grace period on reserve materials

Instructors: Guidelines for Placing Print Materials on Reserve

For Books:

Book reserve request forms must be filled out completely. Retrieving the books from the stacks and submitting them with your completed form will allow us to process your reserve list more efficiently and in less time. Reserve request forms can be picked up at the Lending/Reserve Desk or you can use the online Reserve Book Request Form , print the form and submit to Hillman Library Reserves, G-2 Hillman, via campus mail, or via fax.

Books that are not currently in our collection can be ordered. Please allow 4-6 weeks for us to process book orders.

The deadline for submitting reserve lists in order for the items to be available for the first day of the term, is one month before the semester starts.

Items can be placed on two-hour, three-day, or seven-day reserve. Please indicate the length of time you would like items on reserve for your course to circulate.

There is a 60 item limit to the number of books and/or photocopies placed on reserve per instructor per course per term.

Personal copies of books will be returned to the instructor at the end of the term unless other arrangements are made.

For Photocopies:

Instructors are responsible for copyright compliance related to the materials they place on reserve. Please familiarize yourself with the ULS policy. The ULS fully expects that instructors are following the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976.

The instructor must supply all photocopies of copyrighted material, along with a Photocopy Reserve Form (PDF) which includes complete citations. This form can be printed, filled out, and should accompany the photocopies.

Instructors should provide only as many copies as are absolutely required to meet the demands of the class. Traditionally, this has been defined widely as one copy for every twenty students except in extraordinary cases. Please indicate projected enrollment for the class.

No more than one chapter of any given book may be photocopied and placed on reserve, although multiple copies of such chapter or excerpt may be placed on reserve.

There is a limit of three (3) photocopies per periodical volume per course per term.

It is illegal to repeatedly place the same photocopies on reserve each semester. Therefore the library will return all photocopies to the instructor at the end of each term.

If you have any questions, contact Hillman Library Reserves via e-mail
at: reserves@library.pitt.edu or by phone at (412) 648-7800.

Instructors: Guidelines for Submitting Material for Electronic Reserves

The library will scan reserve materials and make them available through Pittcat.

Please note what you can do to help:

  1. Reserve staff in Hillman Library will scan individual articles and book chapters if the copy submitted is of good quality and printed on a single side. Clean copies of articles and chapters make legible scans. Single-sided copies scan faster.
  2. The instructor must supply a completed copy of the Electronic Reserve List (PDF) form.
  3. Course Packs are NOT eligible for scanning.
  4. If the article is available from any of our electronic resources, please provide the URL and we will link directly to the e-version. Do not bother to print it out.
  5. Please provide the full citation when possible
  6. Please read the Library’s statement on Copyright and Course Reserves.
  7. As with print reserves it is first come, first served. Please give us your reserve materials as soon as possible.
  8. The 60 item limit applies to e-reserves lists.

Please note: online access to course reserve lists is available on the first day of the term.

If you have any questions, contact via e-mail at

e-reserves@library.pitt.edu or by phone at (412) 648-7800.

See pp. 1-4 of the University of Pittsburgh Policy #10-04-01 for more information on the University's guidelines concerning photocopy reserve and copyright compliance.