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College of Mount St Joseph
PROPOSAL
(excerpts)
INTEGRATION OF LIBRARY ELECTRONIC RESERVES SERVICE
INTO THE COLLEGE COURSE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Prepared by Janna Hoglund
Public Services Librarian
December 2010

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1. Electronic Reserves Service
Course Reserves are typically offered by the educational institutions as a
service designated to provide students and faculty with access to supplemental
course materials for a specified period of time (Xiaohua 263). Normally, this service
is provided in a traditional way (print/hard copy reserves). However, with the
increased offerings of online library services (catalog, databases, etc), the demand
for the reserves service with an electronic component has increased, as well.
Electronic Reserves service expands the scope of the traditional "in library”
reserve service. It facilitates the distribution of the course supporting materials to
students by allowing access at their convenience – at any hour using the Internet.
This is of particular importance and convenience for the distant learners who very
rarely, if ever, come to campus. Moreover, the electronic reserve service saves time
for faculty who want to digitize, post, organize and store reserve documents.
2. Electronic Reserves Service at the Mount Library
The College of Mount St Joseph library has been offering the electronic
reserves delivery service since 1999. The service is provided through the Docutek
ERes system. This system permits students to find, view and save or print course
materials that have been placed on electronic reserve by their instructors. Faculty
may submit a wide variety of materials to be placed on electronic reserves: journal
articles, book chapters, course notes, assignments, or other relevant items such as
links to class or course-related websites. Faculty also use Docutek ERes to store
and access the materials designated for a specific group, i.e., a learning
community. The electronic reserves collection can be accessed via the library
website - http://reserves.msj.edu/eres/default.aspx . The access to the electronic
reserves is password protected. The students receive the passwords from their
instructors who placed the materials on electronic reserve.

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3. Electronic Reserves Service and Blackboard. Possible Merge?
Advantages and Disadvantages.
Along with providing access to course readings through an electronic reserve
system, some academic libraries explore the possibility to offer to the faculty the
option to use the course management program, such as Blackboard, in order to
deliver the electronic reserves to their students. As evidenced in the professional
literature, while some academic libraries are exploring this option, many are
already successfully integrating the electronic course reserves service into an
academic course management software program (Rushton 86).
Academic libraries integrate Blackboard and electronic reserves in various
manners. Some libraries integrate Docutek and Blackboard by linking (from
Blackboard) with the articles available via an electronic reserves system. Other
libraries use EReserves Module (available via Blackboard Content System add-on
http://bit.ly/gDspBX ). Some libraries offer Blackboard as an alternative to their
existing electronic reserves system. There are libraries that have created their own
software in order to provide electronic reserves through Blackboard. (For more details
and examples refer to the Appendix I What Are Other Libraries Doing?)
The review of the current literature has revealed that the most compelling
arguments for academic libraries to explore the usage of Blackboard for electronic
reserves reside in its familiarity to faculty and students, its convenience to use and
access and it potential for “one-stop shopping”(Cubbage 24).
Providing access to electronic course reserves through a course management
software program gives other advantages:
-­‐ Supporting course resources are better integrated into academic course work
(Xiaohua)
-­‐ Using Blackboard course will provide a quicker access to the reserved
documents by eliminating multiple clicks and library website browsing.
-­‐ Using Blackboard can eliminate the need for separate sign-in procedures
that are required in other electronic reserves applications. This is only

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possible when Blackboard is the only option used for electronic reserves or
via an electronic reserves system add-on module (i.e Docutek ERes’
Blackboard Integration)
-­‐ Increased visibility of resources (Xiaohua) and library services. The students
will be exposed to and acquainted with professional literature in their field
sooner. It will also contribute to modeling students’ research behavior.
-­‐ Collaborative partnership with faculty (can be a challenge).
-­‐ Library presence in the course.
However, there are some issues to consider while thinking about using
Blackboard for electronic reserves:
-­‐ Where in a Blackboard course the link to Electronic Reserves will be placed?
The consistency in placing and naming (i.e. “Course Reserves” in the Course
Menu) will be beneficial.
-­‐ How and where will the reserve materials be stored?
-­‐ How the library will gather and manage statistics (Xiaohua)?
-­‐ How the library will manage the Documents saved (Xiaohua)?
-­‐ How copyright compliance will be ensured?
-­‐ How will the workflow of processing materials streamlined?
-­‐ Will the library need Blackboard administrative privileges for each course
(Xiaohua)?
4. How Usage of Blackboard Will Improve the Electronic Reserves
Service at the College of Mount St Joseph Library.
College of Mount St Joseph uses Blackboard course management system to
offer online courses and to add online component to the traditional courses
(blended courses). Currently a blackboard course is created at the instructor’s
request (about 60% of all courses). It is planned that starting in Summer 2011, a

