A new course reserves system at the James A. Gibson Library is making resources more accessible for students.

The system, Ares, has streamlined workflows for Brock instructors and Library staff, improved discoverability for students and helped to ensure that course readings are copyright and AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) compliant.

With the integration of Ares into Sakai, the University’s Learning Management System, students are able to easily access readings in digital format, identify and locate reserve materials in hardcopy, and sign up for an RSS feed of newly added resources.  

The software allows instructors to add items in a variety of formats including books, scanned book chapters, articles, streaming video and web links.

“Library staff will review course readings, ensure copyright compliance and provide persistent links to digital materials so they are accessible via Sakai on- and off-campus,” said Elaine Jaeger, Library Reserve Supervisor.

The Library also provides complimentary scanning and uploading of materials.

History Professor Andrew MacDonald has been using the new reserves system for his classes and said it seems “popular and successful” with his students who have been using it.

“It’s not simply a matter of convenience,” he said. “In larger classes it alleviates the pressure on hard copies at the reserve desk and facilitates access for more students to potentially limited resources.”

Instructors are encouraged to send their syllabi to reserve@brocku.ca for processing.

Jaeger can also be contacted at ejaeger@brocku.ca or ext. 3963 for more information on how switching to Ares can benefit students.