Brown University Library Services

Welcome to the Library’s New Course Reserves Service

The Brown University Library has migrated to a new course reserves platform that integrates directly with Canvas and the Library’s BruKnow catalog.

Instructors can easily create, maintain, reactivate, and share reading lists (course reserves) with students that include all material types such as books, articles, and media.

The terms, 'reading list' and 'course reserves' are used interchangeably in this page.


FACULTY / INSTRUCTORS — Course Reserves Instructions


Accessing the New Course Reserves System


There are two ways to access the new course reserves system:

  • Log into Canvas directly and select the Course Reserves tab from the left-hand menu.
  • Log into the new course reserves system directly via the following button:

Reactivating and Rolling Over Course Reserves


Existing reading lists can be rolled over with or without using Canvas.

  • Using Canvas? Follow these steps to roll over course reserves.
  • Not using Canvas? Follow these steps to roll over course reserves.

If you have used course reserves in our prior system (OCRA) before, your course reserves are already reactivated in our new Course Reserves service.
If you are teaching the same course with the same course code as before, your course reserves in OCRA will be automatically available in the new course reserves platform. However, if the course code was changed for the same course, please contact us at rock-reserves@brown.edu and let us know the old and new course code and title and we can assist.

Faculty and deputies can reactivate or roll over their OCRA reading list by logging into the new course reserve system, then following the steps below:

  • Using Canvas? Follow these steps to reactivate course reserves.
  • Not using Canvas? Follow these steps to reactivate course reserves.

Creating New Course Reserves


Are you new to the library's course reserves service or creating a reading list for a new course? You can create a new reading list of electronic library resources, streaming video, textbooks, journals, audio and more to share with your students.

Managing Course Reserves


  • See managing your course reserves for more information about managing Course Reserves, including how to create sections, editing and deleting citations, using tags, and creating a collection.

Course Reserves Help



STUDENTS — Access Course Reserves in the New System

Students can access electronic course reserves either from Canvas or by logging into the new course reserves system here.



OCRA Users: the buttons below can be used to view course reserves from previous semesters.