Course Reserves & Reading Lists

Information for students

  • You will find course reserves in Canvas.  Log in and open your course, then click Reading Lists in the menu on the left.   

  • This list will include details about books your instructor has placed on reserve in the library, as well as links to any e-books, online readings, and streaming media for your course. 

  • Books with the location SMFA Library Desk Reserves are shelved behind our circulation desk, and books with the location SMFA Library Stacks Reserves are shelved in our regular stacks.  Most reserve books have a loan period of 1 day, while some may be checked out for 4 hours, 3 days, or 7 days, depending on the instructor’s preference.  

  • For more information about courses reserves, see our help pages. 

Information for instructors

  • You can create your reserve list in Canvas.  Log in and open your course, then click Reading Lists in the menu on the left.  Prompts within Canvas will walk you through setting up your list. 

  • See our help pages for step-by-step written directions. 

    • You can add library-owned online resources (such as articles, e-books, and streaming videos) to your list, and your students will have immediate access. 

    • If you add a physical book to your list, it will be placed on reserve at the SMFA Library. Reserves are shelved behind the SMFA Library circulation desk with a 1-day loan period.  This location appears in the library catalog as SMFA Library Desk Reserves. 

    • This is our default policy for reserves, but if you’d like, we can change the loan period to 4 hours, 3 days, or 7 days. 

      • If you’d like to encourage your students to browse the shelves for related materials, we can return the item to its regular location in our stacks while retaining the short loan period.  The item location will appear in the library catalog as SMFA Library Stacks Reserves. 

      • If this is a recommended reading and a short loan period is not required, we can take the item off reserve and return it to its regular location in our stacks with a regular loan period.  The book’s citation will remain on your Reading List for your students to refer to. 

      • Contact Lauren at lauren.kimball_brown@tufts.edu to make any of these changes to your reserve items. 

    • If you add a physical video or audio item to your list, you’ll see a form where you can provide information about making the material available for your students to stream. 

    • If possible, we will license a streaming version from a vendor. 

    • Where necessary, we will digitize the smallest required amount to meet your stated pedagogical needs. Please note that only required assignments can be digitized, not recommended materials. 

    • The library can also create your Reading List for you.  To submit a request by email, contact Lauren at lauren.kimball_brown@tufts.edu.  Please include your course name and number and a list of citations.