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blackboard course will be automatically created for each course taught at the
college.
Currently students access electronic reserves through the Docutek ERes
system. The students need to provide additional credentials (passwords - provided
by the instructor) in order to log into the ERes system.
To get to electronic reserves students need to follow this step sequence:
1. Leave the Blackboard course.
2. Find and access the Library website.
3. Access Course Reserves
4. Access ERes: Electronic Reserves (Articles)
5. Open Electronic Reserves & Reserves Pages
http://reserves.msj.edu/eres/courseindex.aspx?error=&page=search
6. Click on “Course Pages by Instructor”
7. Choose the instructor
8. Choose the course (if more than one course is on reserve for the instructor)
9. Type in the password and accept copyright agreement.
What can be done to eliminate this string of clicks and improve students’
experience with electronic reserves service and their blackboard course? It can be
achieved by integrating electronic reserves service into a Blackboard course. For
example, stable links can be posted in a Blackboard course under a pre-set “Course
Reserves” content area. By implementing this little addition to a Blackboard course
all 8 steps/clicks will be eliminated and students will go directly to the step 9 – type
in the password and clicking on Accept (copyright agreement).
Some of the most recent studies on the students’ information behavior and
information search have shown that today’s students want to search a single,

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unified place to find the information they need. For their courses it is their course
management system (Peterson 6).
“I hate it when an instructor uses their own course website instead of
WebCT. It is much easier to just go to one place to check into all of your
classes” (OIT’s Net Generation Of Students at the University of Minnesota,
Twin Cities Survey 2007 1- cited in Peterson)
The example given above illustrates that even without an additional reserve
module, this simple integration of electronic reserves service into a Blackboard
course will provide benefits for our students and faculty. One of these benefits is
easier access to the reserves articles through Docutek ERes and to the library
resources in general.
Students and faculty will be able to access course reserved
materials more quickly and with fewer intermediate steps. Moreover, this change
will enhance the course content.
5. Proposal
Based on the research conducted, and taking into consideration that
Blackboard is becoming a major method to provide course related information and
materials to students campuswide, the integration of electronic reserves service
into a course management system is highly recommended.
The recommended integration can be achieved in several stages.
Stage One – Initial Integration:
(Text omitted)
Stage Two – Intermediate Integration:
(text omitted)
Stage Three – Full Integration:
(text omitted)

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While discussing our alternatives and making a decision we need to
take into consideration the following three aspects:
-­‐ For faculty the timely delivery of course readings, with minimal involvement
beyond choosing and teaching the material, is primary.
-­‐ Students desire 24/7, free-and-easy Internet access to legible course
readings. (Cubbage 24).

