Course Reserves Services

To access an e-reserve on your course's reserves list:

1. Click on the blue Detail button to the left of the title. If your instructor has only one reading on reserve, you will be taken directly to the Detail display for that reading when you go to the list. Note: The CAT displays only 20 reserve items per page. Use the Next button to see the rest of your reserves list if there are more than 20 items.
2. In the Detail view, highlight the More tab and select the link next to Online Content. This will open the reading, usually in a new browser window.
   • Recommended software: most e-reserve readings are provided as PDF files. These files are produced in Adobe Acrobat, and are best viewed using Adobe Reader. Reader is a free download.
3. Use the Adobe Reader toolbar to page through the reading and zoom in or out. Also use this toolbar (not the browser menu) to print or save the PDF.

Note: The e-reserves PDFs that are produced by the Course Reserves staff always start with a copyright warning/citation page. The reading starts on the second page.

To print an e-reserve PDF:

1. Click on the Print button in the Adobe Reader toolbar. Do not use the browser's printing function.
2. In the Print window next to "Page Scaling," select Fit to Printable Area from the drop-down menu.
3. Click on the Advanced button in the lower left corner of the Print window. Then, check the box next to Print as image in the Advanced Print Setup window and click OK. Click OK again back in the original Print window.

• I can't log in to the CAT.
• Nothing happens when I click on the link for the e-reserve file.
• My e-reserves are taking forever to download.
• My e-reserve document seems to be downloading, but all I see is a blank screen.
• When I try to download my e-reserves, I get an "Invalid IP Address" error message.
• I'm still having problems.

I can't log in to the CAT.

If you can't log in to the CAT using your Penn State access ID and password, you may need to register with the University Libraries.

• To see if you are registered, go to the Libraries homepage, click on My Library Account, and log in with your Penn State access ID and password. If you cannot access your account, then you are not registered.

If you're registered for classes and with the library but still can't access the CAT, you may be experiencing a problem with your access account or password. Sometimes, students are able to access library resources after changing their password. If you're able to access your Penn State email or Portal page, but not the CAT (and if changing your password doesn't help), please contact us at ereserves@psulias.psu.edu.

Nothing happens when I click on the link for the e-reserve file.

When you click on an e-reserve link, the file opens in a separate browser window. If you already have two or more browser windows open, the document may load in a window in the background. Check your taskbar at the bottom of the screen to see how many browser windows are open and, if there is more than one, see if the file loaded in one of the others. You can also try minimizing the current browser window to see if another window appears.

My e-reserves are taking forever to download.

The e-reserves files produced by the Course Reserves staff are provided as PDFs. If accessing your e-reserves over a slow connection, these files may take 5-10 minutes or more to download. Download times are also longer during periods of high Internet traffic. Try downloading e-reserves during off-peak hours such as early morning or later at night.

My e-reserve document seems to be downloading, but all I see is a blank screen.

Occasionally, the browser will display a "Done" message but the screen will be blank.

1. Try moving your cursor over the toolbar at the top of the window. If the cursor turns into an hourglass, the document is still loading.
2. Try loading Adobe Reader from the Start menu before you click on the link. Then return to your browser and click on the link again.

When I try to download my e-reserves, I get an "Invalid IP Address" error message.

When accessing e-reserves from off-campus, the system will recognize that you're not at a Penn State computer (with a Penn State IP address) and should prompt you for your Penn State access ID and password. Occasionally, this process fails and an "Invalid IP Address" error message is generated.

1. Check to see if your browser is configured to use a proxy server (note: this is especially common with cable modem or DSL connections). In Internet Explorer, go to Tools → Internet Options → Connections → LAN Settings. If the box next to Use A Proxy Server is checked, uncheck it and cut any information from the "Address field" (paste it into a text file to restore it later). Click Apply and try to access your e-reserves again.
2. Check to see if your browser is configured to accept cookies.
   • In Internet Explorer, go to Tools → Internet Options → Privacy. If the privacy level is set to High, move the bar down to Medium High. Click Apply and try to access your e-reserves again. If that does not work, move the bar down to Medium and try again.
   • In Firefox, go to Tools → Options → Privacy. Check the box next to Accept cookies from sites is checked. Click OK and try to access your e-reserves again.
3. Use the Penn State VPN client to access your e-reserves. If you have not used the VPN previously, follow the instructions for installing and using the VPN for off-campus users.

I'm still having problems.

If you're still unable to access your e-reserve files, contact us at ereserves@psulias.psu.edu. Please include the following information in your email:

• Location (on or off-campus — if on campus, please provide building name).
• Accessing through Penn State or an Internet Service Provider (if ISP, please provide name).
• Browser name and version.
• Adobe Reader version.
• Course ID, instructor and title of material.
• Precise description of problem or error message.

Course Reserves Services
113 West Pattee Library
(814) 863-0324

Course Reserves Contacts at All University Libraries Locations