Submit all course reserve requests by Week 9 of the prior term for materials to be ready at the start of the upcoming term (see OSU academic calendar).

Requests received after the Monday of Week 3 for the current term will only be filled if time and resources allow.

Students

  Search Course Reserves

Search for both physical and digital course materials by title, ISBN, instructor name or course subject and number (example: "WR 121" with a space before the number).

Not finding what you need? Students: Request New Items

Course reserves are available for short-term use, with renewals based on availability. If you need access to course materials for the entire term, contact the Basic Needs Center (BNC).

Students needing accessible formats for required course materials such as textbooks or documents should contact OSU's Disability Access Services (DAS) for assistance. Students needing accessible formats for non-required course-related readings or other research materials may request those materials and the type of alternate format needed from OSU Libraries by submitting a request form, emailing library.accessibility@oregonstate.edu, or by calling 541-737-7293. OSU Libraries will work to make reasonable accommodations.

Questions? Ask a Librarian for help!

Instructors and Teaching Assistants

Please consider Open Educational Resources (OER) when selecting course materials. As you submit requests, we will share open source or free materials where they are available.

Submit a new request each term so we can ensure materials are available and findable for your students.

Instructors: Put Items on Reserve

Requests will be filled in the order received. You will be notified when your materials are available.

As we respond to course reserves requests we prioritize our work in this order:

  1. When possible, secure licensed, digital copies of books (subject to licensing and availability).
  2. Purchase physical copies of the texts to share with students at the Borrowing & Information Desk (map).
  3. If digital copies are needed (such as for an Ecampus course), scan print materials and give students access based on Control Digital Lending's 1:1 ratio principle as time and resources permit. (If you’d like to increase the number of simultaneous users, we welcome the loan of your departmental or personal copies of the book. For each additional print copy we set aside, we can increase the online viewer limit by one.)

You may also drop off departmental or personal copies of books at the Borrowing & Information Desk to be placed on physical course reserve for three-hour checkout. Please still use the request form linked above to let us know before dropping off anything.

Questions? Please contact valley.reserves@oregonstate.edu for help!

What types of things can go on course reserves?

  • Ebooks and streaming video. To provide the most access to the most students, we offer unlimited-user ebooks and streaming video whenever possible. If we’re unable to purchase a title as an ebook (usually due to limitations set by publishers) and you want students to access the book online, we can scan a physical copy. Depending on demand, this process may take several weeks.
  • Physical materials. We maintain a collection of print books and other materials (such as DVDs and molecular kits), which check out for three hours at a time.
  • Personal materials. If you have personal or departmental copies of textbooks or  other course materials that you'd like us to put on reserve, please submit the request form, then drop off the items at your convenience.

What's the deadline to submit a request?

Submit all course reserve requests by Week 9 of the prior term for materials to be ready at the start of the upcoming term (see OSU academic calendar).

Requests received after Week 3 for the current term will only be filled if time and resources allow.

Spring 2025

  • Materials ready by start of term: March 3, 2025 (Winter Week 9)
  • All materials: April 14, 2025 (Spring Week 3)

Summer 2025

  • Materials ready by start of term: May 26, 2025 (Spring Week 9)
  • All materials: July 7, 2025 (Summer Week 3)

Fall 2025

  • Materials ready by start of term: August 25, 2025 (Summer Week 9)
  • All materials: October 13, 2025 (Fall Week 3)

Do you provide access codes?

Although we try our best to provide free course materials to students, the library is unable to purchase access codes. If you are a student and you cannot afford an access code, we encourage you to contact your instructor. They may be able to provide one for you. We also suggest visiting the Basic Needs Center to discuss offsetting the cost with other solutions.

If you are an instructor, please consider this restriction during course design and contact us with any questions. We encourage you to explore using open educational resources (OERs) whenever possible.

How many copies of something can be put on reserve?

If we don’t already own a print book, we will try to purchase one copy of it. Instructors may bring in additional copies.

For ebooks and streaming video, we purchase access for unlimited simultaneous users whenever possible. When this is not available, we purchase whatever allows for the most simultaneous users (this may be three or one).

If an ebook is required (such as for an ecampus course) but there is not one available to purchase, (as time and resources allow) we will scan a print copy and make it available for one simultaneous user in accordance with Control Digital Lending's 1:1 ratio principle. Instructors may bring in additional print copies to increase the number of simultaneous online users.

Time is needed for ordering, shipping, and cataloging of new materials.