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References
Cheung, Ophelia, and Susan Patrick. "E-Reserve in Blackboard: Chalk It Up to
Collaboration." Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery & Electronic Reserves
17.3 (2007): 129-143. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full
Text. EBSCO. Web. 14 Jan. 2011.
Cubbage, Charlotte. "Electronic Reserves and Blackboard's Course Management System."
Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery & Information Supply 13.4 (2003): 21-
32. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text. EBSCO. Web.
14 Jan. 2011.
Peterson, Kate et al. “Course Integration Exploratory Subgroup: Final Report and
Recommendations to the Web Services Steering Committee.” DigitalConservancy.
University of Minnessota. Library Reports. Web. 14 Jan. 2011.
<http://purl.umn.edu/50801>
Poe, Jodi, and Bethany Skaggs. "Course Reserves: Using Blackboard for E-Reserves
Delivery." Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery & Electronic Reserves 18.1
(2007): 79-91. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text.
EBSCO. Web. 14 Jan. 2011.
Poe, Jodi, and Sonja McAbee. "Electronic Reserves, Copyright, and CMS Integration--Six
Years Later." Journal of Access Services 5.1/2 (2007): 251-263. Library, Information
Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text. EBSCO. Web. 14 Jan. 2011.
Rushton, Erin et al. "Implementing Electronic Reserves Using the Blackboard Content
System." Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery & Electronic Reserves 16.4
(2006): 85-92. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text.
EBSCO. Web. 14 Jan. 2011.
Xiaohua, Li, and David Demers. "Improving Electronic Reserve Services: A Collaborative
Effort." Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery & Electronic Reserves 20.4
(2010): 263-269.

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APPENDIX 1
What are Other Academic Libraries Are Doing?
Examples of the higher education institutions that integrate Electronic
Reserves Service into Blackboard are:
- University of Cincinnati.
University of Cincinnati Libraries use an in-house software in order to provide
electronic reserves service via Blackboard. The software allows loading, maintaining
and storing electronic articles.
http://www.libraries.uc.edu/services/reserves/search.html;
http://www.libraries.uc.edu/services/reserves/eres_guidelines.html
UC Faculty Guidelines for Electronic Reserves (E-Reserves). Excerpt.
(text omitted)
- Binghamton University Libraries.
The BU libraries use the module Blackboard Content System to maintain and store
electronic reserves. http://library.lib.binghamton.edu/services/eres/faculty.html
Faculty/Instructor Course Reserve Information. Excerpt.
(text omitted)
- UMBC: an Honors University of Maryland.
The UMBC library offers to use Blackboard as an alternative to its existing electronic
reserve system, UCORES. The materials are uploaded directly to a Blackboard
course and managed by a faculty member. http://aok.lib.umbc.edu/reserves/blckbrd.php
- Xavier University. Kent State University. University of Maine System.
Xavier University libraries, Kent State University Libraries and University of Maine
System Libraries integrate electronic reserves into Blackboard courses by linking
with reserve articles (from a blackboard course). All three libraries use Docutek
ERes as an electronic reserves system. Faculty insert persistent links to ERes
documents or course pages in Blackboard, while the Reserve staff digitize,
upload, store and manage the materials submitted. The information on how to
create a persistent link (URL) to ERes courses or documents is provided in

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various tutorials developed by the libraries. Or the links themselves can be
emailed to the faculty members by the designated library employees.
Xavier University - http://www.xavier.edu/library/help/blackboard_ereserves_links.pdf -
Instructions for Linking E-reserves to Your Blackboard Course Tutorial
Kent State Libraries - http://www.library.kent.edu/page/10428
University of Maine System - http://libraries.maine.edu/mariner/eres.asp - Creating
Persistent Links to E-Reserves (Docutek) Tutorial
Grand Rapids Community College library offers slightly different linking option,
which is worth mentioning and exploring. GRCC libraries encourage faculty to link
their Blackboard course with resources from a variety of library subscription
databases. As in the above stated academic libraries, the GRCC library provides
faculty with the information on where to find the persistent in the databases or
email them the links. http://bit.ly/ekY839 . By linking to a subscription database
copyright compliance issues are eliminated since e-reserve use is covered in the
Library’s database contracts
Other Practices Worth Reviewing
University of Missouri
http://libraryguides.missouri.edu/content.php?pid=146239&sid=1314214 -
Integrating Library Content into Blackboard 9
http://libraryguides.missouri.edu/content.php?pid=154903&sid=1335896 -
Blackboard vs. ERes
The George Washington University Medical Center
http://www.gwumc.edu/library/services/reserves/ereserves.cfm - About E-Reserves
(using Blackboard)
University of Richmond
http://library.richmond.edu/services/faculty/linking.html - Linking Electronic
Resources

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University of Oregon
http://libweb.uoregon.edu/reserves/blackboard-eres.html - Making e-reserves
available through Blackboard.

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APPENDIX II