Dear Faculty and Instructors,
To support a smooth start to your Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 courses, we’re providing key information about submitting your course materials through UBC Library’s Syllabus Service and the Library Online Course Reserves (LOCR) system.
📚 Course Reserves: Two Submission Options
- Syllabus Service:
UBC Library’s Syllabus Service is a full service option that lets you simply submit your reading list, and we’ll take care of the rest, with no need for you to enter bibliographic data into the system.
- Submit via Canvas or LOCR: Use the “Add Syllabus” button.
- Email Submission: Send a Word or PDF document to syllabus.service@ubc.ca
📝 What to Include in Your Reading List
- Course name and code
- Your name and contact information
- Full citations for all materials, including page numbers
- Requests for new book/eBook/media purchases
- Self-Service:
You can manually submit requests directly into LOCR. If you are importing items from a previous course shell, please ensure they are from the most recent offering and include accurate citations. Please note that all items must be reviewed each term for copyright compliance, even if the materials were used in a previous term.
Both the Syllabus Service and Self-Service ensure that materials are used in compliance with Canadian Copyright Law and in accordance with UBC’s licensing agreements.
If you have PDFs of course materials, please share them via syllabus.service@ubc.ca to expedite processing.
🔄 Merging Canvas Course Sections
If you plan to merge multiple course sections in Canvas, please do so before submitting your reading list or using the self-service option. Contact your faculty’s Instructional Support or the LT Hub to request a merge.
⏳ Processing Timelines
While most course reserves materials can be cleared quickly, securing permissions from certain publishers or acquiring new materials (such as books, eBooks, DVDs, or streaming media) may take several weeks.
- Submit requests at least one month before the start of term to ensure materials are available on time.
- Additional requests can be submitted at any time after the initial submission; however, they may take longer to process during peak periods due to high volumes.
- Materials are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
✅ Accessing Course Materials
Your assigned digital course materials will be available as a single list—including articles, eBooks, chapters/excerpts, webpages and media resources—accessible through:
- Canvas: Ensure the Library Online Course Reserves module is enabled.
- Standalone LOCR Site: A direct link in “Instructor Mode” will be provided, which you can share with students via email, blog, or LMS. This link works only for students enrolled in the specific course.
Your assigned print course materials will be available within the library’s physical course reserves collection.
For questions or more information, please contact syllabus.service@ubc.ca, koerner.reserve@ubc.ca, or reach out to your library branch.
Best regards,
UBC Library’s Course Reserve & Syllabus Services
UBC Library |The University of British Columbia |
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The UBC Vancouver campus is situated within the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam).