Course Reserves

Ares is an online course reserves system for PDFs of journal articles or book chapters, streaming video/audio, and other readings or assignments. To find electronic course reserves in Ares:

1. Using the button below, log in with your WashU Key.
2. The courses you are enrolled in are displayed on the main menu.
3. Click on the course to see reserve items your instructor has made available.

If you have registered late or do not see a course on the main Ares menu, contact Olin Library Reserves staff at reserve@wumail.wustl.edu or at (314) 935-5451 for assistance.

Ares allows you to manage course materials online. All reserve requests, including electronic readings and physical materials such as books, DVDs, etc., can be submitted through Ares. Olin Library pulls items from our stacks to be put on the Reserve shelf and/or scans needed readings for students to download from Ares.

Streaming requests for materials already owned by the libraries are required one week before the semester begins to allow sufficient processing time. Materials not owned by the library will need to be purchased, which can take 1-4 weeks at a minimum and depends on the item’s availability.

Please note that if a single instructor teaches multiple sections of the same course, numbered sections will be merged into one course in Ares with a combined enrollment. Please contact the Reserves staff if a student enrolled in your course is unable to access your materials.

Reserves services at other campus libraries may vary; contact your departmental library for more details. You can also manage your courses in Ares, upload new reserve items, and import readings from courses within the past five years. Ares retains a rolling five-year course of materials. If not used in five or more years, PDFs of book chapters and journal articles are deleted. Please store citations and course materials elsewhere if needed for over five years.

WashU Libraries provide audio and video streaming services for materials held in the John M. Olin Library and the Gaylord Music Library collections, which are needed for course reserve. Contact Olin Library Reserves staff regarding film streaming and Music Library staff regarding audio streaming.

To place materials on the electronic course reserve, log into the Ares Course Reserves System and follow the instructions in the “Add Items” section of the Ares Instruction for Faculty Guide.

For assistance or to schedule a Reserves consultation, contact Reserves by phone at (314) 935-5451 or via email (reserve@wumail.wustl.edu).

You can link directly from Canvas to articles in Libraries-subscribed databases using the permalink for a source.

For more information on how to do this or for a librarian’s assistance, please see our guide Integrating the Library into Canvas.

Physical course reserves (i.e., books, print materials, DVDs) have a call number and are listed in the WashU Libraries Catalog.

To find physical course reserves in the library catalog:

1. Search by the course number or instructor’s name using the button below.
2. The catalog will indicate which library is holding the materials for your course.
3. Go to the appropriate library’s help desk to request an item on reserve.

Faculty members may request that materials (i.e., books, print materials, DVDs) related to a course be made available for a limited check-out period. 

Materials not owned by the library will need to be purchased, which can take 1-4 weeks at a minimum and depends on the item’s availability.

Full-time and emeritus faculty members may assign proxy borrowers (see Proxy Borrowing) who can perform library transactions on their behalf. 

If WashU Libraries do not own the needed materials, you can reserve your copy or recommend purchasing the item for the Libraries’ collections. John M. Olin Library, as well as several other campus libraries, offer Reserve services.

Please note that if a single instructor teaches multiple sections of the same course, numbered sections will be merged into one course in Ares with a combined enrollment. Please contact the Reserves staff if a student enrolled in your course is unable to access your materials.

To place materials on physical course reserve, log into the Ares Course Reserves System and follow instructions in the “Add Items” section of the Ares Instruction for Faculty Guide.

For assistance or to schedule a Reserves consultation, Contact Reserves by phone at (314) 935-5451 or via email (reserve@wumail.wustl.edu).